Equality and fairness: Linking social justice and social work practice

Abstract

• Summary: Social justice lies at the heart of social work practice and is used by practitioners to describe their practice. That practice is primarily described at the individual level. • Findings: Equality and fairness are core aspects of social justice and are drawn on extensively by social work practitioners in this research project to define social justice and are reflected in their practice. The two terms are, however, given a range of diverse meanings by practitioners. Those meanings are translated into and reflected in their practice. • Application: There are important implications for social work education, the social work profession and social work practice in the diverse ways in which the terms are understood and used.