Ms Sara Hitchin

I am a qualified and registered social worker and have taught on Social Work programmes at the University of Stirling since January 2006.

I am Director of Practice Learning for the MSc in Social Work Studies and the BA (Hons) in Social Work. I am also a tutor and dissertation supervisor to students on the qualifying programme.

In relation to the post qualifying MSc in Applied Professional Studies, I am pathway lead for the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Professional Studies (Social Work Practice Education). I am also module coordinator for Foundations for Effective Practice Education (APSPG14) and Evidence Informed Assessment of Practice (APSPG16).

Before coming to Stirling, I worked in local authority social work for thirteen years, mainly in the Community Care field. I qualified as a Practice Teacher on 1999 and later moved into designated practice teaching posts, both within local authority and voluntary sector settings. For the first seven years of working at Stirling, my Teaching Fellow role was part time whilst I also worked in a local authority learning and development team with social work and social care staff as well as with social work students on placement. I took on a full time post here at Stirling in January 2014.

For six years I was convenor of the programme’s Social Work Service User and Carers' Group; 'Unity'. I worked with group members to produce a DVD for teaching purposes, organise a national conference on service user and carer involvement in professional education as well as developing and jointly delivering workshops to promote student learning around the experience of people who have used social work services. The group is also a founder member of the Scottish Inter-University Social Work Service User and Carer Involvement Network and initiated annual University-wide events to mark World Mental Health day and promote emotional well being amongst the University community. For more information about Unity please see their website: http://unity.wordpress.stir.ac.uk/

I have also held the roles of selection coordinator, Examinations Officer and more recently, MSc in Social Work Studies Programme Director.

My job role does not have a central research remit but I have a particular interest in service user and carer Involvement in social work education as well as in practice.