Chapter 1 What is Social Work Social Welfare

Chapter 1 What is Social Work?

Social Welfare • Encompasses social work, public welfare, and other related programs & activities • Expenditures • Services: institutions and processes related to facing & solving social problems • History © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Work • Work with individuals, families, groups, and communities struggling with problems • Underlying assumptions of social work • Restoration, provision of resources, and prevention • Current definition © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work • • • Focus on the wholeness of the person Importance of family Utilization of community resources Supervisory process Education program Clinical work, group work, and community organization © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work • Professional bodies: NASW & CSWE • Relationship • Psychiatric concepts; understanding people • Social interaction, function, & malfunction • Social problems and social institutions © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work • Social workers employed in agencies • Basic aim: help clients help themselves/help community in general • Utilize fees • Service & therapy for individuals and families; prevention • Team approach © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Work Careers • Many jobs in the health care field • Often in child welfare & school social work • Mental health, substance abuse, & addictions • Forensic and international social work • Policy planning & management/administration © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociology and Social Work • Many similarities and differences • Sociology: “the science of society” • Both interested in people, their interactions, and understanding them • Sociology: how, when, why • Social work: focus on how © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychiatry and Social Work • Frequently members of the same professional team • Psychiatrist: deals with the treatment of an illness in medical model • Social worker: focus on problems and strengths in human relationships © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychiatry and Social Work • Both professions work with people who have personal/social problems – Help people improve their relationships with others – Interest and sensitivity in the ability to understand direct feelings & emotions © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychiatry and Social Work • Social worker utilizes community resources – Works with family and marriage • Psychiatrist deals with the patient on a medical basis © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychology and Social Work • Often members of the same professional team • Both are interested in the behavior of people and their interaction patterns • Psychology: testing and measurements – Individual attributes of people • Social worker: social functioning © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Counseling and Social Work • Easily confused roles • School counselor – Educational psychology • Marriage counselor – Incorporates part of social work • Rehabilitation counselor – Educational psychology © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Work in the World Today • Utilized in a variety of setting, such as: psychiatric, medical, marriage, family – School, rehabilitation, corrections, public welfare, workplace, drug abuse, child welfare • Benefits of services • Expanding international social work – New & challenging opportunities © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Work in the World Today • Increase quality of social work • Education for international social work – High demand as a profession • Likely to keep growing and expanding services © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary • People are at the core • Social work focuses on helping people through social functioning • Basic functions of social work • Shares some knowledge and skills with sociology, psychiatry, and psychology © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.