Introduction

Social work remains an occupation associated more with women than with men. Figures published in the UK in 2010 indicate that men are, indeed, numerically under-represented in both practice and training. Only 16% of the registrants for social work programmes in 2006 were men. This figure declined further in 2007, to 13%. Of the UK-registered social workers in 2009, 23% were male (GSCC, 2010).

Interest in this gender imbalance has been less concerned with equality of opportunity in employment than with exploring wider societal factors relating to why men choose social work as a career (Cree, 1996; Christie, 1998; Harlow, 2002; Holley and Young, 2005) and their potential roles within a profession where women represent the majority workforce (Scourfield, 2001; McLean, 2003; McPhail, 2004; Daniel et al, 2005; Gillingham, 2006). The literature remains largely a theoretical framework for practice but has begun to explore implications for social work education by investigating why once men have decided to apply, they are not selected for training (Perry and Cree, 2003), the likely causes and explanations for why men fail (Furness, 2011), and how they can succeed (Lloyd and Degenhardt, 2000; Cree, 2001).

Against this background, a small group of male practice educators, academics and service users involved with social work courses at Plymouth University began to notice how they differentiated their own assumptions about student motivation, capabilities and priorities as learners and potential future colleagues along gender lines. They seemed to be talking about men differently from their women colleagues. This interest in men's experience of social work education was further animated through informal contact with both individuals and small groups of male students. These encounters enabled an exchange of experience that revealed concerns and interests quite specific to our (male) gender. They encouraged us to take a more structured approach to exploring the notion of men in social work, creating space for men to meet outside of the timetabled curriculum and placements. As well as the opportunity to gather together, communicate with and relate to each other, we hoped that by creating a visible profile, wider consideration and dialogue might open up. We called this group ‘Men in Social Work’ (MiSW).