Contemporizing teaching case management: mapping the tensions

ABSTRACT

Case management is experiencing a major evolution that involves the isolation of its roles and the compartmentalization of its functions. As educators, it is challenging to keep track of these changes and to equip students for contemporary practice. Five social work academics from three educational institutions undertook a co-operative inquiry into the research question; ‘What are the tensions within the contemporary human and community services environment that are influencing the teaching of case management?’ The inquiry examined the dominant tensions between social work case management and the contexts within case management is practiced. The shifting and shifty nature of case management and personalization approaches in the quasi-market emerged as key themes. Finally, we reflected on how our teaching practices equip students to deal credibly and courageously with the global and local trends that are currently influencing case management.

KEYWORDS:

• Narrative approaches
• comparative studies
• personalization
• person-centered
• collaboration
• contract culture
• post-modern/poststructural theories
• students
• curriculum development
• critical theories

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Monica Short

Monica Short is a lecturer in School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Charles Sturt University and a volunteer social researcher with The Bush Church Aid Society. She also has worked for over 20 years in large government organisations, in roles ranging from generic social work positions to management. She is interested in the dialogic exchange of ideas between social work, sociology and theology. Monica has published in the following areas: (dis)ability, education, religion, research and social work.

Kay Susan Trembath

Kay SusanTrembath is a social worker who also holds a post graduate Master of Social Work from the University of Qld. Sue has worked in government and non government services in a number of states and territories. Sue's main areas of interest are child protection and mental health. In recent years Sue has focused on supporting students in both the vocational and tertiary education settings.

Rohena Duncombe

Rohena Duncombe is a Social Work academic with Charles Sturt University. Her practice background is in Community Health. She has a mental health accreditation with a special interest in anxiety management in a group setting. She also works in a community based programme for people living homeless. Her research interests include health service delivery to people living with disadvantage, anxiety management group work and supporting online students.

Louise Whitaker

Louise Whitaker currently coordinates the Bachelor of Social Welfare course at Southern Cross University, Australia. She has worked in mental health, women’s health and legal services and was a Community Member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal of Queensland for 8 years.  She teaches theories and skills for direct social welfare and social work practice including case management. Her current research interests include teaching and learning for social work practice and the social inclusion of women from refugee backgrounds in regional Australian communities.

Gregory Wiman

Greg Wiman is a social worker and post graduate Master of Social Welfare Administration and Planning from UQ.  He has management level experience in nongovernment community based social work, and in government work within Corrections and Justice arenas.  He has supported students throughout his career; most recently under contract employment with three universities.