The Changing Context of Social Work Practice

TLDR

Political and economic shifts over the past decade and a half have reshaped social work practice, with cuts in funding, privatization, and cost containment leading to program closures, reduced services, and altered learning environments that raise ethical and philosophical questions. The article investigates how these trends affect field instruction and proposes strategies to strengthen social work education and practice. It recommends reforms to field instruction and educational curricula to better prepare students for the evolving practice context.

Abstract

A decade and a half of political and economic developments have reshaped traditional social work practice. Cuts in government funding, privatization, and cost containment in the human services have contributed to dramatic changes in service organization and availability. Many programs have closed or downsized and critically needed services have been reduced. These changes have altered the environments in which students learn and raise ethical and philosophical questions about the nature of current social work practice. This article examines the implications of these trends on field instruction and presents recommendations to strengthen social work education and practice.