Descent or dissent? A future of social work education in the UK post-Brexit

ABSTRACT

This conceptual paper explores the potential crises arising for social work and social work education following the 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum in the UK. After exploring the complex political terrain of Brexit voting and the political and moral complications arising, this paper attempts to dispel some of the myths associated with the voter types. Subsequently, the uncertain and possibly dangerous futures of social care and welfare are examined before moving to consider the implications for social work education in the UK, as part of the European Union and beyond. The need for the UK to continue to pursue its relationships and links with other EU colleagues if social work is not to become parochial and somewhat removed from the international stage is highlighted.

SOMMARIO

Questo articolo di taglio generale esplora le crisi che potranno manifestarsi nei servizi sociali e nel settore dell’istruzione in quell'ambito a seguito del referendum sulla Brexit del 2016. Dopo una panoramica sul complesso scenario politico relativo al voto referendario e sulle conseguenti problematiche politiche e morali, si tenta di dissipare alcuni dei miti associati alle tipologie di votanti. Subito dopo si esaminano le incertezze e i pericoli che potrebbero caratterizzare il futuro dell'assistenza sociale e sociosanitaria, per poi considerare le implicazioni per l'istruzione nell'ambito dei servizi sociali del Regno Unito, inteso come parte dell'Unione Europea, e non solo. L'articolo sottolinea infine, sempre con riferimento al medesimo ambito, la necessità per il Regno Unito di continuare le relazioni con gli altri paesi europei al fine di evitare il rischio del provincialismo e dell'isolamento dalla scena internazionale.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work education
• UK and Europe
• Brexit

PAROLE CHIAVE:

• Istruzione
• servizi sociali
• Regno Unito ed Europa
• Brexit

Acknowledgements

With grateful thanks to doctoral student Giulia Levi for the translation of the abstract into Italian.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Jonathan Parker is Professor of Society & Social Welfare at Bournemouth University UK. He was director of the Family Assessment and Support Unit, a placement agency attached to the University of Hull, and Head of Department of Social Work. He was Chair of the UK Association of Teachers in Social Work Education 2000–2005, Vice Chair of the Joint University Council for Social Work Education from 2005 to 2010, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He has published widely on social work and welfare education internationally.