Researching social work practice or practising social work? In search of our identities as social work researchers

The five authors of this narrative are UK-qualified social workers, with many years of experience in practice. They include two white women, one black woman, & two white men. For the last decade, four of the authors have been employed as academic educators & researchers, while the fifth has divided his time between practice & academic work. They all work in an English university with a modest commitment to research, which they balance with their significant teaching commitments. The authors decided to develop a group narrative in which their experiences of researching social work practice were described within the framework of the research process. This narrative focuses on the starting points, methods, ethics, & reporting of research before turning to our reflections of how this has shaped their individual identities as social work researchers.