Artificial Intelligence (AI) in social work
Understanding the challenges and opportunities AI presents to social work.
Artificial intelligence in social work
2/4/2025 12:00:00 PM
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop quickly and is becoming increasingly prevalent in social work. We need to understand the challenges and opportunities AI presents to social workers, social work employers and social work education providers, as well as its potential impacts on public safety, public confidence and public trust in the social work profession.
Research
To support our understanding of AI, we have commissioned 2 pieces of research into the use of AI in social work education and practice. One is a literature review. The other involves direct engagement with social workers, social work employers and social work education providers. The purpose of the research is to help us understand more about (all of the following):
- the areas of Social Work England’s professional standards which may be impacted by social worker’s use of AI in their work
- the types of AI being used across health and social care in England and their application in social work practice, including the risks of bias and discrimination
- if social workers feel confident and prepared to use AI ethically and appropriately, in line with Social Work England’s professional standards, and how employers are supporting them to do this
- how social work education providers are preparing students for AI in their future work
- data protection and confidentiality when using AI with people using services and the public
Discussions with the sector
To complement our research, on Tuesday 4 February we were pleased to host an initial discussion with a broad range of sector leaders to consider the use of AI in social work. Together we discussed:
- Definitions and core concepts: What do we mean when we talk about AI and what more do we need to know about it?
- Current use of AI in social work: What is the extent and use of AI in social work practice at present?
- Opportunities: What opportunities can AI bring to a relationship-based profession?
- Risk management: What are the potential risks of AI in social work and the concerns being raised within the profession?
- Equality, diversity and inclusion: What are the ethical implications of AI, particularly regarding equality, diversity, and inclusion?
Thank you to those who joined us to share their experiences and insights. We look forward to continuing to facilitate this important conversation in the coming months.