Permala Sehmar

Department of Sociological Studies

Lecturer in Social Work

Permala Sehmar
Profile picture of Permala Sehmar
p.sehmar@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 2226432

Full contact details

Permala Sehmar
Department of Sociological Studies
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
91Ö±²¥
S10 2AH
Profile

Permala is a qualified and registered social worker and youth and community development worker. She is a Lecturer in Social Work and completed her PhD at the University of 91Ö±²¥ where she has held teaching roles since 2017. Permala has over twenty-five years’ experience in practice, leadership and policy development across the voluntary and statutory social care sector. This includes a variety of roles from social worker, project worker, team, service and area manager in Black and South Asian Women’s domestic abuse refuges, child protection, community development, mental health, post-abuse therapeutic services and youth services. Her doctoral thesis: `Can we let families speak about domestic violence and abuse (DVA) and listen? Exploring family and restorative practices in the context of DVA and contact with child protection services.` focuses on DVA with marginalised families, relationality, family  practices across the life course and child protection responses. Permala is committed to the support and development of humane social work practice.  

Research interests

Permala's research interests are

  • Domestic violence and abuse in marginalised and minoritised communities
  • Family practices and everyday family life 
  • Intersectional inequalities in children and families social work  
  • Restorative practice 
  • Qualitative research methods with families 
Teaching activities

Module Convenor on: SCS6061 Contexts Values and Skills in Social Work Practice; SCS6063 Safeguarding in Social Work Practice

Lecturer on SCS675 Introduction to Leadership and Practice Supervision 

Guest Lecturer: SCS3300 The Value of Sociology (2023); SCS2023 Social Problems: Policy and Practice (2023); Safeguarding in Social Work Practice (2017-2021); Interventions to Promote Change (2017- 2019)

MA Social Work Dissertation supervision (2017 – present)

Previously convened: SCS241 Children and Families Social Work (2021-2022)

Co-teacher on MDEU01 Introduction to Clinical Competence (Community Attachment Scheme) (2021 -2022)

Professional activities and memberships

Conference presentation:

  • Families speaking: Exploring restorative practices with families in the context of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) at the 3rd European Conference on Domestic Violence, Oslo, September 2019

Professional activities

  • Qualified and registered Social Worker (Social Work England)
  • Institute of Leadership and Management