ABSTRACT
A coastal country in West Africa, Guinea is home to 13 million people and ranks 175 out of 189 countries on the United Nation's Human Development Index. While the majority of West African nations have a recognised social work sector, Guinea has only a small number of trained social workers. In response to the Ebola epidemic, there is increased governmental interest in developing a sector of university-educated social workers to address the complex social issues the country faces. Using data gathered through a Fulbright research grant, the authors of this case study communicate the most recent developments in professionalising social work in Guinea, and they consider them through a framework of transmission, indigenisation, and authentisation. This includes the redevelopment of a tertiary level social work training programme, a new national policy to employ social workers in the public service, and the expansion of professional social work organisations to support the creation of a professional social work sector.
