Context Consider a typical image or description of an innovation in social robotics; There is always much attention paid to the newly-developed robot, to the team of researchers that has contributed to its development, and to the service user/patient/pupil/client that is interacting with the robot. Yet often, at the side or back of the picture, is the social professional (teacher, nurse, social pedagogue, occupational therapist ...) who will, in the future, work alongside the social robot. What is the impact of this innovation on their day-to-day work, their relationship with the client, with the robot, and on their own professional identity? Has their education and training even prepared them for this eventuality? How should they react? The use and potential use of artificial intelligence, decision support systems and social robotics is increasing across Europe. While the technological challenges are substantial, progress is being made in key areas and numerous prototypes and marketable products have been developed; and discussions and debates have commenced on the ethical, economic, philosophical and social challenges. While acknowledged that these technologies will be used by, or alongside, a broad range of social professionals, there has been little consideration of how this might impact on the everyday work, career development and professional identity of such professionals. Minimal consideration has been given to how these challenges can be incorporated into the education and training of such professionals, including curriculum content; pedagogy and standards. Objectives This project sought to draw on a broad range of experiences across Europe to address this deficit, and to generate tangible and useful outputs that will support innovative curriculum and pedagogical development in this field. ParticipantsThe participants are six HEIs in Ireland, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands and Denmark, a Danish local municipality and an Irish national social care organisation in the field of dementia. There is a broad span of expertise and knowledge across the consortium, in the fields of social robotics, social care, social service delivery and pedagogy, as well as in participation and management of EU projects. Description of undertaken activitiesThis project has undertaken a number of activities and produced a number of resources that have and will contribute to a broader understanding of the use of social robotics in the field of social care. Scoping reviews of existing knowledge; active workshops including a user-centred design workshop; case studies; position paper; academic articles; curriculum design and development of two (1x10; 1x20 ECTS) module descriptors; public symposia, project website. Results/impactA considered response and contribution to key European policy debates; at the local and national levels, an increased critical knowledge of the potential use of social robotics in the social care field, and how to organise/facilitate teaching, learning and development in the field. Long term benefitsA social professional workforce in Europe that is better placed to respond to the development of social robotics in the care field, with better outcomes for practitioners, service users and developers within Europe's emergent robotics industries.