This PPT has information about the Social work Practices in Australian context.

1. SOCIAL WORK PRACTICES IN
AUSTRALIA
Presented by
Sapna

2. AUSTRALIA AS A COUNTRY
• Australia is a multicultural country
• Smallest populated country roughly 22.5 million people
• Economically doing well (this country has counted as fifth highest Gross
Domestic Product, in the world.
• Socially second in the Human Development Index of the United Nations.
• less poverty rates.

3. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
• There are two phase in Australian social work research area:
• 1. Colonial settlement period (before 1900’s)
• Very less research evidence found
• Focus on deserving and non deserving person
• 2. Federation period and beyond: 1901-1980s
• The birth of SW as a profession in Australia and introduction of SW education in Sydney and Melbourne in 1929
• The first doctoral program were developed five year before even basic social work education was introduced.
• Medical SWs (Almoner) appointed in the Melbourne hospital in 1920 after this 8 more medical SW’S appointed in 1935.
• Due to shortage of professional SW, less interests shown towards SW research as well as workload on professionals SW’s
was very high.
• The first Australian association for social work (AASW) was established in 1950’s
• Social work education had been heavily influenced by the US with many of the early social workers gaining their education at
US universities (Norma Parker, the first President of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and first Professor
of Social Work was educated at the Catholic University of America in 1927-8 )

4. CONT…
• By the early 1970s, social work education was located in only six tertiary institutions. The programs were
small and the graduates, mainly women, tended to be in the workforce for short periods of time.
• Less job opportunities given in the research field but opened more job opportunities for social workers in
1960’s
• many researches was canceled due to wrong of choice of research design or researches conducted by
unprofessional
• 1980’s and beyond
• Influence of economic rationalism
• Welfare reformed was focused on such area which was not part of welfare in wage earner welfare state like
employment and work related families got benefited.
• Welfare priorities
• The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987 focused on five primary areas of welfare: Aged care,
child care, disability, housing, and child welfare.

5. MAJOR MILESTONES
• school of SW increased to 20 schools and per year 1000 out 3500 students started getting reward
of bachelor’s degree.
• It has become second largest part of the service industry with the employment of 400,00 workers.
And 14000 individuals with degree are currently in the workforce.
• Federal Government started providing the majority of funds for student education.
• Australia became one of the three top designation for international students after US and UK
• Approx. 75,000 international students and 6 lac. Local Students enrolled in SW during 1990.
• 4 year Undergraduate degree and master degree curriculum was formulated.
• in Australia, most social workers are employed by Federal or State rather than local government,
mostly in the health and community services sector.

6. RESEARCH TRENDS IN SW

7. REFERENCES
• Mel Gray (2011). The changing face of social welfare and social work in Australia. The
University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Page-2
• Beth R. Crisp (2000). A history of Australian social work practice research. Sage
publications. Pages: 181-190.
• Peter J. Camilleri (2005) Social work education in Australia: at the " crossroads “. University
of Wollongong Australia.