If Field Education is socital Why Isn't Everyone Doing It?

Abstract

This article examines the literature which suggests that despite the increasing emphasis given to fieldwork in the curriculum it is becoming progressively difficult to secure sufficient suitable placements for the student population. It outlines the results of a survey undertaken locally which discussed the reasons proffered by social workers for their support or otherwise of the field education program at the University of Queensland over a six-year period. The results indicate that there is still much to learn about the phenomenon of field education and how it can become more central to the preparation of social workers. There is a need for the training institutions, the professional organisation and the employing bodies to work towards providing a stronger training base for the acolytes of the profession.