Profile

Dr Sarah Galvani, Senior Research Fellow

I joined the University of Bedfordshire on 1 September 2008.

Previously I held lectureships at the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick before focussing on social work research full time.

I completed my social work qualification (and later my PhD) at the University of Hull in the early 1990s.

The social work course provided specialist modules on working with substance use and, combined with my practice experience, led to a career long interest in teaching and research in the alcohol and drugs field, particularly in relation to social work education and social work practice.

I have also developed a website for social workers wanting to know more about alcohol and drugs www.swalcdrugs.com

My other main research interest is in the overlapping issues of substance use and domestic violence which stemmed largely from my work experience in the late 1980s. 

I worked primarily in London and New York with homeless men and women, many of whom also had mental health problems. 

My practice experience taught me that many homeless women had histories of abuse and trauma both as children and adults and this was strongly linked to their subsequent experiences of substance use and mental ill health.

I remain involved with a number of voluntary sector organisations that work with these overlapping issues.

I have also worked in the probation service, in residential and community drug and alcohol projects, with women fleeing violence, on street-based needle exchange programmes and with people with HIV/Aids.  I remain a registered social worker.

I am currently the Chair of BASW Specialist Interest Group in Alcohol and Drugs and sit on a number of advisory groups including Alcohol Concern’s Embrace Project and Professional Advisory Group, and the Stella Project Steering Group.

I am a Trustee of Aquarius, a west-midlands based alcohol, drug and gambling charity.

Publications

Books

• ‘Alcohol, drugs and social work’. (Forthcoming) Policy Press: Social Work in Practice series.

Book chapters

• ‘Working together: responding to people with alcohol and drug problems.’ In: K. Morris (ed.) (2008) Social Work and Multi-Agency Working – Making a Difference. Bristol: Policy Press
• ‘Alcohol or drug problems’. In: M. Davies (ed.) (2007) The Blackwell Companion to Social Work. (3^rd edition). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing

Peer reviewed articles

• ‘Working with alcohol and drug use: exploring the knowledge and attitudes of social work students’ British Journal of Social Work, advanced access published October 2008, with N. Hughes
• ‘Refusing to listen: are we failing the needs of people with alcohol and drug problems?’ Social Work Education 2007, 27 (7) 697-707
• ‘Safety in numbers? Tackling domestic abuse in couples and network therapies.’ Drug and Alcohol Review 2007, 26, 175-181*
• ‘Safety First? The impact of domestic abuse on women’s treatment experience.’ Journal of Substance Use, 2006, 11 (6), 395-408 *
• ‘Response. Problem drug users and assault.’ International Journal of Drug Policy, 2006, 17, 248-249
• ‘Alcohol and Domestic Violence: Women’s views’. Violence against Women. 2006, 12 (7), 641-662
• ‘SCARS: a new model for social work with substance users.’ Practice. (With Trevor McCarthy.) 2004. 16 (2), 85-97
•  ‘Responsible disinhibition: Alcohol, men and violence to women.’ Addiction Research and Theory. 2004. 12 (4), 357-371 *
• 'The role of alcohol in violence against women: why should social work care?' Practice, 2001, 13 (2), 5-20

Professional journal articles

• ‘Living with domestic abuse and substance use.’ 2007/8. Factsheet for the national charity ADFAM. (forthcoming)
• ‘Safeguarding children: working with parental alcohol problems and domestic abuse.’ 2006. One briefing in a series for the Alcohol and Parenting Project, Alcohol Concern, London
• ‘Seeing the blindingly obvious: alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse.’ (with S. Raby) 2005, New Directions in the Study of Alcohol Group annual journal, 30, 63-73
• ‘Grasping the nettle: alcohol and domestic violence’. Acquire. Winter 2005. No. 42 Available on line at Alcohol Concern. www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
• ‘The role of alcohol in violence to women.’ Acquire, Spring 2003, No. 36

Research reports

• What works in training social workers about drug and alcohol use? A survey of student learning and readiness to practice. Final report for the Home Office. With D. Forrester. (2008). Available online in PDF at: www.beds.ac.uk
  
• Think Family: A Literature Review of Whole Family Approaches. London: Cabinet Office Morris, K., Hughes, N., Clarke, H., Tew, J., Mason, P., Galvani, S., Lewis, A., Loveless, L., Becker, S., and Burford, G. (2008). Interim Report for the Social Exclusion Unit, Cabinet Office (2007). Available online in PDF at: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
• ‘Access to justice for vulnerable groups: exploring issues of age, identity, health, and social conditions.’ Research report for the Department of Constitutional Affairs. Mason, P et al. (2007)
• ‘The impact of violence and abuse on engagement and retention rates for women in substance use treatment.’ (2005). Research Report to National Treatment Agency (with C. Humphreys, University of Warwick). Available online in PDF at: www.nta.nhs.uk
• ‘Looking Beyond Risk: Parental Substance Misuse: Scoping Study.’ (2006). Research report to Scottish Executive (with colleagues from University of Bath). Available online in PDF at: www.scotland.gov.uk
• 'Using cognitive behavioural techniques within a traditional medical model clinical setting: a case study.' The Behavioural Social Work Review, 1996, 17 (1), 7-21.

Contact details

Dr Sarah Galvani
Senior Research Fellow
Institute of Applied Social Research

E: sarah.galvani@beds.ac.uk
T: 07884 007222