Every social worker is a brain injury social worker.

Did you know that Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is an umbrella term that includes everything from Stroke to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to neurological damage caused by illnesses, viruses and even cancer treatment that affects people of all ages?

ABI is highly likely to form part of your caseload at some point in your career.

Brain injury is a complex and often hidden condition that can significantly impact a person’s cognition, behaviour, emotional regulation, and ability to engage with services. While it is commonly associated with healthcare and rehabilitation settings, brain injury is highly relevant across all areas of social work practice — including child protection, mental health, homelessness, probation, and community services.

Many individuals and families accessing social work supports may be living with an undiagnosed or unsupported brain injury, which can influence communication, relationships, social connection, decision-making, risk assessment, and engagement. Without awareness of these impacts, there is a risk of misunderstanding behaviours, misidentifying needs, and implementing interventions that are less effective or potentially inappropriate.

“An absence of knowledge of their absence of knowledge of ABI places social workers in the invidious position of both not knowing what they do not know and not knowing that they do not know it”

(Holloway and Fyson, 2016)

This two hour webinar aims to equip social workers with a foundational understanding of brain injury, enabling more informed, empathetic, and effective practice across diverse settings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Identify common types and causes of brain injury and recognise key cognitive, emotional, and behavioural impacts.
2. Understand how brain injury can affect a person’s engagement with social work services across different practice contexts.
3. Apply practical strategies to adapt communication and interventions to better support individuals with brain injury.
4. Engage in peer to peer reflection.
5. Consider their future training needs.

Speaker Biographies

Dr Phil Butler is a social worker with over 20 years experience in medical social work. She has spent the last 13 years in the National Rehabilitation Hospital (Level 1 NeuroRehabilitation service), working with adults with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). She has recently completed a PhD which focused on mothers with ABI. Her study highlighted the lack of understanding and support given to adults with ABI, largely due to the often hidden symptoms associated with brain injury. She is currently working part time in the NRH as a Senior Social Worker for Clinical Education, and works as an independent social worker for Cognitive Connections.

Nuala Crosse holds a B.Soc Sc and MSW from UCC and for the last 26 years has worked in child and family services, medical social work and disability. For the last 5 years she has been a Senior Social Worker in a Level 2 NeuroRehabilitation facility with a particular interest in peer group support for young adults with brain injury. She is also a part time Practice Education Co Ordinator with Trinity College, a college tutor and social work practice teacher.