A Reflection on Challenges to Practicum: The Neoliberal Context

Abstract

This article outlines some of the challenges facing educators, professional bodies, and tertiary
institutions in providing professional placement opportunities for students seeking to work
in the human services, primarily focusing on social work. The article reflects on how these
challenges, while not solely a function of neoliberal rationalities and the gendered nature of
placement, have been exacerbated by the marketisation of human service delivery over the past
several decades. The article reflects on the need to rethink the structure and requirements of
social work. field placement considering a rapidly changing student demographic.