Research Note: Education and Training in Genetics in Social Work Programmes Across the United Kingdom

Correspondence to Rachel Iredale, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd CF37 1DL. E-mail: riredale{at}glam.ac.uk Summary Genetics is an issue which has only recently come on to theagenda, but it is one that will rapidly assume great significanceas the twenty-first century approaches. This article describesa survey of social work course directors in the UK, undertakento assess their opinions of the likely impact of the new geneticson future social work practice. The results provide baselinedata on education and training on genetics in social work programmesin the UK. Only a small proportion of colleges in the UK currentlyteach genetics, partly because of full curricula, and partlybecause genetics is not perceived to be relevant to contemporarysocial work practice. Other attitudes of social work coursedirectors to the new genetics are also described.