Deprofessionalizing Social Work: Anti-Oppressive Practice, Competencies and Postmodernism

Social Work is in a state of flux. One of the key factors impacting on the direction it is currently taking is market forces. This article argues that the globalization of the economy and the internationalization of the state are affecting social work education and practice in Britain through the competency-based approach being promoted by CCETSW and the government. This is leading to the demise of the autonomous, reflective practitioner, creating instead, a fragmented, deprofessionalized senice that is poorly placed to meet the requirements of anti-oppressive practice.