Professor Trish Hafford-Letchfield

Social Work and Social Policy

Personal statement

I have a nursing qualification (SRN, 1980) and a social work qualification (CQSW, 1985). I had 18 years practice experience in social work until 2003, the latter 10 of which I managed statutory social work services for adults, in England. I've held held many roles in Third Sector governance. Since joining Higher Education in 2003, my research interests lie in the experiences of ageing in marginalised communities, the majority of which is applied and co-produced with people with lived experience. Prior to joining Strathclyde in 2019, I was Professor of Social Care at Middlesex University, London where I worked for 11 years.

My doctorate studies were in educational gerontology exploring the role of lifelong learning in care services. I am an activist for LGBTQI+ communities and founder member of the international LGBTQI social work network. In relation to learning and teaching I have over 170 publications including 20 key books covering a range of topics on leadership, management, organisational development, feminism, sexual and gender identities, values and ethics, gerontology and social work supervision. I have also published widely in other areas such as the use of the arts in professional education, parenting, ageing mental health and wellbeing.

I was Head of Department for Social Work and Social Policy Jan 2020-Dec 2023 (role-share). I am the lead for social care in Health and Social Care Futures since January 2025.

I have been involved in funded research and knowledge exchange by NIHR SSCR; DHSC England; British Academy; IASSW; Comic Relief; EU Cost Action; EU Erasmus Plus, Chief Scientist Office NHS Scotland, Skills for Care, UNITE and ESRC IAA.

Publications

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Publications

Accounting for gender and sexuality in social work leadership : an exploratory study of lesbian leader perspectives: Cocker Christine, Cooper Adi, Hafford-Letchfield Trish, Romeo Lyn; British Journal of Social Work (2025); https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaf200
Lesbian perspectives and experiences of gender and sexuality in leadership in social work and social care : a review of the literature: Cocker Christine, Adi Cooper, Hafford-Letchfield Trish; Research Handbook on Leadership in Social Care and Social Work (2025) (2025)
Navigating bereavement by suicide in later life : a qualitative analysis of health and social care professional perspectives: Cogan Nicola, Hafford-Letchfield Trish, Rasmussen Susan, Martin Sophie, Owen Adele, Goodman Jolie, Hanna Jeffrey R; Aging and Mental Health Vol 29, pp. 1676-1684 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468410
Sexual and Gender Diversity in Later Life : Resistance, Resilience, Engagement and Support: Hafford-Letchfield Trish; Encyclopaedia of Social Work (2025) (2025)
People’s experiences of suicide thought in later life: Hafford-Letchfield Trish, Rasmussen Susan; Creating Hope Together Conference, pp. 1 (2025)
Creating Hope - Bereavement : Podcast powered by Public Health Scotland & Suicide Prevention Scotland.: Hafford-Letchfield Trish, Heywood Susie, Ellenor Jonathan, Van de Peer Lara, Kelly Rob; (2025)

More publications

Research

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Professional Activities

20th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour: Participant; 30/8/2030
Suicide and Later Life: Speaker; 19/9/2025
UNIVERSAL NURSES ADDICTION CURRICULUM: Participant; 16/9/2025
Understanding the support needs of older LGBTQ+ Londoners: Speaker; 22/7/2025
Gender, Work and Organisations: Participant; 19/6/2025
Collaboration, Participation and Co-Production in Research: Benefits and Challenges: Speaker; 21/3/2025

More professional activities

Projects

Getting On: understanding & writing love in later life (ESRC IAA-funded): Meehan, Andrew (Principal Investigator) Hafford-Letchfield, Trish (Co-investigator); Getting On: Understanding & Writing Love in Later Life is a new project that explores and embraces the lived experience and cultural representations of love in later life in Scotland today. The project is being run from the University of Strathclyde by staff in Creative Writing and Social Work/Social Policy in collaboration with Autumn Voices, the organisation for growing old creatively.; 13-Jan-2025 - 13-Jan-2026
Cultures of Collaborative Research in a Socially Progressive Technological University / R230557-209: Gray, Louise (Academic) Hafford-Letchfield, Trish (Academic) Egan, Kieren (Co-investigator) Connaghan, John (Research Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2025
Suicide prevention in later life: Hafford-Letchfield, Trish (Co-investigator) Karastoyanova-Gibson, Konstantina (Co-investigator) Rasmussen, Susan (Co-investigator) Sledmere, Maria (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2028
Student Drug Use Literature Review: Hafford-Letchfield, Trish (Principal Investigator); 28-Jan-2022 - 19-Jan-2022
Understanding and reducing the psychosocial impact of Coronavirus social distancing and behavioural changes on families of care home residents in Scotland: Quinn, Neil (Principal Investigator) Hafford-Letchfield, Trish (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2020 - 31-Jan-2020
Best Practices for Care and Wellbeing Education to support the needs of LGBT people as they age (BEING ME): Hafford-Letchfield, Trish (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2020