School of Social and Political Science

Background

Current Research and Teaching Interests

I am a qualified social worker with a passion for social work education and working with children and their families. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and teach across postgraduate and undergraduate courses. I have a keen interest in practice and research informed teaching that is experiential and I am interested in developing scholarship in the area of learning and teaching. My teaching interests include child and family social work, community social work, creative practice and social work skills and values. These values are reflected in the work I did with colleagues for the Review of Social Work Education, Inquiry Area 4:  Philosophies of Learning in Social Work Education. My book A Guide to Therapeutic Childcare, co-authored with Dr Ruth Emond and Dr Laura Steckley, draws on my practice and teaching experiences and illustrates my practical and research informed approach to teaching and writing.   

Much of my research to date has focused on developing understanding of the needs of people with care experience in Scotland and theoretical models for thinking about the dynamics and imperatives that drive social work decision making in the field of Children and Families.  I am also passionate about social work education and social worker well-being.  Two recent projects include a Principle Teacher's Award project to develop the Self-Care Curriculum in Social work and a Poetry for Wellbeing in Social Work Project with the Scottish Poetry Library and SASW.  

I have expertise in using qualitative methods, action research and case studies to explore the multi-dimensional nature of many practice problems.  I am particularly interested in creative and participatory methods for research and practice.  As Co-Director for The Binks Hub, an interdisciplinary research hub working to co-create research using creative and artistic methods with communities, I am involved in a number of demonstration project using these methods with community organisations.  You can read more about this work on The Binks Hub website, please do join our mailing list.   

I also have a passion for creative knowledge exchange projects.  A recent project included a partnership Knowledge Exchange Project with Dr Pearce McCusker, Dr Christina McMellon and young people from the Who Cares? Trust. This included developing a training course on care experience and mental health for residential workers, social workers and foster carers.  You can learn more about the project here.  Two ongoing Knowledge Exchange project focus on the needs of Kinship carers in Scotland.  The first is looking at Kinship care and housing and the second is exploring the challenges for Kinship carers face in an increasingly digital world.  Both project are in partnership with AFKA 

Career History

I moved to Scotland from the USA after completing my undergraduate degree at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. I worked for a number of years in the voluntary sector before undertaking a Master in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh. After qualifying as a social worker I worked in various child and family focused settings including residential child care, the community and schools. I have experience of teaching in both the further education and higher education sector and completed my PhD in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh in 2011.

Recent Publications

Roesch-Marsh, A., Critchley, A., and Tongue, S., (2023) Poetry for Wellbeing Toolkit.  Scottish Poetry Library. 

Firmin, C., Barter, C., and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2023) Friends, peers and safeguarding.  Child Abuse Review, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/car.282

Roesch-Marsh, A., Roxburgh, M., Bartlett, B. and Nicholas, D. (2023)  The protective power of friendship, advocacy and activism:  A short Report on the experiences of Who Cares? members and allies.  Child Abuse Review, https://doi.org/10.1002/car.2823

Powell, M. N., Friskney, R., McMellon, C. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2022) National Care Service Consultation Responses Analysis Implications for Keeping the Promise. https://thepromise.scot/resources/2022/national-care-service-consultation-responses-analysis.pdf

Roesch-Marsh, A. and Cooper, K. (2021)  Care leaver relationships, mental health and online spaces. eNurture.

Roesch-Marsh, A., McGhee, K. and Gillon, F. (2021)  The digital divide; The impact on the rights of care leavers in Scotland.  Glasgow: CELCIS. 

Critchley, A. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2021)  Poetry Helps: Poetry as a means of creative reflection and learning in social work In D. Turner (ed.) Social Work and Covid-19 – Lessons for Education and Practice.  London: Critical Publishing.

Roesch-Marsh, A. and Emond, R. (2020) Care Experience and Friendship: Theory and International Evidence to Improve Practice and Future Research, The British Journal of Social Work, , bcaa131, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaa131

McGhee, K. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2020) Bridging the digital divide for care experienced young people: If not now, when? CELCIS, available at: https://www.celcis.org/files/5615/9541/7476/Inform_Briefing_-_Bridging_the_digital_divide_for_Care_Leavers_in_Scotland__July_2020.pdf

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2020) Digital Exclusion and Care Leavers: It's time for social work to join this fight. Social Work 2020 under Covid-19 Magazine, available at: https://sw2020covid19.group.shef.ac.uk/2020/04/24/digital-exclusion-and-care-leavers-its-time-for-social-work-to-join-this-fight/

Critchley, A. and Roesch-Marsh, A (2020) An Uncertain Future: Poetry as a response to the impact of Covid-19 on social work. Social Work 2020 under Covid-19 Magazine, available at: https://sw2020covid19.group.shef.ac.uk/2020/05/18/an-uncertain-future-poetry-as-a-response-to-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-social-workers/

Kirkwood, S., Roesch-Marsh, A., & Cooper, S. (2019). Evaluating social pedagogy in the UK: Methodological issues. Qualitative Social Work, 18(1), 8–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325017699266

Emond, R., Steckley, S. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2018) Parallel Processes: Getting it Write? Journal of Social Work Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2017.1384998

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2018). Professional relationships and decision making in social work: Lessons from a Scottish case study of secure accommodation decision making. Qualitative Social Work, 17(3), 405–422. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325016680285 

Roesch-Marsh, A., Gillies, A., and Green, D. ( 2017) Nurturing the virtuous circle: Looked After Children's participation in reviews, a cyclical and relational process. Child & Family Social Work, 22: 904– 913. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12310.

Duncan, H. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2017) The Ecology of Judgement: A Model for Understanding and Improving Social Work Judgements, The British Journal of Social Work, 47 (5): 1361–1376, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcw091

Emond, R., Steckley, L. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2016) A Guide to Therapeutic Childcare. London: Jessica Kingsley.

McCulloch, T., Roesch-Marsh, A., Simpson, M. and Cooper, S. (2016) Is there a shared philosophy of learning in social work education in Scotland?  SSSC.  Available at: Is there a shared philosophy of learning in social work education in Scotland - Scottish Social Services Council (sssc.uk.com)

Roesch-Marsh, A., Cooper, S. and Kirkwood, S. (2015) Social Pedagogy Pilot Project Evaluation Report.  Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2013) Risk assessment and secure accommodation decision making in Scotland: Taking account of gender? Child Abuse Review

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2012)  Behaviour as communication: understanding the needs of neglected and abused adolescents.  Stirling: WithScotland.

Mitchell, F., Roesch-Marsh, A. and Robb, L. (2012) Taking stock of alternatives to secure accommodation or custody for girls and young women in Scotland. Edinburgh: CJSW.

Roesch-Marsh, A (2012) 'Out of Control':Making Sense of the Behaviour of Young People Referred to Secure Accommodation. British Journal of Social Work, doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcs102.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2011) Better Together? Learning lessons for group decision-making practice from a study of secure accommodation in Scotland.  Child and Family Social Work.

Helm, D. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2011) Ecology of Judgement in Child Welfare and Protection: A Seminar Report.  Stirling: Scottish Child Care and Protection Network.

Roesch-Marsh, A., Gadda, A. and Smith, D. (2011) ‘It’s a tricky business’: The impact of identity work in negotiating research access, Qualitative Social Work.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2010) Risky Enough? Perspectives on Responding to ‘Risky’ Behaviour. Paper Presented at Annual Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare Conference, Aviemore, UK, 9 June 2010.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2010) Social Work Decision Making: A systems outcome? Paper presented at the Annual British Sociological Association Conference, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK, 7 April 2010.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2007) Risk Discourses and the Construction of Young People Who Are Considered for Secure Accommodation in Scotland. Paper Presented at International Conference: Working with Young People At De Monfort University, Leicester, UK, 15 June 2007.

Roesch-Marsh, A and Morton, S (2007) Impact Study: ESRC Sponsored ‘Knowledge-exchange’ Seminar Series 2006. University of Edinburgh Child and Youth Studies Network.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2005) Good enough care? Looking after sexually abused young people in residential care. Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, Vol. 4, No. 1, February/ March pp. 45-58.