How do we prepare social work students for the challenges they will meet at the workplace and what can we learn from each other in different countries. Short presentations from Australia, England, Finland, Ireland & Sweden

Abstract

<p>The extent to which social work education prepares students for the challenges they will meet at the workplace has been discussed with particular concern about turnover and retention in child welfare {Healy, 2009). A common theme in studies where newly qualified social workers are followed from education to work transition, reports early career unpreparedness, especially their knowledge about how to meet with clients in acute crisis and how to handle a demanding work situation has been underlined {Tham & Lynch, 2014; 2017). As working conditions for social workers in many countries are described as demanding, with high turnover rates, recruitment difficulties and where many social workers suffer from burnout and psychological illness, the importance to prepare the students forth is seems important. At the same time, knowledge about how and what social work students are taught about the need to develop coping skills, appears to be limited across and between countries. We know little about a common social work curriculum around 'how to handle emotionally demanding situations' or 'how to recognize burnout and develop resilience habits' and in general, 'how to manage the demands of the job' which seems to be a pedagogical gap. </p><p> We invite participants to share their knowledge, experiences and reflections about the situation in their own country making it possible to learn from each other. To improve the preparedness of social workers' and increase the possibility for them to stay at the workplace means an increased quality of the support and help vulnerable clients will receive and is a way to create inclusive practices, increase the students' awareness of human rights, diversity and gender issues. Initially, short presentations from researchers/teachers from Spain, Northern Ireland, Sweden, UK, Finland and Australia will be given followed by small group discussions and a concluding summary in the whole group.</p>