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82: Co-creating social work curriculum
Book chapter

82: Co-creating social work curriculum

Louise Whitaker and Brenda Morris
Elgar Encyclopedia of Social Work, pp.253-255
Elgar Encyclopedias in the Social Sciences series, Edward Elgar Publishing
16/06/2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035310234.00094
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Health Publications

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Abstract

co-creation service user involvement co-production social work education
Co-production, where people who use services are equal partners and co-creators in the culture, structure, practice and review of services, enacts good design practice enabling innovation and aligns with social work values. Service user involvement (SUI), including co-creation of social work curriculum with experts by experience, is gathering momentum. In mental health, for example, by incorporating co-creation, social work educators seek to ensure students encounter diverse perspectives on mental health, including the often-marginalized voices of service users and carers, and are prepared for the opportunities and demands of contemporary mental health social work practice. This entry reviews service user involvement in social work education, outlining the nature and scope of service user involvement in social work curricula, its impact on student learning and the service user experience. Evidence is emerging that SUI in education improves social work services; however, further co-produced research is needed to discern the nature of the impact of co-creating curriculum.

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