Social work registration and professionalism: Social justice and poverty – fellow travellers or discarded passengers?

Authors

  • Mike O’Brien Associate Professor in the School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at the University of Auckland, a life member of ANZASW, member of the Child Poverty Action Group Management Committee.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol25iss3id73

Keywords:

social work registration, social work registration act, poverty, social justice, managerialism, neoliberalism, ethics,

Abstract

Poverty is a central focus for social work and social workers, but has received much less attention over recent times. While the ANZASW Code of Ethics and SWRB Code of Conduct differ in their expectations of social workers on social justice issues, it is the impact of managerialism and neo-liberalism and their incorporation of postmodern language of difference and diversity that is much more significant in this comparative neglect. Social workers need to reassert their collective voice on issues of poverty to meet their ethical obligations for competent practice.

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Published

2016-05-15

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 3 (2013)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Social work registration and professionalism: Social justice and poverty – fellow travellers or discarded passengers?. (2016). Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 25(3), 50-59. https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol25iss3id73