Barriers to participation

Abstract

Over the last decade, continuing professional development (CPD) has come to be seen as an essential part of the professional life of social workers. Regulatory bodies have made it a condition for maintaining registration while professional associations routinely promote it among their members. Policymakers claim that CPD has the potential to increase rates of recruitment and retention, boost the flagging morale of the workforce, and improve services to clients. To meet the challenges of contemporary social work, practitioners are expected to constantly upskill. However, despite the current enthusiasm for CPD, international reports suggest that practitioners continue to face significant barriers