Preparation for practice: embedding the development of professional identity within social work curriculum

ABSTRACT

Newly qualified social workers often enter challenging interdisciplinary settings where they need to be able to clearly articulate a distinctive professional identity. To prepare for these realities, this paper discusses how the development of professional identity has become increasingly central to qualifying social work curriculum at an Australian university. Preparation for social work practice has long been the focus of research in a number of countries, with a significant emphasis on knowledge and skill acquisition, rather than on the development of an overarching professional identity that is also underpinned by shared values and sense of professional purpose and expectations. Against this backdrop, the paper describes initial changes that have been made within core social work courses to progressively embed the development of professional identity more consciously across their studies, to be better prepared for contemporary challenges in the workplace. It is concluded that further changes are needed to fully transform the curriculum, and that the impacts of these changes be systematically evaluated in relation to preparedness for practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Professional identity
• preparation for practice
• curriculum development
• pedagogies
• social work students

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bernadette Moorhead

Bernadette Moorhead is a lecturer in Social Work and Human Services at Charles Sturt University.

Karen Bell

Karen Bell is an associate professor in Social Work and Human Services at Charles Sturt University.

Therese Jones-Mutton

Therese Jones-Mutton is a course director in the Faculty of Arts and Education at Charles Sturt University.

Heather Boetto

Heather Boetto is a senior lecturer in Social Work and Human Services at Charles Sturt University.

Ruth Bailey

Ruth Bailey is a social work practitioner. Ruth works in partnership with Charles Sturt University, and has previously worked as a lecturer in Social Work and Human Services.