Post-qualifying Social Work Research Articles

Service needs and individual qualifications—training social workers for the community care policy initiative and post-qualifying credits

Training programmes need to balance the requirements of the organisation to deliver quality services with the aspirations of staff to gain qualifications. This interplay between service needs and individual needs is discussed and illustrated with reference to the development of the post qualifying framework for social work, and a particular training programme supporting the community care policy initiative. This community care training programme has taken place in the integrated structures for statutory health and social services in Northern Ireland. The training for social workers is put in the context of a broader training strategy for a range of social services and health care staff and in the context of developments in the post-qualifying social work training arrangements in Northern Ireland.

Looking at the ordinary in a new way: The applications of feminist thinking to a post-qualifying social work course

This paper describes the teaching of gender issues on a post qualifying childcare course. It considers the usefulness of feminist concepts for professional practice and their influence on the planning and presentation of gender teaching in an academic setting.

Specialisation and post-qualifying training in social work

ABSTRACT This article is primarily about the issue of specialisation in social work, and especially the training needs which are associated with it. It argues in favour of the strengthening of specialist roles and skills in social work, and holds that social work will not be able to develop a distinctive body of ‘intellectual capital’ (or professional confidence and respect) without the greater encouragement of its specialisms. Its main concerns are, however, with training, and the article recommends that priority be given to establishing two-year part-time programmes of post-qualifying social work education. The need for these follows from the unavoidable limitations of two-year basic social work courses, but their object would also be to further the development of specialist expertise and practice in the field.