Social Europe: The Vision

Abstract

The European Community (EC) is moving towards economic, and perhaps social and political, union. Already economic policies have had an impact on the world within which social work is practised. Policies of mobility of labour and capital have implications for families, individuals and communities. Student exchanges through the ERASMUS scheme are Europeanising higher education, including social work courses. The 1988 directive on the free movement of professionals, which came into force in 1991, will speed up the process of recognition of professional qualifications in EC countries and affect the length, level and content of training courses. Most local authorities have sections dealing with ‘Europe’, and many deprived areas receive funding from the EC.