Probation practice as social work – viewpoints of practitioners in New Zealand
Keywords:
probation practice, probation service, service delivery, leadership,Abstract
Earlier arguments advanced by Gibbs and King (2001) regarding the status of probation practice as social work are considered drawing upon information collected from probation officers and service managers as part of a doctoral study on probation practice and the contribution of leadership to the achievement of effective service delivery. The findings are presented under three headings: social work values and beliefs; social work training; and the knowledge base for practice. The participants asserted that probation practice should draw upon a range of knowledge, including social work and psychology. They expressed their concern at the emphasis placed on the relatively narrow psychological framework currently embraced by the Probation Service and the consequent lack of engagement of alternative explanations of deviance. The participants also suggested that social work knowledge provides an understanding of human behaviour that can be used to inform practice, and that social work theories provide a frame of reference upon which to base effective, accountable practice that will decrease the uncertainty of a practitioner’s work with clients. It is concluded, on the basis of the evidence presented, that there is overall support for the contention that probation practice is social work.References
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