Forging a New Paradigm for Australian Rural Social Work Practice

Abstract

Rural Australia is in crisis. Decades of restructuring, overlaid with a crippling drought, have left small inland rural areas facing major social problems. Population loss and a decline in service and infrastructure typify rural communities at a time when rural people face increased stress, social isolation and mental health problems.At the same time, federal and state governments have largely turned their backs on rural communities arguing that rural people must become more self-reliant. In this paper, I argue that circumstances demand a commitment from social workers to develop a new model of rural social work, and put forward my ideas about what this model might look like. I invite readers to comment on and contribute to the further development of this model so that social workers might make a contribution to the enhancement and survival of rural communities.