St Christopher’s has been helping to establish the Social Pedagogy Professional Association (SPPA), launching in early 2017 as the new professional home for social pedagogy in the UK.

Nicola Boyce, who is the Social Pedagogy Trainer at St Christopher’s, was invited to join the core group responsible for setting up the SPPA. This means that St Christopher’s has been at the forefront of national development of social pedagogy.

Nicola has been working alongside Professor Claire Cameron, the only professor of social pedagogy in the country, and Professor Pat Petrie, who has championed the development of social pedagogy for more than twenty years. Both Claire and Pat are part of the Centre for Understanding Social Pedagogy (CUSP) at University College London and make up the founding group of the SPPA along with ThemPra and Jacaranda.

As part of their new role the SPPA have produced a charter for all Social Pedagogy Practitioners and standards for all members, which can be viewed on their new website.

As the professional home for social pedagogy in the UK, SPPA will be offering continuous professional development and networking opportunities, develop and raise the profile of social pedagogy in the UK. They are also introducing Level 3 and 5 diplomas in partnership with ThemPra and Jacaranda so that people working in social care can work towards professionally-recognised qualifications in social pedagogy.

At an upcoming launch event in February 2017, directors of children’s services from local authorities and senior executives from other private and voluntary organisations will have the chance to find out more about the SPPA and mark the progress that social pedagogy has made in the UK in recent years.

Nicola said: “I am delighted to have been involved in this important first step towards establishing social pedagogy as a recognised profession with a clear identity in the UK.”

For more information on social pedagogy, visit the SPPA website.