Defining Social Work: Insights from a new study on professional identity
Welcome to 2025!
I’m thrilled to kick off the year on a high note with some exciting news—and yes, a shameless plug.
I am overjoyed to announce the publication of a new open-access, co-authored article that I just had to share with you.
Our study represents a groundbreaking exploration of professional identity within social work.
Moorhead, B., Otani, K., Bowles, W., Baginsky, M., Bell, K., Ivory, N., Mackenzie, H., & Savaya, R. (2025). Toward a Definition of Professional Identity for Social Work: Findings from a Scoping Review. British Journal of Social Work [Advance online publication]. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcae197
(You can freely download the article via the link)
Our international research team examined 25 years’ worth of peer-reviewed publications on professional identity, analysing a staggering 91 articles (#NoRegrets).
Of these, 66 studies explicitly addressed theories, definitions, or measures of professional identity, and their findings form the heart of our article.
Through our analysis, we identified four key themes that shape professional identity:
1. Professional Socialisation: Social workers develop their professional identity through lifelong relational and acculturative experiences. Education, mentorship, and professional practice are critical in shaping this evolving sense of self within the field.
2. Shared Professional Characteristics: These are the common professional attributes—values, ethics, knowledge, and skills—that a social worker, regardless of location, seeks to enact.
3. Professional Structures: Certification, professional bodies, and codes of ethics provide the external frameworks that guide social workers and distinguish the profession.
4. Feelings of Belonging and Commitment: Emotional connections to the profession, including pride, confidence, and a sense of collective identity, are essential motivators for practitioners.
We concluded that these themes offer a comprehensive and multidimensional approach to defining professional identity in social work.
You can explore our full findings and the definition of professional identity that we propose in the article, and I’d love to hear your reflections—do the insights resonate with your own experiences?
Our team views this research as a significant step in articulating what it means to be a social worker. It provides a vision for a unified yet contextually adaptable professional identity, as well as a roadmap for strengthening professional identity at multiple levels.
For educators, the findings highlight the importance of incorporating identity-focused reflection into curricula and supervision.
For professional associations, they offer a framework for standard-setting and advocacy, addressing challenges like precarious employment and the erosion of social work-specific roles.
Practitioners can also use these insights to foster a stronger sense of belonging and professional pride, enhancing resilience in a demanding field.
This study was a true collective effort, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible team: Professor Kyoko Otani, Professor Wendy Bowles, Dr Mary Baginsky, Associate Professor Karen Bell, Dr Nicola Ivory, Harper Mackenzie, and Professor Rivka Savaya.
Their expertise and dedication made this ambitious project possible, exemplifying the collaborative spirit of the social work profession.
A special shoutout goes to Harper Mackenzie, graduating soon.
Harper completed a research placement with me early last year, and thanks to her brilliant efforts, we were able to finalise this study and submit it for publication. She is a truly remarkable social worker, and our profession is fortunate to have her.
Stay tuned for more insights and updates from the Social Work Café!
Season 3 of the podcast is not far away.
Dr B
