RTS has always believed that the professional and academic realms can and should go hand in hand. This premise has been proven throughout the journal’s history. Indeed, the current Editorial Board remains committed to continuing to work towards the goal of making RTS a meeting space for practising social workers and those engaged in university teaching.

If we deem social work to constitute a scientific discipline within the social sciences – and not merely from a professional practice perspective – we must consider research to be an inherent part of social intervention. This will help us to analyse the social reality in which we are involved, to assess and re-consider social action, to seek new perspectives and to adapt to the challenges that arise for social work. Even so, research needs the material that practical professional exercise can provide; it makes it necessary to address practical knowledge and the realities that social workers face daily in order to contribute to the growth of the profession. It therefore appears to be obvious that there is a need to build bridges between practical professional practice and academia. Professional practice needs theory and the history of our profession evidently reminds us of this.

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