‘She Subjected Me to Pressure from Everybody in the Team’: Aligning Black African Students' Experiences of Field Education with Social Workers’ Motivations for Becoming Practice Educators in England

This chapter discusses several themes which are important for understanding contemporary social work student and practice educator experiences in England. Drawing upon empirical data from a qualitative doctoral study undertaken in 2015 and an MSc study undertaken in 2017, the objective of this chapter is to explore social workers’ motivations to become practice educators (field instructors) in England and the extent to which these motivations align with the experiences and outcomes for Black African students studying social work in England. Specifically, the authors explore (i) giving back (ii) professional development and personal growth (iii) gatekeeping for the profession. Black African students’ experiences of racism, discrimination and over scrutiny are examined alongside the utility of critical race theory. Finally, a recommendation for an anti-racist practice learning framework is made.