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18 JuLY 2008
NO 1323
European historical view
The profession is the product of the post-world war II period although it has a recognisable earlier history from the late eighteenth century. In this time it has become influential among the social professions of the E.C. The nucleus of energetic child-care and youth welfare workers who faced the daunting tasks of the late 40's and early 50's have grown in numbers, status and versatility. They have engaged new client groups, diversified their roles and skills and as a result have emerged as a widely-ranging professional force in the social sector.
This has been reflected in the professional training courses established in the Schools of Social Pedagogics and Social Work in Western Europe and occasionally in the Universities. The training normally takes 3 years with Germany requiring an additional year. The curriculum embraces a coherent theory underpinning practice which is drawn mainly from the behavioural and social sciences. There are growing numbers of text books in most languages and the beginnings of systematic research. Post-qualifying and advanced courses offer opportunities for specialist study with a strong emphasis on supervision, consultancy, management and administration. Powerful professional associations give support to training and the publication of journals. Residential child-care is safely located within this wider profession, allowing workers to look ahead with a measure of confidence. In those countries where the social pedagogue profession has not developed (the United Kingdom for example) the situation is more precarious when the majority of practitioners are still untrained and lack the support which this particular profession confers.
A surprising feature has been the more-or-less congruent way in which this profession has developed in most European countries. Despite some acknowledged differences, the broad lines of advance have been similar. F.I.C.E's. working group in the early 1980's set up to study the social pedagogues, had little difficulty in identifying the practitioners although the variety of nomenclature was bewildering at the time. In the publication that resulted (Working with Others as a Profession)(1) the common ground was clear. Apart from the general needs of post-war Europe which produced the profession in its modern form, many factors account for this. Some informal international groups played a part. A striking example was the European group of Directors of Social Pedagogical Training set up by H.C. Rasmussen in the mid fifties (a body that still exists I believe). Meeting each year members shared experiences and problems during a difficult period in the profession's development and at the same time promoted exchange and co-operation. A number of international bodies in the child-care field – F.I.C.E., I.U.C.W. (International Union of Child Welfare based in Geneva), A.I.E.J.I. (L'Association Internationale des Educateurs de Jeunes Inadaptes) – were also active in promoting the profession's interests, the Geneva group (now demised,) playing a useful part in 3rd world countries as well.
There were negative features in this professional development and some important national differences. The latter are clear when we consider how tasks in the social field are differently distributed to designated groups in member states. The resulting professional maps give different pictures. An extreme example is the United Kingdom where Social Pedagogues do not exist but where their work is undertaken by an amalgamation of other groups – social workers, youth and community workers, teachers, untrained care staff and volunteers. On a lesser scale, differences in the distribution of tasks exist between most European countries. In Denmark a notable illustration is the responsibility of Social Pedagogues to undertake the early childhood pre-school work in nurseries and kindergarten, work assigned to other groups elsewhere. This is a reminder that the profession is at different stages of development in the various member states of the E.C. and of the significance of national cultures in shaping that development. Current plans for "harmonisation" can be understood in this context.
HAYDN DAVIES JONES
Jones, Haydn Davies. (1993). The training of social pedagogues in the European community after 1992. FICE-Bulletin, 8, Spring 1993. pp. 27-28.
