We want to help you find the right person
Social Work Scotland are a professional leadership body for the social work profession, which means we do not provide, or have direct responsibility for, social work services.
Social Work Scotland do not work directly with adults or families.
You should contact your local social work department if you:
- are worried about a child or an adult
- need to contact a social worker or social work services
- are unhappy about the service that you or someone else is receiving and would like to make a complaint about a social worker.
Find your local social work department here
If you are worried about someone and you feel at any time the situation becomes urgent, please call 999.
What we do
Social Work Scotland is a membership organisation which represents social workers and other professionals who lead and support social work across all sectors.
Our vision is of a social work profession across Scotland which is led effectively and creatively; is responsive to the needs of the people we support and protect; is accessible and accountable; and promotes social justice.
Our Team
Our staff team is led by our Director and comprises a core team, as well as a team of policy and project staff.
Ben Farrugia
DIRECTOR
Ben has been the Director of Social Work Scotland since October 2018, and a member since 2014. Prior to his current role, Ben was part of the senior management team at CELCIS (Scotland’s Centre for excellence for children’s care and protection) at the University of Strathclyde, responsible for the organisation’s research, policy and consultancy offer. He has worked for the Scottish Government (looked after children team) and in Westminster (on children’s services and regional economic development).
Stephanie MacGregor-Cross
HEAD OF POLICY AND WORKFORCE
Stephanie has been a qualified social worker since 2003 and has spent the last 19 years working within local authority statutory social work settings. She has experience of working across a variety of care groups. Stephanie first became a leader in social work in 2008 and establishing strong team cultures of kindness and trust has been her passion. Stephanie believes that employee well-being is critical to forming an environment where creativity can thrive. Stephanie brings a sound knowledge of legislation and policy applicable to social work and has vast experience of applying this in practice. Most of Stephanie’s career has involved leading integrated health and social work teams within adult care settings. She has experience of working with complex situations and collaborating with others to develop bespoke and preventative models of care. Stephanie has led on projects/steering groups and improvement priorities.
Flora Aldridge
COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Flora spent 15 years in the public and third sector, working across consultation, equality and diversity, and welfare advice before specialising in adult social care and integration communications. She moved to Scotland in 2018 to study housing at the University of Glasgow and brings a keen interest in housing, equality and diversity to her role at Social Work Scotland, where she heads up all our communications and engagement work, including our annual conference.
Corinne Groeneveldt
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Corinne has been a part of the Social Work Scotland team since April 2019. In her role, she manages the planning, organising, and strategising of the daily operations and routine of the organisation and the ever-expanding team. Before joining the organisation, Corinne worked in the charity sector and obtained her Master of Science degree in Gender History & Policy from the University of Glasgow. A particular area of interest for her lies in advancing inclusivity and diversity. Corinne brings her knowledge and expertise into the work we undertake and the projects we support.
Lauryn Fetter
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCE OFFICER
Lauryn completed a Modern Apprenticeship with us, and following a promotion works closely with Corinne and Nicola on Admin and Finance, as well as providing support on Communications. Before working here, Lauryn completed her Foundation Apprenticeship in Business Skills, whilst doing this she took part in volunteering at her local community centre helping the Youth Workers during the community youth clubs. Lauryn enjoys working with the team and communicating with our members. In her free time, Lauryn likes to read books across various genres and enjoys visiting the beach.
Nicola Morrison
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Nicola joined the administration team at Social Work Scotland in May 2023 working closely alongside Corinne and Lauryn. She previously graduated from the University of Stirling with a degree in Sociology and Criminology. Nicola brings her knowledge of GIRFEC to the role, and in her free time enjoys baking and watching crime documentaries.
Vivien Thomson
CHILDREN & FAMILIES POLICY & PRACTICE LEAD
Vivien practiced in local government social work for over 30 years, joining us in October 2020 after various service management roles in her host authority. Her experience ranges from early years to disability and corporate parenting, and front-line management to developmental and strategic roles. Involvement in fostering and kinship policy initiatives, and cross-sector work are particular features. Alongside formal work Vivien is trustee for a homelessness organisation, child protection advisor for several charities, and volunteers with a charity developing alternatives to institutional care in central Asia. Her hobbies include baking, gardening, reading and walking.
Sharon Glasgow
PROTECTING CHILDREN SOCIAL WORK POLICY & PRACTICE ADVISOR
Sharon has worked in the social work sector for over 30 years, mainly in Local Authority roles, but also in the 3rd sector, with operational, learning and development and strategic responsibilities over this time. Sharon has had a particular focus on child protection, GIRFEC and corporate parenting and young carers. She worked at CELCIS (Scotland’s Centre for excellence for children’s care and protection) at the University of Strathclyde to establish the Protecting Children Programme and at Scottish Government as a Social Work Adviser in the Age of Criminal Responsibility Implementation Team within the Youth Justice and Children’s Hearings Unit.
Laura Kerr
ADULT SOCIAL WORK POLICY & PRACTICE LEAD
Laura has been a qualified social worker since 2003 and has worked across the third and statutory sectors as a practitioner, team leader and strategic lead. Key interests during her social work career have been homelessness, substance use and mental health, as well as strategic planning in health and social care more broadly.
Sharon Stirrat
JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK POLICY & PRACTICE LEAD
Sharon joined Social Work Scotland in October 2022, having had a social work career spanning 39 years, working as a front-line worker and manager. Sharon’s roles included posts within two local authorities over 29 years and then she moved to the post of Director of Operations with a Scottish Third sector organisation. Sharon helped to establish the first national public social partnership with a focus on mentoring women within the criminal justice system. She was seconded into the Scottish Government’s “Reducing re-offending” programme which involved working across several work-streams, writing national guidance and leading on training. Sharon had the opportunity to Chair the Justice Standing committee for a period during 2012.
Calum Campbell
DIGITAL SOCIAL WORK POLICY AND PRACTICE ADVISOR
Calum has been with Social Work Scotland since January 2020, initially as a Project Officer in the Self-directed Support Team and now as the Digital Social Work Policy and Practice Advisor. Calum brings 13 years of experience of working in both social care and social work in a variety of roles and settings. As a qualified social worker, Calum has practised across both statutory and third sector settings. The use of digital solutions has been threaded throughout Calum’s social work career, and he is passionate about ensuring we future proof the profession, and that social work adapts to the demands of our digitalised citizens and culture, because digital social work has the potential to positively change the way we work and improve outcomes for people.
Self-directed Support Team
Jane Kellock
PROJECT LEAD AND CONSULTANT
Jane joined Social Work Scotland in 2018 as Head of Strategy, and now project manages the Self-directed Support project. Jane is a former Chief Social Work Officer, and has worked in a variety of senior management posts in adults, and children and families social work services in local government. Prior to qualifying as a social worker in 1996, Jane worked in the third sector in supported accommodation services designed for people discharged from long stay mental health hospitals. Jane has had a long and varied career, and her previous work includes establishing a life stages approach to tackling health inequalities, designing an early personalisation and Direct Payments scheme, mental health community development, and managing homeless accommodation services.
Donna Murray
PROJECT OFFICER
Donna joined Social Work Scotland in 2019 bringing 30 years’ experience of working in social care and a passion for implementing Self-directed Support. Donna has worked in the statutory sector, voluntary sector and in higher education enjoying development roles in Equalities Team, Community Mental Health teams and Access Programmes. She spent 4 years in Zambia supporting parents living with HIV who had children with learning disabilities. Donna’s last role was working with micro enterprises to test out new models of care and support in remote rural areas. Donna is a Trustee for a community-owned putting green which provides volunteering opportunities for people living with long term mental health problems. She loves travelling, running and her dogs.
Laura Finnan Cowan
PROJECT OFFICER
Laura joined the Self-Directed Support Team in December 2022, as a Project Officer. Laura comes to the project with experience of providing independent support for SDS at a local level and having had an SDS leadership role in a national dementia organisation. Laura passionately believes that well implemented SDS will mean more diverse and inclusive communities, which everyone can benefit from. Laura loves live music, reading and is learning to be a gardener.
Calum Carlyle
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Calum joined Social Work Scotland in 2019 as part of the Self-directed Support team. He has a background in project support and administration within the Social Work sector, mostly working within Hospital Social Work departments across Edinburgh. He is passionate about social justice and equal opportunities. Calum’s interests include world religions and early history and he is also a musician, singer and songwriter.
Joint Investigative Interviewing Team
Our Joint Investigative Interviewing Team was established in 2017, as a partnership between Police Scotland, Social Work Scotland and local government. Together we are comprehensively reforming Scotland’s approach to interviewing child victims and witnesses, bringing practice up to the highest global standards.
Jennifer Morrison
PROJECT LEAD
Jennifer joined Social Work Scotland in October 2017, having had a career in social work for 14 years, as a front-line child protection social worker and manager within a local authority setting. Jennifer’s passion for the subject of forensic interviewing of children was central to her continued involvement in the development of the Scottish Child Interview Model and in 2021 Jennifer took up the post of project lead within the National Joint Investigative Interviewing Practice and Training Development team. Jennifer continues to lead on the roll out of the new training and policy and practice developments for social workers and police officers across Scotland who undertake joint investigative interviews. Away from work Jennifer enjoys travelling, walking and reading.
Mark O’Donnell
PROJECT OFFICER
Lauren Craig
PROJECT OFFICER
Lauren joined Social Work Scotland in March 2022, and brings with her over ten years of experience within the Social Work profession, predominately as a front-line child protection social worker. Lauren previously worked with the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, as a Children’s Reporter, gathering experience and understanding of the legislative structures and processes which surround child protection and the use of evidence within these proceedings. As part of the National Joint Investigative Interviewing Practice and Training Development Team, Lauren delivers and supports the continued roll out of the Scottish Child Interview Model, as it is implemented throughout Scotland. Out of the office, Lauren enjoys the outdoors and can generally be found cycling in the hills.
Adeline Kay
PROJECT OFFICER
Adeline has been with Social Work Scotland as part of the Joint Investigative Interviewing Team since April 2022. Prior to this she spent over 10 years within a Local Authority Children and Families Team as a Social Worker and Senior Social Worker, with a focus on Child Protection. During her career, Adeline has obtained post-graduate qualifications in Child Welfare and Protection and Practice Education, and was originally trained and practised in the previous joint investigative interview model. Outside work Adeline enjoys spending time with her pets, reading and shopping.
Susanne Goetzold
PROJECT OFFICER
Social Work and Education Partnership
Anne Conlin
PARTNERSHIP DELIVERY MANAGER
Anne started her career in Community Education in early 1980’s and worked throughout education and social work for 25 years before joining Carers Scotland as Training Manager in the early noughties. Latterly and for the last 11 years she was CEO for Learning Network West. Anne’s particular interest is in Education and the Learning and Development of the workforce. She has studied at post qualifying level, Training and Development and Management & Leadership and was previously a member of Chartered Management Institute. She joined Social Work Scotland who host Social Work Education Partnership as the SWEP Delivery Manager in Feb 2023.
Rosie Megginson
DEPUTE PARTNERSHIP DELIVERY MANAGER
Rosie is passionate about Social Work Education, and has been part of the SWEP Team since the inception of the Programme Office in August 2020. Rosie started her career in statutory social work before moving into a management role in the third sector for an organisation providing early intervention support for black and minority ethnic families. Rosie became a qualified Practice Educator in 2015 and also undertook her Postgraduate Certificate in Child Protection during her time in the third sector. During her time in the third sector, Rosie developed a passion for Social Work Education, and when her career moved towards policy focused work, she became an Independent Practice Educator and continued to work with students in a variety of different settings.
Melissa Friel
PROGRESS LEAD – EAST
Melissa joined Social Work Scotland as the SWEP Progress Lead in June 2023. Prior to this she spent over 13 years working in social care with 7 of those years working within Local Authorities as a Social Worker. Melissa has experience working in Children and Families and Adult Disability Services. Melissa obtained a post graduate qualification in Practice Education and has a keen interest in developing and supporting the future social work workforce. Outside of work, Melissa enjoys spending time in her campervan, hill walking and exploring Scotland.
Magdalena Kurek
PROGRESS LEAD – NORTH
Nabiha AlBanna
ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Nabiha joined SWS and SWEP in August 2023 as the administrative and communications coordinator with many years of experience. She holds the distinction of being a qualified Prince2 project management professional, bringing a wealth of expertise to her role. Nabiha has a deep passion for community work. Her commitment to making a positive impact on society drives her to actively contribute to community initiatives and social causes.
Become a member
We’re stronger with you as a member. Help us shape social work leadership now and for the future.
Our Articles of Association
This document sets out our core objectives (our ‘mission’), governance, membership and rules.
View our Articles of Association (pdf) – updated December 2021
