Service users and students at South Bank University work alongside each other to debate issues in social work policy and practice.
A class is expectantly listening to professor John MacDonough as he outlines the task to do for today's seminar. When he finishes, they split into groups to discuss the differences between social theory and practice, debate welfare reform and exchange ideas about the impact of different political parties.
However, there's a slight difference between this and any other seminar. In today's class, among the room full of students are also a handful of service users, eager to also debate these issues.
MacDonough is a senior lecturer in social work at London South Bank University, where service user involvement is championed throughout the structure of the three-year BA course: from the interview process to the relationship that the faculty maintains with alumni once they graduate.
Service users – those who receive or are eligible to receive social care services – are playing an increasing role in shaping policy and practice, with organisations such as Think Local Act Personal and Shaping Our Lives giving service users and carers a voice.
From 2002, higher education institutions were required to develop service user and carer involvement throughout the design and delivery of social work courses.
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