Caritas in social work: one university’s paradigm shift through the social construction of meaning

Abstract

ABSTRACT We adopted caritas as a way to support students’ inherent inclination to care about others and to support their genuine care and concern for the clients they will see. Our aim was to explore how students are using learning resources to socially construct a concept of caritas. Students were asked to explain in a family case study how social work services motivated by caritas might be distinguished from the services of a social worker who did not adopt this philosophy. We conducted a content analysis of 20 student papers. After reviewing the completed assignments, we identified categories and themes as part of the content analysis. Five categories were examined: caritas as love; caritas as motivation; caritas as an ethical act; caritas as a relationship; and caritas as an attitude. Student responses tended to fit into more than one category. This suggests they view caritas as a multidimensional construct. Future research will explore how students move beyond a conceptualization of caritas to its application in everyday interactions. The program can then use this knowledge to further develop its philosophy of caritas.