1

Harts, Heads and Hands for Education Crossprofessional work. A social pedagogy perspective
Interprofessional work is today a most
do in todays educational system, and
fortunately it is a reality in Denmark. With
focus on well-being, happiness, holistic
learning, empowerment, positive
experience and relationships the social
pedagogue is working in a intreprofessional
environment with specialists as:
physiotherapist, social worker, teacher,
psychologist, nurse and others for finally
working as a team to achieve their goals.

From a professional to interprofessional.

Interprofessional

education is

gaining

momentum around the world (Oandasan &

Reeves, 2005). Through interprofessional
education, members of various professions
learn, with, from and about each other to
improve collaboration and the quality of

the educational system is typically seen as

the hub of a coordinated network of service
providers who focus on prevention and
overcoming

barriers

with school readiness

that
and

interfere
academic

success for children, youth, and their

families. The call to mobilize professional
resources and political power to develop

care (Barr et al., 2005, p. 31).

new ways of working together is strong. (

Interprofessional work and collaboration

Salm, 2010).

efforts of the last decade have attempted to

promote improved outcomes for children,
youth, and families. Also Salm argues in his
study

that

the

main

propose

of

interprofessional work is to enhance health

and social care and improve educational
opportunities for children's learning and
development.

In an education setting,

Within
literature,

interprofessional collaboration
subtle

differences

emerge in what it means to work in this

way but, generally, it appears to reflect a
facilitative role that professionals assume
when they work together with families for
organizational and systems change towards
ensuring and promoting the well-being of

children,

youth,

and

their

families.

dating

back

to

the

early

1960s.

Typically, the defining characteristics

Collaboration has been enshrined in law,

of interprofessional collaboration call for a

mostly in order to prevent the exclusion of

dynamic, interactive process where there is

people with social, physical or other

genuine shared ownership for decision

disabilities and to improve the efficiency of

making, action taking, and outcomes

service

(Walsh & Park-Taylor, 2003).

education (IPE) has been required by law

delivery.

Interprofessional

since 2001 for entrants to the health

professions (including nurses, midwifes,
History and Law about interprofessional

physiotherapists

in Denmark

therapists), since 2002 to social work and

The

school is

traditionally

the

domain of teachers but the mid19th century

when the society become more complex,

and

occupational

since 2007 for school teaching and social

education. (Nielsen, Hamming 2008).
Literature

says

that

official

the reality was changed, the school has

documents in Denmark (Health Act in 1006

turned a cross-professional environment.

and Higher Education Act in 2001) are

This statement is reinforced by the

study of Nielsen and Hamming in 2008
which reveals that Denmark has a tradition
of interprofessional collaboration between
the health, social work, social pedagogy
and teaching professions in many settings,

bringing

in

collaboration

and

interprofessional groups, professions like:

teachers, social pedagogues, nurses, social
workers, physiotherapists and other similar
professions. It is already a tradition in the
educational field to attend interprofessional

working groups. IPE (Inter Professional

His emphasis was not on teaching children

Education) has topics in next fields:

ready- made answers but on educating them

1.

Pain,

involving

nurses,

occupational therapists, physiotherapists

nurses,

answers themselves . To do so, the

pedagogue has to keep three elements in

and social workers

2.

in a way that they are able to arrive at

Rehabilitation,
occupational

involving

therapists

and

physiotherapists

equilibrium head, heart and hands

(Eichsteller 2006. p 8).
Social Pedagogue in interprofessional

3. Child care, involving social

workers and social educators
4. Primary education, involving
teachers and social educators. (Ministry of
Danish Education)

context
As We have seen social pedagogy is
centred on personal an social development
of individuals, but for a for a full and
healthy development request a big team of
professionals, to attack on all fronts

The role of social pedagogue

Social

pedagogues

help

because today according to Salm (2010)

and

promote personal and social development

of all kind of social groups and according to
Davies Jones social pedagogy as being
concerned with the formation of the
personality, the acquisition of social

well-being

primary

concern

for

educational system to to improve academic

outcomes and have consequently partnered
with communities and other sectors to
mobilize human and material resources to
improve learning.

competences, moral guidance, the securing

of independence and a capacity for self

And because of all these needs all

regulation and the ability to join in the

those involved in the educational system

social, political and cultural life

have to work in a cross-professional

environment to find the best solutions to

Pedagogues

often

refer

to

themselves as working with heart, head

and hands (Cameron 2005) - concepts

develop good practice and it can offer as the

context to change ours predefined ideas.
This statement is supported by results of a

which can be traced back to the work of the

study named Social Pedagogy and Inter-

Swiss

professional

pedagogic

philosopher

Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827).

Johann

practice

(Vrouwenfelder,

Milligan, Merrell 2012) where 18 people of

different professions (pedagogues, social

workers, managers, teachers) attended a

as The Diamond Model how symbolizes

social pedagogy training, during which they

one of the most fundamental underpinning

solved tasks in a interprofessional context

principles of social pedagogy that has four

and at the end they started to understand the

core aims that are closely linked: well-

value of cross-professional working for

being and happiness, holistic learning,

development of the children and also for

relationship,

them as professionals, they learned a lot

empowerment.

from each other fact supported by the

Pedagogy).

opinion of one teacher after the training :

Social

We have a lot of similarities. We

different book. Were going into the same

direction. There were many crossovers. Its
that little thing that different focus to what
social services are looking at and what

experience

(ThemPra

pedagogy

and
Social

in

interprofessional practice

may not be singing exactly from the same

hymn sheet, its the same sheet, but a

positive

In practice social pedagogue will

adjust their knowledge turning in efficient
methods suited to the needs of the
individual or group for support this opinion
next we will present The Radisson Report
2001.

education are looking at. I found it very

valuable.

(Vrouwenfelder,

Milligan,

Merrell 2012)

of activity for the social pedagogue as

Due to the many contexts in which

one

finds

The Radisson Report lists the potential field

social

pedagogue

it

is

understandable that he would have to work

in a interprofessional environment. He will
use his skills to accomplish his aims defined

focusing upon the following:

To replace or augment the roles of

parents in nurturing young people.

To share life-space in residence,

team in school can be different depending

home, childrens home, foster home

on the specific situation. He can work on

or community.

social integration of a child or adult

To concentrate on the essential

marginalized with a social worker or

work of human relations.

developing

To work in teams.

happiness with on a person with special

To support the personal and social

needs

development of the young people.

psychologist.

To provide an education which

provides social competencies and
moral development.
To work in many settings.

To work with any presenting

mental

health

or

offending.

To view the childs situation

holistically so that problems are
seen in context. (The Raddison
Report, 2001)

well-being

and

physiotherapist

or

In the end not just the social

pedagogues but all of us with so different
when

interprofessional

problems: physical, learning, social,

emotional,

with

professions

health,

we

team

work
we

in

need

a
to

understand that What makes us strong is

our diversity, our differences, but what
pulls us together, ties us irrevocably into a
common destiny, whole and complete and
shining, are the strainings of our very
human hearts the secret wish for a
common practical magic (Wagamese,
2007).

According to Xavier the role of a

social pedagogue in a cross-professional
References
1. Boddy, J. Cameron, C. and Petrie, P. (2005) The Professional Care Worker: The Social Pedagogue in Northern
Europe in Boddy et al Care Work: Present and Future. London: Routledge
2. Eichsteller, G. (2006) Treasure Hunt - Searching for Pedagogic Ideas within Youth Work in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth (BA Dissertation)
3. Davies Jones, H. (2000) The Social Pedagogues in Western Europe some implications for inter-professional
care www.childrenuk.co.uk/chaug/aug2000/social_pedagogues.htm
4. Vrouwenfelder, E. Milligan, I. Merrell, M. (2012) Social Pedagogy and Inter-professional Practice. Evalution
of Orkney Islands Training Programme. Glasgow: CELCIS
5. Xavier U. (2015) Social Pedagogy in the UK: Theory and Practice. European Journal of Social Work
6. Social Education Trust (2001) Social pedagogy an Social Education. Known as The Radisson Report.
Manchester
7. Nielsen, A. Hamming, A. (2008) Interprofessional Education in Denmark. Esbjerg, Denmark: Jurnal of
Intrerprofessional Care

8.Trodd, L. Chivers, L. (2011) Interprofessional Working in Practice: Learning and working together of children
and families. Open University Press
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Health Education Journal
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educator and the learning context. Journal of Interprofessional Care
11. Barr, H., Koppel, I., Reeves, S., Hammick, M. & Freeth, D. (2005) Effective Interprofessional education:
argument, assumption & evidence. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing
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Research and Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
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