I began my career in social work in 1985, with my first five years spent in residential child care. I subsequently worked as a generic social worker and then as a children and families worker. I then moved to a voluntary sector family support organisation where I held several roles as practice teacher, project manager, and then director of operations. I completed my Ph.D. in 2018 and have worked as a lecturer here at Dundee since then.
I am the convenor for practice learning in social work. Additionally, I am a researcher on the SSSC funded longitudinal study of newly qualified social workers and on the study exploring the impact of COVID on newly qualified social workers.

I have led several modules. My main areas of teaching are in preparation for practice learning and in research methods. I have also led on change management and on the EAL (Enquiry Action Learning). Outwith social work, I teach a module on professional identity on our Professional Doctorate programme. 
I am supervisor for several PhD and professional doctorate students.

Levy, S., & Daly, M. (2023). Sense of Place, Migrant Integration and Social Work. In E. J. Gómez-Ciriano, E. Cabiati, & S. Dedotsi (Eds.), Migration and Social Work: Approaches, Visions and Challenges (Research in Social Work). Policy Press

McCulloch, Trish ; Clarke, David ; Ferrier, Claire et al. / NQSWs in Scotland: Experiences of practice during COVID-19 : Experiences of practice during COVID-19. Scottish Social Services Council, 2022. 64 p.

Grant, S., McCulloch, T., Daly, M., MacLeod, M., & Kettle, M. (2022). Newly qualified social workers in Scotland: a five-year longitudinal study. Scottish Social Services Council.

Daly, M., & Smith, M. (2021, Sep 3). Blog post. Reflections on caring for an unaccompanied asylum seeker. Separated in Scotland

McCulloch, T., Grant, S., Daly, M., & Kettle, M. (2021). Newly qualified social workers in Scotland: A five year longitudinal study; Interim report 4. Scottish Social Services Council

Daly, M., & Smith, M. (2021). ‘We need to talk about Bona’: an autoethnographic account of fostering an unaccompanied asylum seeker. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 10(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2021.v10.x.005

Grant, S., McCulloch, T., Kettle, M., & Daly, M. (2020). Newly qualified social workers in Scotland: A five-year longitudinal study: Interim Report 3: December 2019. Scottish Social Services Council. https://www.sssc.uk.com/knowledgebase/article/KA-02922/en-us

Murray Simpson, Maura Daly, Mark Smith, The Social Work Regulator and Professional Identity: A Narrative of Lord and Bondsman, The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 50, Issue 6, September 2020, Pages 1909–1925, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaa034

Grant, S., McCulloch, T., Daly, M., Kettle, M., & Sheridan, L. (2019). Newly qualified social workers in Scotland: A five-year longitudinal study: Interim Report 2: December 2018. Scottish Social Services Council. https://www.sssc.uk.com/knowledgebase/article/KA-02658/en-us

Kettle, M and Daly, M (2018) ‘Social Work Identity’ in Cree, V. Smith, M. (Eds.). (2018). Social Work in a Changing Scotland. London: Routledge.
 
Daly, M and Kettle, M (2017) ‘Making Professional Identity: Narrative Work and Fateful Moments’, in Webb, S. A. (ED.)  Professional Identity and Social Work, London: Routledge.
 
Clapton, G and Daly, M (2015), A Social Work ‘Academic-in-Residence’? Social Work Education: The International Journal, Vol. 34: 4

Daly, M., Cooper, S (2013) ‘A solution-focused approach to family support’, Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning, 12(2), pp.87-101
 
Clapton, G and Daly, M (2007), 'Bridging the Theory - Practice Gap: Student Placement Groups Co-Facilitated by Lecturers and Practice Teachers', Groupwork, 17 (3): 60-75
 
Cavanagh, B Daly, M and Flaherty, A (2007), Voices of Women in Cornton Vale, Circle: Edinburgh
 
Daly, M (2005) ‘Partnership with families’ in Smith, M. ed. Secure in the knowledge: Perspectives on Practice in Secure Accommodation, SIRCC: Glasgow
 
Daly, M (2005) ‘Life story work’ in Smith, M. ed. Secure in the knowledge Perspectives on Practice in Secure Accommodation, SIRCC: Glasgow
 
Clapton, G., Daly, M. (2005), Leep over the learning gap, Community Care, pp.38-39
 
Book Reviews
Daly, M (2017) Jane Fenton ‘Values in Social Work: Reconnecting with Social Justice’, Ethics and Social Welfare, 11:1, 103-104