Dr Ailsa Stewart
Lecturer
Social Work and Social Policy
Personal statement
I joined the Univeristy of Strathclyde in 1997 and am now a Lecturer and Course Leader for the PG Certificate in Mental Health Social Work (MHO) Award in the School of Social Work and Social Policy in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. I teach on the undergraduate and post graduate qualifying social work programmes with a focus on risk and protection in adult social work including those experiencing mental disorder and learning disability as well as adults at risk of harm. I have undertaken research across a range of settings including, within the voluntary sector, local authority social work departments, health boards and on behalf of Scottish Government at a policy level. This work has primarily focused on areas around Adult Social Work including, evaluating effectiveness of models of intervention, exploring the impact of social networks on resilliance, identifying challenges to practice from policy and legislative implementation and gaps in research knowledge. I have worked on a number of collaborative research teams with colleagues from other academic institutions as well as practice and have been involved in international collaborations. I am currently writing up my Phd which has focused on the implementation of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act (2007).
Qualifications
Undergrauate BA in Social Sciences - Open University
Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work - Northern College (Aberdeen)
Masters in Community Care - University of Glasgow
PhD (writing up) - University of Glasgow
Publications
- The provision of education in residential settings for disabled children and young people and children with additional support needs : key legislation and policy developments from 1974 to 2024
- MacIntyre Gillian, Stewart Ailsa, Kendrick Andrew
- (2026)
- The State and Future of Social Work and Social Care Funding in Scotland : Impact of reductions to SDS option 1 budgets (direct payments) on social workers
- MacIntyre Gillian, Stewart Ailsa
- (2026)
- Reclaiming community social work in social work education : opportunities and challenges for a more radical curriculum
- Quinn Neil, MacIntyre Gillian, Paul Sally, Stewart Ailsa
- European Conference for Social Work Research (2025)
- Gender based violence and learning disability : messages for social work practice
- MacIntyre Gillian, Stewart Ailsa
- Joint Social Work and Education Conference (2023)
- Working with women with learning disabilities who have experienced gender based violence.
- MacIntyre Gillian, Stewart Ailsa
- Insights Insights, Vol 65 (2022)
- Developing and establishing the psychometric properties of the Strathclyde Citizenship Measure : a new measure for health and social care practice and research
- Cogan Nicola, MacIntyre Gillian, Stewart Ailsa, Harrison-Millan Hilary, Black Karen, Quinn Neil, Rowe Michael, O'Connell Maria
- Health and Social Care in the Community Vol 30 (2022)
- https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13789
Research Interests
My research interests are focused on Adult Social Work, in particular learning disability, mental health and adults at risk of harm. I am also keen on ensuring the involvement of those who use supports and their carers in research at all levels by using participatory methodologies.
Professional Activities
- Equally Safe and Supported: GBV and Learning Disability Self-Assessment Toolkit Pilot Evaluation Findings - Overview
- Speaker
- 24/6/2025
- “Opening our doors wider” – Equalising access and support for women with learning disabilities who have experienced gender-based violence
- Speaker
- 24/6/2025
- NNDR 17th Research Conference
- Participant
- 7/5/2025
- University Of Strathclyde (Organisational unit)
- Member
- 9/4/2025
- Safeguarding Adults with and Without Capacity: Challenges and Opportunities
- Speaker
- 9/4/2025
- European Conference Social Work Research 14 - Munich 2025
- Participant
- 12/3/2025
Projects
- “I know that everyone gets abused”: A study of the experiences of women learning disabilities who experience gender based violence: outcomes for policy and practice.
- MacIntyre, Gillian (Principal Investigator) Stewart, Ailsa (Principal Investigator)
- 02-Jan-2022 - 31-Jan-2022
- The impact of Covid-19 on community participation, lessons for social work education
- McPheat, Graham (Principal Investigator) MacIntyre, Gillian (Co-investigator) Paul, Sally (Co-investigator) Stewart, Ailsa (Co-investigator)
- 03-Jan-2021 - 30-Jan-2022
- Baseline study
- MacIntyre, Gillian (Principal Investigator) Stewart, Ailsa (Co-investigator)
- 05-Jan-2016 - 31-Jan-2016
- Citizenship Measure Project
- Stewart, Ailsa (Principal Investigator) Knifton, Lee (Co-investigator) MacIntyre, Gillian (Co-investigator) Quinn, Neil (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2015 - 30-Jan-2017
- People Powered Health and Well-Being
- Stewart, Ailsa (Principal Investigator)
- 14-Jan-2015 - 31-Jan-2015
- Vulnerable parents with and without a learning disability – long term outcomes for families involved in a parenting skills programme
- Stewart, Ailsa (Principal Investigator) MacIntyre, Gillian (Co-investigator)
- Vulnerable parents with and without a learning disability – long term outcomes for families involved in a parenting skills programme
- 01-Jan-2015 - 29-Jan-2016
Contact
Dr
Ailsa
Stewart
Lecturer
Social Work and Social Policy
Email: ailsa.stewart@strath.ac.uk
Tel: Unlisted