A scoping review to explore what is known about black African social work students who have additional support needs in England

Abstract

This scoping review seeks to understand the knowledge and evidence which exists in literature and research to support black African social work students who have additional support needs in England. In recent years, increasing numbers of social work students from Black Asian and other Minority Ethnicities (BAME) have enrolled on social work programmes in England (Skills for Care, 2019). In this paper we attempt to understand what support mechanisms exist to enable a positive learning experience for this student group. Existing literature which explores the experiences of these students is noted. This scoping review undertakes a thematic analysis eight articles, and offers in-depth explorations of the subject. It is proposed that the evidence and knowledge generated from this review will work towards providing a provisional evidence base for supporting effective social work training and practice education for black African students who have additional support needs. Discussions on the interplay of race and racism, cultural identity and how having some additional needs impact learning experiences are analysed. Through connecting intersectionality, conclusions, and recommendations for good practice for supporting students of BAME origins as they navigate their social work training and practice education are made with a view to create new knowledge and inform practice.