social pedagogy in practice

where social pedagogues work

a perspective across many practice fields

In many countries, social pedagogues can work across all age groups, from the early years up to older age. You may find them in nurseries, schools, youth work and play settings, in foster care, residential child care and leaving care support, in family support and social work, in community development and social housing, in services for adults and children with disabilities, in psychiatric care and drug addiction treatment, in prisons and probation services, in care for older people and other practice fields for social professions.

Social pedagogy traditions can be found in many countries across Europe and, increasingly, around the globe. Whilst its origins as a paradigm can be traced back to 19th-century Germany, many of its ideas have travelled across cultural boundaries and continue to do so. The graphic below shows the practice fields in which social pedagogical approaches are found across six European countries – the UK, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic – as mapped in our Erasmus+ project.

There are distinct differences between these traditions – necessarily so, given the different cultural contexts – as well as fascinating commonalities.

a perspective, not a method

many approaches, one way of thinking

It is only logical that the practical methods in all these settings will differ, depending on the people we work with. Within the general discipline of pedagogy we can therefore distinguish various approaches. Some are named after key thinkers like Fröbel or Montessori, who created a very specific pedagogic concept for the context of their work, while others are named after the medium they use, such as play, circus, music or theatre pedagogy.

Despite these differences in approach, what unites all pedagogies is the way of thinking, the philosophy and the attitude with which these different methods are used – and this is what makes practice social pedagogical.

Social pedagogy is not a method, nor even a set of methods. As a discipline it has its own theoretical orientation to the world. An action is not social pedagogical because certain methods are used therein, but because some methods are chosen and used as a consequence of social pedagogical thought.

Juha Hämäläinen (2003)

So social pedagogy is not what we do, it is rather how we approach practice, with what attitude and aims. This also means that social pedagogy is not something we either do or don’t do – the question to ask ourselves is to what degree we are working in a social pedagogical way. In that sense, social pedagogy is an ongoing journey of learning and development, not just for the people we work with but also for ourselves.

why it matters

what a social pedagogical perspective brings

Education and social care increasingly operate in complex, uncertain conditions – shaped by austerity, social inequality and rapid social change. Social pedagogy offers an integrative theoretical and ethical framework for responding to that complexity through professional curiosity, meaningful dialogue with the people we support, recognition of their expertise and constant reflection on our own assumptions. Across the traditions we have explored with our European partners, seven qualities stand out.

practice examples

social pedagogy in action across europe

Social pedagogy looks different in every context – but when we place relationships at the heart of practice and facilitate learning, well-being and belonging, the benefits can be powerful. These examples, drawn from our Insight Report, show how practitioners in six countries have developed creative responses to the challenges they encounter.

learn from practice

many more practice examples

your journey

bringing it into your practice

Wherever you work, there are ways to deepen the social pedagogical quality of your practice. These are good places to start.