• PhD Social Work (University of Warwick, 2005)
• Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Coventry University, 1998)
• Certificate in Supervisory Management (Distinction) (Coventry University, 1995) 
• M.Soc.Sc. Mental Disorder Studies (University of Birmingham, 1985)
• BSc. Sociology (1st class) with Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (University of Bath, 1982)

Denise began her social work career in the voluntary sector, working for Family Service Unit (FSU) in Sheffield. After completing a Masters in Mental Disorder Studies, she then worked for 11 years in the statutory sector, first as a generic community team social worker, and subsequently as a social worker and senior social worker in an Adult Team. During this time, she worked as both an Approved Social Worker (ASW) and a practice teacher. In 1996, she moved into an academic post as Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Coventry University, where she worked part-time until 2002. Between 2002-2004 while completing her PhD, she undertook freelance work, which included development work on service user involvement in social work education, teaching and tutoring on social work courses and training for local Social Services Departments. Between 2004-2008, she held a fixed term appointment as Associate Professor at University of Warwick, where her responsibilities included developing and supporting service user involvement on the social work programme and the development and support of practice learning. She joined Institute of Applied Social Studies in September 2008.   

• Community care policy and practice
• Social work with adults
• Social work with older people
• Relationship-based practice
• Social work skills
• Qualitative social research
• Service user involvement in research

Denise is interested in supervising postgraduate students undertaking study in the field of social work with adults, social work with older people and community care more broadly. She is particularly interested in research that uses participatory methods to explore service user experiences and perspectives.

Her current doctoral supervision covers the following areas:

• Social work decision-making in situations involving personalisation and the safeguarding of vulnerable adults
• The abuse of older people within institutional care
• Older people’s experiences of compulsion under Mental Health Act

The main focus of her recent research and writing is the promotion of the wellbeing of older people.  Her PhD research involved in-depth research with older people exploring their experiences of managing unmet need over a three year period. She has been involved in the evaluation of voluntary sector projects concerned with promoting the independence and wellbeing of older people. She is currently working with colleagues in IASS and Health Services Management Centre on research to explore older people’s experiences of transition between care services and how this understanding can be used to improve local services. She is responsible for the study site focusing on older people with dementia. The research is adopting a participatory approach that involves working with older people with dementia and carers as co-researchers.

Denise works as an External Examiner for social work courses and she is currently External Examiner for MA Social Work at Keele University. She is a member of British Association of Social workers (BASW) Special Interest Group on Substance Use. She is Assistant Editor of Journal of Social Work.

Ellins J, Glasby J, Tanner D, McIver S, Davidson D, Littlechild R, Snelling I, Miller R, Hall K, Spence K and the Care Transitions Project co-researchers. (2012) Understanding and improving transitions of older people: a user and carer centred approach. Final report. NIHR Service Delivery and Organisation programme.

Tanner, D (2012) Co-research with older people with dementia: experience and reflections, Journal of Mental Health, 21(3): 296-306.

Tanner, D. (2011) Identity, Selfhood and Dementia: Messages for social work, European Journal of Social Work, online version 9 November 2011, 1-16.

Tanner, D. (2010) Managing the Ageing Experience: Learning from Older People, Bristol: Policy Press.

Tanner, D (2009) 'Modernisation and the delivery of user-centred services', Chapter 6 in J Harris and V White (eds) Modernising Social Work, Bristol: Policy Press.

McLeod, E, Bywaters, P, Tanner, D and Hirsch, M (2008) 'For the Sake of Their Health: Older Service Users' Requirements for Social Care to Facilitate Access to Social Networks Following Hospital Discharge', British Journal of Social Work, 38: 73-90.

Tanner, D and Harris, J (2008) Working with Older People, London: Routledge.

Coghlan, A, Letherby, G, Tanner, D, Wilson, C and Bywaters, P (2007) 'Managing the Process', Chapter 6 in G Letherby and P Bywaters (eds) Extending Social Research: Application, Implementation and Publications, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tanner, D (2007) 'Starting with lives: supporting older peoples' strategies and ways of coping', Journal of Social Work, 7(1): 7-30.