RT Article
T1 Incorporating lived experience into social work practice: A personal and organisational journey
JF Probation journal
VO 72
IS 4
SP 465
OP 484
A1 Lucas-Smith, Tina
A1 O’Donovan, Jaime
A1 Rivas, Lorena
A1 Ransley, Janet
A1 McGee, Tara Renae
A1 Dennison, Susan
A2 O’Donovan, Jaime
A2 Rivas, Lorena
A2 Ransley, Janet
A2 McGee, Tara Renae
A2 Dennison, Susan
LA English
YR 2025
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1940701716
AB Social workers with lived experience of incarceration can be more relatable and empathetic, improving their ability to connect and advocate for those they support. However, they face significant barriers to entering the profession, including difficulty obtaining accreditation to work with children, placement requirements, professional association eligibility, and exclusion from employment through criminal history checks and accumulated marginalisation. For women, this marginalisation commonly includes experiences of victimisation, mental health issues, intellectual and cognitive impairments, child protection involvement, substance dependency, and poverty. Their exclusion from social work reduces the profession's ability to best support marginalised people. This article explores these barriers and incorporates the lead author's personal journey from imprisoned student to practising social worker supporting incarcerated women, exploring the personal and broader costs of excluding a criminalised person from entering a profession that espouses social justice and inclusivity. This discussion is positioned in the context of the Transform Lives Program, an innovative, co-created model of service delivery for incarcerated mothers and their children which incorporates mothers’ voices by creating a skilled clinical team, inclusive of staff with lived experience. We challenge the sector to dismantle these barriers and foster inclusive practices that value those with lived experience.
K1 Marginalisation
K1 Criminal History
K1 maternal incarceration
K1 Social Work
K1 Barriers
K1 lived experience
DO 10.1177/02645505251364712