Professional background 
Robert Swift trained as a social worker in the 1970s. After qualifying he worked with children and families in Cumbria before a period of voluntary service overseas in Malaysia. He later worked in Edinburgh and the Lothians before moving to South Lanarkshire in 2011 where he was Head of Children and Justice services and Chief Social Work Officer.  

Personal/professional interest in adoption
Robert has always had a keen interests in fostering and adoption, both as a practitioner and a manager. He has chaired fostering and adoption panels and has been agency decision maker for various organisations. He chaired the Social Work Scotland sub group on fostering and adoption for many years. Though now retired Robert continues to be involved in fostering and adoption matters with a number of voluntary organisations and local authorities. Robert is an adoptive parent and is the author of Adopting a Child in Scotland, published by BAAF.