Louise is the BA (Hons) Social Work Programme Leader and a Lecturer in Social Work. Louise teaches in the field of social work, predominantly teaching on the undergraduate degree. She read Social Policy in her undergraduate degree at the University of Glasgow and is an alumna of Glasgow Caledonian University, having completed her master's in Social Work here some years ago.
Louise’s research interests are in the area of immigration, social work education and the role of simulation in social work practice.
Louise has worked in social care and social work for 20 years, in residential childcare, refugee, homelessness and addiction services within the third sector. She has undertaken youth work in a variety of settings, both in Scotland and overseas.
After she completed her MSc in Social Work, she worked in statutory children and family social work, undertaking child protection work pre-birth to post-18. She also worked with young people subject to court-ordered Community Payback Orders as part of youth justice social work.
To inform her work in supporting families, Louise completed the Postgraduate Certification in Child Care and Protection at Stirling University, where she received a distinction; and following her move to academia, the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
Louise is a member of HEA and all of this experience combined, heavily informs Louise’s current teaching, where she focuses on guiding students to work in social work in a number of settings.