GD1/147, Jennifer Speirs, social worker, 1975-1984

Collection Summary

Reference Code: GB239 GD1/147

Title: Jennifer Speirs

Dates of Creation of Material: 1975-1984

Level of Description: Fonds

Extent and Medium of the Unit of Description: 1 box

 

Name of creator(s): Jennifer Speirs

Administrative history: Jennifer Speirs completed a Social Science degree at St Andrew's University, then went on to complete a Diploma in Social Study (1967-1968) and a Medical Social Work Certificate at the University of Edinburgh (1969). After working in London hospitals for a number of years, she returned to Scotland to practice social work in local authorities. She then moved to the voluntary sector and became Director of Family Care. Jennifer then became a senior manager on the Church of Scotland's Board of Social Responsibility before returning to the University of Edinburgh to complete a PhD and a post-doctoral fellowship, where she is currently a research associate in the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (2020). She also provides mentoring to social work colleagues and does sessional work in origins counselling. As a member of the British Association of Social Workers, Jennifer lobbied for the rights and needs of people involved in donor-assisted conception, and successfully promoted the idea for a contact register to the UK Department of Health. Jennifer was a founder member of Progar, Honorary Treasurer of the British Infertility Counselling Association from 2001-2004, counselling representative on the British Fertility Society’s executive committee 2004-2010, BASW representative on the board of Children in Scotland 1992 to 1996 and 1998 to 2000, and a Clinic Inspector for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 1991-2006.

Archival History: Custody of Jennifer Speirs prior to transfer to LHSA.

Immediate Source of Acquisition or Transfer: Donated to LHSA by Jennifer Speirs in 2016.

 

Scope and Content: Material reflecting Jennifer's involvement in the Brook Advisory Centre, Edinburgh, and the Lothian Health Board Programme Planning Committee for Family Planning Services. Includes minutes, public health information, reports and correspondence. Please note that a further donation of material is due to be added to this collection (Acc19/002). Please contact the LHSA Archivist (0131 650 3392, lhsa@ed.ac.uk) for details.

Appraisal, Destruction and Scheduling Information: Appraised.

Accruals: Further accessions could be expected.

 

Conditions Governing Access: Public access to these records is governed by UK data protection legislation, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, and the current Scottish Government Records Management: NHS Code of Practice (Scotland). Whilst some records may be accessed freely by researchers, the aforementioned legislation and guidelines mean that records conveying sensitive information on named individuals may be closed to the public for a set time.

 

Conditions Governing Reproduction: Reproduction is subject to copyright restrictions, which affects newspaper clippings in this collection.

Language/Scripts of Material: English

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements:

Finding Aids: Item level catalogue is available on collections management system. ArchivesSpace (link from LHSA website is available).

 

Archivists’ Notes: Description compiled by Carmen Hesketh, 2018. Revised by Louise Williams, 2020.

Rules or Conventions: Description based on ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description International Council on Archives (2nd edition), 2000.

Date(s) of Description: 2018; 2020