‘Getting it Write’ in social work: exploring the value of writing in academia to writing for professional practice

Abstract

Writing plays a central role in social work practice and in the qualifying programmes studied by student social workers. The research on which this paper is based explores the value of writing undertaken in higher education to writing for professional practice in social work. Drawing on data sources from a ‘text oriented ethnography’, this paper explores the reflections of five recently qualified social workers making the transition from academic to professional practice. The significance of this study is heightened as social work practice and education are undergoing significant review at the time of writing. This review has identified the role of writing as important in both academic and practice domains. The paper suggests that there is currently no clear progressive link between academic writing in social work and the writing in practice required of graduate social workers. This paper offers some reflections on the implicit and explicit value of writing in an academic context to writing in professional practice.

Keywords:

• social work
• student writing
• professional writing
• higher education
• ethnography

Notes

1. Practice placements are periods of learning during which students undertake supervised professional practice which is assessed by an experienced social worker in the role of a practice assessor.

2. ‘Essay’ was the word used by co-researchers to refer to those academic assignments which did not (in their view) require ‘reflective writing’.

3. This is consistent with findings reported in Rai (2006).