Definition Of Social Welfare And Related Concepts Definition

Definition Of Social Welfare And Related Concepts

Definition Of Social Welfare • According to Barker, 2003, “Social welfare is a nation’s system of programs, benefits, and services that help people meet those social, economic, educational, and health needs that are fundamental to the maintenance of society”. • According to United Nations, 1967, “Social welfare as an organized function is regarded as a body of activities designed to enable individuals, families, groups and communities to cope with the social problems of changing conditions”. • According to NASW, 1971, “ Social welfare generally denotes the full range of organized activities of voluntary and governmental agencies that seek to prevent, alleviate, or contribute to the solution of recognized social problems, or to improve the well-being of individuals, groups, or communities.

• Functional definition of social welfare • According to Philip R. Popple functional definition of social welfare is that “ For society to survive, individuals must function as interdependent units, each carrying out the full range of his or her roles and responsibilities. A society cannot survive if it contains too many individuals who cannot function in an interdependent manner (who are dependent). On the other hand, the social system cannot endure if it contains too many dysfunctional culture patterns and an inefficient structure that inhibits people’s ability to function in an interdependent manner.

• Descriptive definition of social welfare • According to Martin and Zald “Social welfare attempts to enable people in need to attain a minimum level of social and personal functioning”. • Wickenden defines social welfare as “ including those laws, programmes, benefits, and services which assure or strengthen provisions for meeting social needs recognized as basic to the well-being of the population and the better functioning of the social order”.

Related Concepts • Social Work • According to NASW(1973) Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, families, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and for creating societal conditions favorable to this goal. Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: • Helping people obtain tangible services (e. g. , those involving provision of food, housing, of income). • Providing counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families and groups. • Helping communities or groups provide or improve social and health services. • Participating in relevant legislative processes.

• Social services • According to Manzoor ud Din (1976), “Social service is an activity that aims at helping towards a mutual adjustment of individuals and their social environment”. • Social policy • According to Marshal (1970), “Social policy refers to the policy of governments with regard to action having direct impact on the welfare of the citizens by providing them with services or means”.

• Social development • According to Bilance (1997), “Social development is the promotion of a sustainable society that is worthy of human dignity by empowering marginalized groups, women and men, to undertake their own development, to improve their social and economic position and to acquire their rightful place in society”. • According to Amartya Sen (1995), “ Social development is equality of social opportunities”.

• Social change • According to John, J. Maccionis “The transformation of culture and social institutions over time is called social change”. • Social administration is a set of practices and techniques that enable social welfare agencies, programs and organizations to fulfill their responsibilities and execute their programs. Broadly, it is concerned to examine the extent to which the welfare state meets people’s needs. • Social legislation • According to Ghaffar and Mollah “ Social legislation refers to those actions of governments, which are designed to eliminate those elements from social life, which are detrimental to social health and to provide measures and guidelines that are considered essential for the achievement of welfare”.

Welfare Models • Richard Titmuss (1974) has provided a classification of the provision of welfare services: Ø Residual welfare: • This view holds that social welfare services should be provided only when an individual’s needs are not properly met through other societal institutions. Ø Institutional welfare: • This view holds that social welfare programs are to be accepted as a proper, legitimate function of modern industrial society in helping individuals achieve selffulfilment. • Services are provided for the population as a whole , not just for the poor. Ø Industrial achievement/performance: • This view holds that the development of certain social welfare programs have a positive impact on the economy. • welfare as a ‘handmaiden’ to the economy , i. e. , increasing the capacity of work force. .