M.A. / South Africa has a critical shortage of helping professionals e.g. the Council for Social and Associated Workers (1987) has 6 124 social workers on its registers, in comparison with a 1985 census population of 35 million. In order to improve the quality of life of citizens in this country, the services of social service agencies have to be expanded and extended into communities ...

This thesis explores the ethical development of social workers and the role of supervision in that development. It begins with an examination of the social work context for the study, including the early history of social work and the ways in which it was influenced by the major social and cultural movements of the late 20th century, concluding with a discussion of both the threats posed and the possibilities emerging for social work in the 21st century. It then considers the ethical context for the study. It investigates the ethical theories and traditions that have contributed to the development of social work ethics and the role of professional ethics (including codes of ethics). It then proposes that a pluralist approach to social work ethics is the most appropriate way forward. This is followed by an examination of ethical development and the importance of reflection. Various models of ethical decision-making are compared and an inclusive, reflective model is found to be the most appropriate for social work in terms of both particular dilemmas faced and the overall development of workers as ethical decision-makers. The focus of the thesis then moves to supervision, exploring its history, its central place in social work and some of the problems that can arise for both supervisors and the social workers they supervise. It is argued that the reflection required to develop as ethical decision-makers is most logically located within the relationship and processes of supervision and that supervisors have an important role in guiding that reflection and development. The next part of the thesis describes the qualitative and action research strategies employed and examines the results emerging from the data. Participants in the focus groups were social workers who supervise other social workers, and they each met for two sessions, six months apart. Between the two sessions, they were asked to trial in supervision a framework for reflection on practice. The data emerging from the groups reflected the theoretical development begun in the early chapters, including the importance of reflection and the role of supervision in assisting the ethical development of workers, particularly in terms of deconstructing dilemmas and being able to articulate the reasons for decisions made. The thesis concludes that no one ethical theory is sufficient to support the ethical decision-making required for the practice of social work. Rather, a pluralist approach that allows a dilemma to be considered from a number of theoretical perspectives is more appropriate. Alongside this, an inclusive, reflective model of ethical decision-making reflects that pluralist approach and supports the ethical development of the individual worker. Supervision is vital in guiding the reflection required to make justifiable ethical decisions and to develop as ethical decision-makers.

No / Decision making in relation to admitting people to train as social workers is, either explicitly or implicitly, an ethical activity. This paper considers ethical and practical issues related to the processing of applicants to social work training in England who have criminal convictions. These issues are explored by focusing on policies that strengthen regulations that exclude ex-offenders from working with children and vulnerable adults. The admissions processes for social work education are analysed in terms of how they contribute to, or counteract, processes of social exclusion. The advice and guidance from the General Social Care Council of England (GSCC) is summarised and analysed. A case study of a social work education partnership grounds the ethical discussion by illustrating the complexities of engaging with combating social exclusion whilst seeking to ensure that the public is protected.

Since the profession of social work began, there has been debate about whether it should be involved in helping individuals make change, or in encouraging societal change. Towards gaining an understanding of how this debate has played out in Aotearoa New Zealand, this research explores the question “What are the past present and future perspectives on the role of counselling in social work in Aotearoa New Zealand?” A mixed methodology format was used in this research. Qualitative interviews with individuals who had helped create the professions of social work, counselling and psychology were conducted to help understand the historical development of counselling within social work, and the factors which had impacted upon it. Questionnaires were then sent out to 985 members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers that asked about members’ current views on, and practice of, counselling within social work. The research shows that social work developed late in New Zealand within a welfare state where governments questioned the need for it. With social work education not widely available until the 1970s there was limited training in counselling type approaches. The drive for professionalism (often aligned with those doing counselling) was tempered by those mindful of community and bicultural commitments due to differing ideologies and lack of access to education. Tangata whenua have had a major impact on the development of social work, and counselling within it. Respondents in this research were clear that aspects of counselling fell within their definitions of social work and that counselling in Aotearoa New Zealand should hold a strengths-based, collaborative stance that recognised the importance of a bicultural perspective. Most respondents indicated that they did some amount of counselling within their practice, but only 34% of respondents felt that their basic social work qualification had prepared them adequately or really well for their counselling role. The majority of questionnaire respondents had undertaken additional training to help them with their counselling role and over two-thirds indicated a strong desire to engage in further study in counselling. Registration of the helping professions presents challenges that include the potential for unhelpful competition between them. The thesis concludes that there is a need for more counselling education options for social workers and that there is a need for the profession of social work to formally define its scopes of practice.