Professionalism and Ethics for SEND Practitioners

Chapter Objectives

• To review traditional and contemporary conceptions of professionalism.
• To explore professional knowledge and identities and consider implications for SEND professionals.
• To introduce professional ethics and professional codes of practice.
• To offer an alternative view of understanding conflict and uncertainty that may arise in professional practice.

Conventional and Contemporary Conceptions of Professionalism

Conventional conceptions of professionalism expect professionals to be evidencing specialist knowledge and experience, with the relevant profession itself being responsible for the training and for setting appropriate standards of competence. After a time of dedicated training and alongside continuous professional development (CPD) professionals enjoy a fair degree of autonomy in the daily pursuit of their professional practice. Self-regulation of the profession through codes of conduct and ...