Collaborating to Focus on Children in Australian Social Work Education

Abstract

Social work educators across the world are engaged in developing a curriculum that prepares students to be effective practitioners in a range of settings that involve working with children. This paper reflects on collaborative strategies and research that have influenced the child wellbeing content of social work courses in Australia. It presents a critical analysis of the tensions and challenges that can occur in (this) collaborative work. It then discusses an outcome of this advocacy to influence the child wellbeing content of social work education, an undergraduate module aimed at increasing students' knowledge and skills in communicating with children. This paper argues that Indigenous children (such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children) are over-represented in child protection systems and out-of-home care services, and that this needs to be acknowledged and given increased attention in the education of social work students internationally.

A Review of Literature on the Involvement of Children from Indigenous Communities in Anglo Child Welfare Systems: 1973-2018

“…It also details intervention models developed and implemented by Indigenous community workers including interventions focusing on family preservation, fetal alcohol syndrome, and substance abuse (Cripps & McGlade, 2008;Howard-Wagner, 2015;McKenzie, 1989;Myhra et al, 2015). There are also recommendations for a social work education reform, including appeals for more cultural-competency training (Harms et al, 2011;Strega & Esquao, 2015;Zufferey et al, 2015).…”