1. The Historical context of Social Work

2. Definitions and History
The term ‘social work’ is a collection of competing and contradictory discourses; e.g. ‘care v control’
These discourses come together at particular moments in time to frame the actions and tasks of social workers in practice
By considering the historical context of Social Welfare and Social Work we can understand the present issues in Social Welfare and Social Work

3. The Historical Context
Provision of social services in society reflect the views of those in power
Our societal Norms and Social Policy affect the way social workers relate to service users
Attitudes towards Social Welfare and Social Work show both continuity and change through time in Health, Housing, Poverty, Disadvantage

4. History of Helping
Professional ‘helping ‘dates back to the start of the 19th Century (1800’s)
Therefore there is a historical legacy to current Social Work values and practice
Since Victorian Charity Times Social Work was concerned with: the poor, the destitute and threats to social order
Charity Organised Societies - C.O.S - used ‘case work’ to work on “Social Reform & Reforming peoples character”

5. Bernard Bosanquent (1901)
Advocated this approach and wanted to bring “the social mind to order”
Case Work was developed as welfare practice to set tones for Social Work Practice
Charity Organised Societies looked at the habits of working class life and Created a group of people who cared and controlled the working class

6. Bosanquent
For Bosanquet, social work needed to be connected with education and “educational reform”
Bosanquet believed the key to social progress was the development of “individual character” .
This focus on ‘character’ rather than ‘social conditions’ brought his views into conflict with a number of other reformers of the time.

7. Deserving & Undeserving
His idea divided the poor into Good Poor & Bad Poor
“Deserving & Undeserving”
Social and personal problems were within people, it was “their own fault”
Created by life style, poor character and family
Social and personal problems were not related to:
The Nature of Capitalism
Lack of Resources
Or those in power who had authority/control

8. Helen Bosanquents
S.W was about the “Moral education & supervision of the Poor”
To minimise the costs to the state and to create social values
E.G Helen Bosanquents work on the family
“The family was a critical institution which influences & Informs character & morality”
“Problems of destitution, crime, poverty, unemployment, & alcoholism are to be found in poor & inadequate parenting especially mothering.”

9. COS & Casework
Casework took on the role of “Good Parents” & clients were like children
Since then Social work has remained a “class specific activity”
Despite radical movements & changes in the language & value base
The causes of problems are still locked into individuals, behaviour, morality & deficient family relationships. 

10. Questions Why did you enter social work?
What has poverty to do with social work
 Who were
Beveridge
Seebohm
Barcley
Griffiths
Kilbrandon
 How did these past influences effect social work practice today?

11. 1. Why did you enter social work?
Most people enter social work to help people.
To make a difference to peoples life’s
For job satisfaction.
We rarely question the legitimacy of the Social, Economic & Political systems & manner in which patterns of
Inequality & oppression
Systematically disadvantage those we work with

12. You & wider political systems
Through out history when progressive ideas moves the locus of intervention
From family or individual
To wider political systems
These were resisted & treated as dangerous by state agencies managing social work
Thus the powerful systems in society retain control over individuals and social problems
Making social work about individuals rather than social problems

13. 2. What has poverty to do with social work?
Social Workers predominantly work with Working Class / underclass / marginalised
Works with those dependent on State – or no - Benefits
Social Work & Social Welfare are Intertwined
Social Work & Community and Society are Intertwined
We work in a political System that creates and perpetuates inequalities
EG. Poverty, Race, Class & Disadvantage

14. Deserving & Undeserving Poor
So is Social Work still inadvertently controlling working classes & creating systems for deserving & undeserving poor?
Are we still concerned with social reform & reforming peoples character?
Are we involved in this consciously or unconsciously?
These questions lead back to “self awareness” and the development of your critical analytical skills

15. Lets look at the development of this through the time line
Who were
Beveridge
Seebohm
Barclay
Griffiths
Kilbrandon ?

16. TIME LINE
 Beveridge Report Developed from a report highlighting poverty & who should get assistance. Created the welfare State. 
Seebohm Report. (1968). Highlighted a need to change welfare service provisions & delivery to the public.
Kilbrandon Report Scotland. ( ) Outlined the need to have separate service for children coming before the court. Not Implemented till 1971 in the children’s Hearing System.
Barclay Report (1982) Outlined the need to Standardise Social Workers Role & Task & Education & Training.
Griffith Report. (1988) Emphasised partnership between workers service users & Carers to provide appropriate service -Community Care Act 1990.

17. 4. How did these past influences effect social work practice today?
The Beveridge Report
The most influential social policy of the 20th century formalised a plan of welfare reflecting the social policy & legislation of the day.
Created the Welfare State & Social Work departments
Concerned with Five Giants
Want, Disease, Unemployment, Poverty & Squalor.
Policy shaped around these factors providing welfare from cradle to grave for “deserving poor”

18. Beveridge Report
The report came after war when people wanted to build new society
First of its kind & based on principles of women carrying out the caring role
But he wanted women be at home & in the workplace at the same time
From this the creation of Social Work Departments & training of S.W.
1947. Eileen Younghusband Reported on the employment & training of workers
Advocated for Almoning, Child Care, Church & Community Work , Family Case Work, Mental Health Disabilities, & Probation

19. Departments for Children, Adults, Mental Health & Disabilities
Social Work was conducted by a collection of fragmented Public, Private & Charitable Agencies & Health authorities;
Fredrick Seebohm led a government report to investigate the way forward for services that were available & accessible to all

20. Fredrick Seebohm
The report resulted in integration of all Departments in Scotland
All except Probation in England (1971)
His report was presented in 1968 and he wanted to centralise services
This was the point that modern social work was created
Work centred around departments rather than individuals
It also gave social work independence; a department in it’s own right

21. Training, Education & Professional Values
This meant that as a profession social work had to consider  training and values of the profession
From this a group called CCETSW developed  
Central Council, for Education & Training of Social Work
To Look at the training of workers & Introduce Professional Standards & Values
Anti-Oppressive practice was adopted & the value base a core element of practice

22. Barclay (1982)
SW continued to be delivered in this way until Peter Barclay was commissioned to review
The Social Work Role and Task
 It came after a catalogue of child abuse tragedies & inquires
The knowledge and theory base of social work was looked at and the report concluded
 Social Work should be more community based as well as work with individuals

23. Barclay (1982)
Services should mobilise the community and involve them in participating to help themselves
Themes of self-determination emerged
But there were still themes of deserving & undeserving
Certain individuals were not worthy of help
Addict, Unemployed, Homeless, single parents

24. Griffith
Barclay’s findings were not enacted till the NHS & Community Care Act 1990
When Griffith took up these principals and followed them through
By then Social Work had begun to legitimise its practice
Developing a Knowledge base & value base
Which reflected views of who should gain the help and support

25. Griffith Cont
Therefore the creation of welfare provision & Social work provision in society is a Social & Political concept
Delivered by S.W. but controlled by those in POWER - Government
In this case Griffith sought a community care approach –to share responsibility for welfare more fully with citizens of society
The burdens of providing social care could be delivered “ Through the net work of informal relationships between people”.

26. 1988 Griffith Report Community Care Agenda for Action.
This brought about this white paper & then the Act
However Griffith found Agencies were not co-ordinated in their service delivery.
And the responsibility of different agencies was not defined to Vulnerable, Needy or Disadvantaged Groups
Thus the report recommended an inter-agency approach
This was enacted in the NHS & Community Care Act 1990
& implemented in April 1993
The Government made it clear that they expected Housing, Social Work, & Health to work together to provide a service 

27. Kilbrandon.
Looked at dealing with Young Offenders & Children in Need of Care & Protection
Children needed different care & attention from adults in the same circumstances.
Whether they were “Troubled or Troublesome”
This departed from treating children like mini adults & changed views towards children
Outcomes needed to be decided after an Assessment of individuals needs
“A Hearing Report” –would outline treatment measures based on educative principals &
‘Needs not Deeds’ were important

28. Children’s Hearing System
Dept created which had responsibilities to provide support to children
Children needing compulsory measures of care were encompassed into
Part Three of Social Work Scotland Act 1968
Then the 1995 Children Scotland Act Part 2 Section 69/70.
It took 10 Years (1971) till the Hearing System came into force.
The Kilbrandon Committee advocated for a separate Children’s Panel

29. Children’s Panel
“A lay body of people whose knowledge & experience was considered to qualify them competent to consider children’s problems”
Within their own community.
Such changes influenced social policy decisions regarding the Care & Control of
Young People throughout the country
Only in Scotland –England has Juvenile courts

30. The founders Kilbrandon 1964 Seebohm 1968 Barclay 1982 Grfiffiths 1988
All emphasise the importance of seeing the service user as a member of society and of a local community.
To them SW is not just about working with individuals but is also about communities

31. Conclusion
Social Work has many meanings depending on the views of “What the social problems are”
Social Problems & the Nature of Social Work reflect the core of our society
SW’s carry out demanding tasks with vulnerable individuals it’s a spectrum of activity from voluntary counselling to using statutory powers
The majority of services users are poor, thus poverty is the starting point of social work
Theories of poverty influence our practice as it determines who does & does not get welfare & social work services

32. Conclusion
Social work today is inseparable from social policy, legislation  and Societal values
Both political values and professional ones effect our practice with individuals
Political beliefs influence our views about the state meeting welfare needs and who - and who does not - deserves welfare
Thus ‘Social work’ is a contested concept and at any point there are competing definitions

33. Advised Reading
Social Policy for Social Workers. Robert Adams. Palgrave.
 Social work & Society (Chris Jones) -Themes issues & critical debates, Adams, Dominelli ,Payne given out in first class
 Peter Alcock-Understanding Poverty (chapter 2)
 Poverty first hand Effects of poverty (chapter 5) P Beresford.
Modern Social Work Theory M, Payne 3rd ed Palgrave- chapter 1
Understanding Social Work Practice –Chapter on The Knowledge base of social work - Thompson