Professor of Social Sciences and Social Care
I am a Professor in the School of Social Sciences and Law (Faculty of Education, Society and Creative Industries). I am also a Research Fellow in the multimorbidity, ageing and frailty theme of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) for North East and North Cumbria (NENC), based at the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute.
I am the Research and Knowledge Exchange Champion for Social Sciences and the UoS REF lead for Unit 20 (Social Work and Social Policy) and UoA 21 (Sociology). I am the previous co-head of the Centre for Applied Social Sciences (CASS) which supports engagement with research and practice-based collaborations and continue to be an active CASS member.
My research interests are related to engagement and participation, adult abuse and safeguarding, trauma, older people and ageing, mental health, adult social care, empowerment, and vulnerability. I have published in these areas and also regularly peer-review a number of academic journals that publish on these topics. I also teach and supervise students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Teaching and supervision
I teach students across a range of subject areas and I teach qualified social workers undertaking further education and CPD courses. I am a Senior Fellow of the HEA.
Doctoral supervision:
Current supervision:
- Hilbert Abie (PhD) (Director of Studies): Self-harm and resilience in adult mental health patients.
- Jacqui Merchant (PhD) (co-supervisor): 'The existential crunch that is middle age': Exploring the experiential impact of life-course events on the pyschosocial wellbeing of women at midlife in the UK.
- Kristy Regan (DProf) (co-supervisor): Practice Educators' perceptions of professionalism in social work students.
- Lauren Doyle (PhD) (co-supervisor): Applying the concept of 'Harms' to 'Diet Culture': Investigating the impact of social media on youth mental health.
- Samantha Reveley (PhD) (co-supervisor): An exploration of how people reformulate identity as they transition through desistance and cease offending.
Recent supervision (successfully completed work):
- Cat Meredith: How is adult safeguarding performed with service users who lack mental capacity due to dementia? A micro-ethnographic inquiry.
- Jack Nicholls: How do social workers conceptualise social justice?
- Ifeoma Amuji: Exploring the sensitivities of care home services to the older Nigerian minority in the UK.
- Rosaleen McDonagh: From Shame to Pride: The Politics of Disabled Traveller Identity.
Research interests for potential research students
I am interested in supporting students whose research interests are related to adult abuse and safeguarding, ageing and the life-course, empowerment and vulnerability, mental health, engagement/participation/partnership working, co-production, and advocacy. I also specialise in participatory research and other creative and critical research methodologies.
Research
I have a strong interest and expertise in participation, engagement, and co-production, and work closely with a range of individuals and organisations to develop and undertake my research. I am the Research and Knowledge Exchange Champion for Social Sciences, the UoS REF UoA 20/21 lead and the former co-head of the Centre for Applied Social Sciences (CASS).
I am the developer and co-host of The Portal Podcast, which aims to connect social work practitioners with research. The Portal Podcast explores the work of a different researcher in each episode and aims to support people to access, understand, and make use of research in their practice.
I am the co-convenor of the European Social Work Research Association's special interest group, the European Network for Gerontological Social Work. I am also on the International Advisory Board for the journal 'European Social Work Research'.
Examples of recent research projects:
A Vision of Safety: An Arts-Based Project to Explore the Concept of Safety
This Arts-Based Research (ABR) was co-produced with people who have experienced mental health problems and abuse. Two groups worked together to co-create artwork that represented what safety meant to them. The two pieces, titled 'Peace in a Bubble' and 'Creating Sanctuary', explored several themes representing what safety means to the creators. The creators showcased their work alongside a survey they developed to capture viewers' reactions to the artwork and perspectives on safety.
Trauma-Informed Teaching
This study (undertaken in collaboration with Dr John Cavener from Northumbria University) aimed to develop insight into how social work and police educators adopt trauma-informed principles into their practice to mitigate the risk of vicarious or secondary trauma in the classroom. A framework for trauma-informed teaching was developed from this research which included key strategies that can be adopted in the classroom to help educators respond ethically and expertly to students learning about sensitive and difficult topics.
Domestic Abuse in the Older Population
This project (undertaken in collaboration with Dr Carole Southall from Northumbria University) aimed to develop knowledge and understanding of how key agencies identify and respond to domestic abuse in the older population. This study identified a need to develop responses that reflect the unique needs of older people and to develop better understanding of the experiences of older people who have been subjected to domestic abuse.
Developing the Involvement of Educators by Experience in Social Work Education
This project examined the views of people with lived experience about their involvement in social work education. The project focused on understanding motivations for becoming involved in social work education, as well as examining perspectives about their involvement and how they think this area of work should develop. Motivation for involvement is grounded in a desire to improve things for others and the benefits of such involvement are wide-ranging, including validation of personal experiences and increased confidence.
Enhancing Experts by Experience-Led Education in Social Work
This Teaching Partnership (TP) funded project developed the capacity for the involvement of experts with experience in social work education within the TP region. As part of the project, a regional committee was established to foster collaborative working across the higher education institutes and Local Authorities involved in the teaching partnership. Key outputs from the project included a package of training materials designed to support and enhance the involvement of Experts by Experience in social work education.
To learn more about these projects please contact me or view my publications.
To find out about my current research projects please follow me on Linkedin.
Publications
Article
Milne, Alisoun, Ray, Mo, Donnelly, Sarah, Lonbay, Sarah, Montgomery, Lorna, Corradini, Francesca, Şoitu, Daniela, Rossi, Eeva, Riekkinen-Tuovinen, Sointu, Notari, Giulia and Carter Anand, Janet (2024) Admission of an older person into a care home in Europe: exploring the dimensions of a ‘Healthy Transition’ and the potential role of social work. European Journal of Social Work. ISSN 1369-1457
Lonbay, Sarah, Brandon, Toby and O'Driscoll, Steve (2023) Making a difference for the future: The views of educators by experience about their involvement in social work education. Social Work Education. ISSN 0261-5479
Lonbay, Sarah, MacKay, Kathryn and Montgomery, Lorna (2023) Editorial: Perspectives on safeguarding older people: Voice, choice, and control. Journal of Adult Protection, 25 (3). ISSN 2042-8669
Lonbay, Sarah and Southall, Carole (2023) Identifying and responding to domestic abuse in the older population: Key challenges and complexities. The European Journal of Social Work. ISSN 1468-2664
Cavener, John and Lonbay, Sarah (2022) Enhancing ‘Best Practice’ in Trauma-Informed Social Work Education: Insights from a Study Exploring Educator and Student Experiences. Social Work Education. pp. 1-22. ISSN 1470-1227
Lonbay, Sarah and Stambolieva, Marija (2022) Social Policy in Social Work Education and Practice - Innovative Approaches (editorial). Social Work and Society, 19 (2).
Lonbay, Sarah, Pearson, Amy, Hamilton, Emma, Higgins, Pat, Foulkes, Emma and Glascott, Michelle (2021) Trauma informed participatory research: Reflections on co-producing a research proposal. Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 14 (1). ISSN 1836-3393
Lonbay, Sarah, Pearson, Amy, Hamilton, Emma, Higgins, Pat, Foulkes, Emma and Glascott, Michelle (2021) Trauma informed participatory research: Reflections on co-producing a research proposal. Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 14 (1). pp. 1-8. ISSN 1836-3393
Lonbay, Sarah, Russell, Claire and Smiles, Julie (2021) Involving co-educators in social work education in the context of Covid-19: Reflections on challenges and potential solutions. Relational Social Work Journal. ISSN 2532-3814
Lonbay, Sarah, Cavener, John, O'Driscoll, Steve and Chappell, Stewart (2020) Enhancing ‘Educator by Experience’ Led Social Work Training: Lessons learned from the development of a Teaching Partnership funded project. Social Work Education. ISSN 0261-5479
Pentaris, Panagiotis, Willis, Paul, Ray, Mo, Deusdad, Blanca, Lonbay, Sarah, Niemi, Mia and Donnelly, Sarah (2020) Older people in the context of COVID-19: A European Perspective. Journal of Gerontological Social Work. ISSN 0163-4372
Southall, C., Lonbay, Sarah and Brandon, T. (2019) Social workers’ negotiation of the liminal space between personalisation policy and practice. European Journal of Social Work, ahead. pp. 1-13. ISSN 1369-1457
Lonbay, Sarah (2018) ‘These Are Vulnerable People Who Don’t Have a Voice’: Exploring Constructions of Vulnerability and Ageing in the Context of Safeguarding Older People. The British Journal of Social Work, 48 (4). pp. 1033-1051. ISSN 0045-3102
Lonbay, Sarah and Brandon, Toby (2017) Renegotiating power in adult safeguarding: the role of advocacy. The Journal of Adult Protection, 19 (2). pp. 78-91. ISSN 1466-8203
Yoeli, Heather, Lonbay, Sarah, Morey, Sarah and Pizycki, Lara (2016) Safeguarding adults: from realism to ritual. The Journal of Adult Protection, 18 (6). pp. 329-340. ISSN 1466-8203
Book Section
Lonbay, Sarah, Hallam, Shirley, Higgins, Pat and Weatheritt, Sheila (2020) Don't judge a book by its cover: Lived experiences of the involvement of older people in social work education. In: The Routledge Handbook of Service User Involvement in Human Services Research and Education. Routledge. ISBN 9781138360143
Lonbay, Sarah (2018) Participatory Approaches to Social Policy in Relation to Ageing. In: Social Policy First Hand: An International Introduction to Participatory Social Welfare. Policy Press, pp. 211-222. ISBN 9781447332367
Reports, briefing/ working papers
Lonbay, Sarah, Chappell, Keith, Southall, Carole and Scorer, Jamie (2024) A decade of adult safeguarding. A response to the LGA publication 'The Care Act 2014: Ten years on from Royal Assent'. Other. Research Blog.
Lonbay, Sarah, Atkinson, Karen, Phillips, Carrie, Milne, Alisoun, Wolmesjo, Maria and Penhale, Bridget (2023) Written evidence for the Women and Equalities Committee on the Rights of Older People. Technical Report. UK Parliament.
Morgan, Chloe and Lonbay, Sarah (2023) A Contemporary Feminist Search Exploring the Representations of Girls and Women on Social Media Outlets. Working Paper. ResearchGate.
Deacon, Lesley, Lonbay, Sarah and Connelly, Sarah (2023) Understanding Referral Processes for Responding to Youth Homelessness. Project Report. UNSPECIFIED. (Unpublished)
Lonbay, Sarah and Southall, Carole (2023) Submission to the “Call for Inputs: Violence, abuse and neglect against older persons” 2023 HRC Report. Technical Report. United Nations.
Conference or Workshop Item
Lonbay, Sarah and Cavener, John (2024) Enhancing 'best practice' in Trauma-Informed Higher Education: Insights from two qualitative studies exploring educator and student experiences. In: Centre for Research In Education Public Lecture Series 2024: Pedagogies of Authenticity, 13/11/24, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)
Mandala, Susan and Lonbay, Sarah (2024) Transcribing and analysing difficult talk data across disciplines: A presentation of a duoethnography. In: Faculty of Education and Society Sixth Annual Staff Research Conference: Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration, 10 Jun 2024, University of Sunderland.
Lonbay, Sarah, Easton, Cath, Southall, Carole and Drape, Katherine (2024) Alternative discourses of abuse? An exploration of the language that older people use to describe their experiences of domestic abuse. In: Faculty of Education and Society Sixth Annual Staff Research Conference: Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration, 10 Jun 2024, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)
Lonbay, Sarah (2023) Participation and Epistemic (injustice). In: University of Sunderland Associate Professorial Lecture Series.
Lonbay, Sarah, O'Driscoll, Steve, Higgins, Pat, Southall, Carole and Dougherty, Jess (2023) A Vision of Safety: A participatory arts-based project exploring the concept of safety. In: FES2023 Economic and Social Inclusion Conference, June 12th, 2023, University of Sunderland. (Submitted)
Lonbay, Sarah and Cavener, John (2023) Enhancing best practice in trauma informed social work education: Insights from a study exploring educator and student perspectives. In: The Joint Social Work Education and Research Conference, 15-16th June, Glasgow. (Unpublished)
Lonbay, Sarah and Southall, C. (2022) Identifying and responding to domestic abuse in the older population: Key challenges and complexities. In: European Conference for Social Work Research (2023), 12-14 April, 2023, Milan, Italy.
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) Narrowing the gap between social work research and practice: How do social workers make use of research and what impact does this have on practice? In: European Conference for Social Work Research, 12-14 April, Milan, Italy.
Lonbay, Sarah, P and Southall, Carole (2022) Identifying and responding to domestic abuse in the older population. In: University of Sunderland Research and Knowledge Exchange Conference, Sunderland. (Unpublished)
Lonbay, Sarah and Cavener, John (2021) Enhancing best practice in trauma informed teaching in social work education: Insights from a study exploring the perspectives of social work educators and students. In: Faculty of Education and Society Staff Conference, 01 Jun 2021, Sunderland, UK.
Lonbay, Sarah and Stambolieva, Marija (2021) Social Policy Education in Social Work – Innovative Approaches. In: European Conference on Social Work Education, 15 Jun - 18 Jun 2021, Tallinn University, Estonia. (Unpublished)
Lonbay, Sarah (2020) These are vulnerable people who don't have a voice: Exploring constructions of vulnerability and ageing in the context of safeguarding older people. In: CASS Public Lecture, 25 Nov 2020, Sunderland, UK. (Submitted)
Lonbay, Sarah (2020) Enhancing Educator by Experience led Social Work Training. In: Faculty of Education and Society Staff Conference, 01 Jun 2020, Sunderland, UK.
Lonbay, Sarah and Brandon, Toby (2019) Co-production: A better route to impact? In: NESWA workshop, 2019, Durham Centre, County Durham. (Submitted)
James, Alexandra, Myers, Jan and Lonbay, Sarah (2017) Entrepreneurial Safeguarding in Public Services: Innovating with experience. In: Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship 2017: ‘Borders’, prosperity and entrepreneurial responses, November 8-9, 2017, Belfast.
Lonbay, Sarah (2016) Reflective Practice in the Arena of Adult Social Care: How do Social Workers Negotiate the Liminal Space Between Policy and Practice? In: 6th European Conference for Social Work Research. ECSWR 2016, 30 March - 1 April 2016, Lisbon.
Lonbay, Sarah (2015) Exploring the Involvement of Older People in Adult Safeguarding: What Helps and What Hinders? In: 44th Annual BSG Conference 2015, July 1-3, 2015, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Lonbay, Sarah (2015) Advocacy and Engagement in Adult Safeguarding. In: Making Safeguarding Personal In Kirklees, 9 Jan 2015, University of Huddersfield.
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Bridges and Barriers: Exploring the Involvement of Older People in Adult Safeguarding. In: 1st Annual Conference of the Association for Psychosocial Studies: Psychosocial connections: Practice, policy and research, December 16-17, 2014, Preston.
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Protecting the Human Rights of Older People: Does Adult Safeguarding Policy Help or Hinder? In: Aging and Society: Fourth Interdisciplinary Conference, November 7-8, 2014, Manchester.
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Intervention versus Interference: To what extent should we safeguard? In: BSA MedSoc Conference, 15 Sep 2014, Aston University, Birmingham.
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) 'These Are Vulnerable People Who Don’t Have a Voice': Exploring Constructions of Risk, Vulnerability and Involvement of Older People in Adult Safeguarding. In: Safeguarding the Vulnerable, May 1, 2014, Bucks New University.
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Exploring the involvement of older people in adult safeguarding. In: Fourth European Conference fo Social Work Research, 9 Mar 2014, Bolzano, Italy.
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Paternalism and empowerment: The involvement of older people in adult safeguarding. In: British Sociological Association PGR Conference, 2014, Newcastle Upon Tyne. (Submitted)
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Bridges and Barriers: Exploring the Involvement of Older People in Adult Safeguarding. In: Fourth European Conference for Social Work Research, Apr 2014, Bolzano, Italy. (Submitted)
Lonbay, Sarah (2014) Factors which Help and Hinder Involvement of Older People in Adult Safeguarding. In: Northumbria University Research Conference, 2014, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne. (Submitted)
Film/Video
Lonbay, Sarah (2019) Involving Service Users and Carers in Social Work Education. [Film/Video]
Lonbay, Sarah (2019) Involving experts by experience: Key messages for social workers and social work students. [Film/Video]
Lonbay, Sarah (2019) Involving people with lived experience: Key messages for social work educators. [Film/Video]
Audio
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) “Hospital social workers are very strong advocates for the rights of older people”: Working with older people in a hospital setting. A conversation with Carrie Phillips. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season three. Episode three. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) Key messages for practice: Summary episode. The Portal Podcast: Linking research and practice for social work. Season three. Episode seven. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) “People who need it should be able to access social work support”: The contribution of social work to older people’s wellbeing. A conversation with Gerry Nosowska and Paul Willis. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season three: Episode 1. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season three. Episode 0: Introduction to Season three. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) “Social work is a noble profession”: Relationships, stories, and the value of social work with older people. A conversation with Nick Andrews. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season three. Episode two. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) “Working with older people is a very, very interesting field”: Social work and older people in Germany. A conversation with Sigrid Mairhofer. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season three. Episode six. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2024) You need a social worker to say, what can we do to make life better for you?”: Social work and family carers. A conversation with Alisoun Milne. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season three. Episode four. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) Domestic abuse services for men, women, and children: A conversation with Sarah Martin-Denham. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season two. Episode three. [Audio]
Wilcock, Angela (2023) Help seeking and experiences of Thai women in the UK. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) Domestic abuse and Eastern European Women. A conversation with Louise Harvey-Golding and Carrier Phillips. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season two. Episode five. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) Domestic abuse, help seeking, and the experiences of Thai women in the UK: A conversation with Angie Wilcock. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season two. Episode four. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) Introduction to season 2 of The Portal Podcast. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) Key messages for practice from season 2 of The Portal Podcast. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) The Portal Podcast: Domestic abuse and older people. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2023) Financial consequences of domestic abuse: A conversation with Emma Aggar, Paula McCormack and Darren McGee. The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Season two. Episode two. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Series one, episode three: A conversation with Donna. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Series one, episode two: A conversation with Rick. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Series one, episode four: A conversation with Lesley. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) The Portal Podcast: Linking research and practice for social work. Series one, episode five: A conversation with Angie and Sheila. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) The Portal Podcast: Linking research and practice for social work. Series one, episode seven: A conversation between Sarah and Lesley. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley (2022) The Portal Podcast: Linking research and practice for social work. Series one, episode six: A conversation with Nicola and Demi. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley The Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Series one, episode 1: A conversation with Neil Evans. [Audio]
Lonbay, Sarah and Deacon, Lesley Portal Podcast: Linking Research and Practice for Social Work. Series one. Episode 0. [Audio]
Other
Chappell, Keith and Lonbay, Sarah (2024) International Day of Older Persons - Research blog. University of Sunderland.
Lonbay, Sarah (2018) Emerald Literati Award 2018. UNSPECIFIED.
Lonbay, Sarah (2018) Training materials to support the involvement of people with lived experience in social work education. North East Social Work Alliance.
James, Alexandra, Myers, Jan and Lonbay, Sarah (2017) Best paper: The Institute for Small Business and Enterprise (ISBE). UNSPECIFIED.
- Participation and co-production
- Adult/elder abuse and safeguarding
- Trauma-informed research and teaching
- Advocacy
- Mental health
- Ageing and older people
- Lived experience and social work education
- Qualitative research and creative methods
- For updates on my research and publications follow me on Linkedin.
- For updates on the Centre for Applied Social Sciences activity follow on X: @CASS180661
- For updates on the work of the European Network for Gerontological Social Work follow on X: @ENGSW_ESWRA
- My Orcid ID is: 0000-0002-5122-9505
