Social Work in Australia Challenges and Opportunities

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1 Social Work in Australia Challenges and Presentation to Department for Education, London, England Marie-Claire Cheron-Sauer 2012 Churchill Fellow Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Australia

2 Presentation Layout Brief overview of development of SW in Australia & scope of practice AASW Functions SW demographic profile SW Education System Key Workforce Issues Challenges

3 Social Work is a profession that: promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance wellbeing. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work

4 Person in Environment Inner world of client system Relational world of client system Society Neighbourhood Extended Family Connectedness to the community Intra-psychic Relational Systemic Welfare System Formal Service System Family Person Multi-layered Ecological Significant Others Employment Supports within the systems Policy Impacts Pressures on various sub-systems The Social Work Profession

5 Social Work Scope of Practice Interpersonal Practice including psychotherapeutic and clinical interventions, counselling, case work and case management, relationship work Social Action and Advocacy working with groups, organisations and communities to address systemic issues and inequity affecting quality of life Research, social policy development, administration, management and education to further human wellbeing and social development

6 Fields of Practice Health sector (hospital social work in adult & paediatric settings, community health) Mental health (in state funded/provided mental health settings & increasingly as private providers with Medicare provider status for therapeutic work) Child well being and protection settings in state statutory agencies (including Children s Court consultants) and also in the NGO community services sector, particular with fostering and out of home care

7 Fields of Practice Adult and child disability in state provided and increasingly in the NGO, community services sector Aged Care in state services and increasingly in the NGO sector Humanitarian areas - refugees Federal Human Services sector, specifically: Income support and management for income support recipients (Department of Human Services - Centrelink) Family courts (Family Consultants Attorney General s Department) Military social work (Department of Defence)

8 The 20 th Century Welfare State Post-War Reconstruction Period The Prominence of Keynesian Economics The Rights of Social Citizenship (T.H. Marshall) from the right to a modicum of economic welfare and security to the right to share to the full in the social heritage and to live the life of a civilised being according to the standards prevailing in the society

9 Resurgence of Neo-classical Approach Minimal Government - Changed role from service provider to purchaser of services (outsourcing and contracting) Free market principles Increasing deregulation, Quasimarket (more providers in the market place) Increasing Individualisation of society & risk (outsourcing of risk to individuals and NGOs, many of which are not-for-profit organisations)

10 Examples of Quasi-Market Environment in Human Services In Australia Child Protection Sector Contracting of Out of Home Care Services Adult and Children s Disability Services National Disability Insurance Scheme

11 Social Work Demographic Profile Approximately 23,000 qualified SWs in Australia Average age 42 years Just under 40% > 45 years Recruitment difficulties for experienced SWs and also in regional areas SW currently on Skilled Migration Priority List (recognised shortage in Australia ) (DEEWR 2011)

12 Employment of Social Workers Health & Social Assistance Industry (67.7%) Strong growth predicted to grow at twice average rate of all industries until at least 2016 Highly feminised (79% female) Ageing workforce (47% > 45 yrs compared to average of 38 yrs in other industries) Public Administration and Safety (29.1%) Other Services (2%) Education Services (0.6%) 15/01/13 (Source: Australian government data 2725 Social Work Job Outlook 2011) Marie-Claire Cheron-Sauer

13 Not for Profit Sector 600,000 agencies 59,000 economically significant agencies Contribution of approximately $43 billion to Australia s GDP Significant growth in the number of services being offered by N-F-Ps (ranging from 128% increase in aged care services to 21% increase in housing and homelessness services from 2008/09 to 2009/10) High level of unmet needs (overall increase of 19% of clients unable to access a service from 2008/09 to 2009/10) (Source ACOSS 2011, p.24)

14 Not for Profit Sector Sector faces workforce challenges due to: Ageing workforce Insufficient number of graduates in key professions to adequately replace those exiting the workforce Poor remuneration, High caseloads, excessive performance of unpaid overtime hours, emotional exhaustion and burnout Inadequate supervisory and management capacity and generally underdeveloped career pathways within the sector (ACOSS 2011, 2008; Urbis Keys Young 2004)

15 Implications of the Workforce Environment for Social Work Practice in Australia Historically SW in leadership roles in the NFP sector 1970s & 1980s proliferation of a range of other three year degrees in helping professions (community welfare, applied social science, social and behavioural science) Reintroduction of student fees in late 1980s (Dawkins Reforms)

16 Implications of the Workforce Environment for Social Work Practice in Australia First wave of deregulation of higher education in late 1980s and a more competitive environment for HEIs to attract students increased reliance on non=government funding in the HEIs Proliferation of a range of other welfare degree programs marketed by universities as a career pathway into work in the health and social assistance industry - increased emphasis on curricula with vocational outcomes for graduates

17 Implications of the Workforce Environment for Social Work Practice in Australia From late 1980s - growth in the sector with the commencement of a trend to contracting out for the delivery of human services Increased employment opportunities for graduates as the demand for services increase

18 Implications of the Workforce Environment for Social Work Practice in Australia Strength of the current diversity Allows employers to mix and match education and skill set with program and service user needs Reality of current diversity economic capacity to pay for more highly skilled and expensive staff Reality of current diversity workforce shortage & inability of employers being able to staff their programs with employee skill sets they require and desire

19 The Current Status of the Profession in Australia Self-Regulation ( in spite of over forty years of advocacy for registration and regulation. Australia one of the last of the Anglo-Saxon nations not to have registration for the profession) Social work in Australia does not have protection of title. Employers are able to label a position as social work, while not requiring the applicant to have a social work qualification to be considered for the role Social work does not have a protected area of practice

20 The Current Status of the Profession in Australia While some employers specify eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers for a social work position, this is more likely to be in the government sector and decreasingly so A majority of employers, particularly in the non-profit sector advertise for a range of qualifications to fill a position (social work, psychology or related degrees)

21 The Current Status of the Profession in Australia Self regulation is undertaken by the AASW and includes: Continuing professional development Complaints process against breaches of the code of ethics A range of practice standards for entry level practice and some specific areas of practice (mental health, school social work, supervision) Recognised authority for accreditation of social work education programs across Australia Delegated authority for assessment of overseas qualified SWs for skilled migration purposes Delegated authority for accreditation of mental health social workers

22 The Current Status of the Profession in Australia Membership of the AASW is not required to practice social work in Australia in organisations, including government organisations providing mental health services Membership of the AASW is required to practice as a mental health social worker under the Medicare provider system as a private provider or as part of a consortium of private providers of mental health services

23 Social Work Education in Australia Two pathways for entry into the profession and eligibility of membership into the AASW: Four year Undergraduate Degree BSW Four year sequence in a BSW 2+2 format with two years in an Arts/Social Science degree with requisite psychology & sociology content & two years of specialised social work content Two year Qualifying Masters with prerequisite of three year Bachelor with demonstrated foundation knowledge in psychology and sociology and/or relevant experience in core areas

24 Social Work Education in Australia Four core curriculum areas of practice that equip the new graduate for beginning practice in specific fields and specific populations: Child Wellbeing and Protection Mental Health Working in safe and competent ways with Aboriginal and Strait Islander People Working in culturally sensitive ways with culturally diverse populations 980 hours (140 days) of field education (practice placements) usually two placements of 70 days duration each, but there is some variability

25 Social Work Education Accreditation Process Undertaken by the AASW The education standards are developed and owned by the AASW in a collaborative process that include a range of stakeholders - employers, social work educators, reviewers and senior practitioners AASW consultants involved in the development of new programs by universities New programs granted provisional accreditation until the graduation of the first cohort of students and existing programs are reviewed on a five yearly cycle

26 Social Work Post-Graduate Education AASW does not accredit post-graduate qualifications, other than the qualifying masters There is an advanced SW Masters program offered by some universities, but these are generally generic A range of other post-graduate diplomas and certificates that are not specifically targeted to those with SW education

27 Key Challenges Critical Issues of workforce replacement Modest growth in university enrolments Poor uptake of advanced and specialised post-graduate degrees Insufficient alignment of education with industry needs and requirements

28 Key Challenges Poor uptake of research Replacement issues in the academic sector Lack of an overarching professional capability framework Profile of SW in the community Lack of understanding of what SW is and difficulties by the profession in persuasively articulating the value of social work and what is unique about social work

29 Key Challenges Lack of workforce planning for the profession Leadership development and drive to develop the profession

30 Questions?

31 Contact Details Marie-Claire Cheron-Sauer 2012 Churchill Fellow Australia

CPD Endorsement Process and Application

F: ED01/14 CPD Endorsement Process and Application What is CPD endorsement? 1 Continuing Professional Development CPD endorsement is a quality assurance process whereby CPD activities are assessed and