'A social worker first and foremost' : the motivation and experiences of recently qualified social workers in posts not requiring social work registration in England

摘要

Social Work in England is generally seen as a profession concerned with the fulfilment of statutory functions concerning safeguarding and risk management, and recent developments in social work and social work education have focused on improving the quality of statutory social workers, especially in children's services. However, workforce statistics suggest that more than 50% of registered social workers are not so employed, and may be found working in 'welfare' organisations outside the statutory sector, although detailed information about this group is not easily accessible. This paper reports findings from a qualitative study based on interviews with recently qualified social workers (within the last five years)employed in positions not requiring social work registration and qualification. It discusses the motivations and experiences of recently qualified social workers who have sought posts not requiring social work registration and the issues they identify as important in maintaining individual and collective social work identity.