An update on census data: Good news for social work?

Abstract

An analysis of 1991 Australian census data provides some good news for the social work profession, which appeared in the previous 1986 census to be in a state of decline. The situation of social workers improved during the period 1986 to 1991, in terms of numbers, ratio to population, employment in certain areas notably state government services, and a marked slowdown in the loss of men to the profession. Continued trends which have major implications for social work are the increasing proportion of women, and the far greater rate of increase in two other classifications of the community services workforce - ‘welfare para-professionals’ and ‘counsellors’. The other outcome of this analysis is evidence that the relevant census data is sufficiently valid to make meaningful comparisons between these three occupational groups. The 1991 data confirms the position of social work as a relatively small but apparently stable segment of the rapidly expanding community services workforce, and a modest contributor to its management.