Summary 

As a social work practitioner and academic with over 20 years of dedicated experience, I have consistently focused on advancing social work and child protection practices, particularly for Romani and Traveller communities. I am recognised as a leading expert in this field, with a substantial portfolio of publications and an extensive track record of delivering presentations at high-level platforms, including the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the House of Lords, the Welsh Assembly, and national and international conferences.

My scholarly interests lie in the intersection of power dynamics, prejudice, reflexivity, and the impact of governmental policies on social work practice and service development. I critically explore how ethical considerations, personal perspectives, and institutional frameworks shape professional conduct and influence practice. Through an eco-social justice lens, I integrate and apply theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and Indigenous knowledge to challenge and deconstruct dominant discourses, offering new insights into social work practices across individual, cultural, and societal levels.

My research contributions demonstrate my influence on social work practice, policy reform, education, and ethical development. My work has also led to measurable societal benefits, such as enhanced social work practices for marginalised communities, advancements in policy, and a global exchange of knowledge. My established collaborations, both locally and internationally, further strengthen my ability to produce significant and far-reaching impact across multiple sectors.

Professional networks

• I am registered with the professional regulatory body, Social Work England. Registration Number: SW20434.
• I am a member of the Gypsy Roma and Traveller Social Work Association
• I Chair the Association of Child Protection Professionals 'Working Together to Safeguard Gypsy, Roma and Traveller  Children' Special Interest Group
• I am an affiliate researcher at Ilisimatusarfik's Center for Children & Adolescent Research Environment in Greenland 
• I lead a UK-Greenland Arctic Research Project 'SafeHarbour Greenland: Safely Reducing the Number of Children in Out-of-Home Care'. a project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council - UKRI
• I am a Steering Group member of the NIHR-Supported Incubator in Mental Health Social Care.
• I am a member of the Cheshire and Merseyside Teaching Partnership Research Hub
• I am a Director of KASKOSAN LIMITED 

In 2022, the paper Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children in child welfare services in England, written with a former dissertation student, Victoria Hamnett, won the annual 'Kay McDougall British Journal of Social Work Prize' for its breadth of scholarship, the sophistication of theory, rigour, relevance and international appeal.

Videos and Podcast

Check out my recent podcast: Challenging the Last Acceptable Form of Racism

Check out this recent video: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children in Child Welfare Services in England

Selected Publications

Curran, L., Allen, D., & Feather, J. (2024). Bridging divides to build connections: A scoping review of police practices, behaviours and actions with Roma and Traveller communities. The Police Journal, 0(0).

Allen, D., Bolton, J., Dove, D., Hulmes, A., Kidd, C., Moloney-Neachtain, M., … Unwin, P. (2024). A scoping review of social work with Roma and Traveller communities: introducing the ROMA model. European Journal of Social Work, 1–15. 

Feather, J., Allen, D., Crompton, R., Jones, Z., Christiansen, A. and Butler, G. (2023). Transitional support interventions for care leavers: A scoping review. Children & Society, 00, 1– 22.

Allen, D. (2023). ‘Staying Close’: Enabling social interdependence for young people leaving residential care in England. Children & Society, 00, 1– 17.

Rogers, M., & Allen, D. (2023).  Embedding Reflexivity in Social Work Research through the Critical Reflexive Framework, The British Journal of Social Work, 54(4), 1753-1772.

Allen, D., & Hamnett, V. (2022). Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children in child welfare services in England. The British Journal of Social Work, 52(7) 3904-3922.

Rogers, M., & Allen, D. (2021). An A-Z of Social Work Skills. London: SAGE

Allen, D., & Hulmes, A. (2021). Aversive Racism and Child Protection Practice with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children and Families. Seen and Heard, 31(2) 44-67. 

Allen. D., Dove, D., Hulmes, A., & Moloney-Neachtain, M. (2021) The Romani and Traveller perspective. In Tanya Moore and Glory Simango (Eds) The Anti-Racist Social Worker: stories of activism in social care and allied health professionals. St Albans: Critical Publishing, pp 61-75.

Allen, D., Heyes, K., Hothersall, G., O'Leary, C., Ozan, J., Mitchell-Smith, Z., & Szifris, K. (2020). Bristol City Council Staying Close Pilot. London: Department for Education.

Rogers, M., & Allen, D. (2019). Applying Critical Thinking and Analysis in Social Work. London: SAGE Publications Limited.

Allen, D., & Riding, S. (2018). The Fragility of Professional Competence: A Preliminary Account of Child Protection Practice with Romani and Traveller Children. Budapest: European Roma Rights Centre. 

Allen, D. (2018). A Romani and Traveller child's journey through alternative care. In D. Allen, M. Greenfields, D. Smiths (Eds.), Transnational Resilience and Change: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Strategies of Survival and Adaptation. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Allen, D. (2018). Marginality, Segregation or Cultural Resilience. In D. Allen, M. Greenfields, D. Smiths (Eds.), Transnational Resilience and Change Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Strategies of Survival and Adaptation. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Allen, D. (2018). Resilient cultural transmission in a Hostile State. In D. Allen, M. Greenfields, D. Smiths (Eds.), Transnational Resilience and Change Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Strategies of Survival and Adaptation. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Allen, D. (2017). Roma People: Are Discriminatory Attitudes Natural? In K. Bhatti-Sinclair, & C. Smethurst (Eds.), Diversity, Difference and Dilemmas: Analysing concepts and developing skills. (pp. 77-94). McGraw Hill.

Allen, D., & Cemlyn, S. (2016). Outreach: Care experiences amongst Gypsy/Traveller families. In Social Work in a Diverse Society Transformative Practice with Black and Minority Ethnic Individuals and Communities. Policy Press.

Allen, D. (2016). 'It's in their Culture': Working with automatic prejudice towards Gypsies, Roma and Travellers during care proceedings. Seen and Heard, 26(2), 40-52. 

Allen, D. (2015). Protecting the cultural identity of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children living in the public care system. Today's Children Tomorrow's Parents, (40-41), 122-139.

Allen, D. C., Baker, T., & Rootes, D. L. (2014). Becoming a Nursing and Social Work Student: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Interprofessional Education. Journal of Research in Interprofessional Practice and Education, 4(1) 186-214.

Allen, D., Adams, P. (2013). Social Work with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children. London: CoramBAAF.

Allen, D. (2013). Changing Relationships with the Self and Others: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of a Traveller and Gypsy life in public care. (PhD Thesis, De Montfort University).

Allen, D. (2012). 'Gypsies, Travellers and social policy: misconceptions and insignificance. In Richardson, J and Rider, S (Eds.) Gypsies and Travellers Empowerment and Inclusion in British Society. London: Policy Press