Rural Social Work: Moving Forward
This paper discusses issues relating to the practice of front-line practitioners in rural social work. It identifies issues such as centralised decision-making, living and working in the community, establishing an identity and competitive tendering. It briefly addresses these well-known issues and discusses some potential approaches including working with informal networks and the leadership role of social workers in social development to create change within their communities. One such initiative in rural South Australia is discussed and demonstrates how rural social work is moving forward and overcoming barriers that were previously perceived as stopping its development.