Religion and spirituality in social work practice and education in a cross-cultural context: findings from a Norwegian and UK study

Abstract

As service populations have changed, social workers in Norway and the UK have responded to the needs of diverse cultures, which often include issues of religion and spirituality. Members of the Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers (FO) and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) were sampled to explore attitudes regarding the placement of religion and spirituality in practice and education. UK workers were generally more accepting of religion and spirituality than their Norwegian colleagues. Factors such as secularism, differences in the educational systems, and different historical trajectories in the profession's development may contribute to differences between the UK and Norway. The authors recommend additional research in each country regarding the role of religion and spirituality in social work education and practice, the general culture, the bureaucratic delivery of social services, client and social worker interactions, and in the stratification of social class.

Sosialarbeidere i Norge og Storbritannia reagerer på behov fra mangfoldige kulturer etter hvert som befolkningen endrer seg. Dette inkluderer også sp⊘rsmål knyttet til religion og livssyn. Et utvalg av medlemmer i Fellesforbundet for barnevernpedagoger, sosionomer og vernepleiere (FO) og British Association of Social Workers (BASW) ble trukket ut for å utforske holdninger til hvilken plass religion og livssyn har i sosialt arbeids praksis og utdanning. Sosialarbeiderne i Storbritannia var generelt mer aksepterende overfor religion og livssyn enn deres norske kollegaer. Faktorer som sekularitet, forskjeller i utdanning og ulikhet i den historiske utviklingen av profesjonen kan ha bidratt til forskjellene mellom Storbritannia og Norge. Artikkelforfatterne anbefaler videre forskning vedr⊘rende hvilken rolle religion og livssyn har innen: sosialt arbeids praksis og utdanning, kulturen generelt, ytelser av offentlige sosiale tjenester, samspill mellom klient og sosial arbeider, og den sosiale klassedelingen i disse landene.

Keywords:

• Religion
• Spirituality
• Social Work
• United Kingdom
• Norway

N⊘kkelbegrep:

• Religion
• Livssyn
• Sosialt Arbeid
• Storbritannia
• Norge

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to extend special thanks to Dr Michael Sheridan of Virginia Commonwealth University, who generously permitted us to build on her work in developing our own survey instruments. As we modified her original survey instrument for use in national and international studies, any limitations in design should be attributed to us.

Notes

1. Bernard Moss, National Teaching Fellow 2004, Development Manager, Health and Social Care Convenor, Centre for Health and Spirituality and Social Care, Staffordshire University, Brindley Building, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent ST4 2DF, England.