Social Work Leader appointed as first Ambassador

Press Release from Faith in Later Life:

Social Work Leader appointed as first Ambassador 

Faith in Later Life are delighted to announce that the founding Director of the National Centre for Post Qualifying Social Work and Professional practice, Professor Keith Brown, has been appointed as its first Ambassador.

Keith has been working alongside Faith in Later Life for a year, supporting their mission to encourage and equip churches in reaching, serving and empowering older people, in church as well as the wider community.

Keith now works regularly with Faith in Later Life, Jubilee Plus and Neighbourhood Prayer network, and in partnership with Faith in Later Life has produced guidance for Christian organisations including in Safeguarding Adults for the Church, Supporting and Valuing Older People, and Preventing Stress and Burnout within Christian Ministry.

As a Christian of over 40 years, Keith is a member of Above Bar Church in Southampton.

Keith is a regular commentator for the BBC on welfare issues, is a leading expert in his fields, and has written over 35 textbooks used as key texts by Health and Social Care Professionals.

Keith is currently the Chair of the Safeguarding Adults National Network and leads the National research into financial fraud and scams with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and the National Scams team. He has researched and published widely in the area of Mental Capacity and its implications for professional practice.

He is also a member of the National Mental Capacity Leadership Forum and the joint fraud task force and advises at the Department for Health and Social Care, Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

Announcing Keith’s new role as an Ambassador, Carl Knightly, Former CEO of Faith in Later Life said:

“It has been a delight to have worked with Keith and got to know him during the last year. The recent guidance that Keith has produced for Faith in Later Life has been very well received across churches and Christian organisations. A key part of what Faith in Later Life offers is being a curator of resources which equip churches in their focus and work with older people. With this in mind it is wonderful to have access to Keith’s expertise and see his passion for Faith in Later Life.

In appointing Keith to this exciting new role within Faith in Later Life, I am privileged that we have such a trail blazer on our team. The wisdom and wealth of experience that Keith has is demonstrated by his having advised the UK Government, his writing vast numbers of books and publications, and his training of thousands of social workers over the years, and we are delighted to have Keith’s active support as we look forward and press on in encouraging and equipping Christians in their ministries with older people, and as we grow as a Christian voice for all older people. 

Keith is an invaluable addition to Faith in Later Life, and I am relishing working with him further.”

Speaking of why he has accepted the invitation to take up this new honorary role, Professor Brown said:

“Faith in Later Life is more than an organisation; it’s a movement to see societal change in our nation when it comes to older people. The church must have a prophetic voice in the care and value of older people inside and outside of its buildings. Society is growing older and we must respond to that challenge, as well as recognising the benefits and all we gain from older people. Having spent a significant part of my career teaching students in the area of social work, I have felt a growing sense of being called for a time such as this, to now share that wisdom across the Christian landscape, prompted by my Christian faith. 

Seeing the drive and passion of Faith in Later Life and having worked with them on a number of projects in the last 12 months, I was delighted to be approached to be their inaugural ambassador and did not hesitate to respond positively to the invitation.”

Former Social Care Minister, the Rt Hon Alistair Burt added his own congratulations:

“Having chaired the launch of guidelines for older people produced by Professor Keith Brown earlier in the Autumn, I was therefore delighted by Keith’s appointment as the first Ambassador for the work of Faith in Later Life.

Keith is an expert in his field and I look forward to seeing his wider influence in the work of Faith in Later Life, as it seeks to develop being a voice for and on behalf of the church when it comes to older people.”