Professor Emeritus (Social Work)

I have been a social work academic since 1988.

I joined the University of Bedfordshire in 2003, initially as Head of Department of Applied Social Studies. I was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences between 2005 and 2016. I have specialised in teaching law to non-lawyers, principally social workers and social work students but also enjoy teaching research skills, working with groups and working systemically with families. I continue to supervise and examine doctoral students.

I conducted the first and only longitudinal study into the outcomes of teaching law to social work students. I completed a research project for the Department of Health on the governance of adult safeguarding. I have completed a series of studies on self-neglect for the Department of Health and Skills for Care. These studies were influential in shaping the adult safeguarding provisions in the Care Act 2014.

I was Independent Chair of Luton Local Safeguarding Children Board between 2009 and 2015 and Luton Safeguarding Adults Board between 2008 and 2015. I have authored and researched serious case reviews and safeguarding adult reviews.

Qualifications

• PhD Social Work and Law – Liverpool John Moores University
• BA Hons (First Class) History – University of Reading
• Postgraduate Diploma in Psychotherapy – University of Leeds
• Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work and CQSW – University of Leicester

Teaching Expertise

• Awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy in 2005 for expertise in teaching law to social workers
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Research Interests

• Adults who self-neglect
• Adult safeguarding
• Learning law for social work practice
• Working effectively with groups
• Systemic family therapy

Projects

• Training for practitioners and managers on legal literacy, knowledge and skilled use of the law in practice to protect children and adults at risk
• Dissemination of the research evidence-base for effective practice with adults who self-neglect

External Roles

• Independent Chair, Brent Safeguarding Adults Board
• Commissioned overview report author for two Safeguarding Adult Reviews
• Visiting Professor of Social Work, Gothenburg University, Sweden

Recent Publications

• Michael Preston-Shoot Effective Groupwork (2007) Second Edition. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with S. Braye) Practising Social Work Law (2009) Third Edition. Palgrave, Basingstoke.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with S. Braye) Practising Social Work Law (2016) Fourth Edition. Palgrave, Basingstoke.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with R. Kline) Professional Accountability in Social Care and Health: Challenging Unacceptable Practice and its Management. (2012) London: Sage/Learning Matters.
• Michael Preston-Shoot. Making Good Decisions: Law for Social Work Practice. (2014) Basingstoke: Palgrave.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) Self-Neglect and Adult Safeguarding: Findings from Research. Final Report to the Department of Health. (2011) London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) The Governance of Adult Safeguarding: Findings from Research into Safeguarding Adults Boards. (2011) London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) A Scoping Study of Workforce Development for Self-Neglect Work. (2013) Leeds: Skills for Care.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) Self-Neglect Policy and Practice: Building an Evidence Base for Adult Social Care. (2014) London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) Self-Neglect Policy and Practice: Research Messages for Practitioners. (2015) London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) Self-Neglect Policy and Practice: Research Messages for Managers. (2015) London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) Self-Neglect Policy and Practice: Key Research Messages. (2015) London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
• Michael Preston-Shoot Safeguarding in light of the Care Act: Leaders’ Briefing. (2015) Totnes: Research in Practice for Adults.
• ‘Conceptualising and responding to self-neglect: the challenges for adult safeguarding’. (with S. Braye and D. Orr). Journal of Adult Protection (2011) 13 (4), 182-193.
• ‘The governance of adult safeguarding: findings from research’. (with S. Braye and D. Orr) Journal of Adult Protection (2012) 14 (2), 55-72.
• ‘Tutor and student experiences of teaching and learning law in UK social work education’. (with J. McKimm). Social Work Education (2012) 31 (7), 896-913.
• ‘Perceptions of readiness for legally literate practice: a longitudinal study of social work student views’. (with J. McKimm). Social Work Education (2012) 31 (8), 1071-1089.
• ‘Deciding to use the law in social work practice’. (with S. Braye and V. Wigley). Journal of Social Work (2013) 13 (1), 75-95.
• ‘Outcomes of law teaching in social work education: further findings from a cohort study’. (with J. McKimm and A. Thurnham). Social Work Education (2013) 32 (5), 607-625.
• ‘Governance in adult safeguarding in Scotland since the implementation of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007’. (with Sally Cornish). Journal of Adult Protection (2013) 15 (5), 223-236.
• ‘Paternalism or proportionality? Experiences and outcomes of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007’. (with Sally Cornish). Journal of Adult Protection (2014) 16 (1), 5-16.
• ‘Learning lessons about self-neglect? An analysis of serious case reviews.’ (with Suzy Braye and David Orr). Journal of Adult Protection (2015) 17 (1), 3-18.
• ‘Serious case review findings on the challenges of self-neglect: indicators for good practice.’ (with Suzy Braye and David Orr). Journal of Adult Protection (2015) 17 (2), 75-87.
• ‘Towards explanations for the findings of serious case reviews: understanding what happens in self-neglect work.’ Journal of Adult Protection (2016) 18 (3), 131-148.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye and David Orr) Practice Tool – Working with People who Self-Neglect. (2015) Dartington: Research in Practice for Adults.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye) Strategic Briefing: Legal Literacy in Adult Social Care. (2016) Dartington: Research in Practice for Adults.
• Michael Preston-Shoot (with Suzy Braye) Legal Literacy in Adult Social Care: Practice Tool. (2016) Dartington: Research in Practice for Adults.

Contact Details

T: +44 (0)7778 752743
E: michael.preston-shoot@beds.ac.uk