Construction of Social Work

Question 1

Charity Organisation Society (2)

Answer 1

• Entirely individualist approach: individual problems are due to the individuals themselves, and are not impacted by external factors.
• The idea of ‘deserving poor’ and ‘unworthy poor’.

Question 2

Impacts of WW1 on social attitudes (3)

Answer 2

• WW1 and the great depression questioned moral theory of poverty: hardworking/deserving people fell into poverty due to war and unemployment.
• Led to income security, pensions, and the establishment of a welfare safety net.

Similarities with COVID-19

Question 3

Social work from the 1980s (3)

Answer 3

• Reclaimed social work’s social change agenda. –
• Development of the human rights movement, women and anti-racist, disability and environmental movements.
• Advocacy to focus on structural causes of poverty.

Question 4

Roles of a social worker (8):

Answer 4

• Activists
• Advocates
• Brokers
• Initiators
• Mediators
• Group facilitators
• Therapists/Counsellors
• Collaborators (within/across agencies, and outside organisations).

Question 5

Person in Environment (PIE)

Answer 5

Social work considers the individual and their context. It helps bring change to individual behaviour as well as environmental conditions.

Question 6

Social Work Helping Process (5 Steps)

Answer 6

1) Engagement: relationship building.
2) Assessment: getting to know more about the problems, strengths, setting goals, roles and action plans.
3) Intervention: implementing agreed on action plans.
4) Review or evaluation.
5) Termination (or re-assessment).