Self-care in social work: An imperative or beyond reach?

• Published in: The British journal of social work 2025-01
• Main Authors: Rose, Sarah, McCusker, Pearse, Mitchell, Mary, Roesch-Marsh, Autumn, Jian, Miao, Petrova, Lora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0045-3102; 1468-263X
• DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bcae204

In recent years, the self-care of social workers has become a focus for research and practice in recognition of the demands of the social work role. As part of a research project to explore ways to embed self-care into a social work degree programme at a Scottish university, a narrative literature review was undertaken to examine existing research on self-care for social work students and practitioners. This article reports on the findings from this review, including the multiplicity of ways in which self-care is defined and conceptualized, how it is practised by social work students and practitioners, and the evidence base for identified approaches to self-care. Broader conceptualizations of self-care are explored, which encompass philosophical constructions of the ‘self’ and the impact of social and cultural norms on self-identity. It is argued that a cultural shift is required in the conceptualization and practice of self-care in social work to include collective and political approaches alongside individual strategies thereby promoting the social justice and anti-oppressive aims of the social work profession. Connections between self-care and ethical practice are highlighted, and further reinforce the need for self-care to be an imperative in social work.