Centre for Understanding Social Pedagogy (CUSP)

What is social pedagogy? 

Social pedagogy is a field of policy and practice which apply broadly educational solutions to social problems. The discipline was first named in 19th Century continental Europe where, in many countries, it is still as a vocational and analytical framework at graduate and post graduate levels. It seeks to integrate care and education through democratic practice in settings such as child and youth care, family support and services for people in later life.

Social Pedagogy provides an overarching umbrella for policy and practice applicable across the age range from early childhood services to provision for young people in care and adults with support needs. Social pedagogues work alongside other people as fellow human beings rather than claiming higher status. They see themselves as sharing the same living space with others where they build relationships through the medium of everyday activities, both mundane and creative. They often refer to Pestalozzi's notion of working with the head, hands and heart and similarly aspire to address others as feeling, thinking, physical and social beings. We believe that social pedagogy, with its ethical and critical stance, serves both society and the individual members of society. 

TCRU and CUSP (set up in 2009) have been highly influential in the development of social pedagogy as a new field for the UK. This has been achieved through national and international activities: conducting national and international research (often government funded), establishing and taking part in networks, convening seminars and conferences, providing consultancy, developing courses, supervising doctoral students and much - and diverse - publication.

Useful links

• Social Pedagogy Professional Association (SPPA) (SPPA website)
• ThemPra (support the development of a UK approach to social pedagogy)
• Jacaranda Recruitment (provides permanent candidates from Europe for Social Work and Social Care posts)
• The Therapeutic Care Journal - formerly The Children Webmag (online magazine contains regular columnists, reports of events, articles and book reviews)
• Informal Education (a wealth of information about learning, education and community)
• CYC-Net (promote and facilitate reading, learning, information sharing, discussion, networking, support and accountable practice amongst all who work with children, youth and families in difficulty)
• Social Pedagogy Development Network (platform for dialogue to connect different developments around social pedagogy in the UK)

Head of Centre

• Professor Pat Petrie, Professor in Education

Members

• Dr Claire Cameron, Reader in Education
• Professor Peter Moss, Professor of Early Childhood Provision