Developing carers' contributions to social work training

Including informal carers within social work training programmes is generally regarded positively. Such approval is aligned with the view that users of welfare services possess valuable, even unique perspectives relevant to professional education and training. This article identifies three models incorporating the experience of carers into social work training and draws attention to aspects of good practice. It questions whether the extension of training in this area adequately addresses the problematic positions of carers' diverse circumstances since they do not fit into simple analyses of social constructionism or oppression.