Dr Jo Dillon
Head of Social Work
Dr Dillon is a registered social worker and Head of the Social Work division at the University of Chester. Interested in child participation, her research, knowledge exchange and impact studies focus on how children’s understanding about the role of social workers in their lives can be improved, and how children can influence the actions taken on their behalf and services provided for them. Using creative methods, Dr Dillon encourages social workers, child protection chairs, IROs, managers and students to design bespoke and unique resources to meaningfully embed participation in child and family social work.
Dr Dillon teaches across all of the Social Work programmes here at the University of Chester, including the Social Work Degree Apprenticeships, the BA in Social Work and the MA in Social Work. She is currently supervising MA Social Work dissertation students, and PhD candidates within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society.
Dr Dillon has undertaken knowledge exchange and impact studies within the South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester regions, focusing on the theoretical, legal and policy requirements of social workers regarding participation, with a particular focus on ‘wishes and feelings’. Social work practitioners, child protection chairs, IROs and advocates are encouraged to reflect on the barriers and enablers to meaningful participation in child and family social work, focusing on an iterative cycle (Dr Dillon's 'Revolutionising Participation' model, 2019) that the child is an important part of. One of the principles of participation emphasised throughout her research is that children have the right to a creative life, and the ability to express their wishes and feelings in the manner they choose. Most recently, she has undertaken an associate role with Research in Practice, publishing a Practice Tool for creative participation in child and family social work and leading many workshops, webinars and seminars for social work practitioners throughout the UK.