Genericism and Specialization: The Story since 1970

Using the first three years of the British Journal of SocialWork, 1971–74, as a starting point, this paper tracesthe difficulties which have beset the social work professionin establishing a sound coherent basis both for a generic foundationand for subsequent specializations. It examines the factorswhich have contributed to these difficulties, in education,in practice and in relation to external factors, notably political.It concludes that social work has been blown off course butthat there are hopeful indications of a new impetus to restoreand regenerate the essence of good practice.     

Social Exclusion, Inequality and Social Work

This paper sets out the environment of inequality in which social work and the poor have recently operated. It explores pragmatic and idealist arguments concerning whether or not the poor need social work. Finally, policy solutions developed in consultation with social service users and carers are suggested in relation to poverty and social exclusion. Social exclusion can be linked to relative poverty as exclusion from economic and social norms. However, there is a wider brief in our own government’s publications and those of Europe, of examining how people are excluded from actions and policies of agencies who are there to support them. This paper will retain the concepts of poverty as lack of material income, and inequality as the gap between the rich and the poor, while being aware of the policy implications for social service users and carers of the more comprehensive process of being shut out partially or fully from social, economic, political and cultural systems. The debates around social work, social exclusion and inequality that follow establish: that some of the poor do need social work; that the poverty of social service users is related to policies that have restructured welfare in Britain; that the reason for individuals approaching or being referred to social services are complex but are likely to include financial deprivation as a key contributory factor; that if the poor do need social work, advocacy is essential rather than social work being seen as concerned only with social control—taking children into care, mentally ill people into hospitals, and advising the DSS on the suitability of claimants for benefits. Finally, the discussion turns to new policy agendas on social exclusion instigated by the Labour government. What positive difference can such policies make for social service users, their carers and social workers?.     

The Impact of Criminal Conviction Disclosure on the Self-reported Offending Profile of Social Work Students

Correspondence to University of Edinburgh, School of Social and Political Studies, 31 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9JT, UK. E-mail: richard.perry{at}ed.ac.uk. Summary Data gathered at a Scottish institute of higher education between1986 and 2000 indicate a significant reduction in the scaleof self-reported offending behaviour by social work students.The change coincided with the introduction by the Central Councilfor Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) in 1989 ofa requirement that applicants for training disclose prior toadmission any criminal convictions recorded against them. Thearticle suggests that more prolific offenders have been deterredfrom applying to DipSW programmes and the social work professionneeds to take steps to create a more positive climate for therecruitment of those offenders who represent no more of a threatto users than non-offenders.     

社会工作督导反思:学习成为有效的社会工作督导老师

有效的社会工作督导老师是社会工作实习教育成败的关键,但也成为内地社会工作实习教育发展的一大瓶颈。本文从这一历史现实问题出发,综合考察了有效的社会工作督导老师的职责、角色、素质要求及其发展基要,从成为有效实习督导的发展阶段的视角,着重从承担督导职责、澄清督导目标、建立督导关系、发展督导模式以及勇于督导反思五个方面探索了如何做一名新的专业实习督导老师及其持续发展。     

'Anti-Oppressiveness': Critical Comments on a Discourse and its Context

This paper identifies and aims to explain an apparent dissonancebetween the dominance in Britain of ‘anti-oppressive’social work discourse and the socio-political context surroundingits use; a context often claimed to feature excessive regulationand control. Pursuing this, some politically radical aims associatedwith ‘anti-oppressiveness’ are spelt out, and thedifficulty of achieving these in an unconducive climate is discussed.Then, a distinction made by Robert Merton between ‘latent’and ‘manifest’ functions is used to suggest thatthe manifest radicalism of ‘anti-oppressive’ discoursecan helpfully be distinguished from some latent largely unrecognisedconsequences of its use – not consequences with politicallyradical impact, but with a social meaning congruent with a climateof control. It is concluded that the ‘success’ ofanti-oppressive discourse might well be viewed as requiringmore of the kind of critical analysis that the discourse itselfwas supposed to espouse.     

Social Work Research and Its Relevance to Practice: “The Gap Between Research and Practice Continues to be Wide”

The social work profession requires a body of scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of interventions; yet, the social work scientific community could benefit from strengthening its contribution to the profession's body of evidence. Through twenty qualitative interviews with social work professors who are employed at four-year academic institutions (referred to as “social work academics”), this study explored how academics define social work research and how they perceive research to inform practice. The data were analyzed along the six steps of thematic analysis, resulting in 13 themes and six sub-themes in relation to the definition of research activity and social work research, the extent to which research informs practice, and the barriers and facilitators to research informing practice. The findings revealed that social work continues to lack a clear definition of research and produces research that only minimally influences practice, often due to the pressure for social work academics to research and publish in support of their career trajectory within academia versus writing for practitioners. The social work profession should take action to address and further research the research-practice disconnect by establishing a clear definition and aims of social work research, and training academics in effective research-to-practice translational methods.     

Risk, Mental Disorder and Social Work Practice: A Gendered Landscape

Whilst the importance of gender for social work practice, riskand mental health has been recognized theoretically for sometime, few attempts have been made to explore this area empirically.This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study of socialwork practice in relation to mental health service users perceivedto be ‘high-risk’. Findings suggest, first, thatthe concept ‘high-risk’ was gendered because theprimary focus in social work practice was on the risks posedby male service users to others. Second, female social workersin the present study were found to have more female serviceusers from their caseloads who had been defined as ‘high-risk’compared with their male counterparts. The paper goes on toexplore this apparent congruence between female social workersand female service users and highlights how the management ofrisk could be considered gendered because it reflects a worker’s(perceived) capacity in cultural terms to ‘decode’the nature of the risks that their clients face as genderedsubjects. The paper demonstrates how the intersections betweenrisk, mental disorder and social work practice can thereforebe understood as a gendered landscape. It concludes by highlightingthe implications of these findings for social work practiceand research.     

Predicting the recipients of social work support,and its impact on emotional and behavioural problems in early childhood

This paper examines the recipients of social work support in the Millennium Cohort Study. Using panel analysis and fixed effects models, it investigates the factors that lead to the receipt of any type of social work support for individuals with young children and the effects of this support on changes in the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems in these children. We find that divorce or separation, and episodes of homelessness are two important factors that lead to the receipt of social work support. Mothers with male children are also more likely to receive social work support. However, we find no clear evidence that social work support has any effect on changes in children's emotional and behavioural problems over time. The implications of these findings for social work research and for practice and policy are discussed.     

Professional Ideologies and Preferences in Social Work: A British Study in Global Perspective

This paper comes at a time when the social work profession inthe UK is redefining its professional ideology and working practicesin the face of key government initiatives for social work educationand the regulation of practice. It seeks to contextualize and,thereby, inform these deliberations by providing a cross-nationalperspective. Indeed, the search for international perspectivesthat might advise or validate national perspectives on socialwork has become increasingly important (Midgley, 2001). Thepaper uses data from a global study (Weiss et al., forthcoming)that identifies and compares the attitudes of graduating socialworkers at the point of qualification in ten countries representinga diverse range of social, economic and cultural contexts (n= 781). Through a comparison of commonalities and differencesof professional ideologies and practice preferences across samples,the paper distinguishes particular characteristics of the socialwork profession in the UK. Whilst a claim cannot be made tobe representative, the findings present a set of empiricallybased contentions that provide information about what socialworkers are being trained for and what they prefer to do. Findingsreveal a mix of psycho-social orientation, whereby a welfareagenda was preferred—one that co-existed with the espousalof elements of a statutory social work role in terms of ideology,level of practice, choice of technologies, age and populationgroupings and practice strategies. Whilst such a mix appearedcontradictory in conceptual terms, the students appeared toreconcile the dilemma through the espousal of a particular valueposition. A key finding for policy makers and educators, however,concerns the fact that while the UK students felt willing towork through social problems in individual situations, theywere unhappy about the extent to which they were able to utilizetheir therapeutic skills in statutory social work settings.Their preference would be to work in the independent sector.     

Reflexivity, its Meanings and Relevance for Social Work: A Critical Review of the Literature

The concept of ‘reflexivity’ has become increasinglysignificant in social work literature in relation to socialwork education, theory and practice. However, our reading ofthe literature indicates that there is a lack of clarity aboutthe concept in terms of who is being exhorted to be ‘reflexive’,when and how. This article addresses these questions througha critical review of social work literature since the 1990sthat discusses the concept of ‘reflexivity’. Giventhat many authors seem to use the concepts of ‘reflexivity’and ‘(critical) reflection’ interchangeably, wealso apply this analysis to ‘reflection’ and ‘criticalreflection’. This article raises important questions abouthow the concepts of ‘reflexivity’, ‘criticalreflection’ and ‘reflectivity’ are definedand the different consequences such definitions might have forsocial work education, theory and practice.     

Using critical social theory to develop a conceptual framework for comparative social work

This paper sets out a conceptual framework for comparing and contrasting social work within nation-states and across international boundaries. The framework is "situated" theoretically within a (late)modernist understanding of events within advanced capitalism and draws primarily on Habermas' critical social theory. The authors apply this framework to explicate the development of social work in Northern Ireland, a region in which high levels of political conflict mark it out as a site of local, national and international interest. It is suggested that the ideas developed from the case study have relevance for the social professions in other countries, particularly where social conflict is in evidence.     

Applying critical social work in direct practice with families

This paper seeks to further discourse concerning the implications of critical social work for direct practice with families and children. It presents and discusses a hypothetical example of how a social worker in a social care agency in Israel can incorporate critical social work notions into an official social work report. The paper begins by presenting key concepts in critical social work, their manifestations in practice and their implications for official social work reports. It then presents a mock report informed by critical social work ideas and discusses its structure and contents. The mock report provides an example of how abstract notions central to critical social work can be actualized. The paper thus offers practitioners the opportunity for a richer discourse on the contribution of critical social work to direct practice with families and children.     

Broadening the Conceptual Lens on Language in Social Work: Difference, Diversity and English as a Global Language

Language is infused in multiple dimensions of human behaviour,and social work is essentially a language-centred activity.Yet, despite the pivotal position of language to many socialwork activities, its significance has rarely been explored interms of difference. Moreover, the linguistic diversity thatcharacterizes the local and global contexts in which many practitionersoperate has been given minimal attention in the social workliterature. In this paper, I contend that how language is conceptualizedin social work both shapes and constrains the way that practitionersperceive issues relating to linguistic diversity. The papermaps out the limitations of some of the existing conceptuallens used for viewing language in relation to the multilingualmilieu in which social work takes place. It also draws attentionto the global pre-eminence of English, the significance of bilingualismand the limitations of a monolingual frame of reference forsocial work. A case is made for augmenting the existing knowledgebase on language with a multidisciplinary approach to languagethat incorporates bilingual perspectives. Rather than providinga definitive model for understanding language, I suggest thatsuch an approach expands the conceptual landscape for exploringlanguage and difference in social work.     

Enriching the professional repertoire of social workers: locus of control as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool

This article examines the locus of control construct and its utility from a social work perspective. For an overview, the background and evolution of the locus of control concept and the characteristics of internally and externally controlled individuals are provided. How this construct is relevant to social work is treated in relation to social work functions, areas of application, as well as relevant social work treatment issues. The article concludes by examining common criticisms of the locus of control construct and argues for a formal inclusion of this concept in the education and treatment process in social work.     

Social work education: state of the art

In assessing the appropriateness of contemporary social work education to its context, the article assumes that social work practice and education must relate to its social reality. The article argues that, since the 1970s, that reality has changed in relation to the role of the welfare state, perceptions of economic growth and the independence of the state. As a result, the roles of civil society, the community and welfare personnel have changed, with implications for social work. At the same time, the earlier tendency of social work to avoid the major social issues of the day is no longer appropriate, and the article outlines five major issues needing to be addressed by social work. In conclusion, the article presents four options that social work education should, as a total profession, address, if the profession is to play the roles demanded of it by its contemporary social reality.     

Research into the hardware construction mode of social work laboratory: based on the case study of the social work laboratories in seven institutions of higher education in Beijing and Wuhan

With the development of the social work profession in China, the demand for Social Work graduates is growing. In order to meet the manpower need for social workers, various colleges and universities have set up training programmes for the social work profession, and the need for social work labs which are considered a required facility for professional social work education is also rapidly growing. However, because of the lack of adequately trained professional social workers, there is no consensus among social work academics as to how social work labs should be set up. Based on a literature review and empirical research, this paper summarises and analyses the experiences of how social work labs have been set up in Beijing and Wuhan, both in terms of hardware and software, to meet professional requirements.     

An international definition of social work for China

There are differing opinions on how far the international values and internationally understood practice of social work, as epitomised by the international definition on social work, can apply universally to all countries, notably China. The lack of capacity in the Chinese social work community to develop evidence-based and adaptable practice has hindered the effective learning and systematic 'indigenisation' of overseas social work knowledge. This article argues that the international definition can serve as an active working platform where Chinese social workers and the international social work community can search for commonalities and facilitate mutual understanding. Social workers can only effectively respond to the trends towards globalisation by trying to find out more about their common identity and similarities through interactions, while at the same time showing more acceptance of the differences between countries.     

Education for the Group Worker's Reality: The Special Qualities and World View of Those Drawn to Work with Groups

SUMMARY

Within the social work profession, one's world view, one's beliefs and values based on one's experiences, strongly influences one's practice and comfort with groups. This paper will examine some of the different ways of viewing the world held by practitioners and students in relation to the likelihood that they will be able to work effectively with groups. Such examination, and the identification of the differences among social workers that results from it has implications for both teaching and supervision in social work. These implications will be discussed and specific principles and techniques for teaching social workers, in education and in supervision, based on their world views will be described. This paper aims to enrich education for group work so that the community of social group work practitioners can grow and continue to thrive.     

Child protection social work and men's abuse of women: an Irish study

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study of the response of social workers within a community care setting, in a large Dublin suburb, to cases involving men's abuse of women. This research aims to focus on what child protection workers do regarding this abuse, and what they say about what they do, thereby giving readers a sense of the action taking place in this social work team. The data, generated from both qualitative and quantitative methodological research, reflects this aim, as it taps into the working model of responses to men's abuse of women held by social workers, and identifies what influences that, thereby reflecting the realities and constraints of everyday work. At the time the research was carried out (2000), the results confirm that the prevalence of cases involving men's abuse of women on this team was in line with international findings. This research revealed an absence of a team policy, an agreed definition of intimate violence in this context and agency practice guidelines, and illuminated how these gaps act as a deterrent to effective intervention. This paper explores some of the ethical and practical dilemmas that may arise for child protection social workers intervening in cases where the abuse of women by men is present. Recommendations arising from this research identify a need for a clear policy and best practice guidelines for social work staff in relation to this abuse.     

Group Work and Social Justice: Designing Pedagogy for Social Change

In this article the authors explore the gap between education and action in putting the social work core value of social justice into practice. Describing how their School of Social Work has taken up this challenge, the authors analyze how a new social action course helps bridge this gap and draw on student reflection on their experiences and assignments in the course to show how students concretize and interiorize the meaning of social action and social justice. Learning by doing social action through a case study, group work becomes the vehicle through which students act on social issues and work for social change.