ABSTRACT
This chapter aims primarily at teaching and learning practice skills for social work and welfare students in Australia and New Zealand. It explains the Integrated Framework, which has underpinned the foundation, content and theoretical approaches used throughout the text. The chapter identifies some similarities and differences between the Australian and New Zealand contexts for practising in welfare. It also identifies several debates and potential tensions related to the application of practice, and examines different theories that students may encounter in their field placements and subsequent workplaces. These tensions are flagged and discussed so they can be related to the ensuing case scenarios and exercises. The chapter also examines some of the impacts on both countries of the global sociopolitical context for practice. In this discussion, it addresses nomenclature to ensure consistent language (with reference to clients and workers) between the Australian- and New Zealand-authored chapters.
