Dr Helen Whincup

Senior Lecturer

Social Work Colin Bell Building, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Dr Helen Whincup

Contact details

About me

I work in the post-qualifying (CPD) team within the social work section of the School of Social Science. I am involved in designing and delivering the Certificate in Child Welfare and Protection, and the Module in Professional Supervision, as well as a range of short courses developed to meet the needs of practitioners. In 2014 In conjunction with Terres des Hommes(TdH) I worked alongside staff from TdH and the University of Tirana to develop a supervision module for child protection workers in Albania and Kosovo. I am External Examiner on the Postgraduate Certificate in Securing Children's Futures: Good Practice in Permanence Planning and Family Placement which is delivered by Adoption and Fostering Alliance (AFA) Scotland ( University of Strathclyde). I was part of the team which developed Key Capabilities in Child Care and Protection (2006). I am a registered social worker, qualifying in 1991. My practice background in child welfare and protection spanned statutory and voluntary sectors.  

I  am PI of the Permanently Progressing Outcomes research. Phase One brought together colleagues from University of York, Stirling and Lancaster along with AFA .This is a longitudinal study which investigates permanence, progress and outcomes for children in Scotland who are placed permanently away from their birth parents before the age of five.

I am interested in the role of direct work, and how to support practitioners to communicate and engage with children and young people in a way which is meaningful.   My doctoral thesis (completed 2015) explored experiences of direct work from the perspectives of children, young people and social workers