Current Issues with Social Work Field Education and Ideas for Change

Field education is a significant component of social work education and might be the signature pedagogy. Yet current issues limit the quality of experience that students can receive from practicum. These issues include austerity policies, exhaustion of altruism, trends towards clinical social work and privatized human services, and a lack of student readiness. Degree granting institutions, such as universities, have long relied on altruism to run social work field education programs but austerity measures may mean that historical altruism can no longer be relied upon. The lack of compensation for practicum students and field instructors is unethical and may contribute to conflicts of interest and exploitation in practicum. This article details these present challenges in social work field education through incorporating scholarship and reflection and presents ideas for change. Enhanced orientation and stipends for practicum students and field instructors have shown preliminary promise in mitigating modern social work field education difficulties. For field education to be social work’s signature pedagogy, practicum planning and associated policies must be treated with respect and rigour, constantly scrutinized and improved upon as the field develops and changes.