Lorna Montgomery
Biographic Data
| ID | 4466863 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Lorna Montgomery |
| GIVEN NAMES | Lorna |
| FAMILY NAME | Montgomery |
| SIGNATURE | MONTGOMERY L |
| AFFILIATIONS | Queen's University Belfast |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0377-3773 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 23 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
The evolution of adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland
Purpose This is an original interview, as commissioned by Dr Jeremy Dixon. The purpose of the paper is to provide insight into the development of adult safeguarding policy and practice in Northern Ireland from the early 2000s to the post-2015 policy era. Design/methodology/approach An interview took place between the authors of this paper to explore relevant issues in adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland and the second author’s contributions to…
Best Interests decision-making processes in learning disability services in Northern Ireland
The Heart of the Matter’
Grandparent childcare is an international phenomenon, especially within families with children under 3 years old. China is no exception, as shown by a number of quantitative studies. Less clear is our understanding of the actual childcare arrangements involved and how these are negotiated and sustained through the intergenerational interactions between grandparents and parents. As a contribution to answering those questions, this qualitative stud…
A baseline survey of levels of motivation, well-being, and employment preferences of newly qualified social workers in the UK
The aim of this study is to examine levels of motivation, wellbeing, and employment preferences of newly qualified social workers who graduated in 2022. A mixed-method study design was employed using standardized measurements for wellbeing, measurable scales for motivation and employment preferences, and qualitative questions about job preferences. The online survey was completed by 176 final-year social work students in Northern Ireland during t…
Welfare inequalities and institutional abuse of older people in Northern Ireland
Institutional abuse, brought to our attention through high-profile abuse scandals, is recognized as a prevalent feature of institutional living. Risk assessment frameworks tend to focus on organizational-level features of institutional care such as staff training and support. This article draws attention to the significance of socio-economic factors in understanding institutional abuse of older people in Northern Ireland. By conducting a secondar…
Promoting staff retention in social work
This study explores the push and pull factors influencing retention of Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs). A mixed methods design, using standardized measures were used alongside questions capturing demographic data, motivation, employment preferences, and satisfaction with supervision. A sample of 122 NQSWs who graduated from one of three participating universities consented to participate. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS. Well-be…
Carer harm
Purpose The purpose of this study is to consider how carer harm is understood, surfaced and responded to in contemporary policy, practice and research. Design/methodology/approach This paper offers a reflective commentary on the current “state of play” relating to carer harm drawing on existing research and related literature. This study focuses on how we define carer harm and what we know about its impact; lessons from, and for, practice and ser…
Caring for people with non-communicable diseases
Resource-limited health systems in sub-Saharan Africa struggle to provide population-wide high-quality primary healthcare, with particular concerns relating to professional workforce issues and the role of family caregivers. This qualitative study design explores the perceptions of ( n = 19) health and social care professionals of the challenges they face in caring for individuals living with non-communicable diseases in Uganda. Identified challe…
Safeguarding adults within institutional settings
Purpose Institutional abuse is a worldwide phenomenon with the UK also subject to several high-profile abuse scandals perpetuated on people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions living within institutional settings. This study aims to provide a broad perspective of safeguarding practices within institutional care to inform practice and service development in this area. Design/methodology/approach A narrative overview was unde…
Admission of an older person into a care home in Europe
Transitions in gerontological social work are poorly theorised and underresearched. Although social workers are routinely involved in transitions of older people into care homes, they tend to be treated as a functional transition from one place to another rather than as a social, emotional and psychological process for the older person and their family. Evidence suggests that a healthy transition is more likely if the older person has exerted som…
Adult Safeguarding Inequalities in Northern Ireland
Whilst studies of child welfare inequalities have identified the impact of socio-economic deprivation on child protection rates, little is known about how this relates to intervention with adults who have care and support needs. This article examines the impact of area-level deprivation on adult safeguarding (AS) rates in Northern Ireland (NI). Routinely gathered statistics for community AS referrals (2015–2017) were linked to area-level deprivat…
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is defined by the World Health Organization as actions that cause distress or harm to an older person, including neglect and lack of appropriate action by individuals or organizations responsible for their welfare. Elder abuse is a complex, diverse, and socially constructed problem that has a long history. Historians found evidence of elder abuse as far back as ancient Greece
Assessment tools used in adult safeguarding practice within the UK and Ireland
Purpose Across the UK and Ireland, there are a range of processes and interventions offered to adults who, because of personal characteristics or life circumstances, require help to keep themselves safe from potential harm or abuse. The ways in which the statutory and voluntary sectors have chosen to safeguard these adults varies. Different models of intervention and the utilisation of a range of assessment tools, frameworks and approaches have e…
Developing and Evaluating a Social Work Assessment Model based on Co-production Methods
Building Better Futures (BBF) is a structured and systematic model developed in Northern Ireland for assessing parenting capacity when there are childcare concerns. This article focuses on the iterative development of the model, through a social work, practitioner–academic, research collaboration. BBF was developed using a mixed method, flexible and multi-modal, iterative design embracing a collaborative approach between social work academics and…
Social work students on the island of Ireland
Understanding the characteristics, motivations, and experiences of student social workers is important to inform their professional education and support needs. To date, there has been relatively little research about social work students in Ireland, both North and South. This study reports on an all-Ireland survey of students beginning their social work course in Autumn 2018 in the six Universities delivering social work education. It describes …
Differing knowledges
Much has been written about service user involvement in social work education with the literature recognizing the value of this particular type of experiential knowledge in helping students understand key competences and concepts. There is also extensive literature highlighting the role of simulation in assisting social work students to develop key insights in regard to skills and knowledge through role-plays. Using a Cross-Over design, this pape…
Getting our voice heard
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an examination of the development of adult safeguarding policy from the perspectives of both policymakers and those who have sought to influence policy, to empower individuals with a learning disability to have a say in how policies, that influence their life and impact their right to independence, are developed. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a project which was led by a UK-wide…
Key components of supporting and assessing decision making ability
Learning through Practice
The rising incidence of loneliness and social isolation, especially among older people has increasingly been identified in research, practice and policy developments. These issues have become key concerns for public health and social care agendas. Although social isolation and loneliness are often conflated, they are not significantly correlated. The effects of loneliness and social isolation on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing are well d…
Service users' experiences and views of support for decision‐making
This article presents the findings from a qualitative, participatory research project which explored how people with intellectual disabilities and/or mental health problems have, or have not been, supported to make their own decisions. The aim of the research is to help inform how supported decision-making, as required by Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, can be effectively operationalised. The project pr…
An evaluation of mental health service provision in Northern Ireland
Although Northern Ireland has high levels of mental health problems, there has been a relative lack of systematic research on mental health services that can provide an evidence base for legal, policy, and service developments. This article aims to provide a review of the central issues relating to mental health service provision in Northern Ireland, and to gather the perceptions of different stakeholders of these services. The study utilised in-…
Critical Realism for Welfare Professions
Social work is continuously extending its explanatory reach by drawing on theories from the social sciences.In particular, the field of meta-theory is beginning to ignite scholarly interest.Regarding the latter, some commentators have highlighted how critical realism can assist the profession to apprehend the deep-seated causes of behaviour and human oppression.However, how to convey the schematic and abstract nature of critical realism to social…
Reflecting critically on contemporary social pathologies
Oppression within society continues unabated, with novel forms of social pathology attenuating life opportunities, social freedoms and the attainment of the ‘good life’. Building on Honneth’s earlier ‘recognition thesis’, this article critically examines his later articulation of four such pathologies: invisibilisation, instrumental rationalisation, reification and organised self-realisation. The impact of these pathologies on social actors, thro…
Voices
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a small scale pilot study undertaken in Northern Ireland to gather service user feedback from individuals who have been subject to adult safeguarding procedures. Design/methodology/approach The aims, methods and findings of the “Adult Safeguarding: 10,000 Voices” pilot project are presented. Findings The pilot project highlighted how an initiative which captures the experiences of patients, service…
Adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline and critique the current model of adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland (NI). Design/methodology/approach The paper offers a critical analysis of adult safeguarding, legislation, policy and practice. Insights are offered from the Regional Adult Safeguarding Officer for NI, and available research evidence is cited. Findings Distinct features of Northern Irish society have shaped its adult safeguardi…
Implications of divergences in adult protection legislation
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the similarities and differences of legal responses to older adults who may be at risk of harm or abuse in the UK, Ireland, Australia and the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw upon a review of elder abuse and adult protection undertaken on behalf of the commissioner for older people in Northern Ireland. This paper focusses on the desk top mapping of the different legal approaches…
Assessment tools used in adult safeguarding practice within the UK and Ireland
Purpose Across the UK and Ireland, there are a range of processes and interventions offered to adults who, because of personal characteristics or life circumstances, require help to keep themselves safe from potential harm or abuse. The ways in which the statutory and voluntary sectors have chosen to safeguard these adults varies. Different models of intervention and the utilisation of a range of assessment tools, frameworks and approaches have e…
An evaluation of mental health service provision in Northern Ireland
Although Northern Ireland has high levels of mental health problems, there has been a relative lack of systematic research on mental health services that can provide an evidence base for legal, policy, and service developments. This article aims to provide a review of the central issues relating to mental health service provision in Northern Ireland, and to gather the perceptions of different stakeholders of these services. The study utilised in-…
Voices
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a small scale pilot study undertaken in Northern Ireland to gather service user feedback from individuals who have been subject to adult safeguarding procedures. Design/methodology/approach The aims, methods and findings of the “Adult Safeguarding: 10,000 Voices” pilot project are presented. Findings The pilot project highlighted how an initiative which captures the experiences of patients, service…
A baseline survey of levels of motivation, well-being, and employment preferences of newly qualified social workers in the UK
The aim of this study is to examine levels of motivation, wellbeing, and employment preferences of newly qualified social workers who graduated in 2022. A mixed-method study design was employed using standardized measurements for wellbeing, measurable scales for motivation and employment preferences, and qualitative questions about job preferences. The online survey was completed by 176 final-year social work students in Northern Ireland during t…
Admission of an older person into a care home in Europe
Transitions in gerontological social work are poorly theorised and underresearched. Although social workers are routinely involved in transitions of older people into care homes, they tend to be treated as a functional transition from one place to another rather than as a social, emotional and psychological process for the older person and their family. Evidence suggests that a healthy transition is more likely if the older person has exerted som…
Adult Safeguarding Inequalities in Northern Ireland
Whilst studies of child welfare inequalities have identified the impact of socio-economic deprivation on child protection rates, little is known about how this relates to intervention with adults who have care and support needs. This article examines the impact of area-level deprivation on adult safeguarding (AS) rates in Northern Ireland (NI). Routinely gathered statistics for community AS referrals (2015–2017) were linked to area-level deprivat…
Getting our voice heard
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an examination of the development of adult safeguarding policy from the perspectives of both policymakers and those who have sought to influence policy, to empower individuals with a learning disability to have a say in how policies, that influence their life and impact their right to independence, are developed. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a project which was led by a UK-wide…
Service users' experiences and views of support for decision‐making
This article presents the findings from a qualitative, participatory research project which explored how people with intellectual disabilities and/or mental health problems have, or have not been, supported to make their own decisions. The aim of the research is to help inform how supported decision-making, as required by Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, can be effectively operationalised. The project pr…
Reflecting critically on contemporary social pathologies
Oppression within society continues unabated, with novel forms of social pathology attenuating life opportunities, social freedoms and the attainment of the ‘good life’. Building on Honneth’s earlier ‘recognition thesis’, this article critically examines his later articulation of four such pathologies: invisibilisation, instrumental rationalisation, reification and organised self-realisation. The impact of these pathologies on social actors, thro…
Adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline and critique the current model of adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland (NI). Design/methodology/approach The paper offers a critical analysis of adult safeguarding, legislation, policy and practice. Insights are offered from the Regional Adult Safeguarding Officer for NI, and available research evidence is cited. Findings Distinct features of Northern Irish society have shaped its adult safeguardi…
Implications of divergences in adult protection legislation
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the similarities and differences of legal responses to older adults who may be at risk of harm or abuse in the UK, Ireland, Australia and the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw upon a review of elder abuse and adult protection undertaken on behalf of the commissioner for older people in Northern Ireland. This paper focusses on the desk top mapping of the different legal approaches…
Critical Realism for Welfare Professions
Social work is continuously extending its explanatory reach by drawing on theories from the social sciences.In particular, the field of meta-theory is beginning to ignite scholarly interest.Regarding the latter, some commentators have highlighted how critical realism can assist the profession to apprehend the deep-seated causes of behaviour and human oppression.However, how to convey the schematic and abstract nature of critical realism to social…
Reflecting critically on contemporary social pathologies
Oppression within society continues unabated, with novel forms of social pathology attenuating life opportunities, social freedoms and the attainment of the ‘good life’. Building on Honneth’s earlier ‘recognition thesis’, this article critically examines his later articulation of four such pathologies: invisibilisation, instrumental rationalisation, reification and organised self-realisation. The impact of these pathologies on social actors, thro…
Voices
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a small scale pilot study undertaken in Northern Ireland to gather service user feedback from individuals who have been subject to adult safeguarding procedures. Design/methodology/approach The aims, methods and findings of the “Adult Safeguarding: 10,000 Voices” pilot project are presented. Findings The pilot project highlighted how an initiative which captures the experiences of patients, service…
Adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline and critique the current model of adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland (NI). Design/methodology/approach The paper offers a critical analysis of adult safeguarding, legislation, policy and practice. Insights are offered from the Regional Adult Safeguarding Officer for NI, and available research evidence is cited. Findings Distinct features of Northern Irish society have shaped its adult safeguardi…
Therapeutic interventions for bereavement
This article contributes to the development of indigenous knowledge around therapeutic interventions for bereavement in non-western settings. Interventions are explored through 18 qualitative interviews with indigenous therapists in the Sub-Saharan African country of Uganda. Aspects of the therapeutic process are examined along with clients’ presenting problem and the ways in which clients make sense of their loss and express their grief. Ugandan…
An evaluation of mental health service provision in Northern Ireland
Although Northern Ireland has high levels of mental health problems, there has been a relative lack of systematic research on mental health services that can provide an evidence base for legal, policy, and service developments. This article aims to provide a review of the central issues relating to mental health service provision in Northern Ireland, and to gather the perceptions of different stakeholders of these services. The study utilised in-…
Key components of supporting and assessing decision making ability
Learning through Practice
The rising incidence of loneliness and social isolation, especially among older people has increasingly been identified in research, practice and policy developments. These issues have become key concerns for public health and social care agendas. Although social isolation and loneliness are often conflated, they are not significantly correlated. The effects of loneliness and social isolation on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing are well d…
Service users' experiences and views of support for decision‐making
This article presents the findings from a qualitative, participatory research project which explored how people with intellectual disabilities and/or mental health problems have, or have not been, supported to make their own decisions. The aim of the research is to help inform how supported decision-making, as required by Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, can be effectively operationalised. The project pr…
Differing knowledges
Much has been written about service user involvement in social work education with the literature recognizing the value of this particular type of experiential knowledge in helping students understand key competences and concepts. There is also extensive literature highlighting the role of simulation in assisting social work students to develop key insights in regard to skills and knowledge through role-plays. Using a Cross-Over design, this pape…
Getting our voice heard
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an examination of the development of adult safeguarding policy from the perspectives of both policymakers and those who have sought to influence policy, to empower individuals with a learning disability to have a say in how policies, that influence their life and impact their right to independence, are developed. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a project which was led by a UK-wide…
Social work students on the island of Ireland
Understanding the characteristics, motivations, and experiences of student social workers is important to inform their professional education and support needs. To date, there has been relatively little research about social work students in Ireland, both North and South. This study reports on an all-Ireland survey of students beginning their social work course in Autumn 2018 in the six Universities delivering social work education. It describes …
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is defined by the World Health Organization as actions that cause distress or harm to an older person, including neglect and lack of appropriate action by individuals or organizations responsible for their welfare. Elder abuse is a complex, diverse, and socially constructed problem that has a long history. Historians found evidence of elder abuse as far back as ancient Greece
Assessment tools used in adult safeguarding practice within the UK and Ireland
Purpose Across the UK and Ireland, there are a range of processes and interventions offered to adults who, because of personal characteristics or life circumstances, require help to keep themselves safe from potential harm or abuse. The ways in which the statutory and voluntary sectors have chosen to safeguard these adults varies. Different models of intervention and the utilisation of a range of assessment tools, frameworks and approaches have e…
Developing and Evaluating a Social Work Assessment Model based on Co-production Methods
Building Better Futures (BBF) is a structured and systematic model developed in Northern Ireland for assessing parenting capacity when there are childcare concerns. This article focuses on the iterative development of the model, through a social work, practitioner–academic, research collaboration. BBF was developed using a mixed method, flexible and multi-modal, iterative design embracing a collaborative approach between social work academics and…
Caring for people with non-communicable diseases
Resource-limited health systems in sub-Saharan Africa struggle to provide population-wide high-quality primary healthcare, with particular concerns relating to professional workforce issues and the role of family caregivers. This qualitative study design explores the perceptions of ( n = 19) health and social care professionals of the challenges they face in caring for individuals living with non-communicable diseases in Uganda. Identified challe…
Safeguarding adults within institutional settings
Purpose Institutional abuse is a worldwide phenomenon with the UK also subject to several high-profile abuse scandals perpetuated on people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions living within institutional settings. This study aims to provide a broad perspective of safeguarding practices within institutional care to inform practice and service development in this area. Design/methodology/approach A narrative overview was unde…
Admission of an older person into a care home in Europe
Transitions in gerontological social work are poorly theorised and underresearched. Although social workers are routinely involved in transitions of older people into care homes, they tend to be treated as a functional transition from one place to another rather than as a social, emotional and psychological process for the older person and their family. Evidence suggests that a healthy transition is more likely if the older person has exerted som…
Adult Safeguarding Inequalities in Northern Ireland
Whilst studies of child welfare inequalities have identified the impact of socio-economic deprivation on child protection rates, little is known about how this relates to intervention with adults who have care and support needs. This article examines the impact of area-level deprivation on adult safeguarding (AS) rates in Northern Ireland (NI). Routinely gathered statistics for community AS referrals (2015–2017) were linked to area-level deprivat…
The Heart of the Matter’
Grandparent childcare is an international phenomenon, especially within families with children under 3 years old. China is no exception, as shown by a number of quantitative studies. Less clear is our understanding of the actual childcare arrangements involved and how these are negotiated and sustained through the intergenerational interactions between grandparents and parents. As a contribution to answering those questions, this qualitative stud…
A baseline survey of levels of motivation, well-being, and employment preferences of newly qualified social workers in the UK
The aim of this study is to examine levels of motivation, wellbeing, and employment preferences of newly qualified social workers who graduated in 2022. A mixed-method study design was employed using standardized measurements for wellbeing, measurable scales for motivation and employment preferences, and qualitative questions about job preferences. The online survey was completed by 176 final-year social work students in Northern Ireland during t…
Welfare inequalities and institutional abuse of older people in Northern Ireland
Institutional abuse, brought to our attention through high-profile abuse scandals, is recognized as a prevalent feature of institutional living. Risk assessment frameworks tend to focus on organizational-level features of institutional care such as staff training and support. This article draws attention to the significance of socio-economic factors in understanding institutional abuse of older people in Northern Ireland. By conducting a secondar…
Promoting staff retention in social work
This study explores the push and pull factors influencing retention of Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs). A mixed methods design, using standardized measures were used alongside questions capturing demographic data, motivation, employment preferences, and satisfaction with supervision. A sample of 122 NQSWs who graduated from one of three participating universities consented to participate. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS. Well-be…
Carer harm
Purpose The purpose of this study is to consider how carer harm is understood, surfaced and responded to in contemporary policy, practice and research. Design/methodology/approach This paper offers a reflective commentary on the current “state of play” relating to carer harm drawing on existing research and related literature. This study focuses on how we define carer harm and what we know about its impact; lessons from, and for, practice and ser…
Political science (21 works) · Psychology (20 works) · Sociology (17 works) · Medicine (15 works) · Public relations (12 works) · Nursing (11 works) · Elder Abuse and Neglect (10 works) · Social Psychology (10 works) · Healthcare innovation and challenges (9 works) · Safeguarding (9 works)