The professionalisation of social work: a cross‐national exploration

Abstract

This article compares the professional features of social work in ten countries. It is based on detailed descriptions of the professional features of social work in Chile, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA. Social work in these countries is discussed in terms of eight features, chosen as marks of a profession on the basis of the ‘attributes’ and ‘power’ approaches to professionalisation: public recognition, monopoly over types of work, professional autonomy, the knowledge base, the professional education, the professional organisations, the existence of codified ethical standards and, lastly, the prestige and remuneration of social work.