David McNabb: Growing Partnerships: Responding to Issues of Privilege in Social Work Education in Aotearoa
The social work profession is committed to human rights, social justice and the achievement of equity within human societies. It is the job of social work education to prepare and support students to work in a way that promotes these goals. Whereas a critical analysis of societal injustice is often employed that typically focuses on the disadvantage experienced by oppressed groups, the concept of privilege is helpful in analysing the advantages held by dominant groups as a flip side to such analysis. Research was undertaken with nine of the 19 social work programmes throughout Aotearoa to examine how this commitment to equity was being demonstrated by educators. Participants included a diverse range of educators who spoke about the way injustice was analysed and addressed. The theme of privilege was raised and formed part of the practice for teaching about injustice, also for educator development and the way equity could be demonstrated more widely within their programmes. Examples are discussed and recommendations made on how the concept of privilege can be helpfully used in teaching, in staff development and more broadly in social work education programmes.
Susan Beaumont: Diversity and te Tiriti o Waitangi: Educating Social Workers
Beaumont’s (2018) research found that although social work practitioners reported their social work education did not support their engagement with diversity, knowledge of te Tiriti o Waitangi did. Research suggests knowledge of te Tiriti o Waitangi raises practitioner awareness of colonization and power dynamics in Aotearoa New Zealand. The social work profession recognises dynamics of power as central in the violation of human rights for all peoples. However, education in te Tiriti o Waitangi or in others forms of difference does not necessarily translate into competent practice. This raises challenges for social work educators who must attest to each graduates’ competency to work with tangata whenua, other ethnicities and cultural groups, diversity and difference. This presentation explores themes raised by qualified, practising social workers about te Tiriti o Waitangi and diversity and will prompt discussion about how to grow Tiriti-based practitioners able to engage biculturally in a diverse society.
Larah Bottomley: Child and family participation in child protection services
There have been policies, theories and research brought about recently that highlight the importance of children having a voice, and the right to participate, within child protection services. However, what does this look like in practice? Many agree that child participation should be welcomed, but is this simply lip service? The aim of my presentation is to report on my scoping review conducted this year that discusses child and family participation in child protection services. I will raise issues such as what does participation look like, is participation actually prioritized, and what are the barriers and enablers to children and their families participating more in child protection services. While my research seeks to answer these important questions as much as possible, it has also shown where the gaps in knowledge are, and poses questions around how front-line workers will respond to child and family engagement in the future.
Each presentation will be allocated 20 minutes. Additional time for questions and discussion will be available in each stream.
