The Duality of Continuing Professional Development in Mental Health Social Work: Voluntary and Involuntary Status

Abstract

In recent years, regulation of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements of accredited mental health social workers (AMHSWs) in Australia has increased. AMHSWs are now obliged to do 10 hours of CPD in focused psychological strategies (FPS) each year to retain their accreditation status. CPD in FPS is often provided by psychologists and is not tailored to the broader context of social work practice. Given that AMHSWs are now mandated to undertake CPD in FPS it is essential that educational opportunities are provided that are appropriate to their ongoing needs. In this paper the findings of a 2010 national study of the CPD requirements of AMHSWs are presented. Just under 50% (n = 566) of social workers accredited with the Australian Association of Social Workers participated in this study. A main finding was that AMHSWs wanted a range of CPD courses offered at different levels that were accessible, affordable and tailored to the context of social work practice. Accessibility to appropriate CPD was particularly an issue for social workers in regional, rural, and remote areas. This was the first comprehensive study of the postqualifying educational needs of AMHSWs in Australia and lays the foundation for CPD development for AMHSWs and further research in this area.

澳大利亚对获得认证的精神卫生社工人员的职业继续发展要求，近年来在管理上有所强化。每位获得认证的精神卫生社工，每年须完成职业继续发展项目中的十小时心理集中训练，才能保持他们的认证资格。该训练多由心理学家提供，且不针对更大范围的社会工作实践。鉴于该人群必须参加该培训，那么就应当使得教育的内容符合他们目前的需求。本文即2010年对该培训要求所做的一项全国性调查。获得澳大利亚社工协会认证的社会工作者中，有不到一半的人（566人）参加了这项调查。研究者的一个发现是，他们希望职业继续发展的课程层次多些、范围宽些，能针对他们的社工实践。对于地方、乡村、边缘地区的社工人员，如何得到该培训是个大问题。本文是对澳大利亚该人群获认证后的教育需求所做的首次综合研究，为该国该群体的职业继续教育及未来该领域的研究都打下一定基础。

Keywords:

• Continuing Professional Development
• Accredited Mental Health Social Work
• Social Context
• Focused Social Strategies

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Department of Health and Ageing, Commonwealth Government of Australia. Funds were allocated to the professional body, the Australian Association of Social Workers, who commissioned this study. The author would like to thank the AASW, as owners of the Intellectual Property, for granting permission for academic publication. Sincere thanks are extended to all of the AMHSWs who participated in the study. Thanks to members of the project reference group Stephen Brand (Chair), Karl Charikar, Doug Burke, Natalie Bolzan, Annie Crowe, Mark Crossley, and Warren Prior, with particular thanks to Elizabeth Sommerville (AASW Mental Health Project Manager), Kerril Williams, and Damian Tan.