Philomena Harrison

Philomena Harrison is a Senior Lecturer in social work at Liverpool Hope University.

Prior to this current post she was Director of Mental Health for the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of Salford. Whilst in the latter role she acted as Project Manager for the Focussed Implementation Site in Manchester, which was part of the Department of Health’s initiative for Delivery Race Equality in Mental Health Project running from 2005-2010.

Trained as a Psychiatric social worker, her social work practice has been with women, children and families. She trained social workers for twelve years at Liverpool John Moores University. Apart from designing and delivering training on Anti-racist, Anti-oppressive practice and Cultural competence to a range of practitioners in Health and Social Care she has undertaken therapeutic work with children and young people on issues of ‘race’ and identity. Her research has included work on the role of family in recovery from mental distress, in Chennai, India.

She has presented work on issues of Race and mental health, Cultural competence and Race and identity at national and international conferences and has written on Anti-racist and Anti-oppressive practice in social work texts. Her work as a Trustee has included organisations such as 42nd Street (a young person’s mental health service) and Refugee Women Connect (a specialist service for women seeking asylum and refuge).

Her commitment is to continue striving to achieve inclusive practice in all areas of social life and working towards social justice for all.

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