Social work students identities: called into question

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Social work students identities called into
question

• Fran Wiles July 2009

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Context

• Suitability processes on Social Work Degree
• Students experiences
• My research
• Interviews - narrative approach
• Analysis using critical discursive psychology
  (Edley 2001)
• Documentary analysis of discourses about
  professional regulation (e.g. reports from Care
  Standards Tribunal)

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Private life

• The most commonly breached code is 5.8 not to
  Behave in a way, in work or outside work, which
  would call into question a social workers
  suitability to work in social care services
  (GSCC 2008, p.18).
• 24 / 7 social worker (McLaughlin 2007) is
  this a good thing?
• Any right to an unrestricted social life must
  give way to the wider public interest in ensuring
  that professionals do not present a risk to
  service users (Care Standards Tribunal 2008, p.
  13)

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First experience of professional identity

• Being registered with the GSCC
• Becoming a social work student recognition in
  the workplace (OU context)
• Dealing with raw issues and making decisions
  that have an impact on peoples lives Ooh boy,
  this is for real
• Going beyond the procedures - understanding how
  it all fits together
• An evolving thing modelled on colleagues that
  Ive looked up to and adapted with confidence,
  knowledge and skills.

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Professional identity/personal identity (1)

• They merge, dont they?
• Your job is part of your identity. Im not a
  sales person. Im not after big money. Im not
  one of these on the treadmill banking types
  Im a people person
• The way I conduct myself with people and the
  image that I give to people this is the same in
  my professional life and in my personal life

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Professional identity/personal identity (2)

• Theyre separate
• My professional identity is very different to my
  personal identity. Im chaotic at home but
  extremely organised at work
• Holding back part of an identity unsure whether
  to disclose being gay to a service user who is
  also gay
• You have to have boundaries. If youre a nurse
  and somebody our in the street has a heart attack
  youd do something. But what if youre a social
  worker and you see somebody begging on the side
  of the street?

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Worries about GSCC registration

• I wondered if my past made me ineligible to be a
  social worker. Would I be perceived as a risk?
• Wouldnt like to be photographed out on a Friday
  night So yes, theres that kind of conflict for
  me
• I know we are accountable to the GSCC, but were
  not sure when we get reported. Even my manager
  didnt know if she had to report that complaint.
  I worried all over Christmas
• It could have jeopardised all kinds of things.
  Social work is my career. If I get struck off I
  havent got anything else.

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Experiencing the suitability process

• I was absolutely devastated I will never really
  forget it
• Are they going to be watching every single thing
  I do?
• A very lonely experience
• A kind of stigma
• It knocked my confidence you start to doubt
  yourself

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Meaning of professional registration

• You feel more professional
• Builds confidence to say I m expected to
  conduct myself in a certain way
• Not something you think about day to day
• Codes of practice just common sense if youre a
  decent human being, and a law abiding citizen
• Being registered as a student is not the same as
  being a registered social worker (but Ill feel
  proud when I can say Im qualified)

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What could be improved?

• We all lined up in the hall and they checked your
  documents and that was it. Next thing is I got a
  letter saying youre now registered
• We could have done with a tutorial about GSCC
  registration and the responsibilities that go
  with it
• If people arent aware of what theyve signed up
  to, are they keeping to the values?
• Id tell the GSCC dont send out letters on a
  Friday

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Some implications for social work education

• How well do we help students understand the
  responsibilities they sign up to?
• Can students develop use of self when they lack
  confidence in who they are / feel they have to
  hide parts of their identity?
• To what extent can students get things wrong as
  learners?

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References

• Care Standards Tribunal (2008a) DSH v The General
  Social Care Council accessed December 2008.
  Available at www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk
• Edley, N. (2001) Analysing Masculinity
  Interpretative Repertoires, Ideological Dilemmas
  and Subject positions in M. Wetherell, S.
  Taylor, and S.J.Yates,.(eds) Discourse as Data A
  Guide for Analysis, London, Sage in association
  with The Open University
• General Social Care Council (2002) Codes of
  Practice for Social Care Workers and Employers,
  London, General Social Care Council
• McLaughlin, K. (2007) Regulation and Risk in
  Social Work The General Social Care Council and
  the Social Care Register in Context, British
  Journal of Social Work vol. 37, no.7, pp.12631277

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Fran WilesFaculty of Health and Social CareThe
Open University

• F.Wiles_at_open.ac.uk