School of Humanities and Social Sciences

• M.A. Social Work
• B.A. Social Work
• M.A. International Social Work
• B.A. Social Work Studies (top-up degree)
• PQ Adult Care

• PS 1302 Social Work Law 1
• PS 2302 Social Work Law 2
• PSM 402 Law and Rights in Social Work
• PSM 302 International Social Work
• PSM 405 Masters dissertation MA Social Work

• Johns R.; 2009; Using the Law in Social Work Practice (fourth edition). Learning Matters: Exeter. ISBN 978-1844452477
• Teaching social work law in Social Work: A Companion to Learning: Lymbery, M. and Postle, K. [ed.]; Sage; London. ISBN 9781412920025 (2007)
• Who decides now? Protecting and empowering vulnerable adults who lose the capacity to make decisions for themselves.British Journal of Social Work, 37(3), April 2007, pp.557-564.
• Health-care students, social work students and carers working together as an inter-professional learning project to evaluate multimedia resources for people with communication disabilities(with Celia Georeham) European Interprofessional Education Network First International Conference, Jagellonian University, Krakow (2007)
• Teaching, learning and assessment of law in social work education (with Braye, Preston-Shoot , Cull, and Roche). Social Care Institute for Excellence / Policy Press; London. (2005)
• Lost in translation? Teaching law to non-lawyers: reviewing the evidence from social work (with Braye and Preston-Shoot) (2006); Law Teacher 40(2): 131-150

• Johns R.; and Saito, Y; 2008; Japanese students’ perceptions of international perspectives in social work. International Social Work 52(1): 60–71
• Strengthening Partnership (with Paul Robson). Social Work Education 25(4) June 2006, pp.320-325.
• Pericles and the plumber: teaching social work law and promoting social cohesion (with Suzy Braye); European Association of Schools of Social Work Conference, Nicosia Cyprus (2005)
• Of unsound mind? Mental health social work and the European Convention on Human Rights.Practice, 16(4), December 2004, pp.247-259.
• Researching teaching social work law; Socio-Legal Studies Association Conference, University of Glasgow (2004)
• Web based learning in social work law. Social Work Education 22(5) (2003)
• Turners Court: a case study in the history of social work British Association of Social Workers social work history Conference London (March 2003)
• Challenging values and inspiring attitude change: creating an effective learning experience. Social Work Education 21(2) co-authored with Elizabeth Sullivan Social Work Education, 21(2), April 2002, pp.217-231.
• Promoting quality teaching and learning through a Teacher Fellowship scheme. Presentation at ILT national conference, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh; and SEDA national conference, Trinity College Dublin, (2002)
• The pedagogy of on-line learning ILT regional conference, De Montfort University , Milton Keynes, November 2002
• Human Rights Act 1998, the European Convention on Human Rights and mental health. Paper at Social Work Law Association conference, Birmingham University, November (2001)
• Challenging values and inspiring attitude change: creating an effective learning experience. Paper at Social Work Education Conference (JUC/SWEC), Derby University June 2001
• Promoting quality parenting in Tucker, S. [ed.] Working with Children and their Families (Open University K204 programme text), London: Sage; (2001)
• Challenging values, challenging Challenging values, challenging discrimination, promoting social justice. Paper at International Conference for Experiential Learning, Auckland University, New Zealand, December 2000 discrimination, promoting social justice in Benton, N. and Benton, R. Te Rito o te Matauranga: Experiential learning for the Third Millennium; University of Auckland, New Zealand; co-authored with Elizabeth Sullivan (2001)
• Law for Social Work Practice: Working with Vulnerable Adults. Basingstoke: Macmillan; co-authored with Andrew Sedgwick (1999)
• Using Theories in Social Work: Systems Theory. London: Open Learning Foundation; co-authored with Maria Ruegger (1997)

• Fellow of Higher Education Academy
• Registered social worker (General Social Care Council)
• British Association of Social Workers (Member)
• Consultant Reviewer for Open University programmes: K204 Working with Children and Families, K266 and K269 Social Work Law; K270 Social Work Law
• Assessor (referee) for Social Work Education journal, European Journal of Social Work, Journal of Social Work, Law Teacher
• External assessor and external examiner for: M.Sc. Mental Health at Birmingham City University, Open University, M.A. Social Work at University of East Anglia, B.A. Social Work at Leeds University

Using the Law in Social Work (third edition)

The book is written for students social workers who are beginning to develop their skills and understanding of the requirements for practice. For all social workers the law provides the framework within which services are offered: it is impossible to practise without coming up against the law, and it is impossible to practise effectively without an in-depth understanding of how the law affects everyday social work practice. This book provides students with an understanding of the legal framework within which social workers must work.

Who decides now? Protecting and empowering vulnerable adults who loose the capacity to make decisions for themselves

The implementation of the 2005 Mental Capacity Act in England and Wales heralds a new era for social work practitioners and researchers. Protecting and empowering vulnerable adults - an important element of adult-care social work - relies on a legal framework that attempts to balance adults’ rights with the desire to protect them. The new Act is part of that framework, addressing the fundamental issue of when and how decisions can be made on behalf of people who lose decision-making abilities (‘capacity’). The Act encompasses the meaning of incapacity and best interests, advance directives concerning treatment, managing people’s affairs and making decisions for them, overseeing the delegation process, and research. In explaining how the Act addresses some of these challenges, the article alerts practitioners and researchers to the key areas in which the Act will make a major impact.