Open AccessLegal education for social work students: Toward an interdisciplinary framework of teaching and practice
Author(s) -
Vered Ben David
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
social work and social welfare
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2591-782X
DOI - 10.25082/swsw.2021.01.004
Subject(s) - work (physics) , engineering ethics , social work , curriculum , social philosophy , legal education , sociology , social order , social change , political science , public relations , pedagogy , law , engineering , mechanical engineering , politics
Since social work practice interfaces with the law in various ways, there is a need to integrate legal studies into social work education. Currently, social work curricula leave little room for basic legal education and, furthermore, there appears to be a general negative reaction to the law among social workers. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the importance of law to social work, and discusses aspects of the law that are particularly valuable to social work education and practice. We contend that it is vital to provide social work students with basic legal education in order to promote efficient social work practice and collaboration between the law and social work. We analyze inter-connections between social work and legal disciplines and discuss the challenges and benefits derived from combining the two disciplines. Key areas of legal education that should be addressed in order to educate future effective social work practitioners are also discussed. The discussion is based on our experience in providing legal education to social work students, our belief in the importance of law to social work, and our experience in the practice of both legal and social work.