Social Work: Databases

Databases are an efficient way of finding peer-reviewed articles, scholarly books, conferences, theses and other information on your topic. Some databases enable you to search across disciplines while others are tailored to help researchers in your specific subject. 

Have a look at the databases for Social Work. Here are some key databases:

• Community Care Inform Adult  provides social work practice and legal information and learning tools in an accessible format. The resources help professionals make and evidence their decisions, keep up-to-date with best practice and the law, and contribute to continuing professional development (CPD). 
• Community Care Inform Children provides social work practice and legal information and learning tools in an accessible format. The resources help professionals make and evidence their decisions, keep up-to-date with best practice and the law, and contribute to continuing professional development (CPD). 
• Scopus a multidisciplinary database. Good for research questions that cut across different disciplines.
• Social Care Online Freely available database from the Social Care institute for Excellence, with information on all aspects of social care, including housing and social policy. Includes research briefings, reports, government documents, journal articles, and websites.   (Note - this site is no longer being updated and only available until December 2023)
• Social Services Abstracts. This database provides bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services and related areas, including social welfare, social policy and community development. 

Alternatively, use our full database list to explore databases by subject or material type.

Scopus

Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database containing both peer-reviewed research literature and quality web sources. With over 19,000 titles from more than 5,000 international publishers, Scopus offers researchers a quick, easy and comprehensive resource to support their research needs in the scientific, technical, medical and social sciences fields and, more recently, also in the arts and humanities.  

Library online courses

Find out about the online courses we offer for all students to help develop both your wider academic skills and skills in using the Library for your research.