Tucker, Laura, Jobling, Hannah Joy Louise orcid.org/0000-0003-3749-0990 and Webber, Martin Paul orcid.org/0000-0003-3604-1376 (2024) Multifaceted personas in context:mental health social worker perspectives on the intersection of mental health, social work and professional identity in England and Wales. European Journal of Social Work. ISSN 1369-1457
Abstract
Mental health provision in England and Wales has fluctuated between promoting social work as a valued, distinct contributor and viewing it as an adjunct to a generic workforce. Perspectives are divided on whether the profession should emphasise social work, mental health work or a cross-disciplinary blend, and definitional attempts have proved challenging, with wide variation in practice. This article explores how mental health social workers view their professional identity across practice contexts. Using a mixed-methods approach, 248 mental health social workers completed an online survey, and 30 undertook a subsequent semi-structured interview. Survey data were statistically analysed using Kruskal–Wallis H-tests to explore differences across settings. Qualitative interview data were analysed using a framework thematic approach. Participants demonstrated a strong but flexible professional identity, adopting a multifaceted, fluid sense of self that prioritised the aspect of identity most relevant to the context. Contrary to narratives of poor articulation, this was framed within a specialist knowledge- and values-based perspective that influenced practice approaches and accommodated context without requiring external validation. This fluidity suggests a need to move away from restrictive task-based definitions of social work in order to actively engage the workforce in developing professional roles that embrace this flexibility to offer holistic services.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Authors 2024 |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Social Policy and Social Work (York) The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 21 Aug 2024 08:20 |
Last Modified: | 08 Mar 2025 00:10 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1332/27551768Y2024D000000019 |
Status: | Published online |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1332/27551768Y2024D000000019 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:216318 |
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Description: Multifaceted personas in context: mental health social worker perspectives on the intersection of mental health, social work and professional identity in England and Wales
Licence: CC-BY 2.5