1. Chapter 1
What is Social Work?

2. Social Welfare
Encompasses social work, public welfare, and other related programs & activities
Expenditures
Services: institutions and processes related to facing & solving social problems
History
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. Social Work
Work with individuals, families, groups, and communities struggling with problems
Underlying assumptions of social work
Restoration, provision of resources, and prevention
Current definition
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work
Focus on the wholeness of the person
Importance of family
Utilization of community resources
Supervisory process
Education program
Clinical work, group work, and community organization
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work
Professional bodies: NASW & CSWE
Relationship
Psychiatric concepts; understanding people
Social interaction, function, & malfunction
Social problems and social institutions
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work
Social workers employed in agencies
Basic aim: help clients help themselves/help community in general
Utilize fees
Service & therapy for individuals and families; prevention
Team approach
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. Social Work Careers Many jobs in the health care field
Often in child welfare & school social work
Mental health, substance abuse, & addictions
Forensic and international social work
Policy planning & management/administration
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. Sociology and Social Work
Many similarities and differences
Sociology: “the science of society”
Both interested in people, their interactions, and understanding them
Sociology: how, when, why
Social work: focus on how
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. Psychiatry and Social Work
Frequently members of the same professional team
Psychiatrist: deals with the treatment of an illness in medical model
Social worker: focus on problems and strengths in human relationships
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. Psychiatry and Social Work
Both professions work with people who have personal/social problems
Help people improve their relationships with others
Interest and sensitivity in the ability to understand and direct feelings & emotions
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. Psychiatry and Social Work
Social worker utilizes community resources
Works with family and marriage
Psychiatrist deals with the patient on a medical basis
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. Psychology and Social Work
Often members of the same professional team
Both are interested in the behavior of people and their interaction patterns
Psychology: testing and measurements
Individual attributes of people
Social worker: social functioning
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. Counseling and Social Work
Easily confused roles
School counselor
Educational psychology
Marriage counselor
Incorporates part of social work
Rehabilitation counselor
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. Social Work in the World Today
Utilized in a variety of setting, such as: psychiatric, medical, marriage, family
School, rehabilitation, corrections, public welfare, workplace, drug abuse, child welfare
Benefits of services
Expanding international social work
New & challenging opportunities
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

15. Social Work in the World Today
Increase quality of social work
Education for international social work
High demand as a profession
Likely to keep growing and expanding services
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

16. Summary People are at the core
Social work focuses on helping people through social functioning
Basic functions of social work
Shares some knowledge and skills with sociology, psychiatry, and psychology
© Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.