Anti-racist social work
Social work has a key role to play in anti-oppressive practice, promoting social justice and fairness. This includes racism at the personal, social and structural levels.
Practitioners need to work in a way that supports and protects people and challenges discrimination in all forms and is culturally sensitive.
The recently revised Standards in Social Work Education (SiSWE) strengthen the focus on the social context of practice and are underpinned by clear ethical principles. The characteristics of NQSW practice continue to hold these principles strongly.
The SSSC Codes of Practice clearly state that any form of discrimination is not acceptable and that workers or employers should not condone any discrimination.
All workers and employers support that people are respected, their rights are upheld and they work in a way that promotes diversity and respects different cultures and values.
Upholding public trust and confidence in social services relies on these values and behaviours.
- NQSWs that we spoke to recommend the following books and resources
- Racism in Scottish Social Work BASW report
- Anti-racism in Social Work activities across UK BASW report
- Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice Tedam, P (2020) Sage publications “Although this is mapped to the English Professional Capabilities Framework it offered valuable insights for me starting out as a social worker.”
- Anti-Racist Social Work Dominelli, L (2018) Anti-Racist Social Work. Fourth ed. Macmillan Education UK
We will be continuing to enhance this resource through our national NQSW project over 2021-22. Please let us know if you have any recommendations for what is helpful for NQSWs and their managers.