Social Work Education, Research and Practice: Challenges and Looking Forward

In this chapter, we present a summary of key ideas expressed in this book and invite readers, social work educators, researchers, scholars, practitioners and students to deeply ponder on some of the challenges and opportunities for social work in post-COVID-19 world. By describing these challenges the social work profession faces, we provide a bird’s eye view of the possibilities and opportunities for practice in the future based on our collaborative discussions, reflections and experiences. Many factors have influenced the outcome of this book. The various kinds of social work initiatives undertaken, both, in India and Australia, especially in social work education, indicate the importance of cross-cultural learning, decoloniality and discussing the impact international collaboration can have in promoting social justice and human rights. In the context of the global challenges and disruptions presented by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we place a special emphasis on post-pandemic response, directing readers to contemplate on the kind of work that can be done in social work education, research and practice.