BASW announces departure of Chief Executive, Dr Ruth Allen

After a decade of leading the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) UK, CEO Dr Ruth Allen has decided it is the right time to step down from her role from 5th September 2025, to further commit to her work in shaping international social work. 

Ruth has served BASW as our Chief Executive for almost ten years and has been a passionate BASW member all her working life. She is well known to the UK social work community and to the International Social Work community where she has been contributing as President to the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW). 

Ruth has now decided to move on and focus on her passion for international work and activities. We are pleased she has agreed to continue to advise BASW UK on international social work in an honorary position for two years. We wish her well.  

BASW is delighted to announce Ruth's replacement in a temporary capacity will be BASW Cymru National Director, Professor Sam Baron. The process to appoint a chief executive officer will begin shortly.

BASW Chair, Julia Ross has paid tribute to Ruth's years of outstanding service and dedication to our members and the wider social work profession during her time at BASW. She commented:

"We would like to give our sincerest thanks to Ruth for steering BASW over the last ten years. As Chair, I’ve worked alongside her for three of those years and have seen how passionate she is about social work and social workers, championing them at every opportunity. We wish her well in the future.”

“Looking forward, BASW UK will soon begin a thorough process to find a successor who will guide the organisation to implement our five year plan that will deliver our member priorities of growth and sustainability for social work, and an urgent improvement of working conditions for all social workers.”