Social Pedagogy and Care

Abstract

• Summary: Although social pedagogy is unfamiliar in the UK, in many European countries it is the main discipline underpinning residential care work with children and young people. Social pedagogy is about the relationship of the individual to society and a pedagogic method of working in residential care is about how to achieve the integration of disadvantaged young people into the wider society in which they live.• Findings: This article argues, using an exploratory cross-national study of social pedagogy, that pedagogic practice offers a unified, coherent and holistic approach to working in residential care. Vignette data from two countries, Denmark and Germany, are used to provide practice examples. A remarkable consensus of views about practice emerged from the tutors, practitioners and students who took part. Young people’s views were also sought, and these largely concurred with the approaches advocated by the adult informants.• Applications: Three themes are discussed which illuminate the pedagogic approach: the active vs the passive child; physical care or contact; and heart, brains and hands working in combination. Some questions for English policy, training and practice are posed.