ORCID

Abstract

Summary: Acquired brain injury is a major cause of death and disability. Due to the impact of acquired brain injury on an individual's and a family's functioning, social workers are likely to encounter individuals and families affected by the condition. This study aimed to (1) identify the existing level of knowledge and skills of social workers in working with individuals with acquired brain injury and their families and (2) examine the training needs of social workers to improve their knowledge and skills in working with those with acquired brain injury. A series of semi-structured interviews with newly qualified social workers (six), brain injury specialist social workers (nine), team leaders (two), and commissioners (three) were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: The data highlighted that social workers in England and Wales have no formal training around acquired brain injury but felt there was a need for different levels of training and guidance for social workers. Participants also discussed the need for better integration with health care and a greater focus on relational working to enact positive change for individuals and families. Applications: Social work training should be embedded within prequalification training with additional postqualification training where appropriate. Work and training within social work should take an interdisciplinary approach. The authors have taken the data to develop a freely available online training program for social workers.

Publication Date

2026-01-21

Publication Title

Journal of Social Work

ISSN

1468-0173

Acceptance Date

2025-12-08

Deposit Date

2025-12-12

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), reference number NIHR202980.

Keywords

Social work, adult care, education, health and social care, long-term care

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