New publication on professional conduct in social work

What characterizes professional practice in social work? This is the question addressed by Prof. Dr. Markus Andrä, Head of the part-time Bachelor’s degree program in Social Pedagogy & Management at the University of Applied Sciences Dresden (FHD), in a recent specialist article.

The article, “Professional Attitudes in Social Work: A Journey Through a Broad Field of Concepts,” was published in CORAX, a specialist magazine for child and youth work in Saxony. In it, Prof. Dr. Markus Andrä explores different perspectives on professional attitudes and demonstrates the significance of the topic for both the education and practical work of social workers.

“A professional social work attitude requires practitioners to continuously and self-reflectively examine their own social and biographical positioning and to integrate it into a social work professional ethos.” — Prof. Dr. Markus Andrä

In this sense, studying at FHD can be understood as an invitation to undergo a second socialization and as a major opportunity for students. Through critical self-reflection on their own backgrounds, their everyday morality and personal values can develop into professional practice grounded in a professional ethos. If we do not take the time to critically examine our own background, we are not acting professionally; in most cases, we are merely acting paternalistically.

Further information about the publication, as well as a preprint of the article, can be found on Prof. Dr. Markus Andrä’s ResearchGate profile.