Understanding Social Work: A Matter of Interpretation?

Correspondence to University of Exeter, Department of Sociology, Amory Building, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ. Summary In undertaking a piece of research, one can expect to encounterintellectual puzzles along the way. Here, the story is recountedof one particular puzzle that arose when examining learningprocesses in social work. An extract from a research interviewis presented and the learning represented by the social worker'sactivity and opinions is interpreted in three distinctive ways,drawing on perspectives in sociology, education and feminism.Consideration turns to the process of interpretation itselfand recent ideas encountered through literary theory are invokedas a means towards appreciating interpretive practice. In sofar as both social workers and researchers consider themselvesengaged with the issues multiple interpretations pose, it issuggested that this brand of literary theory may be of valuethrough its illumination of the construction and deconstructionof understandings.     

Dip.S.W. Students and Anti-Discriminatory Practice: Questions of Learning Outcomes and Assessment

Correspondence to Elizabeth L. Sullivan, School of Health and Community Studies, De Montfort University, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes MK7 6HP, UK. E-mail: esulliva{at}dmu.ac.uk Summary There is great public interest in issues of discrimination andprejudice and, while this interest leads to changes in publicand professional behaviour and sometimes to legislative changes,it is not at all apparent that these changes achieve the statedintention, which is to eliminate negative and oppressive discrimination.It is argued that current methods of education for anti-discriminatorypractice, while successful in terms of imparting understandingand competence in relation to structural and societal issuessuch as racism, power and inequality, may be less successfulat the individual level of personal attitudes. An argument isput forward which suggests that anti-discriminatory practice(ADP) education may sometimes result in hidden or unrecognized,unmeasured, and possibly unwanted learning outcomes. This isdiscussed in relation to social work education, and two possibleunforeseen outcomes are proposed: first, the individual mayshift the focus of prejudice from one subject to another, secondly,the individual may unrealistically interpret their attitudesas anti-discriminatory, despite evidence to the contrary. Inaddition, it is suggested that social workers may hold conflictingdiscriminatory attitudes towards a single subject, dependingon whether they see themselves, at that time, as an individualor as a professional.     

Attitudes, Stereotypes and Anti-Discriminatory Education: Developing Themes from Sullivan

Correspondence to Richard Pugh NEWI, Plas Coch Campus. Mold Road, Wrexham LL11 2AW, Wales, UK. Summary This paper acknowledges the importance of the issues that Sullivan(1998) raises, but questions assumptions made about the natureof anti-discriminatory practice and is critical of the way inwhich shifts in attitudes are interpreted as evidence of furtherproblematic discrimination. It suggests alternative interpretationsfor Sullivan's examples, and questions the conceptions of attitudesand the model of self presented in Sullivan's account of attitudechange. The paper considers stereotyping as a cognitive processand whether it is an inevitable, or invariable, phenomenon.It reviews the nature and goals of anti-discriminatory education,contending that discrimination arises not from the holding ofstrong attitudes perse, but from the nature of, and the consequencesthat follow from, particular attitudes. Finally, it makes recommendationsfor educators and provides suggestions for further developmentof the anti-discriminatory perspective.     

Discourses of Child Protection and Child Welfare

Correspondence to Gordon Jack, University of Exeter, Department of Social Work and Probation Studies, Amory Building, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ Summary The history and dominance of the discourse of child protectionand its influence over social work practice with children andfamilies is discussed in the light of recent research into theoperation of child protection systems in the UK and elsewhere.The often negative effects of current approaches on professionals,parents, and, particularly, children are highlighted. The issuesof confidentiality and empowerment appear to be of central importancefor current debates about the welfare of children and youngpeople. Three strategies for change are outlined and discussed. It isargued that a fundamental challenge to the child protectiondiscourse is required. Parallels are drawn with the changeswhich occurred in attitudes and responses towards football supporters,following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. The dangers and shortcomings of the present reliance on a diseasemodel of ‘abuse’, with its focus on individual pathology,are analysed. Support is provided for the development of a newdiscourse, which acknowledges the social contexts within whichallegations of ‘abuse’ arise, and without whichsocial work will continue to be restricted to a procedurallydominated conservative orientation to child welfare.     

The Victorian Ethical Foundations of Social Work in England--Continuity and Contradiction

Correspondence to Bill Forsythe, Dean of Academic Partnerships, 261, Northcote House, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QJ, UK. E-mail: W.J.Forsythe{at}exeter.ac.uk Summary In this article we argue that during the Victorian era certainethical foundations of best practice were identified and werecentral to the work of particular individuals. We also arguethat there was a strongly discriminatory moralistic basis tosocial policy and mainstream charitable intervention that militatedagainst these ethical foundations. We suggest that this contradictionis replicated in New Labour's ‘Third Way’ and thatwe need to heed the tradition of social inclusion espoused bysome of the Victorian practitioners discussed if we genuinelymean to put into practice the ideas of social worth and communityespoused by New Labour rather than return to the Victorian distinctionbetween the ‘respectable’ or ‘deserving’poor and the ‘pauper’.     

Practice Teaching Guidelines for Learning Ethnically Sensitive, Anti-Discriminatory Practice: A Canadian Application

Correspondence to Gayla Rogers, Faculty of Social Work, The University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB Canada, T2N 1N4. Summary Canadian social work educators, in recognizing the importanceof preparing students for anti-oppressive practice, can lookto developments in the United Kingdom for direction and guidance.Recent changes to education policy statements in Canada haveincluded the requirement that social work students graduatewith the knowledge, values and skills to be ethnically sensitivepractitioners. The Canadian equivalent to practice teaching,the field practicum, is an ideal venue to learn about multi-culturaldifferences, oppression, and how to combat institutional andindividual racism, sexism and ethnocentrism. However, such learningmust be explicitly and purposely developed. Thus, guidelineshave been suggested to promote the establishment of an ethnicallysensitive, anti-discriminatory practice teaching process. This paper discusses how concepts and practices derived in Britaincan be applied in a Canadian context to help course instructors,tutors, practice teachers and students build effective learningexperiences for the multi-cultural realities and struggles oftoday. These guidelines can be used by both Canadian and Britishsocial work courses and include questions to be raised at keypoints throughout the practice teaching process to ensure thefocus and attention to ethnically sensitive, anti-discriminatorypractice is maintained. The guidelines were derived from a synthesisof British concepts and practices combined with a review ofselected North American and British literature and the experiencesof two practice teaching projects in one social work coursein Canada. The projects involved practice teaching placementswith a community development project that had a multi-culturaland multi-racial focus and the experience of a native studiesconcentration with a practice teaching component. From a Canadianperspective this combination facilitates a step forward andprovides a framework which has a timely practical application.     

Social Work and Child Mental Health: Psychosocial Principles in Community Practice

Correspondence to Steven Walker, Senior Lecturer, School of Community Health and Social Studies, Anglia Polytechnic University, 2nd Floor, Ashby House, Brook Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1SQ, UK. E-mail: s.walker{at}apu.ac.uk Summary The increased prevalence, complexity and earlier onset of childand adolescent mental health difficulties, has prompted governmentinitiatives to reconfigure current provision for this clientgroup, their parents and the carers who try to support them.Social workers have an important part to play in respondingto the needs of these individual children and families. A residual,care management role is not adequate in these circumstances.This paper describes the development of social work in childand adolescent mental health, and suggests that a synthesisof psychosocial principles and community practice, offers theoptimum social work model of assessment and intervention. Sucha model embraces the most useful aspects of psychodynamic theoryin the context of practice consistent with anti-discriminatory,children's rights and partnership principles.     

Tracing the contours of postmodern social work

Summary Postmodern ideas and the ferment of debate generated by themcontinue to influence and challenge social work policy and practice.Recent discourses within the social science literature haverarely acknowledged earlier contributions concerning the developmentof social work in the context of the debate between modernistand postmodernist epistemology. This paper examines some ofthe links between earlier and more contemporary ideas, and inso doing highlights their complementary nature and the potentialcontributions they offer to the shape and texture of socialwork in the future as it seeks to define itself in a postmodernworld. Examining these debates in this way enables them to beperceived as helpful resources for social workers to draw upon,rather than choices from which to exclude. It is therefore possibleto begin to map the contours of changing practice as it evolveswhilst understanding something of its origins, traditions andconnections. This paper concludes by recommending a broaderintellectual panorama and less allegiance to opposing theoreticalpositions by social work policy makers and practitioners whofeel constrained to choose between either postmodernist or modernistepistemology.     

The Protective Environment of Children: Towards a framework for anti-oppressive, cross-cultural and cross national understanding

Correspondence to Department of Social Work, School of Applied Social Studies, University of Bristol, 8 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1TN. Summary The article explores the strengths and limitations of existingcross-cultural, cross-national and anti-discriminatory theoryand research in the child protection field. The way in whichstructural, cultural, personal and inter-personal factors combineto create the child's protective environment is analysed anda framework for an integrated approach to anti-oppressive understandingand practice is suggested. The framework identifies four factorswhose impact at national, community and family levels needsparticular consideration. These factors are the value attachedto children, the status of women and carers, the social interconnectednessof children and carers, and the extent and quality of the protectivesafety nets available. Examples are provided to illustrate theframework's usefulness in practice. It is argued that childprotection theory and practice in Britain needs to take moreaccount of collective and community-based approaches if anti-oppressiveand user-empowering practice is to be achieved.     

Allocating Blame in Social Work

Correspondence to Geraldine Macdonald, Applied Social Studies, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Egham Hill, Surrey TW20 OEX. Summary This article takes issue with those who assume that the responsibilityfor bad outcomes in social work, such as child deaths, is appropriatelylaid at the feet of individual workers. It examines the philosophicalorigins of such arguments, some recent applications within socialwork literature and their appropriateness to the realities ofsocial work practice. The author argues that a morality of socialwork must recognize the social and organizational context inwhich it occurs.     

Strange Meeting: Marxism, Psychoanalysis and Social Work

Summary It is suggested that the polarity between Marxism and psychoanalysisis one factor hindering the development of social work's professionalidentity. The first section of the article suggests ways inwhich a dialogue between the two perspectives might be established.In the second section such a dialogue is applied to a numberof central concepts in social work theory and practice.     

Social Workers: Their Role and Tasks (1982)

Summary This article reviews the Barclay Report It explores, Inter alia,the Committee's views on matters such as client rights and communitysocial work. It also considers some of the implications of theReport for policy and practice in the light of the purposeswhich may be served by government sponsored committees of thiskind.     

The Cultural Mediator: Bridging the Gap Between a Non-Western Community and Professional Social Work Practice

Summary This paper analyses a demonstration project that enabled socialworkers to practise effectively in their home community (a Bedouin-Arabcity in the Negev, Israel) where gender relations are patriarchaland the interface of social work and cultural practices hadpreviously impeded professional functioning. Collaborative workwith cultural mediators, individuals with high social statusand knowledge of community traditions, rendered interventionsmore culturally appropriate, bridged gaps between the culturaland professional canons, and promoted social work's role ina society that had a limited understanding of, and experiencewith, the profession. Future social work practice and researchcould focus on further enhancing women's choice making opportunitiesin this patriarchal culture.     

Emancipatory Social Work? Opportunity or Oxymoron

Correspondence to Department of Social Work, Exeter University, St Luke’s Campus, Heavitee Rd., Exeter EX1 2LU. E-mail: w.j.o.jordan{at}exeter.ac.uk Summary This paper explores the extent to which social work can be saidto have espoused a consistent and distinctive set of principlesand values, particularly against the background of adaptationto the changing ideological agendas of government over the past25 years. Against the context of globalization, it traces aquickening pace of individual rather than collective progressas the touchstone of public policy, with an increasing relianceon coercive measures to discipline those who fail to make thenecessary or successful efforts on their own behalf. Socialwork's roots in nineteenthcentury individualism leaves it particularlyvulnerable to co-option into this agenda but, the paper argues,approaches which pay lip-service to autonomy, choice and empowerment,which actually deal in rationing, risk assessment and enforcement,will end in frustration and failure. A way forward exists ina renewed emphasis upon the social dimension of problems andtheir resolution, together with a re-investment by social workersin the notions of membership, mutuality and democratic solidaritythrough which individual well-being can be negotiated.     

Social Networks and Social Service Workers

Correspondence to Peter Sharkey, School of Law, Social Work and Social Policy, Liverpool Polytechnic, 98 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5UZ. Summary ‘Networks’ is a word often used in the discussionof social work practice and within social services departments.It was a word which was central to the Barclay Report (1982)and important within the more recently published Griffiths Report(1988) on community care. It is a word also known to sociologistsand anthropologists through the development of ‘networkanalysis’. There is, however, a fairly wide gap betweenits use within social work and its use within social science.This article tries to explore this gap and the ways in whichsocial science ideas might have some use and relevance to socialservice workers. It does this by using some illustrative datafrom a study done of the personal networks of thirty elderlypeople who were all clients of a social service district office.     

Informal Welfare, Social Work and the Sociology of Welfare

Summary This article seeks to inject some important but neglected considerationsinto discussions about the nature of informal welfare and thenotice social workers should take of it. Following a sketchof how both sociology and social policy have regarded informalwelfare, it is argued that a sociology of welfare which is sensitiveto the definitions held by participants indicates that socialworkers would be wise to seek to ‘tap’ informalwelfare very cautiously. It is also argued that such sociologyneeds to be accorded a more prominent place in social work trainingcourses.     

An Interview: Constructing Reality

Summary This paper is concerned with the relevance of interactionistperspectives in sociology to social work practice. Crucial tothese perspectives are the ‘meanings’ that peoplegive to situations and the ways they interpret actions. Basically,they are grounded on the assumption that there is no such thingas a single social reality. There are many different constructionswhich depend on the identities of the different people involvedand on the context in which they occur. The paper is based ontape recorded excerpts from an interview between a client, MrsSmith, and a social worker, from a discussion about some aspectsof that interview between the social worker and the writer,and from a discussion about the case between the team leaderand the writer. This material suggests different interpretationsof the situation, information gained in the discussion withthe social worker providing new ideas about the original interview.The views of the different people involved indicate that itis helpful to take into account the organizational context ofthe interviews. It is also suggested that conceiving of interviewsas ways of constructing reality has implications for the studyof social work practice.     

Reflections on Gender, Knowledge and Values in Social Work

Summary This paper is a discussion of the application of social workknowledge and values in practice. It draws on ethnographic researchin a child-care team in the UK which set out to explore theconstruction of clients as gendered. It is argued that socialworkers' accounts of practice reveal tensions between an emphasison clients as individuals and an emphasis on social collectivity.These tensions could be seen as inherent in social work knowledgeand values. There are various implications of these tensionsbetween the individual and the social, but there is a particularfocus in the paper on the implications for questions of gender.It concludes with some ideas for a theory for practice thatwould better equip social workers for the complex task of negotiatingthe gender tensions raised in the paper.     

Men and Anti-Sexism

Correspondence to Dr Neil Thompson, 1, Worcester Road, Bangor on Dee, Wrexham, Clwyd, LL13 0JB. Summary This paper explores the negative impact of sexism on both womenand men and considers what active part men can play in challengingand undermining sexism. The costs of living and working in apatriarchal society are outlined, and related to the differingexperiences of women and men. It is argued that, although womenclearly bear the brunt of sexism, gender stereotyping is notwithout significant costs for men. This leads us into an exploration of possible anti-sexist strategiesthat men can promote and implement as part of the developmentof anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice. The aimis not for men to ‘colonize’ or take over the struggleto achieve emancipation from oppressive gender norms. Rather,it is for men to play a part in the collective struggle to removethe inhumanity of patriarchal social relations. The paper is grounded within a professional value base premissedon a commitment to combating discrimination and oppression,and within a theory base informed by existentialist philosophy(Thompson, 1992a).     

Working with Parental Substance Misuse: Dilemmas for Practice

Correspondence to Dr Brynna Kroll, Department of Social Work, University of Exeter, Richards Building, St. Luke’s Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK. E-mail: brynna.kroll{at}plymouth.ac.uk Summary The impact of parental substance misuse on child welfare isnow being increasingly recognized. Drug and alcohol problemsfeature in a substantial proportion of families where thereare child-care concerns and raise issues about engagement, confidentiality,assessment and inter-agency practice. This article exploressome of the dilemmas faced by social welfare professionals whowork with substance misusing parents. Based on a qualitativeanalysis of 40 semi-structured interviews with a wide rangeof practitioners from both adult focused and child and familysettings, in both the voluntary and statutory sector, a varietyof emerging themes will be discussed and linked to those fromother studies. The problems of working with denial, the tensionscreated by different agency objectives and protocols and theway in which children can often fall through gaps in serviceswill be highlighted, as will the way in which some professionalshave sought to resolve the dilemmas they encounter. This willthen be used as a basis for beginning to look at constructiveways forward in relation to training, interprofessional andinter-agency communication and service delivery.