(caps)Defining professional social work is a
complex task due to several inherent challenges like social workers operate in
various environments, from hospitals to schools, each with unique demands and
expectations. This diversity makes it difficult to create a one-size-fits-all
definition. Additionally, continuous evolving nature of the profession and
adapts to societal changes, like digitalization and globalization always require
constant re-evaluation of what constitutes professional social work. All
together it contributes to the ongoing debate and complexity in defining what
professional social work truly entails. Now, before jumping into the definition
of social work we need to understand the following points in hierarchy:
- Fundamentals of Social Work
- Meaning of Social Work
- Definition of Social Work
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Fundamentals of Social Work
Before everything it is very important to understand “What is Social Work?” The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) describes social work as “a helping profession.” The mission of social work is to “enhance human well-being and help meet basic and complex needs of all people,” especially the poor, oppressed, and most vulnerable.
- Social work encompasses many duties, such as assessing the physical and mental health of clients, providing child protective services, ensuring the safety and well-being of people in need, and supporting victims of abuse and neglect. However, understanding what social work is requires examining how the career reflects society.
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- In times of upheaval in society, the definition of social work and its foundational underpinnings remain in flux. The systems theory in social work is based on the belief that people have “a desire for equilibrium and maintenance of the social and economic status quo.”
- The theory of macro social work reflects social workers’ concern for addressing discrimination, oppression, human rights violations, and other societal problems that impact individuals, groups, and communities, as described in “Levels of Intervention in Social Work Practice.”
- Empowerment-based perspectives in social work theory and practice broaden both the study and application of multicultural social work. The purpose of social work education is to prepare the next generation of social workers. Since they will be living in an increasingly multicultural world, their education must likewise reflect a multicultural theory of social work.
Social work has practical and theoretical components, yet the two are inextricable. An ethos of equality and diversity is embedded in social work theory and practice, as the UK-based social worker site Community Care explains. Yet social work is subject to unconscious bias that could mark certain “dominant ideas and discourses as ‘the truth.” This hinders both theoretical research in social work and the practical application of the research results.
Meaning of the Social Work
Defining
social work is nearly impossible as to assign a universally agreed meaning to
social work because it's
so complex and
dynamic nature. In a larger prospective professional social work is
essential in creating positive change and improving the quality of life for
those in need worldwide. Therefore, it
has been assessed
in various ways by various individuals based on their comprehension of
various individuals in society under the following points (Grace Mathew):
Meaning of Social Work to a man in the street:
The average person on the street has a very
basic understanding of social work. Anyone who conducts good deeds for others
is said to be conducting social work. The guy on the street, on the other hand,
tries to distinguish between a
'regular man' who
participates in community activities willingly and without money and a 'welfare worker'
who is hired by a social agency to do community welfare work and gets
paid for it. In light of his experience and knowledge of needy individuals in
the community, he has his unique style of explaining social work. According to
him, decent and voluntary labour by ordinary people and social welfare by hired
agents are essentially the same thing, although in the former’s case, the
recipients are treated with more warmth.
Meaning of Social Work to a Semi-professional:
Those who
are not qualified
social workers but
work in a
welfare organization provide this version of social work. They feel that
simply because they operate in the welfare field, they have the right to call
themselves social workers. According to them, a person who works for a welfare
agency and conducts welfare activities is a social worker, and his activities
are social work practices.
Proff. Clarke, on the
other hand, brings out
two flaws in
their understanding of the social worker and social work. To begin with,
they appear to overlook
the fact that
not all people
working in the
large welfare fields are
social workers; they could
be experts in
housing, entertainment, social
insurance, nursing, accounting, and other professions. Second, they overlook
a social worker's
professional qualifications, resulting in a misunderstanding of what
qualifies someone to work as a social worker.
In this regard, it could be
argued that a mother who successfully relieves her sick child is not allowed to
be termed a doctor or a professional for this reason. Special knowledge and
skills, organized training, a code
of ethics, societal recognition, and others characteristics
distinguish a profession, all of which social work possesses. As a result, it
can be stated that semi-professionals’ interpretations of social work are not
valid for social work.
Scientific meaning of Social Work:
Dr. Helen Witmer offers the third interpretation of social work. Of course, it is scientific, but it is far too limited to represent the true and perfect concept of social work. "To provide assistance to individuals in regard to the difficulties they encounter in their use of organized group services or their own performance as a member of an organized group," she says of social work.
Universal Definitions of Social Work
“Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledges, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing. The above definition may be amplified at national and/or regional levels.”
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