The struggle for social work professional identity in contemporary Zimbabwe: A study on abuse of the social work title

Abstract

This study explores one of the key factors influencing the struggle for social work professional identity, enunciating the impact of the effectiveness of the Council of Social Workers of Zimbabwe (CSW) in regulation of social work. This article, as such, focuses on abuse of the social work title in Zimbabwe’s government departments. It examines how non-social workers abuse the title, together with related effects and possible interventions. The researchers used a qualitative approach and employed a phenomenological design. Participants were recruited through snowballing and the researchers reached data saturation after 17 semi-structured telephone interviews. The collected data were analysed through thematic analysis. Findings of the study reflect that government departments employ non-social workers as medical social workers and probation officers, and this generally affects proper service delivery and the social work profession in particular. The study further established that the CSW has to ensure the recruitment of qualified social workers and rigorous monitoring of – and improved collaboration with – government departments. The researchers then suggested that if the CSW is to make future changes in protecting the social work profession in Zimbabwe, it should, inter alia, review its current legislative framework and draw lessons of best practices from other countries.