Loneliness: The Role of Social Work

Background and Credits

The Social Care Council have worked in partnership with Linda Sayers from Sayers Training Services and a content reference group of subject matter experts to develop the content for this resource.

Thank you to the social workers and other professionals who contributed to helping develop the resource including: Natasha Palmer (Barnardo’s Northern Ireland), Charlene Hill (St. Ronan’s College), Aislinn Delaney (Northern Ireland Hospice), Sarah Stewart (Presbyterian Board of Social Witness), Jennifer McKinney (QUB), Clare McKay (Education Authority NI), Danielle Findlay (Extern), Jeanine Toner (Barnardo’s NI), Theresa Ormandy (Extern), Clare Quinn (Women’s Aid), Roisin Ferry (GP MDT, WHSCT), Rachel Johnston (Student Social Worker), Lorna Montgomery (QUB), Kitty Downey (WHSCT), Gavin Hamilton (WHSCT), Ed Sipler (SEHSCT), Stephen McMillan (BHSCT), Una Hume (WHSCT) and Fred Davidson (BHSCT).

We wish to thank all the people who were willing to share their lived experiences of loneliness; we have anonymised or changed their names to protect identity and to social workers, Natasha, Charlene and Aislinn who worked with us to develop films talking about their experiences of supporting people impacted by loneliness.