Prof. Dr. Kay Biesel

    Undergraduate and postgraduate education and work experience

    Education and training

    • 08/2021 - 06/2022 CAS in Leadership and Governance at Universities, University of Zurich
    • 10/2007 - 01/2011: Doctorate in Sociology with successful defence on 07.01.2011 (summa cum laude), Freie Universität Berlin
    • Thesis title: “Social organisations and their mistakes. Discourse, concepts, research” (first assessor: Prof. Dr. Reinhart Wolff, second assessor: Prof. Dr. Bruno Hildenbrand)
    • 10/2008 - 03/2009: MA in Sociology “Sociology - European Societies”, modules on sociological theories of societal change, and integration and methods of comparative social research.
    • 10/2002 - 07/2006: Diploma in Social Education/Social Work (FH), Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin
    • 10/2005 - 03/2007: Training as specialist for dialogue coaching and conflict management (Kronberger Kreis für Dialogische Qualitätsentwicklung e.V.)
    • 09/2007 - 11/2008: Training as Case Manager (DGCC)

    Career milestones

    • Since 08/2021: Co-Leader of the Institute for Studies in Children and Youth Services, FHNW School of Social Work
    • Since 01/2018: External member of the adjudication chamber of the Basel-Stadt child and adult protection authority, Canton of Basel-Stadt
    • 11/2011 – 07/2021: Professor for child and youth welfare with a focus on child protection, Institute for Studies in Children and Youth Services, FHNW School of Social Work
    • 09/2009 - 07/2011: Research associate in the project “Learning from mistakes - quality management in child protection”, Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin
    • 10/2007 - 07/2011: Lecturer for the modules “Theory-Practice-Processing Child and Youth Welfare” and “Methods in the Pedagogical Field: Social Space Orientation / Network Work” of the bachelor’s degree course Social Work and Education in Childhood, Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin
    • 05/2008 - 04/2009: Doctoral scholar of the Heinrich Böll Foundation
    • 01/2007 - 04/2008: Director/deputy director of a recognised independent provider of child and youth welfare services in the Federal Province of Brandenburg, Jugendwerkstatt Hönow e.V.
    • 09/2006 - 12/2006: Socio-pedagogical support of a youth group (UJZ Karlshorst) to develop an independent youth centre in the neighbourhood of Karlshorst in Berlin, Potpourri Karlshorster Kiezladen e.V.

    Main focus

    Research and development / services

    • Quality development in child protection
    • Research on mistakes in child protection
    • Procedures, methods and instruments to assess and clarify the best interests of the child
    • Analysis of problematic and successful child protection cases
    • Dialogic-systemic case work in child protection
    • Technical supervision in child and youth welfare services
    • Methods of qualitative social research

    Teaching

    • Lecturer BA 251: Child and youth welfare I, elective compulsory course child protection, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
    • Co-module leader MA02 International Social Work, Master of Arts in Social Work with a focus on Social Innovation and Social Policy
    • Coach BA01 Portfolio Process, Freeform Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
    • Lecturer Masters program «Child Protection. Dialogic Quality Development in Early Intervention and Child Protection», Module 2.5: Quality Assurance and Risk Management / Learning from Mistakes and Successes, Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin

    Continuing education

    • CAS Dialogical-Systemic Child Protection Work, program director

    Further information

    • Founding Member and former (Co-)President of the “Interessengemeinschaft für Qualität im Kindesschutz” (Interest Group for Quality in Child Protection), now a board member
    • Member of the Kronberger Kreis für Dialogical Quality Development e.V. (Kronberg Circle for Dialogical Quality Development)
    • Member of the German Association for Care and Case Management e.V.
    • Member of the International Society for Educational Assistance e.V.
    • Expert Federal “Gesundheitsblatt”
    • Expert for “Child Abuse & Neglect”
    • Expert for “Journal für Empirie und Theorie Sozialer Arbeit”
    • Expert for “Sociology and Anthropology”
    • Expert Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

    Publications and projects