Reflections on Student, Service User and Carer Involvement in Social Work Research

Abstract

This article will reflect on the experience of undertaking a participatory action research influenced study within a module of a social work degree programme. In doing so it will touch on some of the literature associated with student, service user and carer involvement in qualifying programmes, and in particular on research and module design. It will outline the history of service user and carer involvement in respect of a specific module within a singular degree course. It will provide an overview and some findings of the study, which sought to evaluate the involvement of an inherent service user and carer group within that degree course. However, as service user and carer involvement within degree programmes has had significant attention within the wider literature, the current study seeks to present a reflexive commentary on student, service user and carer involvement in research modules and participatory action research. Whilst the research presented here should be regarded as an initial foray with acknowledged limitations, it equally highlights some perspectives that lead to an understanding of how greater levels of student, service user and carer involvement within social work research might be achieved, in particular in the context of social work qualifying programmes.

Keywords:

• User Participation
• Evaluation
• Action Research
• Carer Perspectives
• User Perspectives
• Inter-professional Perspectives
• Further Education
• Curriculum Development

Notes

^[1] The term service user and carer is used consistently throughout this text, and this is, as is explained, because it is the name adopted by the group central to this account. Further it tries to reflect the inclusive nature of all those who receive social work and social care services. It is used therefore as both a specific descriptive noun and a collective summary term; it is not used to imply any other meaning or interpretation.

^[2] In the year subsequent to the final year described here the university elected not to continue with its social work degree. Whilst it has indicated an aspiration to establish a masters qualifying programme, the future of the SUCG is currently a very uncertain one.

^[3] The longitudinal design became rejected over time, as the students increased understanding of the participatory nature of this research project meant that they felt that subsequent years of students needed to experience the whole research process and form their own understanding of chosen topic, design and methodology.

^[4] The codes in brackets are used to identify cohort responses and direct quotations in the remainder of the text.