Social Work Education in Australia: The Challenges of Neoliberalism

Abstract

Australia, similar to the rest of the world, has been affected by the changes brought
about by globalisation. While the globalisation of economies has often been the focus,
with this come new forms of exclusion, the growth of diverse populations and changing
patterns of social needs. As a consequence social workers in Australia have to confront
new issues, including increased poverty, inequality for particular groups, a changing
labour market structured by international forces and increasing numbers of individuals
and groups of workers without specific skills who are now unable to compete in a flex-
ible labour market. Linked to this, the growth of neoliberalist values and practices has
impacted on social work, resulting in an almost universal adoption of economic rational-
ism and managerialism. The influence of this on social work education and practice has
been extensive, challenging the social justice agenda of human services work and in-
troducing a corporate agenda of profit and loss and employer-driven priorities, the pro-
motion of individualism, competitiveness and a free market as the ultimate expression
of choice and freedom. This article will outline the challenges that confront social work
education in Australia in this context of change and explore the responses to these.