ABSTRACT
Social work is identified as a caring profession, and the roles undertaken by social workers are often framed in the language of care. The caring aspect of our relationship with the people we work with is explicit and visible in these framings of our profession and our work. The vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness and their need for care is well-documented in the literature of a range of disciplines, including social work. Less frequently, the initiative, creativity and care demonstrated by communities of homeless people in particular locations are brought to attention. This chapter draws on personal experiences of social work and care with a group of people experiencing homelessness in an inner city area in Australia. It also documents a journey that led me to question my notions of professional care and to seek a way of bringing together social work’s concern for social justice with an ethic of care. The chapter begins with an overview of the context in which I consider demonstrations of care, and its significance for understanding and practicing caring roles. Using demonstrations of care from practice, the chapter then challenges expert and professional discourses of care. From personal practice and reflection, the chapter moves to reviewing social work as a ‘caring’ profession and concludes by considering the implications for critical social work practice.
