Durham University Student Social Workers in Solidarity

As a fully qualified social worker and practice teacher in the Addiction field, I totally disapprove of such a short-sighted decision at a time when we need more qualified social workers

I am from china, i am social work, and i feel so proud of it. our world needs social worker, needs love, needs social justice , so do resist discontinuing the master of social work and community development courses.

支持保留達勒姆社會工作研究所

The north east needs Social Workers. This programme is crucial to good social work practice locally.

United Kingdom

The closure of the social work department at Durham highlights how vulnerable social work programmes in Universities are. We all need to take responsibility for standing together against decisions like this and for the future of social work education in higher education institutes.

Can any thorough explanation of why this course is under threat be offered? Diversity in social work education is essential to the high standard of the profession. Durham has offered so much historically and is short sighted to see any benefits to closing the course.

This is a dreadful proposal. This University once again shows its lack of interest in real 'impact' and, as others note, lack of commitment to the people of this region.

When I arrived at Durham University as lecturer in Economics in 1964 I found myself on an island of academic excellence surrounded by an ocean of much social deprivation. When I subsequently moved into social work with Durham County Council I was immediately confronted by the very different world and lives beyond the university. I trained as a social worker in Newcastle and later went as social work education adviser to the (now defunct) Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. I was delighted at that time to hear that social work courses had been established at Durham. My dismay at the proposed closure of the social work courses at Durham arises from my sense of the history of both the university and its surrounding community. Strong social work courses enrich the life of the university in many ways. They contribute positively to research and teaching in the social science subjects especially sociology and psychology and make a valuable contribution to the local community in ways difficult to define by cost benefit analysis. Closure of the social work courses would be a retrograde step for all concerned. My hope is that even if the numbers do not add up at present it must surely be possible to retain the courses subject to what may be necessary changes. No less than the idea of a university, the values of Durham University, and the important contribution to the north-east and beyond, make it overwhelmingly desirable that the courses continue.

How can this course be destined for the 'bin' when we NEED fantastic people who want to be in this most pressurised profession?

Social workers needed more than ever

Social work is fundamental to a range of community support, including vulnerable child and frightened adults who are the most desperate for support and unable to vocalise their needs. We need more training and more community integration.

Quality social work education is critical. Lives depend on it.

Durham University makes a significant contribution to high quality Masters level education for social workers of the future. The Durham programmes are highly regarded for their research-led teaching and contribute to the University's commitment to social responsibility and community engagement. It is an abrogation of this responsibility to consider closure at a time of ever greater need for social workers in this region and more widely.

Please keeping your leading program of social work in the world

Please keep this course going and support a good cause.

keep the social work courses

We need critical thinkers in social work which is encouraged by courses like this.

It will be a great loss to the internationally community.

Social work is a tough enough vocation that requires people entering the profession to be as supported and as highly prepared as possible.