WEEK 11:

INCLUSIVE
SOCIAL WORK
PRACTICE
SOAD9102
Janine Harrison
Acknowledgement

“I am Australian” with Pitjantjatjara lyrics, ABC

Australia
Focus of Lecture
• Updates
• Fields of practice in social work and human service
organisations
• Diverse client groups/populations
• Applying an intersectional, anti-oppressive, critical social
work lens to working inclusively with diverse clients
Updates Week 12:
• 1-hour lecture, no on-campus tutorials
• Farewell get-together, 1 – 2 pm,
Humanities courtyard/Laneway coffee
caravan – share drinks/food
• Discussion forum for wrapping
up/farewells – all students
Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET)
surveys now open:
• Topic and lecturer surveys
• Link in Week 12
FIELDS OF
PRACTICE
IN HUMAN
SERVICES
 • Enormous variation
• Range of services, e.g. homelessness, health, domestic

Social work violence, aged care, refugees, child protection

• Range of practice methods, e.g. advocacy, research, case

practice management, counselling, group work, community

development, policy
• Impact of political and economic context, e.g.
contexts • Neoliberal economic system

(Dunk- • Impact of change to new Labor/Greens/Independent

government following last election – legislation,

West,
policies, funding of human services
• International differences in the nature of human services

2018) • Working with people from diverse professions and

grappling with the role of social workers within a human
service organisation
Critical reflection about organisational
contexts / fields of practice
• What are common issues faced by social workers in this setting?
• How much power do social workers have to create change in this
setting?
• What are the pressures, risks, complexities?
• What are the tensions, e.g. between different roles?
• How are service participants treated?
• How does this setting deal with rules, policies, procedures, paperwork?
• How are ethical issues/challenges managed?
DIVERSE
CLIENT
GROUPS
Why consider other
people’s diverse
identities?
• Knowing how to relate to those qualities
and conditions that are:
• Different to our own
• Outside of the groups we identify with
• Developing an understanding that
categories are not fixed, can be fluid, to
respect people’s rights to self identification
Diversity
• Broad spectrum of demographic
and philosophical differences
• Created by interactions between
people and their environment
• Consider the terms “diversity”
versus “difference”
 Critique of the concept of
“diversity”
“The concept ‘diversity’ is used in social work and social policy discourses,
sometimes critically but often less so. Indeed, in organisational settings and
organisational policies, ‘diversity’ is often used vaguely as a euphemism for ‘race’,
and also for ‘gender’ or as a surrogate for equity and social justice (Dobusch,
2017). One of the key criticisms of the usage of ‘diversity’ rather than ‘difference’
is that it does not look at systems and is not designed to look at power, privilege
and access to resources. … In social work and social policy, ‘diversity’ policies can
result in a focus on numbers of people in the workforce or accessing a service,
rather than deeper issues associated with exclusion. This can lead to strategies
that focus on individuals (like diversity ‘training’) rather than addressing
inequalities based on group membership.”
Baines et al, 2019, p. 237 – 238
 • The “other” constructed as inferior
• Reduces groups who are “othered” to
stereotypical characteristics and dehumanises
them
Othering • Affirms the legitimacy of the dominant / powerful
group
• Example of people in poverty: ‘A dividing line is
drawn between “us” and “them” and the dividing
line is imbued with negative judgements that
construct “the poor” variously as a source of
moral contamination, a threat, an undeserving
economic burden, failures in the meritocratic
race, an object of pity or even as an exotic
species to be studied.’ (Lister, 2005, in Baines et
al, 2019, p. 239).
• Remember terra nullius?
• Othering can lead to exclusion and
marginalisation
Goodwin, 2019
People can be excluded /marginalised on
the basis of: • Education
• Socio-economic background / wealth / class
• Age
• Gender
• Physical ability
• Intellectual ability
• Language
• Culture, race, ethnicity
• Country of origin
• Sexuality, gender identity
• Religion / lack of religion
• And lots more…
How do people respond to those who are
“different”?
• Fear, anxiety, insecurity • Pity
• Intolerance • Guilt and shame
• Inequality • Condescension/patronisation
• Hatred, bigotry • Paternalism
• Violence, abuse, bullying • Difference seen as a deficit
• Demonisation • Avoidance
• Domination, superiority • Justification for social
exclusion
• Indifference
• Devaluing labels, e.g.
• Ridicule “sheeple”
• What else?
Structural and systemic exclusion
• Stereotyping: Holding rigid views of how members of various groups act, regardless of whether
individual group members behave that way
• Prejudice: An attitude that judges people on their group’s real or imagined characteristics
• Discrimination: Unfair treatment of people due to their group membership
• Ethnocentrism: The belief that one’s culture and way of life are superior to those of other groups
• Cultural imperialism: Domination/influence of the cultural values and products of one society over
those of another
• Genocide: Systematic efforts to destroy minorities or particular groups
(Definitions from Furze, Savy, Brym and Lie, 2008; Benokraitis, 2010)
Prejudice and • What effect do you think prejudices and
stereotyping stereotypes could have on social workers’
practice?
• How might our use of language reflect our
assumptions and stereotypes?
• E.g. NESB (Non English speaking
background), “retarded”, “black mood”,
“blind spot”, “mental problems”,
“mankind”, “CALD”, “aboriginals”,
“cripple”, “broken home”, “junkie”,
“hobo”, “vegetable” (person with brain
injury)
• How might our stereotypes/assumptions get
in the way of seeing people’s complexities,
strengths, abilities, etc.?
Recapping our understanding of privilege

• Myth of “level playing field” and equal opportunity – some people

have more power/privilege than others
• Institutionalised benefits granted to those in power in a culture’s
institutions
• Mostly invisible and unacknowledged by its beneficiaries
Pease (2010)
• History of social work privileges white epistemologies (ways of
knowing)
Tascon, 2019
 We can pay attention to what’s “wrong” with
individuals, or we can consider barriers/obstacles in
their environment
Example: patriarchy
• What beliefs and assumptions do you
think contribute to continuing inequalities
between women and men in society?
• Is there any inherent difference between
women and men that explains/justifies
gender inequality?
• How does patriarchy impact on people
whose gender identity is non-binary, or
men?
INCLUSIVE
SOCIAL
WORK
PRACTICE
What do we mean by
“inclusive” practice?
• Being sensitive and responding appropriately to the range of vulnerable,
disadvantaged and marginalised people who come within the domain of
Social Work practice
• Influence of key frameworks:
• Critical and radical SW
• Anti-oppressive SW
• Critical reflection: being aware of how social workers might might uphold and
reproduce social structures and oppression even though they might just be
doing their job with good intentions. Critical reflection deals with this
challenge and focuses on the social worker and her unconscious assumptions
and actions as part of reinforcing and maintaining oppression. By critical
reflection, the social worker is getting knowledge and insights of how social
structures work in everyday life, and therefore becomes capable of working
against oppression and injustice (Mattson, 2014, p. 9)
Key concepts for inclusive practice
• In order to be inclusive in our social work practice, we
need first to understand inequality, social exclusion,
oppression, disadvantage and marginalisation
• Power relations
• Unearned privilege
• What can contribute to social exclusion, inequality and
marginalisation?
• Individual characteristics
• Societal factors – history, policies, politics, culture,
etc.
• Intersectionality (Kimberle Crenshaw)
 “Critical social work points out the need for a
social work practice that contributes to
equality, social justice, and social change. By
working with critical reflection using
Critical social intersectionality as a way of understanding and
analysing, it is possible for social workers to
become more aware and conscious of social
work and structures and oppression in social work and
within their own practice. By being more
intersectionality conscious of how social structures affect social
work and reinforce oppression and power
relations, it is possible for social workers to
change both the way they think and act.”
(Mattsson, 2014)
What promotes inclusive practice?
• Going beyond trying to treat everyone the same (e.g. “colour blindness”), monocultural
assumptions and stereotypes, or “cultural competence”
• Reflecting on ways we can be part of the problem
• A willingness to examine our own beliefs, assumptions and stereotypical ideas with honesty and
openness
• Primacy of the individual: What we know of the general cultural background of individuals has to
be appreciated in the context of their unique history, experiences and present circumstances. We
have to individualise the encounter and, guided by the client, sense the importance culture plays
in their lives, how gender and sexual preference, socio-economic status, age, (dis)ability,
educational background and values, personal and family history interplay in the individual’s life.
Our main source of information is the client. Whatever we know has to be verified in the client’s
life. (Mario Trinidad)
 • Valuing each individual

Inclusive • Curiosity about people’s experiences

• Empathy for the person’s frame of reference

social work • Respect

• Paying careful attention to the language we use

practice and being inclusive in our use of language

• Believing that the person is the expert in

would
defining their experience
• Working with the person using their strengths
and experiences
involve: • Advocating for and allying with people who are
most marginalised/voiceless
• Being open to our unconsciously held prejudices and
negative attitudes that will affect our work, and
being open to changes in our awareness, values,
attitudes, expectations, knowledge and skills
• Knowing the history of discrimination, oppression
and abuse of rights, including by the Social Work
profession itself
• Understanding that social work has played a role in
reproducing and perpetuating some forms of social
exclusion
• Being aware of the power relationship between
social workers and service users
• Not trying to “fix” people
• Being willing to challenge broader social injustices
Cultural competence?

• Debates/critiques around this language…

• Assumes that culture is equivalent to ethnicity and race, little attention is given to other
components of culture such as gender, class, geographic location, country of origin, or
sexual preference.
• Assumes that culture is possessed by the client or the ‘other’. It is based on
comparative measures, for example, compared against whiteness which is understood
and represented as the norm.
• Cultural competence does not incorporate self-awareness since the goal is to learn
about the other person’s culture rather than reflection on the worker’s context,
background or identity.
• How can we ever be “competent” in understanding another person’s
experience/complex identities?
 • Lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique whereby the
individual not only learns about another’s culture, but one
starts with an examination of her/his own beliefs and cultural
identities
• Critical consciousness is more than just self-awareness, but
requires one to step back to understand one’s own
assumptions, biases and values
• We must look at our own background and social environment

Cultural and how it has shaped our experience.

• Cultural influences change over time and vary depending on

humility
location. Throughout the day, many of us move between
several cultures, often without thinking about it. For example,
our home/ family culture often differs from our workplace
culture, school culture, or social group culture.
• Need for awareness of our own values and beliefs that come
from a combination of cultures in order to increase
understanding of others.
• We cannot understand the makeup and context of others’ lives
without being aware and reflective of our own background and
situation.
Metaphor
shared by
Meng Liu
(MSW
graduate)
Challenging the reproduction of
privilege from within (Pease, 2010)
• Understanding damaging effects of dominance, privilege and hierarchy
• Challenging our internalised moral superiority
• Rejecting a sense of entitlement
• Constructing a “traitorous relationship” with our “dominant subject position”
• Opposing the dominance of our own group identity – becoming a “traitor” to our own group
• Refusing to be faithful to the world views that members of privileged groups are expected to hold
• Engaging in dialogue across difference and inequality, and with people who are oppressed
• Becoming allies with oppressed groups
• Forging coalitions against oppression and privilege
• Developing models of accountability
Thank you

Questions
and
Thoughts?
References
• Baines, D., Bennett, B., Goodwin, S. and Rawsthorne, M. (Eds.) (2019) Working across difference social work, social policy
and social justice. Red Globe Press.
• Benokraitis, N.V. (2010) Sociology: Student Edition. Wadsworth/Cengage.
• Dunk-West, P. (2018) Practice learning in organisational settings (Chapter 6) How to be a social worker: a critical guide for
students (2nd ed.). Palgrave.
• Furze, B., Savy, P., Brym, R.J. and Lie, J. (2008) Sociology in Today’s World. Cengage Learning.
• Goodwin, S. (2019) Concepts, theories and the politics of difference: A discussion of select terms (Chapter 16) in Baines,
D., Bennett, B., Goodwin, S. and Rawsthorne, M. (Eds.) Working across Difference: Social Work, Social Policy and Social
Justice. Red Globe Press (textbook).
• Mattsson, T. (2014) Intersectionality as a useful tool: Anti-oppressive social work practice and critical reflection. Journal of
Women and Social Work. 29 (1): 8 - 17.
• Pease, B. (2010) Challenging the reproduction of privilege from within (chapter 9). Undoing Privilege: Unearned Advantage
in a Divided World. Zed Books.
• Tascon, S.M. (2020) Disrupting White Epistemologies (Chapter 1) in Tascon, S.M. and Ife, J. (Eds.) Disrupting Whiteness in
Social Work. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.