Dr Mthoko Ngobese-Sampson

I am a social work academic whose teaching, research, and practice are deeply rooted in culturally competent and community‑centred approaches to working with children and families. I belong to the Zulu tribe of South Africa where Ubuntu is not simply a philosophy but a lived, communal ethic. I bring a deeply rooted cultural perspective to my scholarship, which combine professional experience, cultural insight, and a lifelong commitment to challenging inequality and promoting social justice. Growing up during South Africa’s liberation struggle shaped this commitment to confronting oppression in all its forms. This lived experience continues to inform my teaching, research, and public engagement, where I work to equip practitioners, students, and communities with the tools to challenge structural inequalities and to practise social work in ways that honour dignity, culture, and collective wellbeing.

My doctoral research examined Family Group Conferencing (FGC) as a culturally competent practice, exploring how Ubuntu can strengthen collaboration with children and families in safeguarding contexts. This work builds on earlier research, where I investigated the impact of gang involvement on siblings. My professional career started in South Africa working in political education for the African National Congress (ANC), National Gender Coordinator for the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), Institute for Democracy in South Africa and generic social work. In the UK my career spans frontline child protection, work with children at risk of entering care, working as Senior FGC coordinator and team manager, and specialist practice with Unaccompanied Asylum‑Seeking Children. I have experience in social work education as a Practice Educator for over a decade, a team manager supporting students on placement, and Senior Lecturer. I have also contributed to teaching and research on the MA in Global Black Studies, reflecting my interdisciplinary interests in decolonising methodologies and Black intellectual traditions.

• PhD in Social Work
• MA in Advanced Social Work
• BA Social Work
• Diploma in Project Management
• Certificate in Development Management