Margaret Bruce

Dr Margaret Bruce is a lecturer in the division of Education and Society, within the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law.

Margaret began her career as a social worker having graduated from Robert Gordon University in 1995. She went on to work within local authority children’s services as both a social worker and team manager until 2004 when she joined the team at University of Dundee helping to develop and deliver the Graduate Certificate in Child Care and Protection.

Margaret was one of two project officers involved in the development of Key Capabilities in Child Care and Protection (Scottish Executive 2006) which went on to be embedded in qualifying social work programmes across Scotland ensuring that students had core knowledge and skills in relation to child care, protection, and parenting capacity.

Margaret was seconded to the Scottish Social Services Council from 2008 to 2009 where as a Learning and Development Adviser she had a remit for early years career pathways and school care accommodation.

Returning to Dundee University, Margaret became a lecturer on the BA (Hons) Social work and MSc Social Work at Dundee. Since then Margaret has held module lead responsibility for reflective practice, practice learning and critical knowledge for social work practice (assessing human behaviour). Margaret has programme management experience having held a 3 year position as MSc Social Work Programme Director. This role included chair of the MSc SW exam board and in 2015 Margaret jointly led the MSc Social Work programme through successful periodic review.

Margaret has a particular interest in inclusive teaching and student welfare and is currently in her third year as Pastoral Convenor for the suite of social work programmes at Dundee. This role carries responsibility for student welfare and is undertaken through the network of Advisers of Study. Margaret sits on the University of Dundee Equally Safe Working group – this group has a remit to implement the Equally Safe in Higher Education Toolkit (Donaldson, McCarry and McGoldrick, 2018).

Qualifications

• 2021 Doctor of Social Work.
• 2008 Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Higher Education, University of Dundee
• 2002 Certificate in Child Protection Studies, University of Dundee
• 2000 Practice Teaching Award, North of Scotland Consortium
• 1995 Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies with Diploma in Social Work, The Robert Gordon University

Publications

Scottish Executive (2006) Key Capabilities in Child Care and Protection, [co-author] Edinburgh: Scottish Executive.

Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (2008) Student Focus on Child Care and Protection: Report on the development and embedding of Key Capabilities in Child Care and Protection into social work programmes, [co-author], Dundee: IRISS.

Bruce, M. and Whincup, H. (2012) Developing Key Capabilities in Child Care and Protection. Child Abuse Review, Vol. 21: 190-202

Simpson, M. Hodson, A. Bruce, M and Kelly, T. (2013) Supporting Vulnerable Families Programmes Evaluation (2013) University of Dundee.

Bruce, M. (2014) The Voice of the Child in Child Protection: Whose Voice? Soc. Sci. 3, 514-526.

Bruce, M (2021) Doctoral Thesis: Children at the Centre: Strengthening Child Protection Practice, University of Dundee

Additional roles

During her time as a lecturer for University of Dundee Margaret has undertaken the following additional roles:

Independent foster panel member (2007-2011)

University representative - Dundee Child Care and Protection Committee (2011 - 2018).

• Social work