Social work training in Brazil: challenges for its academic-politicaland socio-professional patrimony

Abstract

The object of this paper is social work training in Brazil. It examines the repercussions of macroscopic decisions for the training of social work professionals and teachers, emphasising some of the challenges in developing a critical and theoretically consistent professional profile that is committed to universal human values and technically and politically competent. The premise is the observation that particularly in terms of university education, the Brazilian education programme has historically been subject to the imperatives of the national capital and to the immediate demands of the labour market. It is important for the range of participating subjects (professionals, teachers and students) to be aware that the fight against precariousness of professional training entails more than merely opposing current government policies. It also involves examining contemporary reality, with a critical understanding of setbacks as well as a responsible analysis of advances. There should always be a recognition of the achievements to date, which should be taken into consideration in establishing outcomes and strategies for defending the training programme.