Curriculum Guide – Interprofessional and inter-agency collaboration

Effective inter-professional working is an essential component of good social work practice. To achieve effective outcomes in their work with service users and carers, social workers need to be confident in their communication with other professionals. In order to work with other professionals, work and promote collaborative practice, students will need support to develop interprofessional skills that build upon their core knowledge, communication skills, ethics and values. It is important to acknowledge that collaborative skills, knowledge and values are not inherent or automatically acquired – students need to be actively encouraged and supported to develop this aspect of their practice.