Continuing professional development (CPD) has become a defining issue in twenty-first century social work. There is widespread consensus in favour of CPD. But what is it? Are there discernible international trends? What are the barriers to participating in CPD? What do social workers think about and want from CPD? This book seeks to answer these questions. Based on a survey and interviews with social work practitioners, CPD in social work offers a unique insight into the possibilities and challenges of CPD and the issues it presents for newly qualified and experienced social workers in practice. Combining the perspectives of social workers and their managers with international research, assures its global appeal. It offers possible directions for the future of post qualifying social work education, making it essential reading for practitioners, educators, managers and policy-makers.

Carmel Halton is Director of Practice and Director of Master of Social Work Programme at University College Cork.

Fred Powell is Dean of Social Science and Professor of Social Policy at University College Cork.

Margaret Scanlon is a post-doctoral researcher in the School of Applied Social Studies at University College Cork.

CPD: the International Context;

Contemporary Debates in Social Work Education;

CPD: a national study;

Barriers to Participation;

Supervision;

Learning and Reflection;

Thinking and acting;

Conclusion: challenges and futurescapes.