But, as Sarah Cooper discovers, just deciding on a definition of social pedagogy is a job in itself.

According to Claire Cameron, senior researcher at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, one of the biggest barriers to introducing European-style social pedagogy in England is defining pedagogy itself (CYP Now 5-11 December).

Getting a clear-cut explanation of what a social pedagogue is or does is no easy task. Experts at the unit describe pedagogy as "education in the broadest sense of the word" - but what does that mean?

Cameron says pedagogy, which has come to be associated with social work, is an approach where care and education meet. It is about upbringing, child-rearing, nurturing, socialisation and supporting development. Many professionals in the sector agree.

David Waxman, policy development officer at the trade union Aspect, has researched social pedagogy in other countries. "It tries to deal with a range of children's needs - both social and physical - in a single setting. It's not just about learning, it covers social factors as well," he says.

Reflective practice

David Crimmins, a trustee of the Social Education Trust, has been working with the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care (NCERCC) on two social pedagogy projects. He says relationships are an important factor in the role of a pedagogue, rather than children simply being told what to do.

"They work collaboratively in groups and it's effectively an equal relationship between the pedagogue and the person they are helping," he says. "They are committed to reflective practice and they work with the whole child, rather than elements of them. Whatever they do, it's an opportunity for growth and development."

Jonathan Stanley, NCERCC's manager, says every pedagogue brings a personal approach to their work. "There's this broad concept of social pedagogy as providing opportunities for young people," he says. "But every social pedagogue brings their individual knowledge and experience to working with a young person, and every young person brings their knowledge and experience to working with a pedagogue. There is both a common approach and the individual experiences of it."

But the best explanation comes from two German pedagogues who worked on the NCERCC project. Gabriel Eichsteller and Sylvia Holthoff say pedagogy is about building strong and positive relationships with children.

"All work is underpinned by a belief in the child, in their competence and their resourcefulness," says Eichsteller. "You use your head - including your knowledge - and try being reflective. You also use your heart - being empathetic - and you use your hands to do practical work."

Many of the activities pedagogues do with young people, such as crafts, allow both parties to develop their skills: "Activities have educational value. They give children the chance to learn about themselves and they also give you the chance to encourage children," says Eichsteller. "I did origami with a 13-year-old and neither of us had done it before. It was about being curious, challenging common perceptions and trying something new."

In contrast to the target-driven approach to children's development we see in England, pedagogues learn more about what children achieve through observation. "We learn by seeing them smile and asking them if they have achieved something," says Eichsteller.

Judith Aizlewood, deputy manager of Brookfield House in Stockport, is trained in social pedagogy practices and agrees the approach is more concerned with seeing the child happy. "I found that a lot of emphasis in my work was put on ticking boxes and no one asks if they have had fun," she explains. "Practice needs to be routed in what the child needs."

English definition needed

Stanley believes enthusiasm for social pedagogy is growing and that there are increasing numbers of pedagogues working in children's services and residential care in England, although most have been recruited from overseas.

But, he says, for pedagogy to be successful, the English need to put their own definition in place for what a social pedagogue does. "It's not a question of us simply bringing something across from Denmark or Germany," he says. "It has to be thought of within this society. If we want to have social pedagogues, we have to place them in all our children's services. It's not effective to have social pedagogues in residential care without engaging the rest of children's services in social pedagogy," he adds.

Crimmens agrees that professionals in England have to put their own stamp on social pedagogues: "It's up to the English tradition to put a definition on it," he says.

But, according to the professionals, a key factor in the introduction of social pedagogy is improving specialist training to help the workforce feel more valued. "In Denmark they had a recognised profession and recognised training and were confident in what they were doing. That gave me confidence," says Aizelwood.

Stanley says better courses must be established: "We need to rethink the NVQ and establish foundation degrees to get that common understanding."

Cameron adds: "Ideally, we want a push from the government about the validity of the social pedagogy approach."

KEY POINTS

- The white paper Care Matters describes pedagogy as a theoretical and practical framework for understanding children's upbringing, focused on building relationships through practical engagement

- The government plans to fund a pilot project, starting 2008, to evaluate social pedagogy in residential care.