Men in Social Work: the Double-edge

As a key actor in stimulating the debate about the employment of men as social workers in child care services, Keith Pringle offers an autobiographical account of how he came to this debate and outlines his current thinking on this issue. Arguments for the employment of more men in social work are critically discussed most notably those put forward by the European Network on Childcare Studies in the area of social psychology and on men’s violences to women are reviewed to identify evidence about men’s practices. Pringle develops his own model for addressing the issues raised by men in social work by bringing together work on anti-oppressive practice and on the critical study of men and masculinities. His concern here is to put oppressive power relations at the centre of the analysis. The final section of the chapter looks at models of anti-sexist practice that might be taken up by men social workers. It also considers strategies for enabling men’s positive contributions to the social work profession.