Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The process of professionalisation
T2 - Exploring the identities of child protection social workers
AU - Leigh, J.T.
PY - 2014/11
Y1 - 2014/11
N2 - SummaryThis article discusses the findings from a qualitative study, which explored how a group of social workers might construct their professional identity. By drawing from Freidson’s theoretical perspective of professionalisation and applying it to the field of child protection a different meaning of ‘profession’ has emerged.FindingsBy seeking the views and reflections on what it means to be a professional, the stories that emerged provided these practitioners with distinctive social positions and statuses to take up within the professionalisation process. The narratives also contradicted Freidson’s argument: for subject to both discourses of derision and attacks from countervailing forces present not only on the inside but on the outside of the discipline, these social workers have had to develop their own unique defensive techniques in order to survive. If Freidson had been an insider to a profession and used the method of narrative interviewing when carrying out his work, his conclusions may have been quite different.ApplicationsThis study contributes to debates about professions using the method of narrative interviewing with social workers. By using this approach and talking directly to the professionals within the field of child protection, who have to deal first hand with certain cultural scripts, a different definition of ‘profession’ has been extended.
AB - SummaryThis article discusses the findings from a qualitative study, which explored how a group of social workers might construct their professional identity. By drawing from Freidson’s theoretical perspective of professionalisation and applying it to the field of child protection a different meaning of ‘profession’ has emerged.FindingsBy seeking the views and reflections on what it means to be a professional, the stories that emerged provided these practitioners with distinctive social positions and statuses to take up within the professionalisation process. The narratives also contradicted Freidson’s argument: for subject to both discourses of derision and attacks from countervailing forces present not only on the inside but on the outside of the discipline, these social workers have had to develop their own unique defensive techniques in order to survive. If Freidson had been an insider to a profession and used the method of narrative interviewing when carrying out his work, his conclusions may have been quite different.ApplicationsThis study contributes to debates about professions using the method of narrative interviewing with social workers. By using this approach and talking directly to the professionals within the field of child protection, who have to deal first hand with certain cultural scripts, a different definition of ‘profession’ has been extended.
KW - blame
KW - child protection
KW - culture
KW - identity
KW - narrative methods
KW - professionalism
KW - Social work
U2 - 10.1177/1468017313504380
DO - 10.1177/1468017313504380
M3 - Journal article
VL - 14
SP - 625
EP - 644
JO - Journal of Social Work
JF - Journal of Social Work
SN - 1468-0173
IS - 6
ER -