About
Alison Paris is Director of Professional Practice Development in the Institute of Applied Social Studies. She is also Head of Student Development and Support for the School of Social Policy and is a Welfare Tutor within the Institute.
She provides operational and strategic leadership for the Leadership and Management and Practice Education programmes for qualified social workers and other professionals in social work and social care settings. She also holds a developmental role in enhancing provision of new programmes for qualified staff in this area.
Alison is responsible for enhancing co-ordination of, and contributing to, development of Welfare and Student support provision in the School, and is one of the Wefare Tutors for the Institute of Applied Social Studies. As part of this role, she was a member of the Working Group responsible for developing a new University-wide Code of Practice for Reasonable Adjustments.
She contributes to teaching for the Qualifying Social Work programme and supervises and tutors students during their Practice Learning Opportunities. She also contributes to Postgraduate Taught programme teaching and to supervision of dissertations.
Qualifications
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Postgraduate Certificate in Community Justice Management – University of Birmingham (1998)
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M.Soc.Science (Social Work), University of Birmingham (1985)
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MA English, University of Birmingham (1982)
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BA (Hons) English, University of Birmingham (1981)
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State registered Nurse(RGN – University College Hospital , London (1969)
Biography
Previously a nurse within a range of settings, Alison attended University as a mature student. She retrained as a Probation Officer and held a number of posts in the West Midlands Probation Service and the Youth Offending Service.
She became pre-qualifying training manager and also held a regional role in relation to the development of the (then) new Probation Officer degree programme and training in the later 1990s. As a Senior Probation Officer/Joint appointment, she taught on the BA Community Justice at the University of Birmingham. She was seconded by the WMPS as Director of the BA Community Justice in its final year of delivery.
Alison holds the GSCC/CCETSW Practice Teaching award and has a Diploma in Coaching and a Certificate in Dramatherapy.
Her key interests are in the development of programmes, teaching methodologies and other supervisory and consultative processes, in order to support and sustain staff in social work and social care, within diverse settings. She also holds central a concern to support students in the Institute in reaching their potential during their time here.
Teaching
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Leadership and Management for Social Work and Social Care / Reflective Management Practice Programme
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Enabling Others (Stage 1 Practice Educator Programme)
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Enabling Reflective Practice in the Workplace (Stage 2 Practice Educator Programme)
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Contributing to the Survival through the Arts Modules - using Drama in Social Work and Social Care
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Taught Postgraduate Programme - Researching Professional Practice
Postgraduate supervision
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MA Dissertation Supervision - MA Social Work and Postgraduate Taught Programmes
Research
Prior, D, Farrow, K and Paris, A (2004), Evaluating the Impact of BASBU - Views and perceptions of Anti-Social Behaviour Officers, University of Birmingham Publication 31444.
The Role of the Practice Development Assessor in the Probation Context - findings of a pilot study. Paper to MTAC Conference, July 1999.
Other activities
Alison contributes to the work of the Diocese of Birmingham as a Bishop's Consultant for Clergy Development, and she currently contributes to delivery of the '3D' Programmes in partnership with the University of Birmingham Chaplaincy. She is also a Deputy Warden at St Phillip's Cathedral, Birmingham. Alison is a member of the Fundraising Group for Freedom from Torture in Birmingham.
She also offers consultancy to Social Work and Social Care organisations in relation to aspects of supervision and mentoring of managers and practice educators, and the development and integration of learning programmes and processes for practice. She particularly enjoys working in partnership with social care agencies to develop and deliver bespoke programmes.
Publications
Prior, D, Farrow, K and Paris, A (2006), Beyond ASBOs? Evaluating the outcomes of Anti-Social Behaviour Initiatives - early findings from a cast study in one English City. Local Government Studies, 32, 1, 3-17. Publication 12052.
Prior, D and Paris, A (2005), Preventing Children's Involvement in Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour: A Literature Review. DFES Research Report 623. Publication 29519.