Regulating for quality social work education: Who owns the curriculum?

Abstract

This chapter considers the role of the regulation of social work education programmes and the tensions arising over ownership of the curriculum between higher education institutions, professional bodies and other stakeholder interests. It discusses the search for quality, reviewing the priorities and concerns of various stakeholders in the social work education debate. The chapter illustrates the contested nature of the curriculum and asks deep questions of leadership in managing such competing priorities. It considers three approaches to the accreditation of social work education and discusses ways of building and recognising the essential partnership that needs to be established between accreditation authorities, higher education providers and others stakeholders in the design of the curriculum.