Dr Peter Simcock
Peter began working in social work education in 2010 and joined the Department of Social Work at BCU in January 2018. Prior to working in academia, Peter worked for Age Concern, Hull, before moving to the West Midlands and from 2001 to 2008 worked for Wolverhampton City Council in various social work roles including social worker within a Physical and Sensory Disability Team, senior practitioner (Deaf and Deafblind Adults), and assistant team manager.
In 2008, Peter moved to Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council as senior social work practitioner for Deaf and hearing impaired services, working with children, young people and their families, and adults. For his last six months at Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council he was Acting Team Manager of the Sensory Support Team.
Peter is interested in social work and sensory impairment, particularly deafblindness and dual sensory loss. He is also interested in the relationship between law and social work practice, and the concept of vulnerability, especially in the context of safeguarding adults work. Peter’s practise experience has largely been with older people and disabled people. He has developed a particular interest in the experience of ageing with disability, including ageing with deafblindness. Ageing with deafblindness and the experience of vulnerability were the focus of his doctoral research, which adopted interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the lived experience of these phenomena.
Areas of Expertise
- Social work and sensory impairment
- Deafness, deafblindness and dual sensory loss
- Adult social work law
- Vulnerability and Safeguarding Adults at Risk
- Social work with disabled adults and older people
- Ageing with Disability
- Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Qualifications
Academic:
- PhD Gerontology (King’s College London) (2020)
- PgCert. Professional and Higher Education (Distinction) (2012)
- BA (Hons) Care Management / PQSW (First Class) (2005)
- MA in Social Work / DipSW (Distinction) (2000)
- LL.B (Hons) Law (2:1) (1997)
Other:
- British Sign Language Level Three (CACDP)
- Communication & Guiding Deafblind People Level Three (CACDP)
- Certificate in Protactile Language Theory (2024) (PLI National Education Program, Western Oregon University)
Memberships
- Registered Social Worker (Social Work England)
- Member of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Chair of Deafblind International Acquired Deafblindness Network: http://adbn.deafblindinternational.org/
- Member of Deafblind International
- Member of the Social Work Law Association
- Peer Reviewer for British Journal of Social Work, British Journal of Visual Impairment, Journal of Adult Protection, Ageing & Society and New Frontiers
- Distinguished Visiting Scholar, University of Manitoba (2023)
- External Examiner: BA Social Work Programme, Kingston University, University of London (2015 - 2019)
- Member of the Social Welfare at the British Library Advisory Group (2011-2017)
- Trustee: Emily Harris Foundation(2007-2020)
Teaching
Certificate in Professional Studies (Deafblind Studies)
- Module Lead: Understanding Deafblindness / Dual Sensory Loss
- Module Lead: Understanding Communication, Movement and Mobility
- Module Lead: Law, Public Policy and Deafblindness
Diploma in Professional Studies (Deafblind Studies)
- Module Lead: Understanding and Assessing Deafblindness / Dual Sensory Loss
- Module Lead: Understanding and Assessing Communication, Movement and Mobility
- Module Lead: Deafblindness: Independent Study
BSc Social Work
- Introduction to Research
MSc Social Work
- Law and Social Policy
- Ethics, Values and ADP
- Core Skills for Practice
- Research Methods of Enquiry
- Safeguarding Law and Practice
MSc Safeguarding
- Safeguarding Deafblind People
Research
Spirituality in residential care for people living with dementia: implementing reflective tools for care workers of people living with dementia (The SpiritDem Study) Advisory Group Member (2023): Peter is currently a member of the advisory group for this NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London funded study, exploring how people living with dementia can be best supported with their spiritual needs.
Awareness of Deafblindness/Multi-Sensory Impairment amongst clinicians, teachers, and social workers (2022- present): member of research team in collaboration with Principal Investigator Dr. Saima Rajasingam, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
Accessibility of Healthcare Services for People with Vision and/or Hearing Difficulties (2022-present): member of research team in collaboration with Principal Investigator Dr. Eldre Beukes, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
When Level 3 is not enough (2021): Peter is currently the Principal Investigator on this BCU Pilot Project Funded study exploring English Local Authority decision making in relation to required qualification levels for specialist deafblind assessment.
Care Act Easements Study Advisory Group Member (2021-2022): Peter was a member of the advisory group for an 18 month long NIHR School of Social Care funded study on the Care Act Easements created under the Coronavirus Act 2020.
Tactile Transition Project Advisory Group Member (2019): Peter is currently a member of the advisory panel supporting an international research project exploring the ways in which those with acquired deafblindness transition to the increased role of touch in their lives.
PhD Thesis (2020): The Lived Experience of Vulnerability amongst Adults Ageing with Deafblindness: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Supervised by: Professor Jill Manthorpe (Professor of Social Work) and Professor Anthea Tinker (Professor of Social Gerontology)).
CJD and Social Work (2018-2019): Peter worked with colleagues from the Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King’s College London, and the National Prion Clinic, University College London to produce national guidelines on Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease for social workers in England. These guidelines were published by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Postgraduate Supervision
PhD Student: Rebecca Govan. “Post adoption social work with families with children suspected to have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Exploring the experiences of adoptive parents, children, and social workers.” [in progress].
- Supervisors: Dr Colin Watt (Director of Studies), Dr Carolyn Blackburn (Supervisor), Dr Peter Simcock (Supervisor).
PhD Student: George Fence. “Exploring Novel Wearable Haptic Technologies for Displaying Braille and Other Tactile Communication Methods Using Smart Sensing Devices” [in progress].
- Supervisors: Dr Arthur Theil (Director of Studies), Prof. Chris Creed (Supervisor), Dr Peter Simcock (Project Advisor)
PhD Student: Claire Manford. “Improving academic and social success for children with dual sensory impairment (deafblindness)” [in progress]. Anglia Ruskin University.
- Supervisors: Dr Saima Rajasingam (Director of Studies), Dr Eldre Beukes (Supervisor), Prof. Peter Allen (Supervisor), Dr Peter Simcock (External Advisor).
PhD Student: Phillippa Bradbury. “Reading from the same page: a practice-based social intervention to improve printed information access for deafblind people” [in progress]. Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London.
- Supervisors: Dr Catherine Dixon (Director of Studies), Dr David Preston (Supervisor), Dr Peter Simcock (External Supervisor).
Peter also currently supervises MSc Social Work Students completing their final dissertation
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Papers:
Simcock, P., Manthorpe, J., & Tinker, A. (2024). Giving voice by doing with not doing through: Collaborating with tactile sign language interpreters in interpretative phenomenological analysis research involving older deafblind people. Qualitative Social Work, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250241250140
Simcock, P., Manthorpe, J., & Tinker, A. (2022) ‘Vulnerability among older people ageing with deafblindness’ Journal of Social Work [online first]; https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/14680173221109447
Simcock, P., Manthorpe, J., & Tinker, A. (2022) ‘A salutogenesis approach to ageing with impairment: The managing and coping experiences of older people ageing with deafblindness. Ageing and Society. 1-26.
Bacchini, S. & Simcock, P. (2020)A Silent Minority, unheard and unseen? A reflective account of methodological and linguistic challenges in research with older people ageing with Deafblindness. Expressio, 1 (3): 147-166.
Simcock, P. & Wittich, W. (2019) ‘Are older deafblind people being left behind? A narrative review of literature on deafblindness through the lens of the United Nations Principles for Older People’ Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law (3): 339-357 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09649069.2019.1627088
Simcock, P. & Machin, R. (2019) ‘It’s not just about where someone lives: educating student social workers about housing-related matters to promote an understanding of social justice’ Social Work Education: The International Journal. Advance Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2019.1612867
Manthorpe, J. & Simcock, P. (2018) 'The Role of Social Work in Supporting People Affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): A Scoping Review' British Journal of Social Work. Advanced Access. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcy116
Boath, E., Simcock, P., Watts, R., Thomas, N., Evans, J., Taylor, L. & O'Connell, P. (2018) 'Stay with the FLO: evaluating a mobile texting service to enhance social work student retention while on placement' Social Work Education: The International Journal.
Irvine, F., Yeung, E., Partridge, M. & Simcock, P. (2017) ‘The impact of personalisation on people from Chinese backgrounds: accounts of social care experience’ Health and Social Care in the Community. 25 (3): 878-887.
Simcock, P. (2017) ‘Ageing with a unique impairment: a systematically conducted review of older deafblind people’s experiences’ Ageing & Society. 37 (8): 1703-1742.
Simcock, P. (2017) ‘One of society’s most vulnerable groups? A systematically conducted literature review exploring the vulnerability of deafblind people’ Health and Social Care in the Community. (3): 813-839.
Simcock, P. & Manthorpe, J. (2014) ‘Deafblind and neglected or deafblindness neglected? Revisiting the Beverley Lewis Case’ British Journal of Social Work. 44 (8): 2325-2341
Books & Book Chapters:
Simcock, P. (2022) Developing our understanding of an impairment much misunderstood: Researching the experiences of deafblind people. In D. Pitcher & B. Burke (Eds) The Advancement of Social Work. Studies in Social Work to Mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Social Workers’ Educational Trust. Birmingham: British Association of Social Workers.
Simcock, P. & Lee, C. (2022) Disability, Social Justice and Human Rights: The Experience of the United Kingdom. In C. Cox & T. Maschi (Eds) Human Rights and Social Justice. Key Issues and Vulnerable Populations. Routledge.
Simcock, P. & Manthorpe, J. (2020) Aging with deafblindness. In M. Putnam & C Bigby (Eds.) Handbook on Aging with Disability. London: Routledge.
Wittich, W. & Simcock, P. (2019) Aging and Combined Vision and Hearing Loss. In: J. Ravenscroft (ed), The Routledge Handbook of Visual Impairment. London: Routledge.
Simcock, P. & Castle, R. (2016) Social Work and Disability. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Book Reviews:
Bacchini, S. & Simcock, P. (2021) ‘Ageing, the Body and the Gender Regime: Health, Illness and Disease Across the Life Course. Susan Pickard and Jude Robinson (eds)’ Ageing and Society. 41, 1449-1451.
Simcock, P. (2014) ‘Mandelstam, M. Safeguarding Adults and the Law’ Journal of Adult Protection. (1): 60-61
Other Publications:
Simcock, P., Bond, J. & Duncan, L. (2021) ‘Deafblindness – the psychosocial impact makes it core social work’ [online]
Simcock, P. (2020) ‘When Physical Distancing means Losing Touch: COVID-19 and Deafblind People’ [online]
Simcock, P., Manthorpe, J., Tesfamichael, S., & Mead, S. (2018) Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: Guidelines for Social Workers in England. London: Department of Health and Social Care.
Simcock, P., & Manthorpe, J. (2018) ‘Social Work and CJD: Updating the Guidelines’ CJD Support Network Newsletter 27(May 2018): 10-11
Crellin, B., Simcock, P., & Bond, J. (2018) Good Practice Guide for Social Workers in England and Wales Working with Adults with Acquired Hearing Loss. Birmingham: British Association of Social Workers.
Simcock, P. (2014) ‘Revisiting adult safeguarding cases: challenges and lessons’ Bulletin of the Social Work History Network. (1): 8-10.
Matthews, S. & Simcock, P. (2014) ‘Ongoing change: Social Work Education in the 21st Century'. Editorial for the British Library Social Welfare Portal Newsletter.
Conference Presentations:
Simcock, P., Watt, C. & Duncan, L. (2024) ‘Deafblind people with ‘higher or more complex’ needs: how do English local authorities determine who is suitably qualified to assess the social care needs of deafblind people?’; paper presented at the Grand Challenges for Social Work: Strengthening social solidarity and connectedness Joint Universities Social Work Association Conference 2024, Kingston University, London, UK, 27-28 June.
Rajasingam, S., Beukes, E., Macnaughton, J., Simcock, P., Duncan, L., & Quail, T. (2024) ‘Awareness of the impact of combined hearing and vision difficulties on accessing healthcare services amongst healthcare practitioners in the United Kingdom’; paper presented at the Hearing Across the Lifespan Conference, Cernobbio, Lake Como, Italy, 6-8 June.
Simcock, P. (2023) ‘How do we connect, support, and develop our workforce? Creating the Next Generation of Deafblind Specialists’; invited speaker at Deafblind UK Convention 2023 ‘Connected Lives’, 05 October.
Simcock, P. & Duncan, L. (2023) ‘Educating the Social Care Workforce to Better Support Deafblind People’; paper presented to the 18th Deafblind International World Conference, Ottawa, Canada, 25-28 July.
Simcock, P. Watt, C. & Duncan, L. (2023) ‘When Level 3 is not Enough: English Local Authority Decision Making in Relation to Required Qualification Levels for Specialist Deafblind Assessment’; paper presented to the 18th Deafblind International World Conference, Ottawa, Canada, 25-28 July.
Simcock, P. (2023) ‘The strength of disability: managing, coping, innovating and contributing to society’; invited speaker at the University of Manitoba, 20 July.
Simcock, P. (2023) ‘A life course with a unique rhythm: The experiences of those ageing with deafblindness’; keynote speech presented at the CSPACE ‘Rhythms of Learning and Living’ Conference, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, 5 July.
Simcock, P. (2022) ‘Who is suitably qualified to assess the social care needs of deafblind adults? Findings from a study of English local authority decision making in relation to the training and expertise of assessors’; invited speaker at Deafblind UK Convention 2022 ‘Embracing Change’, 06 October.
Simcock, P. (2022) ‘; 'Deafblind People and Covid-19: a population impacted, yet making an impact'; Keynote Speech presented to 11th National Deafblind Conference, Fremantle, Australia, 30 June – 1 July.
Simcock, P. (2021) ‘I just keep going’: the managing and coping experiences of older people ageing with deafblindness’; invited speaker at Deafblind UK Convention 2021, 07 October.
Simcock, P. (2020) ‘Out of Sight and Out of Touch must not mean Out of Mind: Social Work with Deafblind People, before, during and after the pandemic”; paper presented to the ‘Rejecting a Return to Life before the Pandemic: Covid19, structural inequalities and a call on social work to create a better normal’ Conference, online, 19 November.
Simcock, P. (2019) ‘Involving older deafblind people in qualitative research: the benefits and challenges of working with visual and tactile British Sign Language interpreters’; paper presented to 48th Annual Conference of the British Society of Gerontology, Liverpool, UK, 10 - 12 July
Bacchini, S. & Simcock, P. (2018) 'The Silent Minority. Unheard and Unseen? Challenges and Opportunities in Research with Older People Ageing with Deafblindness'; paper presented to CLAVIER 18. Knowledge Dissemination, Ethics and Ideology in Specialised Communication: Linguistic and Discursive Perspectives, Milan, Italy, 29 November - 1 December 2018.
Simcock, P. (2017) ‘The lived experience of vulnerability amongst adults ageing with deafblindness’; paper presented to 9th DbI European Conference on Deafblindness, Aalborg, Denmark, 5 - 8 September
Simcock, P. & Wittich, W. (2017) ‘The UN Principles for Older Persons: A Perspective on Deafblind Seniors’; paper presented to the 12th International Conference of the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation, The Hague, The Netherlands, 25- 29 June
Simcock, P. (2015) ‘Well since I got older, it’s gone worser (sic)’ The experiences of older people ageing with deafblindness’; paper presented to 44th Annual Conference of the British Society of Gerontology, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, 1 - 3July
Simcock, P. (2015) ‘An invisible sub-group of deafblind people? The experiences of older people ageing with deafblindness’; poster presented to 16th DbI World Conference on Deafblindness, Bucharest, Romania, 25– 30 May
Work With Industry
Peter has delivered numerous sessions on deafblindness to local authority staff via the Making Research Count Initiative. He also works closely with organisations of and for people with sensory impairments. This work has included providing Care Act 2014 training to social work and rehabilitation staff at Blind Veterans UK, and work with the British Association of Social Workers on new guidelines for social workers working with adults with acquired hearing loss. He also provided guidance to ‘The Blind Spot’ on the legal framework as it relates to social work and social care for deafblind people in England.
As Chair of the Deafblind International Acquired Deafblindness Network, Peter develops best practice, by facilitating collaboration among those living with acquired dual sensory loss and those working in field across the globe.
Links and Social Media
- Twitter: @peterjsimcock
- Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter_Simcock
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-simcock-b5ab4953/?originalSubdomain=uk