Oral history of Mental Welfare Officers

This Open University oral history research project in 2000 explored a little-known aspect of the history of social work - the history of mental welfare officers and their role in community care. The project carried out interviews with former MWOs and analysed both private and public documents to explore this history in East Anglia between 1946 and 1970.

Project findings were written up in two articles:

• Rolph, S., Walmsley, J. and Atkinson, D. (2002) '"A Man's Job?" Gender issues and the role of mental welfare officers, 1948-1970', Oral History, 30, 1, pp. 28-41.
• Rolph, S., Atkinson, D. and Walmsley, J. (2003) 'A Pair of Stout Shoes and an Umbrella: The role of the Mental Welfare Officer in delivering community care in East Anglia, 1946-1970', British Journal of Social Work, 33, 3, pp. 339-359.