From system changes to workplace accommodation: rehabilitation trends in training, education, and the system of professions in Australia.

Abstract

The first part of this paper highlights the developments in rehabilitation education and training which have occurred as a result of system changes to workers' compensation and rehabilitation in Australia. Each system change has ushered in new responses to the question of what knowledge, attitudes and skills are required by rehabilitation service delivery personnel, responses which appear to trace an identifiable direction towards a greater concern for professional education. A more silent development, occurring in parallel to workers' compensation and rehabilitation changes and to directions in education and training, has been the emergence of rehabilitation counselling as a relatively new player in the rehabilitation field. The second part of this paper presents preliminary findings of a study which indicate a change in the division of labour in the rehabilitation field in Australia, reinforcing the importance of rehabilitation counselling activities.