Syllabus for UGC NET JRF Social Work (Code No.

10) Paper - II & Paper -

III (A) (Core Group)
Introduction to Social Work

Unit - I
Evolution of Social Work
Profession(not ) - Impact of Social
Reform Movements- Factors that
influenced the emergence of method
approach in Social Work Practice-
Social Work Profession and Human
Rights. Philosophy and Principles of
Social Work and their application -
System Approach to Social Work
Practice- Role of Social Work in the
Remedial, Preventive and
Developmental Models. Definition,
Relevance and Scope of Integrated
Approach to Social Work Practice,
Skills and Techniques. Social Work
Education - Content, Training,
Supervision, Problems and
Challenges.
 Social work
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Social work

Occupation

Activity sectors Pursuit of social welfare and social change

Social work is a professional and academic discipline committed to the pursuit of social welfare,
social change and social justice. The field works towards research and practice to improve the
quality of life and to the development of the potential of each individual, group and community
of a society. Social workers perform interventions through research, policy, community
organizing, direct practice and teaching. Research is often focused on areas such as human
development, social policy, public administration, program evaluation and international and
community development. Social workers are organized into local, national, continental and
international professional bodies. Social work, an interdisciplinary field, includes theories from
economics, education, sociology, medicine, philosophy, politics, psychology, and as well as anti-
oppressive and anti-racist discourse.[citation needed]

Contents
[hide]

 1 History
 2 Contemporary professional development
 3 Qualifications
o 3.1 Professional associations
 4 Role of the professional
 5 See also
 6 References
 7 Further reading

History
Main article: History of social work

Social work has its roots in the struggle of society to deal with poverty and its resultant
problems. Therefore, social work is intricately linked with the idea of charity work; but must be
understood in broader terms. The concept of charity goes back to ancient times, and the practice
of providing for the poor has roots in many major ancient civilizations and world religions.

Contemporary professional development

Main article: Social work knowledge building

Social Work education begins in a systematised manner in higher educational institutes

(universities, colleges etc.), but is also an ongoing process that occurs though research and in the
workplace.

The International Federation of Social Workers states, of social work today, that

"social work bases its methodology on a systematic body of evidence-based knowledge derived
from research and practice evaluation, including local and indigenous knowledge specific to its
context. It recognizes the complexity of interactions between human beings and their
environment, and the capacity of people both to be affected by and to alter the multiple
influences upon them including bio-psychosocial factors. The social work profession draws on
theories of human development, social theory and social systems to analyse complex situations
and to facilitate individual, organizational, social and cultural changes."[1]

A hopeful development for bridging this gap is the compilation of collections of "best practices"
which attempt to distill research findings and the experience of respected social work
practitioners, educators and researchers into effective interventions. Another important
contemporary development in the profession is overcoming suspicion of technology and taking
advantage of the potential of information technology.[2]

Qualifications
Main article: Qualifications for professional social work

Professional social workers are generally considered those who hold a degree in social work.
Often these practitioners must also obtain a license or be professionally registered.

The education of social workers begins with a Bachelor's degree (BA, BSc, BSSW, BSW, etc.)
or diploma in Social Work. Some countries offer Postgraduate degrees in Social Work like
Master's (such as MSW , MA, MSc, MRes, MPhil etc.) or PhD (doctoral studies). More and
more graduates of social work continue to post-doctoral studies. It has been argued that social
work education is supposed to be a lifelong process.

In a number of countries and jurisdictions, registration or licensure of people working as social

workers is required and there are mandated qualifications.[3] In other places, a professional
association sets academic and experiential requirements for admission to membership. The
success of these professional bodies' efforts is demonstrated in the fact that these same
requirements are recognized by employers as necessary for employment.[4]

Professional associations

There are a number of associations for social workers, which exist to provide ethical guidance
and other forms of support for their members and social work in general. These
associations/organizations are distinguished in international, continental or semi-continental,
national and regional. The main international ones are the International Federation of Social
Workers (IFSW), International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the British
Association of Social Workers (BASW)The largest professional organization for social workers
in the United States is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Role of the professional

Main article: Role of the professional social worker

The main tasks of professional social workers can include a variety of services such as case
management (linking users/clients with agencies and programs that will meet their psychosocial
needs - mainly common in US and UK), clinical social work (counseling & psychotherapy),
human services management, social welfare policy analysis, policy and practice development,
community organizing, international, social and community development, advocacy, teaching (in
schools of social work), and social and political research.

Methods of Social Work

Social work as a profession is a product of this century. Although its roots are well established
in history from the time when people 1st began to take responsibility for their neighbors
through activities which were called charity, poor relief, philanthropy and social reform .
Social work is to fight against Five Evils as:

1. Physical want
2. Disease
3. Ignorance
4. Squalor
5. Idleness

Objective:

 To remove social injustice

 To relieve social injustice
 To reduce redress
 To prevent suffering
 To assist the weaker sections
 To rehabilitate the distress class people

Methods of Social work

All social work activities are classified into six major categories.

1. Social case work

2. Social group work
3. Community organization
4. Social action
5. Social welfare research
6. Social welfare administration

1. Social case work

Social case work is a method which helps by counseling the individual client to effect better
social relationships & a social adjustment that makes it possible him to lead a satisfying &
useful life. Gordon Hamilton points out that, “The objective of case work is to administer
practical services & offer counseling in such a way as to arouse & conserve psychological
energies of the client activity to involve him in the use of the service towards the solution of
her/his dilemma.”
 2. Social group work
Social group work is an activity which helps to participate in the activities of a group for their
intellectual, emotional & physical growth and for the attainment of desirable goals of the
groups. Group work as such as a method by which the group worker enables various types of
groups to function in such a manner that both group interaction & programme activities
contribute to the growth of the individual & the programme activities contribute to the
growth of the individual & the achievement of desirable social goals.

3. Community organization
Community organization is the process of planning & developing social services in order to
meet the health & welfare needs of a community or larger unit.Mildred Barry says,”
Community organization in social work is the process of creating & maintaining a progressively
more effective adjustment between community resources & commuity welfare needs.”

4. Social action
It s an organized group process solving general social problems & furthering social welfare
objectives by legislative, social, health or economic progress. The term social action refers to
organized & legally permitted activities designed to mobiles public opinion, legislation &
public administration in favour of objectives believed to be socially desirable.

5. Social welfare research

Social welfare research systematic critically investigation of questions in the social welfare
field with the purpose of yielding answares to problems of social work & of extending
generally social work concept. The methods appliesd in social work research have been to a
largwe extent derived grom those used in sociology & social psychology as well as in history
and Anthropology.

6. Social welfare administration

Social welfare administration process is to organize & to direct a social agency. The
administrative aspects of social work have to do with the organization & management of
social agencies public & private, including in those terms general administrative relationships
among ubnits of the same organization, personal problems, questions of finance & so on.
CASW NATIONAL SCOPE OF PRACTICE STATEMENT
Approved by CASW Board, March 2000
 
Preamble

Social work developed as a 20th century profession out of its voluntary

philanthropy and social reform roots. These roots are deeply linked to ancient
values and concepts of charity, equality and compassion toward others in
times of need. The profession's contemporary roots are particularly connected
to social welfare developments in the 19th century. These developments
included reform movements to change negative societal attitudes toward
people in need; charity organization societies to help individuals and families;
settlement houses to improve living conditions at the neighbourhood level;
and rising feminist advocacy for human rights, social justice and gender
equality. The profession of social work is uniquely founded on altruistic values
respecting the inherent dignity of every individual and the obligation of
societal systems to provide equitable structural resources for all their
members.

Social work's primary concern is the social well-being of all people equally
valued with the importance of their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Social work pioneers were among the first to address the significance of
deeply connected relationships that constitute the social context of people’s
lives. Out of this rich heritage social work is recognized for its familiar
"person-in-environment" perspective, which characterizes the unique
relationship-centred focus of the profession. Parallel advances in other fields
now provide significant support for the on-going advancement of social work
as a relationship-centred profession with a repertoire of person- and
environment-oriented methods of practice.

The purpose of the National Scope of Practice Statement (NSPS) is to foster a

growing understanding of the social work profession. The NSPS is a reference
for social workers, CASW member associations, students in social work, those
served by social workers and the community at large to inform the public and
promote an accountable, effective profession. The statement is prepared as a
consultation document. It can be used in part or whole to assist in meeting
the information needs of diverse audiences, including legislators and those
served by social workers, who may require or prefer a plain language
statement that briefly and concisely describes the scope of social work
(Appendix 3).
 
Scope of Social Work

"Social well-being", "person-in-environment" and "social functioning" are key

concepts in understanding the scope of social work. The World Health
Organization (WHO) recognizes social well-being as an integral component of
a person's overall state of health, complementary to but different from
physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The scope of social work has several
defining elements.

Practice Domain

Social work’s person-in-environment perspective describes the area or domain

in which social workers conduct their practice. Person refers to developmental
and social functioning abilities in the context of environmental influences. The
concept of environment in social work includes factors in society that enhance
or impede the development of individual social well-being. In particular, these
factors include their natural support networks and the formal structures in
their communities, which together are shaped by a variety of societal norms
and expectations in the form of influential attitudes, beliefs, customs, policies
and laws. Social functioning refers to the way people perform their social roles
and to the way societies provide structural supports to help them perform
their roles.

The person-in-environment domain gives social work a common organizing

framework and a holistic context for its mission and vision. The global vision
of social work is a world consistently working toward social justice and well-
being for all citizens. The central mission is to have social workers engaged in
activities that will improve social well-being structures and enhance individual,
family and community social functioning at local, national and international
levels.

The primary focus of social work practice is on the relationship networks

between individuals, their natural support resources, the formal structures in
their communities, and the societal norms and expectations that shape these
relationships. This relationship-centred focus is a distinguishing feature of the
profession.

Practice Preparation

In Canada, the profession of social work constitutes a community of post-

secondary educated social workers. They are guided in their work by
international ethical principles (Appendix 4); a national code of ethics
(Appendix 5); provincial statutes governing registration, regulations and
standards of practice; common curriculum requirements in schools of social
work; and an expanding repertoire of evidence-based methods of practice.
Social work includes generalist and specialist prepared practitioners who are
well grounded in the knowledge, skills and ethical foundations of social work.
Social workers are equally committed to the use of knowledge from the
humanities and sciences to advance the development of common human
rights, equitable social justice, and sufficient structural supports for individual,
family and community social well-being in all human societies. To this end,
social workers are expected to be sensitive to the value of cultural and ethnic
diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other
forms of social injustice.

 Like other professions in Canada, accredited baccalaureate education is

considered the first professional practice degree, preparing social workers to
practice as generalists. Preparation for specialized practice and research
advances in social work is provided at graduate (Master's) and post-graduate
(PhD) levels. In some provinces, the social work community includes
practitioners with diplomas from community colleges. Community college
education generally provides diploma graduates with approved transfer credit
opportunities to continue their social work education at the baccalaureate
level.
Practitioners

Social workers are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of the

complex nature of their own person-in-environment systems. They are
prepared to rise above personal biases and preferences to advance the social
well-being of others through their practice of social work. Practitioners are
instructed to constantly monitor and evaluate personal and professional
influences that bear on the scientific and intuitive ways they use themselves
as social change agents in practice situations. At the professional level, they
are expected to perform a variety of professional roles, integrate the relevant
codes of professional conduct that apply to their practice activities and adhere
at all times to explicit standard of care tenets.

Practice Methods

Social work’s practice methods are rooted in the early adoption of a clearly
stated study, diagnosis and treatment process to systematize practice in a
person-in-environment context. Implementation of the practice process was
initially done through a variety of fields of practice, including child welfare,
family services, medical social work, psychiatric social work and school social
work, and several method specialties, including social casework, social group
work and community organization.

Contemporary practice methods are based on a systematic process of

problem solving which empowers individuals, families, groups and
communities to identify and use their own problem solving skills in order to
improve their life situations, and requires social workers to simultaneously
address broader social issues which affect people’s ability to obtain needed
resources. The practice method is facilitated through the application of social
work values, ethical principles and practice skills to accomplish the core
functions of social work.

• helping people obtain basic human need services;

• counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families and groups;

• helping communities/groups provide or improve social and health services;

and

• participating in relevant legislative and social policy processes.

Practice methods in social work are those commonly used by qualified social
workers (Appendix 1) or identified as restricted activities limited to social
workers with specific qualifications (Appendix 2). Social work practice
activities used to accomplish the core functions include direct practice with
clients, community organizing, advocacy, social and political action, policy
development and implementation, education, and research and evaluation.

 Future direction

Social work’s original scope of practice was broadly defined by its pioneering
and value-based person-in-environment perspective, which shifted to a
narrower scope defined by practice methods and the influence of scientific
methods of intervention. As the profession moves into the 21st century social
work’s practice will continue to be influenced by the scientific method but the
sphere of influence is broadening again to include new advances being made
in the humanities and sciences. The profession’s distinguishing focus on
relationship networks between people in their social environment contexts will
continue to be a valued aspect of its scope of practice and increasingly a
focus borrowed by other helping professions.

 APPENDIX 1

The following list is an example of practice methods commonly used by social

workers. It is not presented as an exhaustive list or as an exclusive list that
only social workers can practice.

Psychosocial Community resource

Case management therapy coordination
Child protection Developmental social
Psychotherapy
assessments welfare
Grassroots
Client-centred
Social casework mobilization/locality
therapy
development

Clinical social work Social group work Program evaluation

Neighbourhood and
Crisis management Client advocacy community
organizing
Political and social
Discharge planning Network facilitation
action
Family and marital Network skills
Social planning
therapy training
Structural social Social policy analysis
Family mediation
work and development
Class action social
Group therapy Structural change
work

     
 APPENDIX 2

 RESTRICTED PRACTICE ACTIVITIES

Restricted practice activities are practice methods defined to be exclusive to

or restricted to a particular profession or specialty section of a profession. In
social work, these activities are usually specified in provincial statutes or
regulations governing the practice of social work. The specification of
restricted practice activities may vary from province to province. The following
social work activities are the most likely to be included as restricted practice
methods: clinical social work, psychotherapy, child welfare and protection
services and family mediation services.
 

APPENDIX 3

BRIEF SCOPE OF PRACTICE STATEMENTS

The following statements provide examples of what might be a brief and

concise scope of practice statement that meets the requirements of a
legislative body and/or the needs of the general public.

Social work is the application of social work knowledge, values, focus and
practice methods in a person-in-environment context to improve social well-
being structures in society and enhance individual, family and community
social functioning at local, national and international levels.

Social work is the application of social work knowledge, values, focus and
practice methods in a person-in-environment context to accomplish the core
functions of social work:

• helping people obtain basic human need services;

• counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families and groups;

• helping communities/groups provide or improve social and health services;

and

• participating in relevant legislative and social policy processes.

APPENDIX 4

IFSW Declaration of Ethical Principles of Social Work

·         Social workers serve the development of human beings through

adherence to the following basic principles:

·         Every human being has a unique value, which justifies moral
consideration for that person.

·         Each individual has the right to self-fulfillment to the extent that it
does not encroach upon the same right of others, and has an
obligation to contribute to the well-being of society.

·         Each society, regardless of its form, should function to provide the
maximum benefits for all of its members.
 ·         Social workers have a commitment to principles of social justice.

·         Social workers have the responsibility to devote objective and

disciplined knowledge and skill to aid individuals, groups,
communities, and societies in their development and resolution of
personal-societal conflicts and their consequences.

·         Social workers are expected to provide the best possible assistance
to anybody seeking their help and advice, without unfair
discrimination on the basis of gender, age, disability, colour, social
class, race, religion, language, political beliefs, or sexual orientation.

·         Social workers respect the basic human rights of individuals and
groups as expressed in the United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and other international conventions derived from that
Declaration.

·         Social workers pay regard to the principles of privacy, confidentiality,

and responsible use of information in their professional work. Social
workers respect justified confidentiality even when their country's
legislation is in conflict with this demand.

·         Social workers are expected to work in full collaboration with their
clients, working for the best interests of the clients but paying due
regard to the interests of others involved.

·         Clients are encouraged to participate as much as possible, and

should be informed of the risks and likely benefits of proposed
courses of action.

·         Social workers generally expect clients to take responsibility, in

collaboration with them, for determining courses of action affecting
their lives. Compulsion which might be necessary to solve one party's
problems at the expense of the interests of others involved should
only take place after careful explicit evaluation of the claims of the
conflicting parties. Social workers should minimize the use of legal
compulsion.

·         Social work is inconsistent with direct or indirect support of

individuals, groups, political forces or power-structures suppressing
their fellow human beings by employing terrorism, torture or similar
brutal means.

APPENDIX 5

 CASW Code of Ethics Obligations

A social worker shall carry out his/her professional duties

and obligations with integrity and objectivity.
 A social worker shall have and maintain competence in the
provision of social work service to a client.

A social worker shall not exploit the relationship with a client

for personal benefit, gain or gratification.

A social worker shall maintain the best interest of the client

as the primary professional obligation.

A social worker shall protect the confidentiality of all

information acquired from the client or others regarding the
client and the client’s family during the professional
relationship unless:

a) the client authorizes in writing the

release of specified information, or

b) the information is released under the

authority or statute or an order of a court
of competent jurisdiction.

A social worker who engages in another profession,

occupation, affiliation or calling shall not allow these outside
interests to affect the social work relationship with the client.

A social worker in private practice shall not conduct the

business of provision of social work services for a fee in a
manner that discredits the profession or diminishes the
public’s trust in the profession.

A social worker shall advocate for workplace conditions and

policies that are consistent with the code.

A social worker shall promote excellence in the social work

profession.

A social worker shall advocate change:

a) in the best interest of the client,

b) for the overall benefit of society, the

environment and the global community.

References

Capra, Fritjof (1996). The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of

Living Systems. New York: Anchor Books.

Greene, Roberta and Watkins, Marie (Eds.) (1998). Serving Diverse

 Constituencies: Applying the Ecological Perspective. New York: Aldine de
Gruyter.

Karls, James & Wandrei, Karen (Eds.) (1994). Person-in-Environment System:

The PIE Classification System for Social Functioning Problems . Washington,
DC: NASW Press.

Kemp, Susan, Whittaker, James & Tracy, Elizabeth (1997). Person-

Environment Practice: The Social Ecology of Interpersonal Helping . New York:
Aldine de Gruyter.

Pincus, Allen & Minahan, Anne (1973). Social Work Practice: Model and
Method. Itasca, IL: F.E. Peacock.

Sheafor, Brad, Horejsi, Charles, & Horejsi, Gloria (1994). Techniques and
Guidelines for Social Work Practice (3rd Ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.