Gemma Hunt

I recently joined University College Birmingham as a Senior Academic and Head of Department for Social Work. I have joined at an exciting time – as we are growing our current Higher Education provision and part of my role is to develop new social work programme(s). I am also overseeing our current Health and Social Care BSc (Hons) / FdSc provision.

I previously worked at The University of Warwick as an Assistant Professor in Social Work where I was responsible for developing and overseeing the End Point Assessment activity as part of the Social Work Apprenticeship. I have a keen interest in apprenticeships and currently sit on the Social Worker Apprenticeship Standard Trailblazer Group.

Prior to joining Higher Education I worked in Statutory Children’s Services for just over 10 years and worked across several areas including Youth Offending, Child Protection and Court Proceedings. The role I most enjoyed, which led to my role at the University, was in practice development where I was part of Coventry Local Authority Children's Services Academy Team.

I am a Registered Social Worker with Social Work England and maintain my practice currency through my work as an experienced Practice Educator/Assessor and work on Fostering Panels. I have also recently spent time back in practice with one of the local child protection teams. 

I teach across a range of subject areas: including social work law, working with children and families, safeguarding, youth justice and practice learning.

• Leadership
• Social Work Apprenticeships
• Child Protection / Safeguarding
• Children and family social work
• Youth Justice
• Harmful Sexual Behaviour
• Practice Education 

• Editorial Board of Social Work Education: The International Journal
• Social Work Trailblazer Group
• External Examiner/ External Advisor
• National Organisation for Practice Teaching Committee Member
• Association of Child Protection Professionals