The Organisational Context

Question 1

Statutory Organisations (4)

Answer 1

• Human Service Organisations with a legislative base
• have heightened awareness of staff accountability;
• are unlikely to be flexible;
• frequently have involuntary clients.

Question 2

Inevitable tensions occur between practitioners and organisations because… (3)

Answer 2

• Organisations control access to resources which practitioners compete for or ration with.
• Social work is practiced in contexts where knowledge is contested.
• Professional autonomy and control are constrained in organisational contexts.

Question 3

Features of Bureaucracies (5):

Answer 3

• ‘Impersonalisation’
• Uniformity of decision making & policies.
• Inequalities of status between professionals.
• Power of managers.
• Other negative form of organisational culture.

Question 4

Change in organisation (2):

Answer 4

• Organisations are not monolithic and deterministic and therefore they can be subject to change.
• Most organisations are conflict ridden, have multiple, vague and competing values and goals.

Question 5

Promoting client rights through professionalism (4):

Answer 5

• Development of codes of ethics & complaints procedures for social welfare workers.
• Socialising social work & community welfare students into values of social responsibility.
• Teaching models of ethical decision making e.g. about dual roles & boundaries around personal & professional roles.
• Influencing social policy debates.

Complaint procedures; social responsibility; teaching ethical decision making; influencing social policy.

Question 6

Promoting client rights through community discourse (2):

Answer 6

• Development of an understanding and commitment to human rights & social justice for all members of the community.
• Developing a sense of the importance of community in workers as a base for social support & social action for & by community members.

…promote social awareness/justice; importance of community.

Question 7

Teams and the Organisational Structure:

Answer 7

Ideally members of an organisation who work together as equals towards common goals and using agreed upon strategies – they are collaborative, not simply consultative.

Question 8

What is a profession? (5)

Answer 8

• Systematic or scientific body of knowledge.
• Professional authority and credibility.
• Regular control of members (registration to practice).
• Professional code of ethics.
• Existence of culture, values, norms and symbols.

Question 9

Practice Principles in Organisations:

Answer 9

1. Determine if the agency is a target of, or an ally in change
2. Exploit whatever discretionary powers you may have
3. Develop your own power base via gaining detailed relevant knowledge & exploiting both formal and informal lines of authority
4. Develop Support networks within the agency
5. Develop external support networks
6. Separate self and agency – do not become over-identified with the agency
7. Perform a monitoring / watchdog role within the organisation
8. Use the union, professional body and other legitimate representative bodies as require