The British Association of Social Workers Northern Ireland (BASW NI) is participating in an exciting research study exploring social workers’ sense of professional identity across the island of Ireland.
Speaking about the research, BASW NI National Director, Carolyn Ewart said; “Social workers perform a vital function in assisting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. It is a diverse role covering many areas. For example, social workers support older people, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems and children at risk of abuse and neglect to name a few. This diversity is a key strength of our profession, yet it can also lead to social workers feeling isolated, diminishing their sense of professional identity and belonging.
“In conducting this research we aim to highlight what contributes to social workers’ sense of professional identity as well as the issues which impact negatively on their identity.”
The all-island study, the largest of its kind, is being conducted by BASW NI in partnership with its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW), and the social work regulators north and south of the border—the Northern Ireland Social Care Council and Coru. The research is being carried out via an online questionnaire which is open to all registered social workers in Ireland and all responses are anonymous.
Ms Ewart finished by saying “Every social worker will be emailed a link to the survey by their regulator and I encourage all my colleagues to take part to tell us how they view their professional identity. The information we collect will be central to our work as we represent and strengthen the social work profession.”