Strengthening the social work profession: Experiences from developing and implementing a master’s course in school social work

Helena Johansson; Åsa Borgström

doi:10.1921/jpts20252474

Authors

Helena Johansson Associate Professor & Head of the Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0519-1486
Åsa Borgström University of Gothenburg https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8278-099X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts20252474

Keywords:

professionalisation, school social work, social work education

Abstract

As one of few in Sweden, a School Social Work course was developed at master level at the Department of Social Work at the University of Gothenburg. It was offered as a part-time and 10-week course. The course´s main objective was to strengthen the school social workers professionalisation and fundament in social work as a discipline. The focus was consequently on organisation, cooperation and professionalisation. The second objective was to create a course of relevance and with an ‘academic product’ to take back to the colleagues. This might further strengthen the confidence and the position of School Social Work as research based as required by the new Social Services Act. The article describes and discusses, with the above-mentioned course as an example, the professionalisation of social work in general, and School Social Work in particular. Based on the discussion the authors formulate some recommendations targeting both practice and academia.

Author Biographies

Helena Johansson, Associate Professor & Head of the Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Helena Johansson is a trained social worker with experience from different fields and an Associate Professor within the Department of Social Work at the University of Gothenburg. Helena is involved in research, teaching as well as having management responsibilities.

Åsa Borgström, University of Gothenburg

Åsa is a trained social worker with experience from several fields of work, including school social work. She is currently a PhD student at the department of Social work at University of Gothenburg, Sweden

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