Development of research on social work practice in mainland China: Context, challenges, and opportunities

Research on social work practice is essential for developing an indigenized base of knowledge. In China, while social work education has grown rapidly, much of what is taught – and many social work priorities in research and practice – is influenced by rapidly changing national government policies. This policy environment creates both opportunities and challenges to building an infrastructure to support research on social work practice. This article reviews the context and challenges related to developing research on social work practice in mainland China, and the important role for social work education to support this development.