An international definition of social work for China

Abstract

There are differing opinions on how far the international values and internationally understood practice of social work, as epitomised by the international definition on social work, can apply universally to all countries, notably China. The lack of capacity in the Chinese social work community to develop evidence-based and adaptable practice has hindered the effective learning and systematic 'indigenisation' of overseas social work knowledge. This article argues that the international definition can serve as an active working platform where Chinese social workers and the international social work community can search for commonalities and facilitate mutual understanding. Social workers can only effectively respond to the trends towards globalisation by trying to find out more about their common identity and similarities through interactions, while at the same time showing more acceptance of the differences between countries. © 2007 The Author(s) Journal compilation © 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.