'Inclusive Education' Teaching Social Work Students to Work with Children

The article presents the findings of an exploratory study that considers the extent to which Australian and Norwegian social work education equips practitioners to work inclusively with children. It provides an analysis of details of curricula content found on universities' websites to provide a broad-brush map of teaching and learning priorities. It then presents the views of a number of Norwegian and Australian academics about what social work students are, and should be, taught about childhood and working with children. Findings: The article reports a number of differences in emphasis in the teaching and learning models adopted in Australian and Norwegian social work programmes. Despite these differences, however, the tentative conclusion drawn from this study is that in both countries, equipping students to understand and work with children in their own right is a low priority. Reasons for this common outcome are discussed. Applications: The scale of the study is small. However, the findings are of significance for social work educators, practitioners and policy-makers. If children are to be properly represented within the welfare arena, foundational professional education must equip students with knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to work with and for this population. The article argues that this may not be the case and highlights the need for further research.