Exploring child protection content in social work curricula in South Africa and Sweden
(2023) In Social Work Education- Abstract
- Child participation and agency are vital elements in child protec-tion. Ensuring child participation can contribute to successful inter-ventions. Social workers are often the central agents in ensuring that children participate in matters concerning them and that the best interest of the child principle is adhered to in these matters. The aim of this study is thus to understand if and how social work education in South Africa and Sweden teaches child participation in child protection work. We study curricula for social work pro-grammes in three South African and two Swedish universities. Results indicate broad themes of similar content in curricula in both countries and both indicate gaps in terms of in-depth training in child protection,... (More)
- Child participation and agency are vital elements in child protec-tion. Ensuring child participation can contribute to successful inter-ventions. Social workers are often the central agents in ensuring that children participate in matters concerning them and that the best interest of the child principle is adhered to in these matters. The aim of this study is thus to understand if and how social work education in South Africa and Sweden teaches child participation in child protection work. We study curricula for social work pro-grammes in three South African and two Swedish universities. Results indicate broad themes of similar content in curricula in both countries and both indicate gaps in terms of in-depth training in child protection, as well as children to a very low degree are regarded as agents. Students are not explicitly trained to encourage child participation. Further research can show whether and how such knowledge is developed in practice and how the social work programmes can prepare the students for such development. If social workers should be able to promote child participation, regard them as active agents and support them in developing resilience, they need to have that perspective in their fundamental training. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/5936728e-61a6-4605-a8c9-db2138843e83
- author
- Svensson, Kerstin LU ; Schiller, Ulene ; Baianstovu, Runa ; Makhubele, Jabulani and John-Langba, Johannes
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-06-20
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- in
- Social Work Education
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85162713176
- ISSN
- 1470-1227
- DOI
- 10.1080/02615479.2023.2223626
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5936728e-61a6-4605-a8c9-db2138843e83
- date added to LUP
- 2023-06-20 20:49:22
- date last changed
- 2024-04-16 04:01:47
@article{5936728e-61a6-4605-a8c9-db2138843e83,
abstract = {{Child participation and agency are vital elements in child protec-tion. Ensuring child participation can contribute to successful inter-ventions. Social workers are often the central agents in ensuring that children participate in matters concerning them and that the best interest of the child principle is adhered to in these matters. The aim of this study is thus to understand if and how social work education in South Africa and Sweden teaches child participation in child protection work. We study curricula for social work pro-grammes in three South African and two Swedish universities. Results indicate broad themes of similar content in curricula in both countries and both indicate gaps in terms of in-depth training in child protection, as well as children to a very low degree are regarded as agents. Students are not explicitly trained to encourage child participation. Further research can show whether and how such knowledge is developed in practice and how the social work programmes can prepare the students for such development. If social workers should be able to promote child participation, regard them as active agents and support them in developing resilience, they need to have that perspective in their fundamental training.}},
author = {{Svensson, Kerstin and Schiller, Ulene and Baianstovu, Runa and Makhubele, Jabulani and John-Langba, Johannes}},
issn = {{1470-1227}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{06}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Social Work Education}},
title = {{Exploring child protection content in social work curricula in South Africa and Sweden}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2023.2223626}},
doi = {{10.1080/02615479.2023.2223626}},
year = {{2023}},
}