Abstract
This thesis explores academic resistance to service user involvement in social work education in three universities in the UK. The research employed qualitative interviews to investigate the perceptions of ten academic staff, registered with Social Work England and currently working as social work educators on qualifying programmes. From the starting position that negative opinions counter the majority positive narrative (from regulation, policy and much academic discourse), the interviews incorporated a range of techniques from counselling and systemic therapy to promote feelings of safety and congruent expression in the interview space. This enabled participants to share both positive and negative viewpoints. Theoretical insights were drawn upon to frame the analysis including critical pedagogy and a range of psychosocial considerations that help explain and contextualise academic thoughts, feelings and behaviours.The research uncovered that user involvement is susceptible to similar challenges that mirror those found in social work practice. Participants expressed ambiguity regarding the purpose of user involvement, unease regarding lack of resources for involvement, and repeated concern regarding previous, current and future burnout for themselves and their students. In light of increasing inequality in the UK, participants questioned the value and ethics of service user involvement when it is presented as ‘really making a difference’. Furthermore, participants reported purposefully keeping these viewpoints hidden from others, believing that they contradict the social work value base and hence their professionalism. Instead of open discussions and the sharing of perspectives, the actions of academic staff appear consistent with tokenism, emotional labour and disguised compliance. This research recommends that in the short-term social work programmes consider reflective practice groups or models of supervision that will permit these issues to be discussed openly, that service users be given transparency prior to consent to involvement and that service user involvement be revisited through problem-based learning activities in partnership with service users. In light of the apparent disconnect between the worsening quality of life for vulnerable groups, and the positive narratives underpinning user involvement this research raises questions as to whether user involvement might be reconsidered on ethical grounds.
| Date of Award | 5 Nov 2022 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Rachel Locke (Supervisor) & Amanda Lees (Supervisor) |