On behalf of the Planning Group I welcome you to the 17th Social Work Education Conference and the 9th UK Social Work Research Conference.

This year’s conference theme emerged once again through a crowd sourcing process. Participants at last year conference explored the theme of making connections and many new connections were made and old ones strengthened. Discussions that occurred at the event as well as afterwards on social media highlighted the many different ways the social work professions crosses boundaries and works in those “in between places”. This coalesced into this year’s theme: Social work education and research across boundaries.

This theme is especially appropriate this year. Once again social work practice, education and research are facing many challenges and a changing landscape. We are a strong profession and are used to inhabiting these in between places, but at times we may become weary. The 2015 JSWEC programme offers us the opportunity to recharge and strengthen connections across boundaries. We come together to celebrate our boundary crossing by exploring how we practice, research and educate in these liminal spaces.