The UK's Longest-Running Social Work Course: A Legacy of Innovation and Impact

Pioneering social work education since 1908, our Social Work programme has transformed training, shaped policy, and empowered generations of professionals.

A black and white image of female students posing outside a campus building

Students on the original training for social and philanthropic work course (circa 1908).

New beginnings

On Tuesday 6 October 1908, the University of Birmingham welcomed students to its new one-year social studies course for the first time, marking the beginning of the UK’s longest-running social work programme. Initially advertised as training for social and philanthropic work, it was the first university course in the country to grant aspiring social workers full student status.

Built upon years of study weekends and evening activities, this pioneering initiative laid the foundation for professional social work education, an approach that continues to evolve and shape the future of social care today.

Social work at Birmingham was founded as a partnership between the newly established university and the city’s voluntary and community sectors. This collaboration ensured that academic training was firmly rooted in practical experience, a principle that remains central to the programme to this day.

A civic mission: Learning from the community

At the turn of the 20th century, social reformers sought new ways to address poverty and inequality.

The Birmingham Settlement was established in Aston, Birmingham in 1899 as a neighbourhood response to the poverty and disadvantage of individuals and families struggling with the rapidly changing social and economic conditions of a growing and industrialising city. From its inception, the Settlement Committee built strong links with the University.

Settlement houses emerged across the UK to provide support in low-income areas and to learn more about the realities of poverty. They involved groups of educated people living in a large house in poor areas of many UK cities, getting to know the poor as friends and neighbours. In Birmingham, the movement was led by a women's settlement, making a massive difference to local communities and also creating new career opportunities for a new generation of women who wanted to use their skills and ingenuity to pioneer new responses to social needs.

Through direct engagement with the community, these women learned about the realities of poverty and explored the most effective ways to respond. This hands-on experience laid the foundations for the formalisation of social work as a discipline. Many future leaders of the welfare state, including Clement Attlee and William Beveridge, were involved in settlement houses, demonstrating their lasting impact on British society.

The importance of research

While passion and commitment were vital, early social reformers in Birmingham quickly realised that these alone were not enough. Understanding the complexities of industrial cities required research and theory to inform effective interventions. In response, the university worked with the city's civic infrastructure to develop training opportunities, which later became the qualifying social work programs that are still delivered today.

This fusion of academic study and real-world experience set a precedent for social work education in the UK.

Thousands of lives have been changed for the better because of Birmingham’s approach to social work—an incredible, yet often untold, story of social progress.

Professor Jon Glasby, Director of IMPACT and Professor of Health and Social Care, University of Birmingham

Leading research in social care

Birmingham’s role in social work has evolved beyond teaching and training. Today, the university is also a leader in social care research, driving innovation and supporting evidence-based practice. A key contribution is IMPACT, the UK centre for implementing evidence in adult social care, which works across the country to ensure that research findings are applied in practice, improving services and outcomes for individuals.

Birmingham is also home to one of the leading social care research units, forming part of the NIHR School for Social Care Research. Experts from across the school of Social Policy and Society have also played an advisory role at the highest levels, including acting as an expert adviser to the House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee

Looking ahead

As we celebrate 125 years of history, we must also look forward at the impact that social work and social care continues to have on our society. Social work has always been about addressing pressing societal challenges, and Birmingham remains committed to being at the forefront of research and ensuring that the field continues to evolve to meet new and emerging needs, utilising new technologies to support workers both in training and in the field.

The legacy of those early pioneers is alive today in the university’s continued dedication to teaching, training, and research, making a real difference to people’s lives for generations to come.

You can read more about the fascinating history of social work at the University of Birmingham in Professor Ann Davis’ illustrated history 'Celebrating 100 Years of Social Work'.

Find out more about our Social Work degrees via the School of Social Policy and Society website.