Narrative Inquiry on the Professional Development of Social Workers

Abstract

There is a close interactive relationship between the professional growth and development of social workers. This study adopts a narrative research approach to explore the professional development paths and the empowerment mechanisms of social workers from their life experiences. The research findings reveal that the professional development paths of social workers exhibit diversified characteristics, mainly covering dimensions such as pre-service education (including university professional course learning), on-the-job training, professional supervision, practice reflection, and continuing education. The driving forces for their professional development are manifested as dual internal and external motivations: internal motivations include the need for self-actualization, professional interest, and professional identity; external motivations mainly stem from career development and social pressure. Based on the research findings, this study proposes constructive suggestions for the professional development of social workers from the dimensions of system improvement, ability enhancement, and career development.