People

Aisha Howells

Lecturer
School of Health and Social Care
Postgraduate Research Student
School of Health and Social Care
 Aisha Howells

Profile

Biography

I am a registered social worker with 13 years’ experience of working within social care. I started my career as a residential worker and volunteer for the Youth Offending Team. My practice background is in child and family social work. I am also experienced in the supervision of learning and assessment for Newly Qualified Social Workers, apprentices and student social workers. I have held a strategic social work role which involved developing, facilitating and leading the practice education programme and strategy within a local authority across both Adult Social Care and Children & Families services. My previous appointment as Senior Lecturer at University of Suffolk involved Course Lead for two highly commended social work programmes; the undergraduate and apprenticeship provisions. I am also a Senior Fellow (SFHEA). My Ph.D. is exploring the experiences of mothers whose children have experienced child sexual abuse in and around the family using a narrative approach. Professional Membership • Social Work England • Higher Education Academy (HEA) Senior Fellow My current areas of interest and research include: • Creative practice education and social work • Domestic Abuse • Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)

Qualifications

  • MA Advanced Social Work University of East Anglia,

  • MA Social Work Anglia Ruskin University,

  • BA (Hons) European Business Anglia Ruskin University,

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Lecturer in Social Work, University of Essex (1/11/2023 - present)

Other academic

  • Senior Lecturer & Course Lead for Social Work, University of Suffolk (22/10/2017 - 31/10/2023)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Child Sexual Abuse

Open to supervise

Domestic Abuse

Open to supervise

Creative Social Work

Open to supervise

Practice Education

Open to supervise

Conferences and presentations

Creativity in Supervision

Invited presentation, Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Leaders Conference, Essex County Council, Colchester Football Stadium, 12/9/2024

Exploring narratives of mothers whose children have experienced sexual abuse in and around the family

Invited presentation, Staff-Student Conference, University of Essex, Colchester., 17/6/2024

Teaching and supervision

Current teaching responsibilities

  • Introduction to Sociological and Psychological Frameworks (HS190)

  • Introduction to Research Methodologies (HS290)

  • Emotional, Relational and Mental Health Issues (HS291)

  • Legislation, Regulation and Ethics for Practice (HS292)

  • Professional Skills 2 (HS294)

  • Independent Study (HS390)

  • Critical Reflection and Professional Challenge (HS391)

  • Practice Placement 1 (HS654)

  • Rights Based Research and Dissertation (HS657)

  • Social Work Dissertation (HS659)

  • Interpersonal Skills for Practice (HS192)

Publications

Journal articles (3)

Howells, A., Walters, S., Duckett, N., Barker, S., Clarke-Emmerson, S., Darke, J., Johnson, C., Meggs, C. and Reeve, S., (2023). ‘Is Gold Dust to My Mind’: Exploring Lived Experience in Social Work Education. The British Journal of Social Work. 53 (3), 1385-1407

Howells, A. and Bald, C., (2022). ‘This is my oasis’: an exploration of student hub support for social work students’ wellbeing. Social Work Education. 41 (4), 556-576

Bald, C. and Howells, A., (2019). How do we professionalise social work without losing our soul? A reflection on the role and purpose of practice placements within social work education. Journal of Practice Teaching and learning. 15 (3), 75-87

Books (1)

Dix, H. and Howells, A., (2022). Creative Approaches to Practice Learning. Critical Publishing. 1915080010. 9781915080011

Book chapters (3)

Howells, A., IDEAS, Domestic Abuse & Social Work. In: Relationship-based Social Work with Adults. Editors: dix, H. and Hollinrake, S., . Critical Publishing. 9781912096275

Howells, A., (2022). Restorying Trauma: Child Sexual Abuse. In: Stories, Storytellers, and Storytelling. Editors: Vine, T. and Richards, S., . Palgrave Macmillan. 217- 238. 978-3-031-07233-8

Dix, H. and Howells, A., (2022). Power. In: Creative Approaches to Practice Learning. Critical Publishing. 9781915080011

Contact

a.howells@essex.ac.uk

Location:

Colchester Campus

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