The Social Worker as Transdisciplinary Professional: A Reflective Account

ABSTRACT

The transdisciplinary key worker model requires early childhood intervention professionals to make radical adjustment in their respective scopes of knowledge and practice. Focused on the author’s brief experience in a key worker role, the article highlights challenges and contradictions that arise when health and welfare professionals are expected not only to exchange knowledge, skills, and expertise, but also to perform each other’s work. Two contextual, reflective accounts of the reasons why social workers should be cautious in task transfers in transdisciplinary teams are given. The article renews support for social workers playing professionally appropriate roles in early childhood intervention teams in ways that can protect best service delivery to children with disability and their families.

跨学科关键员工模型须孩童干预专业人士在各自的知识和实践领域要极能适应。作者根据自身短暂的关键员工经历，探讨了不仅要交换知识技能、还须从事彼此工作的保健和福利专业人士会遇到的挑战。关于为什么社会工作者在跨学科团队中变换工作须谨慎，作者提出了两种语境性、反思性的解说。本文主张社会工作者在孩童干预团队中扮演恰当的专业角色，以确保对残障儿童及其家庭提供最佳的服务。

KEYWORDS:

• National Disability Insurance Scheme
• Professionalism
• Reflective Practice
• Workforce Substitution

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.