Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am Professor of Social Work, Deputy Dean and Associate Dean for People, Culture and Performance in the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law. I joined the University in 2003, having previously worked as a social worker within youth and adult justice settings. My teaching and research activity straddles criminal justice and professional learning, and is grounded in ideas of voice, participation and social justice. Current and recent research projects include co-design work with people affected by poverty and substance misuse and with young adults in conflict with the law.
I am active in several external advisory, consultancy and charity roles and am an editorial board member for the British Journal of Social Work.
Teaching
- Criminal and Community Justice
- Social Policy & Policy Development
- Research Methods
- Doctoral Supervision
Research
Research Funding
- NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, 2024. Recognition, shame and relational equality in supporting people with problem drug use.
- Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2022. Co-designing Social Justice for Young Adults in Conflict with the Law.
- Scottish Universities Insight Institute, 2020. Designing socially just institutions for 18-25 years olds in conflict with the law.
- Scottish Social Services Council, 2020. Newly Qualified Social Workers Experiences during Covid 19.
- Scottish Government, 2018-. Measuring Justice: Defining Concepts, Developing Practice.
- Scottish Social Service Council, 2016-2021. Newly Qualified Social Workers, 5 year research study.
- Social Work Scotland, 2018. Criminal Justice: Exploring gender
- Social Work Scotland, 2016. What the public think about Scottish social services and why.
- Scottish Universities Insight Insitute, 2015-2016. Creating Spaces for Change, Knowledge Exchange project.
- Scottish Social Services Council, 2015-2016. An Integrated Learning Model for Social Work Education.
- Scottish Social Services Council 2015-16. Philosophies of Learning in Social Work Education in Scotland.
- Scottish Social Services Council 2015-16. Should qualifying social work education have a core curriculum?
- Scottish Centre for Criminal Justice Research
- Scottish Government
- Dundee City Council, Justice Services
- Dundee City Council, Children's Services
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Criminal Justice Sanctions and Services: Exploring Potential, University of Dundee
Award Date: 1 Jan 2014
Master of Social Science, Probation, Social Context and Desistance: Retracing the relationship, University of Edinburgh
Award Date: 1 Jan 2004
Master of Science, Social Work: Responding to a multi-ethnic society?, University of Edinburgh
Award Date: 1 Jan 1999
Master of Arts, University of Aberdeen
Award Date: 1 Jan 1997
External positions
Editorial Board Member
24 Jul 2020 → …
Vice Chair, Scottish Advisory Panel on Offender Rehabilitation, Scottish Government
Dec 2018 → …
Member of JUC-SWEC Scotland
Jul 2018 → Oct 2022
Co-Chair of Scottish Review of Social Work Education
Sept 2015 → 2017
Chair of Scottish Heads of Social Work Group
Jun 2015 → Jun 2018
Member of National Strategy for Community Justice Steering Group, Scottish Government
Mar 2015 → 2016
Panel Member, Scottish Advisory Panel on Offender Rehabilitation
Nov 2014 → Dec 2018
Keywords
- H Social Sciences (General)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Recognition, shame and relational equality in supporting those with problem drugs use
McCulloch, T. (Investigator), Smith, M. (Investigator) & Young, K. (Investigator)
1/11/24 → 31/10/27
Project: Research
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Measuring Justice: Defining Concepts, Developing Practice
McCulloch, T. (Investigator)
18/09/18 → 17/07/19
Project: Research
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Leaders in plain sight: what the experiences of early career social workers tell us about leadership in Scottish social work
Grant, S., McCulloch, T. & Daly, M., 23 Sept 2025, Research Handbook on Leadership in Social Work and Social Care. Miller, R., Mangan, C., Dickinson, H. & Jackson, C. (eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., p. 295-306 12 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
Open AccessFile18 Downloads (Pure) -
Perfunctory or purposeful? Reflecting on 20 years of justice social worker registration in Scotland
Mullins, E. (Lead / Corresponding author), Trayner, K. & McCulloch, T., Jun 2025, In: Probation Journal. 72, 2 Special Issue: Professional Registration in Probation, p. 167-185 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)27 Downloads (Pure) -
Being, knowing and doing: aligning ontology, epistemology and axiology to develop an account of social work as practice
Smith, M. (Lead / Corresponding author), McCulloch, T. & Daly, M., 21 Mar 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Social Work Education. 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)436 Downloads (Pure) -
Embedding Learning as a Practice of Value: Learning from the Experiences of Early Career Social Workers in Scotland
Mcculloch, T. (Lead / Corresponding author), Grant, S., Daly, M., Sen, R. & Ferguson, G., 1 Oct 2024, In: British Journal of Social Work. 54, 7, p. 2977-2995 19 p., bcae072.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)3 Downloads (Pure) -
Envisioning Social Justice with Criminalised Young Adults
Weaver, B. (Lead / Corresponding author), McCulloch, T. & Vaswani, N., May 2024, In: British Journal of Criminology. 64, 3, p. 675-692 18 p., azad052.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)131 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
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The Mapstone Lecture 2025: Design Dreams in Dundee - A Creative Leadership Journey
Bell, L. (Speaker), Gibson, L. (Chair), McCulloch, T. (Organiser) & Campbell, L. (Organiser)
27 Mar 2025Activity: Other activity types › Public engagement and outreach - public lecture/debate/seminar
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The Mapstone Lecture 2024: Giving Voice to the Vulnerable: Achieving Fairness in the Justice System
Bain, D. (Speaker), Gibson, L. (Chair), McCulloch, T. (Organiser), Ferguson, P. (Host) & Campbell, L. (Organiser)
11 Mar 2024Activity: Other activity types › Public engagement and outreach - public lecture/debate/seminar
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Expert witness to parliament committee
McCulloch, T. (Consultant)
4 Dec 2024Activity: Consultancy types › Consultancy
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Newly Qualified Social Worker Conference 2024
McCulloch, T. (Chair)
12 Sept 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Hilary Ranger (Corrick)
Cantali, D. (Host) & McCulloch, T. (Contributor)
18 Nov 2022 → 19 Nov 2022Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting a non-academic visitor