COURSE TITLE SWK122M: SOCIAL WORK

(INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL
WORK PROFESSION)
COURSE CODE MAJOR / MINOR--NEP

SEMESTER 1ST SEM-2022-23

SOCIAL WORK 1st

Unit – 1: Basic Concepts related to Social Work (15 Hours)
• • Charity, Philanthropy sem
• • Social Service, Social Security and Social Welfare, Social Reform
• • Social Inequalities
• • Social Justice and Rights

Unit – 2: Philosophy of Social work Profession. (15 Hours)

• • Social Work: Nature and Scope
• • Social work Goals & Functions
• • Major Principles of Social Work
• • Values Base of Social Work

Unit -3 Methods of Social work (15 Hours)

• • Primary Methods: Social Case work, Social Group Work.
• • Community Organization.
• • Auxiliary Methods: Social Work Research, Social Welfare Administration.
• • Social Action.

Unit – 4: Social Work Profession (15 Hours)

• • Social Work as a Profession (Attributes)
• • Professional Social Work Associations (NASW, NAPSWI)
• • Code of ethics in Social Work
• • Careers in Social Work

Unit - 5 Contemporary Social Concerns I

• • Poverty
• • Unemployment
• • Drug Addiction
• • Mental health

Unit -6: Contemporary Social Concerns II

• • Child Abuse.
• • Gender Based Violence
• • Climate Change
• • Suicide
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 Unit – 1: Basic Concepts related to Social Work

Charity
The main inspiration for social work originally came from religious teachings. Charity and
assistance to the needy and helpless are the virtues that have been emphasized inn all
religions. These virtues are embodies in the very structure of the Hindu society. The will to
help others has become a part of the system of values, in the teachings of Islam, similar
emphasis for the service is found. It was, however, with Buddhism, through the order of
monks and later on nuns, that serving the first became an organized institutional concern. So
in Christianity, an order of monks vowed to poverty, chastity or obedience was initiated in
response to the urge of the man who wanted to dedicate himself to the service of God through
the service of man. The gospel of service was preached through the establishment of the
schools, hospitals, leper homes, founding homes & homes for the aged and the needy.
With the coming of the industrial revolution, beginning first in the West and later
spreading to other parts of the world, there augmented a period of rapid social change with
the transformation of the village into a town and of the agricultural economy to a machine
economy. This change affected the working of the traditional social institutions, especially
the family, and resulted in the need for more organized social welfare services. In countries
like India, experienced in the traditional way of life as a result of imperialistic domination,
the economy of rural self-sufficiency was disturbed.
In Indian context, before the beginning of the twentieth century, two additional influences
were discernable. Various religious reform movements that were started as a reaction to the
growing influence of Christian missionaries in the country, resulted in the increase in
organized services for the need. The activities of Brahma Samaj started by Raja Ram Mohan
Roy in Bengal, the Arya Samaj in North India, Paramhamsa Sabha in Maharashtra and the
Ramakrishna Mission influenced the social life of the people and stimulated the development
of organized social services. The second influence is related to the contact with the Western
ideas of liberalism, rationalism and democracy. These influences affected thevalues and
attitude of people, especially of the intellectual towards social welfare.
Although religious motivation in social work continued to be operative during the
nineteenth century. The rationalistic-humanistic approach to social work began to emerge as
an independent force from the beginning of the present century. The servants of India
Society, established by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1905, initiated social work which did not
have a religious bias. The practice of collection and analysis of data of the prevailing needs of
service, and offering services, began to emerge. With the coming of Gandhiji on the Indian
scene new dimensions were added to the field of social services. He had an integrated
approach to life. In his scheme of development, the social, religious, political and economic
aspects did not appear to be different. His vision of the country’s freedom included the
programmes of health and hygiene, basic welfare, rural welfare tribal welfare, work with
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lepers and economic equality.

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 Philanthropy.
Philanthropy (from Greek ) means etymologically, the love of humanity, in the sense of
caring, nourishing, developing, and enhancing what it means to be human. In this meaning, it
involves both the benefactor in their identifying and exercising their values, and the
beneficiary in their receipt and benefit from the service or goods provided. A conventional
modern definition is "private initiatives, for public good, focusing on quality of life," which
combines an original tic tradition with a social scientific aspect developed in the 20th
century. The definition also serves to contrast philanthropy with business endeavors, which
are private initiatives for private good, e.g., focusing on material gain, and
with government endeavors, which are public initiatives for public good, e.g., focusing on
provision of public services. A person who practices philanthropy is called a philanthropist.
Philanthropy has distinguishing features from charity; not all charity is philanthropy, or vice
versa, though there is a recognized degree of overlap in practice. A difference commonly
cited is that charity aims to relieve the pain of a particular social problem, whereas
philanthropy attempts to address the root cause of the problem—the difference between the
proverbial gift of a fish to a hungry person, versus teaching them how to fish.
Definitions
The literal, classical definitions and understandings of the term philanthropy derive from its
origins in the Greek  which combines the word (philos) for "loving" and (anthropos) for
"human being" (see below).
The most conventional modern definition is "private initiatives, for public good, focusing on
quality of life". This combines thesocial scientific aspect developed in the century with the
original humanistic tradition, and serves to contrast philanthropy with business (private
initiatives for private good, focusing on material prosperity) and government (public
initiatives for public good, focusing on law and order). These distinctions have been analyzed
by Olivier Zunz and others.
Instances of philanthropy commonly overlap with instances of charity, though not all charity
is philanthropy, or vice versa. The difference commonly cited is that charity relieves the pains
of social problems, whereas philanthropy attempts to solve those problems at their root
causes (the difference between giving a hungry person a fish, and teaching them how to fish).
Etymology
The word was first coined as an adjective by the playwright Aeschylus in Prometheus
Bound (5th century BC), to describe Prometheus' character as "humanity loving"
(philanthropostropos), for having given to the earliest proto-humans who had no culture, fire
(symbolizing technological civilization) and "blind hope" (optimism); together, they would
be used to improve the human condition, to save mankind from destruction. Thus, in the
perspective of this early writer, humans were distinguished from all other animals by being a
civilization with the power to complete their own creation through education (self-
development) and culture (civic development), expressed in good works benefiting others.
The new word, philanthropos, combined two words: philos, "loving" in the sense of
benefitting, caring for, nourishing; and anthropos, "human being" in the sense of "humanity",
or "human-ness." The first use of the noun form philanthrôpía came shortly thereafter (c. 390
BC), in the early Platonic dialogue Euthyphro. Socrates is reported to have said that his
"pouring out" of his thoughts freely (without charge) to his listeners was his philanthropia.
In the first century BC, both paideia and philanthropia were translated into Latin by the single
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word humanitas, which was also understood to be the core of liberal education
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studiahumanitatis, the studies of humanity, or simply "the humanities." In the second century
 AD, Plutarch used the concept of philanthropia to describe superior human beings. This
Classically synonymous troika, of philanthropy, the humanities, and liberal education,
declined with the replacement of the classical world by Christianity. During the middle Ages,
philanthropia was superseded by caritas charity, selfless love, valued for salvation.
Philanthropy was modernized by Sir Francis Bacon in the 1600s, who is largely credited with
preventing the word from being owned by horticulture. Bacon considered philanthropia to be
synonymous with "goodness", which correlated with the Aristotelian conception of virtue, as
consciously instilled habits of good behavior. Then in the 1700s, an influential lexical
figurehead by the name of Samuel Johnson simply defined philanthropy as "love of mankind;
good nature". This definition still survives today and is often cited more gender-neutrally as
the "love of humanity." However, it was Noah Webster who would more accurately reflect
the word usage in American English.
The precise meaning of philanthropy is still a matter of some contention, its definition being
largely dependent on the particular interests of the writer employing the term. Nevertheless,
there are some working definitions to which the community associated with the field of
"philanthropic studies" most commonly subscribes. One of the more widely accepted of these
is the one employed by Lester Salamon, who defines philanthropy as "the private giving of
time or valuables (money, security, property) for public purposes; and/or one form of income
of private non-profit organizations".
History
Classical philanthropy
The Ancient Greek view of philanthropy—that the "love of what it is to be human" is the
essential nature and purpose of humanity, culture and civilization—was intrinsically
philosophical, containing both metaphysics and ethics. The Greeks adopted the "love of
humanity" as an educational ideal, whose goal was excellence (arête)—the fullest self-
development, of body, mind, and spirit, which is the essence of liberal education.
The Platonic Academy's philosophical dictionary definedPhilanthropia as "a state of well-
educated habits stemming from love of humanity, a state of being productive of benefit to
humans". Just as Prometheus' human-empowering gifts rebelled against the tyranny
of Zeus, philanthropia was also associated with freedom and democracy. Both Socrates and
the laws of Athens were described as "philanthropic and democratic".
The replacement of Classical civilization by Christianity replaced philanthropy with Christian
theology and soteriology, administered through the Roman Catholic Church's ecclesiastical
and monastic infrastructures. Gradually there emerged a non-religious agricultural
infrastructure based on peasant farming organized into manors, which were in turn organized
for law and order by feudalism.
When it was rediscovered in the Italian Renaissance, humanism consisted of a specific
academic curriculum: grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy, or ethics,
designed to train laymen for effective leadership in business, law, and government. One of
the clearest literary expressions of Renaissance humanist philosophy is Pico DellaMirandola's
famous 15th-century Oration on the Dignity of Man, which echoes the philanthropic myth of
human creation, though with the Christian God as the Promethean Creator. Francis Bacon in
1592 wrote in a letter that his "vast contemplative ends" expressed his "philanthropia", and
his 1608 essay On Goodness defined his subject as "the affecting of the weale of men ... what
the Grecians call philanthropia". Henry Cockeram, in his English dictionary (1623), cited
"philanthropie" as a synonym for "humanitie"(in Latin, humanitas)—thus reaffirming the
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Classical formulation.
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 Modern philanthropy
Philanthropy began to reach its modern form in the Age of Enlightenment; after the Wars of
Religion in 17th century Europe, secular alternatives such as rationalism, empiricism,
and science inclined philosophers toward a progressive viewof history.This tendency
achieved an especially pure articulation in the Scottish Enlightenment, especially in the
works of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury and Francis Hutcheson, who
proposed that philanthropy is the essential key to human happiness, conceived as a kind of
"fitness" (living in harmony with Nature and one's own circumstances). Self-development,
manifested in good deeds toward others, was the surest way to live a pleasing, fulfilling, and
satisfying life, as well as to help build a commonwealth community.
Influenced by these ideas, and as a facet of the expansion of civil society, charitable and
philanthropic activity among voluntary associations and rich benefactors became a
widespread cultural practice. Societies, gentleman's clubs, and mutual associationsbegan to
flourish in England,and the upper-classes increasingly adopted a philanthropic attitude
toward the disadvantaged. This new social activism was channeled into the establishment of
charitable organizations; these proliferated from the middle of the century.
This emerging upper-class fashion for benevolence resulted in the incorporation of the first
charitable organizations. Captain Thomas Coram, appalled by the number of abandoned
children living on the streets of London, set up the Foundling Hospital in 1741 to look after
these unwanted orphans in Lamb's Conduit Fields,Bloomsbury. This was the first such
charity in the world and served as the precedent for incorporated associational charities
everywhere.[7]
Jonas Hanway, another notable philanthropist of the era established The Marine Society in
1756 as the first seafarer's charity, in a bid to aid the recruitment of men to the navy.[8] By
1763, the society had recruited over 10,000 men and it was incorporated by an Act of
Parliament in 1772. Hanway was also instrumental in establishing the Magdalen Hospital to
rehabilitate prostitutes. These organizations were funded by subscription and run as voluntary
associations. They raised public awareness of their activities through the emerging popular
press and were generally held in high social regard—some charities received state recognition
in the form of the Royal Charter.
Philanthropists, such as anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce, began to adopt active
campaigning roles, where they would champion a cause and lobby the government for
legislative change. This included organized campaigns against the ill treatment of animals
and children and the campaign that eventually succeeded in ending the slave trade throughout
the British Empire at the turn of the 19th century.
During the 19th century, a profusion of charitable organizations were set up to alleviate the
awful conditions of the working class in the slums. The Labourer's Friend Society, chaired
by Lord Shaftesbury in the United Kingdom in 1830, was set up to improve working class
conditions. This included the promotion of allotment of land to labourers for "cottage
husbandry" that later became the allotment movement, and in 1844 it became the first Model
Dwellings Company—an organization that sought to improve the housing conditions of the
working classes by building new homes for them, while at the same time receiving a
competitive rate of return on any investment. This was one of the first housing associations, a
philanthropic Endeavour that flourished in the second half of the nineteenth century, brought
about by the growth of the middle class. Later associations included the Peabody Trust, and
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the Guinness Trust. The principle of philanthropic intention with capitalist return was given
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the label "five per cent philanthropy."

 In 1863, the Swiss businessman Henry Dunant used his personal fortune to found the Geneva
Society for Public Welfare, which became the International Committee of the Red Cross.
During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Dunant personally led Red Cross delegations that
treated soldiers. He shared the first Nobel Peace Prize for this work in 1901.
Philanthropy became a very fashionable activity among the expanding middle classes in
Britain and America. Octavia Hilland John Ruskin were an important force behind the
development of social housing and Andrew Carnegie exemplified the large scale
philanthropy of the newly rich in industrialized America. In Gospel of Wealth (1889),
Carnegie wrote about the responsibilities of great wealth and the importance of social justice.
He established public libraries throughout the English-speaking countries as well as
contributing large sums to schools and universities. Other American philanthropists of the
early 20th century were John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ford. The sheer size of their
endowments directed their attention to addressing the causes and instruments, as distinct from
the symptoms and expressions, of social problems and cultural opportunities

Q.Social Service, Social Security and Social Welfare, Social Reform.

Welfare services are provided by a wide range of agencies at different levels including
local authorities in urban and rural areas. Local government may be loosely defined as a
public organization authorized to decide and administer a limited range of public policies
within a relatively small territory which is a sub-division of a regional or national
government. “The local authority is at the base of the pyramid of government institutions,
with the national government at the apex and the intermediate governments in states,
regions or provinces occupying the middle position”. Local authorities are broadly
classified as urban and rural. “It is noteworthy that while organization of village
panchayats is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 40), under the
constitution urban local government does not find a place therein.” Local authorities are
creatures of state statutes except for such authorities in the Union Territories without
legislatures and Cantonment Boards which have their origin in Union laws.

Social Services:
Before we discuss the developments which have taken place in the field of social
welfare, social security or social administration since 1972 when the last edition went to the
press it may be appropriate to describe some of the changes which have taken place in our
social policy.
Change in Social Policy
With the nationalization of some of the scheduled banks in 1969, Slogan of “GaribiHatao’,
growth with social justice in the Congress Election in the country, many anti-poverty
programmes were taken both in the rural and urban areas. In the field of social welfare the
trend was from welfare services to development services especially in the fields of child
and women welfare. Minimum Needs Programme was introduced during the Fifth Five
Year Plan which include supply of drinking water, provision of house sites for the
homeless, elementary education for the poor, etc.
The ministry of social welfare points out “Social welfare planning was earlier directed
mainly to provision of some basic curative and rehabilitative services. From the Fifth Plan,
the concept of social welfare was enlarged to make it an organized function designed to
enable families, groups and communities to cope with social problems arising out of
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changing social conditions. Integration of welfare and developments services from the
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crux of the new approach. The expansion of preventive and the social welfare sector.
 Efforts are also made to bring about integration between social and economic inputs in the
planning of services, particularly for children, women and the physically handicapped.”
Social welfare services are additive and supplementary to other social service for
development, such as health, nutrition, education, housing, labour welfare, etc.
Child welfare services
After the declaration of the rights of the child adopted by the U.N. General Assembly
in 1959, which proclaimed that mankind owes to the child the best it has to give and the
child has the rights to enjoy special protection and facilities to develop in a healthy and
normal manner, the Government of India have been consistently subscribing to the
principles enshrined in the declaration, and taken steps to guarantee these rights in
consonance with the availability of resources. However, due to large percentage of
population, 48 percent in rural areas and 41 percent in urban areas living below poverty
line, it was found that there was more hunger and malnutrition among children in those
causing lasting damage and ill-effects in them. In 1967, the Government of India
appointed a committee under the chairman of Sri Ganga Saran Sinha to go into the full
extent of the problems facing the children.
The committee observed that a comprehensive national policy for child welfare was
necessary to take an integrated view of the different needs of children and assign priorities.
As a result, the Government of India proclaimed the national policy for children in August
1974. The declaration said that “the nation’s children are a supremely important assess.
Their nurture and solicitude are our responsibility.”
Women Welfare
A National Committee on the status of women was appointed in 1971. It was to examine
the constitutional, legal and administrative provisions that have a bearing on the social
status of women, their education and employment. The impact of these provisions on the
status of women during the past 20 years or so are considered effective programme for
improvement.
The committee pointed out that the prosesses of social change have affected different
sections of women in different ways and so no generalizations can be made. The
committee also observed that this subject covers a wide perspective, including all the
important aspects affecting the life of women. Our investigation revealed that large masses
of women in this country have remained unaffected by the rights guaranteed to them by
the constitutions and the laws enacted since independence. Our recommendations are made
primarily with a view of making these rights more real and meaningful.
Youth Welfare
The youth population in India is not only large in number (33.5% population was in age-
group of 15-35 in 1981), but is more vigorous and active, more open and responsive to new
ideas and to change. The vital significance of youth in the process of nation-building can
scarcely be under-estimated. There is need for youth to come together and present themselves
as a potent force to remove inequalities in our social, political and economic structure.

THE SOCIAL WELFARE CONCEPT

It is difficult to fix limits to a discussion of social welfare in the United States. This is
primarily because social welfare is such an all-embracing concept. It is also because the
application of this concept in a pluralistic society and a Federal-State system of government,
such as we have in the United States, is so varied and complex.
Many people speak of social welfare as meaning the good life for all members of society.
This, of course, has been a dream of religious leaders, philosophers, and statesmen since the
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dawn of civilization. However, as Arnold Toynbee has said the twentieth century may well be
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remembered not as the bloodiest century in history, but as the first century in which people
 dared to thirds it practicable to make the benefits of civilization available for the whole
human race.
At the other extreme, in the United States at least, the man on the street may use the
expression in a very narrow sense when he speaks of "being on welfare." He, of course, is
thinking only of the receipt of public aid by indigent persons.
In this discussion, we shall not attempt to cover all programs that may indirectly contribute to
social welfare, but only those programs which are directly concerned with the economic and
social well-being of individuals and families. In doing' so, we shall discuss both
governmental and non-governmental programs, but concentrate largely on the governmental
programs.

Social Security as Social Welfare

In the United States, the term "social security" is used to cover a large portion of the field of
social welfare. This term first came into general use in the United States in 1935, during the
Great Depression, when the Social Security Act was passed. It quickly achieved world-wide
usage. It was included in the Atlantic Charter, signed by the President of the United States
and the Prime Minister of Great Britain on August 14, 1941, and later adhered to in the
Declaration of Philadelphia by twenty-six Allied governments at the International Labor
Conference in 1944. It has been included in the constitution of many of the new nations
which cane into existence after World War II as a major responsibility and objective.
The term "social security" has sometimes been used synonymously with "social welfare" in
its widest sense. It is also used in a more restricted sense to mean a government program
designed to prevent destitution by providing protection against major personal economic
hazards such as unemployment, sickness, invalidity, old age, and the death of the
breadwinner. In this sense, social security is primarily an income maintenance program
which, in addition to providing cash benefits, may be accompanied by constructive social
services to prevent or mitigate the effect of these hazards.
It is in this more restricted sense that the term "social security" is properly used in the United
States. Most workers here use it to mean the program of Federal Old-Age, Survivors and
Disability Insurance (OASDI) which covers more than 9 out of every 10 workers and their
families and is administered nation-wide by the U.S. Social Security Administration. "Social
security" and OASDI have become synonymous because, for one thing, the U.S. worker
contributes directly from his regular earnings to pay for his protection under this program,
and, for another, its history of nearly a quarter of century uninterrupted benefit payments and
regular improvements to meet changing needs for protection have brought him to depend on
the program as the basic protection for himself and his family in the event of lost income
because of retirement, death, or invalidity.
"Social security," as used with reference to the Social Security Act in the United States also
encompasses some of what we call "welfare" or "needs" or "assistance" programs. These are
programs of grants to States for aid and services to needy families with children, maternal
and child welfare, aid to the blind, aid to the permanently and totally disabled, and medical
assistance to the aged. The term also encompasses programs of unemployment benefits to be
administered by the States, and unemployment benefits for Federal employees and ex-
servicemen. In addition, the term is frequently used in referring to programs not encompassed
by the Social Security Act such as Workmen's Compensation (Employment Accident
Insurance) administered by every State and at the Federal level for Federal employees,
maritime workers and workers in interstate commerce, as well as programs of temporary cash
sickness benefits in four States.
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 Now over 100 countries have put into effect programs they call social security which provide
protection against one or more of the hazards just mentioned. Many of these progress have
been in existence far longer than the one in the United States.
Other Government Programs as Social Welfare
Besides the government programs contained in the Social Security Act itself and the other
Federal and State government programs in the United States which are properly classified as
social security programs, there are many other government programs in the United States that
fall within the broader field of social welfare. Certainly veterans' benefits, public health and
medical programs, child welfare services, school lunches, food stamps, surplus food
distribution, slum clearance and public housing should be included.
Education as Social Welfare
In the United States, public education is not usually thought of as a social welfare activity,
probably because it is taken so much for granted, having existed for 125 years. However, in
other countries where public education is a much more recent development and at the United
Nations it is usually included as falling within the social welfare field.
Private Efforts as Social Welfare
Besides all the government programs in the field of social welfare, there are many non-
governmental programs. The two most important kinds of non-governmental welfare
programs are those supported by private philanthropy and those which grow out of the
employer-employee relationship (which are usually referred to as "fringe benefits").

PUBLIC EXPENDITURES FOR SOCIAL WELFARE

Probably the best way to measure the magnitude, character and growth of public expenditures
for social welfare in the United States is to relate these expenditures to the gross national
product. As late as 1929, the total public expenditures for social welfare, exclusive of
veterans' programs and education, were less than 1 % of the gross national product. If we
include public education, we find that now the Federal, State and local governments in the
United States are spending about 12% for social welfare.

Effect of Chances in Public Awareness

The belated development of large-scale governmental programs in the field of social welfare
was due to the fact that during the 1920's the American people did not realize that, while life
in the United States had become safer and more prosperous, living had become less secure.
By 1929 the United States was predominantly an urban and industrialized nation. Free land
had not been available for forty years. The self-sufficient family and community had been
largely superseded by large commercial and industrial enterprises whose employees were
dependent upon their pay-check for a living. The immediate family and neighborhood had
become less adequate for helping people in trouble.
It was not until the Great Depression of the 1930's that the nation as a whole became aware of
the serious social consequences of the great economic changes that had taken place. The
onset of the depression had the two-fold effect of increasing the need for public aid and
reducing the gross national product, so that the percentage spent for social welfare had
increased greatly by 1934-5. World War II, which brought full employment, reduced the need
for public aid and the percentage fell accordingly.
It will be noted that the total public expenditures for social welfare, increased ten-fold from
1934-35 to 1962-3, in dollar amount, but only from 9.3% to 11.7% as a percentage of the
gross national product. But there was a great change in the proportion represented by public
aid and the social insurances. The former (which includes direct relief and work relief)
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declined from 4.4% to .9%, and the latter increased from .6% to 4.5%. This was not only
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because 1934-1935 represented the depth of the Great Depression, but also because in 1962-3
 the social insurance prevented a great amount of destitution which would otherwise have
required public aid.

Comparison of Federal and State Expenditures

A very important characteristic of all these public social welfare programs, is whether the
program is carried on by the Federal government itself, or by the State and local
governments. Many of the programs are financed jointly by the Federal and State
governments.
It will be observed that both in 1934-5 and in 1962-3 the total expenditures by the Federal
government and by the State and local governments were approximately equal. However, as
regards the Federal government, a large part of the increase between these two dates was for
the social insurances, public health and medical services, and veterans' programs. As regards
the State and local governments, a large part of the increase was for public education.
If we look at the proportion of the expenditures for each program, we find that the Federal
government now pays 75.9% of the cost of social insurance instead of 25.8% in 1934-5. The
proportion of public aid paid by the Federal government has declined from 79.2% to 55.8%.
Moreover, the proportion paid by the Federal government now is in the form of grants to the
States and not direct payments to individuals. As regards public health and medical services,
we find that the Federal government now pays 45.4% of the cost instead of 11.8% in 1934-5.
But the proportion of the cost of public education paid by the State and local governments is
still high, namely 92.5%, as compared with 93.6% in 1934-35.
It will be noted that no expenditures for social insurance are shown for 1912-13. Actually
there were some negligible expenditures. The United States Employees Compensation Act
was passed in 1908 covering work injuries sustained by Federal employees. Nine States had
also passed workmen's compensation laws in 1911, but not all of them were actually in effect.
A number of States and many local units of government had established retirement systems
for their employees. However, expenditures for all of these forms of social insurance
constituted less than 0.05% of Gross National Product and are, therefore, not shown.
The public aid expenditures for the periods 1912-13 and 1928-29 were all made by the State
and local governments. In 1912-13, these expenditures consisted almost entirely of the cost of
maintaining "poor houses" and providing assistance in kind for indigents living outside these
poor houses.
By 1928-29 these expenditures also included cash assistance for certain groups in the
population, namely the needy aged, the needy blind, and dependent children. This assistance
was provided under State laws.
These State laws were usually referred to as "old age pensions,""blind pensions," and
"mothers' pensions," although the payments were made only to needy persons. They
represented a great advance in the humane treatment of these groups of needy persons.
However, it is important to note that they differ fundamentally from social insurance which
provides benefits to workers suffering loss of income from unemployment, disability, or old
age retirement without subjecting them to a means test.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM AS AN ASPECT OF SOCIAL WELFARE

The most prominent feature of the American social welfare field is social security, if we
exclude public education which, as stated at the outset, is not regarded as a phase of social
welfare in the United States. Prior to the passage of the Social Security Act in 1935, there
was practically no permanent Federal legislation in the field of social welfare. This was due
10

to two reasons. Basically, it was because the American people did not feel the need for their
Federal government to engage in social welfare activities. It was also due to the fact that the
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 United States Supreme Court had interpreted the Federal Constitution as precluding such
activities.
However, the great depression shocked the Nation into a realization that only the Federal
government could cope with this National catastrophe. One out of every three workers was
unemployed. One out of every five persons had to seek public aid to stay alive.

The Initial Role of the Federal Government

First the Federal government made loans to the States to help cover the cost of emergency
relief. But the Congressional appropriation for this purpose, made in 1932, was exhausted by
March 1933. The new administration coming into office at that time then embarked on a
nation-wide program of out-right grants to the States for emergency relief to unemployable
persons and a Federal work-relief program for employable persons.

The Social Security Act of 1935

The new Administration also proceeded to develop a long-range permanent social welfare
program which would eventually supercede the emergency program. President Roosevelt
instructed his advisers to follow two basic principles in developing this program: 1. Rely to
the maximum extent on the States to administer the program; 2. Rely to the maximum extent
on contributory social insurance for protection against destitution.
By contributory social insurance, the President meant a system under which contributions and
benefits were related to past earnings. He was familiar with workmen's compensation which
possessed this characteristic. The American workmen' s compensation laws had been
modeled after similar European laws which had been in existence for many years.
The Social Security Act of 1935 is based upon the two basic principles laid down by the
President. Of ten separate programs included in the Social Security Act, nine are
administered by the States, with Federal grants to cover a large proportion of the cost.
Likewise, the Social Security Act included two types of contributory social insurance: old-
age retirement insurance and unemployment insurance.

Old-Age Insurance (now Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance)

The old-age retirement system (which subsequently was expanded to include survivors'
benefits and disability benefits) is operated directly by the Federal government. Under the
original program, only employees in commerce and industry were covered and coverage was
compulsory. In 1950 and subsequent years, coverage was extended to the non-agricultural
self-employed, including most professionals and to both the self-employed and workers in
agriculture.
Benefits under the original program were payable only to workers at age 65 who retired after
1941. But in 1939, the program was revised and expanded to provide benefits for wives and
children of retired workers, and for widows, children and dependent parents of deceased
workers. The first benefits became payable to persons who qualified in January, 1940. A
death benefit to help defray the funeral expenses of the worker was also added. In 1950
benefits were made available to dependent husbands and widowers of female workers. In
1954, a disability freeze (similar to a waiver of premium) for the permanently and totally
disabled was instituted and in 1956, cash disability benefits provisions were added.
Unemployment Insurance
The unemployment insurance system is federal-state in character. All the States were induced
to pass unemployment insurance laws because the Social Security Act included a Federal
11

Unemployment Tax on employers' payrolls. If a State passed an unemployment insurance

law, an employer was permitted a credit up to 90% of the Federal tax for contributions made
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under the State law. The old-age retirement system is completely Federal in character because
 the actuaries believed that the great movement of workers across State lines made a State by
State system unfeasible.
Public Assistance
The two social insurance systems were intended to provide a first line of defense against the
two causes of destitution which were recognized as most important at that time. However, it
was realized that it would be many years before a contributory old-age insurance system
could pay sizable benefits based upon past earnings. Therefore, the Social Security Act also
provided for Federal grants to the States to enable them to pay cash assistance to persons over
65 years of age, based upon their needs. Thirty States and Territories already had old age
assistance laws on their statute books. However, most of these laws provided for grants to the
local units of government and were permissive in character. The result was that in only 10
States were they in State-wide effect.
Likewise 27 States had laws providing for cash payments to the needy blind. But most of
these laws too provided for grants to the local units of government and a large number were
permissive.
Forty-five States also had on their statute books laws providing for aid to dependent children,
sometimes called "mothers' pensions." These laws provided for State aid to local government
units to help finance this form of cash assistance based on need. As in the case of old age and
blind assistance, most of these laws were optional on the part of the local units of
government. The result was that these laws were actually in operation in less than half of the
local units of government in these States.
The Social Security Act provided for Federal grants to the States for old age assistance, blind
assistance and for aid to dependent children upon condition that a State actually put these
laws in effect throughout the State. Practically all the States soon complied with this
requirement.
Besides the two types of social insurance and the three types of public assistance, the Social
Security Act provided for grants to the States to expand their public health programs, to
expand their maternal and child welfare programs, and to expand their vocational
rehabilitation programs.

FEDERAL-STATE ADMINISTRATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY

As has already been mentioned, this great reliance upon the States to administer the
provisions of the Social Security Act was due to the belief on the part of President Roosevelt,
which was shared by most of his advisers, that this was desirable. It was felt that a nation-
wide social welfare program affecting the daily lives of millions of people throughout the
continent should provide opportunity for variation in its substantive provisions and in its
administration, subject of course to the basic principles contained in the Federal law.
President Roosevelt's views had probably been influenced by his experience as a State
Governor and perhaps by his acquaintance with James Bryce, the former British Ambassador
to the United States and the author of a book entitled The American Commonwealth, who felt
that the great strength of the American
Federal-State system was that the States constituted laboratories for experimentation. The
President's reaction to a radical proposal of Upton Sinclair, who was a candidate for
Governor in California was typical. Sinclair's proposal was known as EPIC, initials which
stood for End Poverty in California. His comment was, "Perhaps they'll get EPIC in
California. What difference, I ask you, would that make in Dutchess County, New York, or
Lincoln County, Maine? The beauty of our state-federal system is that the people can
12

experiment."
The Question of Constitutionality
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 There was also a very important constitutional reason why maximum reliance should be
placed on State action. Under the Federal Constitution, the Federal government possesses
only those powers which are delegated to it by the states, such as the power to regulate
interstate commerce and to levy taxes. Two Federal child labor laws had been declared
unconstitutional by the Unites States Supreme Court, the first as not authorized under the
interstate commerce clause and the second as an invalid exercise of the taxing power. Even
while the Social Security Act was being considered by Congress in 1935, a Federal Railroad
Retirement Act was declared unconstitutional as an invalid exercise of the power to regulate
interstate commerce.
Fortunately, when the Social Security Act reached the United States Supreme Court in 1937,
the court adopted a liberal interpretation of what is known as "the welfare clause" in the
Federal Constitution which reads, "The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect
taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and
general welfare of the United Stated."
In a land-mark opinion upholding the constitutionality of the Social Security Act, Justice
Cardozo wrote:
"Congress may spend money in aid of the 'general welfare.' There have been great statesmen
in our history who have stood for other views. We will not resurrect the contest. It is now
settled by decision. . .
"The purge of the nation-wide calamity that began in 1929 has taught us many lessons. Not
the least is the solidarity of interests that may once have seemed to be divided. . . Spreading
from state to state, unemployment is an ill not particular but general, which may be checked,
if Congress so determines, by the resources of the Nation. If this can have been doubtful until
now, our ruling today. . . has set the doubt at rest. . . The hope behind this statute is to save
men and women from the rigors of the poorhouse as well as from the haunting fear that such
a lot awaits them when the Journey's end is near. . ."

SUBSEQUENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT

The Social Security has been substantially improved by Congress on 8 different occasions
since 1935. The coverage of the Federal-State unemployment insurance system has been
extended to include 80% of all employed wage and salary workers. Benefits are now being
paid to 1,500,000 temporarily unemployed workers totaling 200 million dollars a month. The
coverage of the Federal old-age survivors and disability insurance system has been extended
to include 90% of the entire labor force including the self-employed. Monthly benefits are
now being paid to 19 million totally disabled and retired workers, and their dependents, and
to the widows, orphans, and parents of deceased workers. These benefits total 1 billion
dollars a month.
The public assistance provisions of the Social Security Act have been improved to include
Federal grants to needy disabled persons who do not qualify for social insurance benefits or
whose insurance benefits are not adequate. The percentage of the cost of this category and the
other categories of public assistance borne by the Federal government has been greatly
increased. The Federal grants to the States for maternal and child welfare have also been
greatly increased, and Federal grants are now available to the States to provide medical
assistance to the indigent aged.

SECURITY FOR RAILROAD WORKERS

Besides the social Insurances included in the Social Security Act, there are two other Federal
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social insurance systems covering railroad workers. One is the Railroad Retirement Act. As
previously stated, the first such Act, passed in 1934, had been declared unconstitutional in
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1935. However, another one was passed in 1935. This law provided benefits for permanent
 total disability as well as old age retirement. The Railroad Retirement Act and the Old-Age
Survivors and Disability insurance system are coordinated to provide continuing protection to
workers moving into or out of the railroad industry.
There is also a Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act that provides benefits for temporary
disability as well as unemployment. This Federal system operates separately from the State
unemployment insurance systems.

SECURITY FOR FEDERAL WORKERS

Federal civilian and military personnel in active service have separate retirement, sickness,
and survivors' benefit systems. There is also a vast Federal program of veterans' benefits
providing pensions and other cash benefits, as well as extensive medical services.
Unemployment insurance benefits are also provided for Federal civilian and military
personnel. These benefits are paid in accordance with the provisions of the State
unemployment insurance in effect where the applicant files his claim, but the cost is borne by
the Federal government.

ROLE OF THE STATES

As regards State activities in the field of social welfare, these have grown along with those of
the Federal government. As we have seen, the Federal government helps finance these
activities to a considerable extent. As regards the social insurances, all States now have
workmen's compensation and unemployment insurance laws. Four of the States also have
temporary disability insurance laws.
All of the States have in effect public assistance programs for the needy aged, the needy blind
and dependent children. All except one have in effect public assistance for needy disabled
persons. About half have in effect a newer public assistance program for which Federal
grants were first made available in 1961. This program extends the aid to dependent children
to include children in need of aid because of the unemployment of a parent. Previously
Federal grants had been available only if a child was in need of aid because of the death,
disability or desertion of a parent. Of course, the law in all of the States provides for
assistance to needy persons who do not fall within the categories for which Federal grants are
available; in many cases, these are financed entirely by local funds.
As previously pointed out, State and local government expenditures for public health and
medical care have increased greatly. The Federal government shares in the cost of most of
these expenditures. However, the States and local government units bear almost all of the
coat of institutional care of the mentally ill.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE

Public health and vocational rehabilitation are no longer included in the Social Security Act,
but are in separate Federal laws. As has already been mentioned, the increase in the
expenditures of the Federal government for public health and medical care since 1934-35 has
been tremendous. Most of the increase in public health expenditures has been for research.
The Federal government now spends a billion dollars for this purpose which is two-thirds of
the cost of all the health research carried on in this country. However, there has also been a
considerable increase in Federal grants to the States for public health activities.
Practically all of the increase since 1934-35 in direct Federal medical care expenditures, is for
military personnel and their dependents. However, beginning in 1946, the Federal
government has been making grants to the States, local units of government, and non-profit
14

organizations for the construction of hospital and other medical facilities. These grants have
increased year by year and now total a half-billion dollars a year. Moreover, medical care
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 expenditures by the Federal government under "Veterans Programs" have increased during
this period from $59 million to more than $1 billion.

FEATURES NOT INCLUDED IN PUBLIC SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE UNITED

STATES
Health Insurance
It should be noted that in the United States there is no public health insurance system or
general health service, as there are in two-thirds of the nations having a social security
program. Of course, medical care, as well as cash benefits, is provided under workmen's
compensation laws in the case of work-injuries. In addition, indigents, members of the armed
forces and their dependents, and veterans are provided medical care at public expense. All
told, if we also include medical research, about one-fourth of the nation's medical bill is paid
for out of public funds. Another fourth is covered by private insurance.

Maternity Benefits
Although there is no general program of maternity benefits in the United States, millions of
women are eligible for maternity benefits through health and insurance programs provided
under voluntary plans or, in some cases, through legislative action. These benefits take the
form of cash payments to meet part or all of the expense of obstetrical care; or they may
provide medical and hospital services. For women workers they may also include maternity
leave provisions and cash payments to compensate in part for loss of wages during disability.
Federal legislation provides benefits for women railroad workers, women federal employees,
women in military service, and wives of servicemen. Federal, State, and local laws provide
assistance for women who are "medically needy." But the trend in the United Sautes is
toward voluntary protection, and this is provided for under informal employer policies,
through collective bargaining agreements, or through private subscription to commercial
insurance plans.

Family Allowances
Another feature which is not included in the social welfare program of the United States is
what is called family or children's allowances. About half of all the nations of the world have
such a program. Probably the chief reason that the United States does not is that the general
high level of wages in this country does not create the same need for supplementation for
workers with families. In any event, employers in this country have never proposed family
allowances in lieu of a general wage increase as has been true in a number of other countries.
Nor has organized labor ever shown any interest whatsoever in family allowances, either as a
result of collective bargaining or as a result of legislation.
Another reason that there has been no interest in family allowances is that an aid to dependent
children program has developed in this country to a far greater extent than anywhere else,
although it is true that it does not apply to the normal family where the breadwinner is
working.

COMPARISON OF GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE EFFORTS IN SOCIAL

WELFARE
There can be no question that in the United States governmental programs in the field of
social welfare are more important than non-governmental programs in term of expenditures
and individuals affected. However, it would be a mistake not to recognize the vital role of
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non-governmental social agencies.

Philanthropies
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 Throughout our history, religious organizations have engaged in philanthropic activities such
as providing assistance to the needy and caring for dependent and neglected children. Secular
philanthropic organizations came into existence early in the 19th century, and in the 1870's,
charity organization societies were established in the larger cities to deal more effectively
with social needs arising out of increasing urbanization.
In 1929, at the outset of the Great Depression, it was hoped that the private welfare agencies
would be able to meet the needs of the increasing number of unemployed workers. This
proved not to be the case. Soon the States and then the Federal government was obliged to
provide funds to assist local public relief agencies.
As the local, State and Federal governments assumed responsibility for providing cash
assistance to indigent persons, the non-governmental welfare agencies devoted most of their
efforts to providing health and welfare services (rather than cash assistance) for individuals
and families. These services are not limited to the indigent. They include institutional care,
hospital nursing services, recreational activities, family counselling and other types of
services. The total expenditures of three non-governmental agencies for health and welfare
activities have steadily increased in amount and as a percentage of the gross national product.
They now aggregate about two and a half billion dollars, and constitute a valuable
supplement to governmental welfare activities.

Employment Fringe Benefits

Beside philanthropy, another valuable supplement to governmental welfare activities are the
health and welfare plans based on the employer-employee relationship. These are usually
referred to as "fringe benefits" in the United States. They include life insurance, health
insurance. disability benefits, sick-leave, supplemental unemployment benefits, and
retirement benefits. Prior to 1935, the number of employee benefit plans was very small,
about 1,000 covering 2,600,000 workers (exclusive of those covered by life insurance
policies). By 1962, 43 million employees or 71% of all employees in the country, plus 68
million dependents were covered under such plans. The benefits paid in 1962 amounted to
$9,769,000,000. There are a number of reasons accounting for this dramatic growth. The
Social Security Act of 1935 facilitated the establishment of private pension plans on a sound
actuarial basis. High corporation taxes coupled with allowance of explorer contributions as a
deduction permitted the establishment at a low net cost. The "wag-freeze" during World War
II and the Korean War, which permitted increased compensation in the form of "fringe
benefits" and labor union demands for "fringe benefits," were other reasons.
Employers pay about half of the cost of health and welfare benefits, exclusive of retirement
benefits. They pay about 85% of the cost of retirement benefits.

CONCLUSIONS
It is apparent from the foregoing discussion that the development of social welfare programs
in the United States has encompassed both governmental and non-governmental efforts. In so
doing, it has been demonstrated that there need be no conflict between the two. Voluntary
welfare organizations recognize that the assumption by government of the obligation to
provide financial aid to indigent people has enabled them to use their resources more
effectively in providing constructive social services. Likewise, the large life insurance
companies have used successfully the basic protection afforded by the Old-Age, Survivors
and Disability Insurance system to promote the sale of additional protection.
It is also apparent that this development has come about as the result of felt needs--on a
16

pragmatic basis rather than on an ideological basis. However, it would be unfortunate if we

did not recognize that it constitutes an expression of the paramount objective of democratic
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government--the welfare of people. While judges debated for 150 years as to the respective
 role of the Federal and State governments in achieving this objective, it is well to recall that
the very first sentence of the Federal Constitution reads as follows: "We the People of the
United States in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the
Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
CONSTITUTION for the United States of America."
The underlined words indicate that the founding fathers recognized that a democracy had an
affirmative obligation to promote both the liberty and the welfare of the people. Thus, their
concept of liberty was a positive one of equal opportunity for all which can only be achieved
through promoting the general welfare.
Q.SOCIAL REFORMS.
SOCIAL REFORM AND SOCIAL WORK
The term "social work and social reform." is used to convey the fundamental link between
social work and social reform. As a result, we've decided to look into the points of contact
between the two parties. Concerning social work, considerable discussion hasalready
occurred earlier in the text. To begin, we must grasp the meaning and notion of social
reform in the Indian context; only then will we be able to realise the relationship between
the two.

Social inequality occurs when resources in a given society are distributed unevenly, typically
through norms of allocation, that engender specific patterns along lines of socially defined
categories of persons. It is the differentiation preference of access of social goods in the
society brought about by power, religion, kinship, prestige, race, ethnicity, gender, age,
sexual orientation, and class. Social inequality usually implies the lack of equality of
outcome, but may alternatively be conceptualized in terms of the lack of equality of access to
opportunity.[1] The social rights include labor market, the source of income, health care, and
freedom of speech, education, political representation, and participation.[2]
Social inequality is linked to economic inequality, usually described on the basis of
the unequal distribution of income or wealth, is a frequently studied type of social inequality.
Although the disciplines of economics and sociology generally use different theoretical
approaches to examine and explain economic inequality, both fields are actively involved
in researching this inequality. However, social and natural resources other than purely
economic resources are also unevenly distributed in most societies and may contribute
to social status. Norms of allocation can also affect the distribution
of rights and privileges, social power, access to public goods such as education or the judicial
system, adequate housing, transportation, credit and financial services such as banking and
other social goods and services.
Many societies worldwide claim to be meritocracies—that is, that their societies exclusively
distribute resources on the basis of merit. The term "meritocracy" was coined by Michael
Young in his 1958 dystopian essay "The Rise of the Meritocracy" to demonstrate the social
dysfunctions that he anticipated arising in societies where the elites believe that they are
successful entirely on the basis of merit, so the adoption of this term into English without
negative connotations is ironic;[3] Young was concerned that the Tripartite System of
education being practiced in the United Kingdom at the time he wrote the essay considered
merit to be "intelligence-plus-effort, its possessors ... identified at an early age and selected
for appropriate intensive education" and that the "obsession with quantification, test-scoring,
17

and qualifications" it supported would create an educated middle-class elite at the expense of
the education of the working class, inevitably resulting in injustice and eventually revolution.
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[4]
 Although merit matters to some degree in many societies, research shows that the distribution
of resources in societies often follows hierarchical social categorizations of persons to a
degree too significant to warrant calling these societies "meritocratic", since even exceptional
intelligence, talent, or other forms of merit may not be compensatory for the social
disadvantages people face. In many cases, social inequality is linked to racial and ethnic
inequality, gender inequality, and other forms of social status, and these forms can be related
to corruption.[5] The most common metric for comparing social inequality in different nations
is the Gini coefficient, which measures the concentration of wealth and income in a nation
from 0 (evenly distributed wealth and income) to 1 (one person has all wealth and income).
Two nations may have identical Gini coefficients but dramatically different economic
(output) and/or quality of life, so the Gini coefficient must be contextualized for meaningful
comparisons to be made.[6]

Social inequality is found in almost every society. Social inequality is shaped by a range of
structural factors, such as geographical location or citizenship status, and are often
underpinned by cultural discourses and identities defining, for example, whether the poor are
'deserving' or 'undeserving'.[7] In simple societies, those that have few social roles and statuses
occupied by its members, social inequality may be very low. In tribal societies, for example,
a tribal head or chieftain may hold some privileges, use some tools, or wear marks of office
to which others do not have access, but the daily life of the chieftain is very much like the
daily life of any other tribal member. Anthropologists identify such highly egalitarian
cultures as "kinship-oriented", which appear to value social harmony more than wealth or
status. These cultures are contrasted with materially oriented cultures in which status and
wealth are prized and competition and conflict are common. Kinship-oriented cultures may
actively work to prevent social hierarchies from developing because they believe that could
lead to conflict and instability.[8] In today's world, most of our population lives in more
complex than simple societies. As social complexity increases, inequality tends to increase
along with a widening gap between the poorest and the most wealthy members of society.
[5]
 Certain types of social classes and nationalities are finding themselves in a tough spot with
where they fit into the social system and because of this they are experiencing social
inequality.[9]
Social inequality can be classified into egalitarian societies, ranked society, and stratified
society and Edgar Watson, The Perse School.[10] Egalitarian societies are those communities
advocating for social equality through equal opportunities and rights, hence no
discrimination. People with special skills were not viewed as superior compared to the rest.
The leaders do not have the power they only have influence. The norms and the beliefs the
egalitarian society holds are for sharing equally and equal participation. Simply there are no
classes. Ranked society mostly is agricultural communities who hierarchically grouped from
the chief who is viewed to have a status in the society. In this society, people are clustered
regarding status and prestige and not by access to power and resources. The chief is the most
influential person followed by his family and relative, and those further related to him are less
ranked. Stratified society is societies which horizontally ranked into the upper class, middle
class, and lower class. The classification is regarding wealth, power, and prestige. The upper
class are mostly the leaders and are the most influential in the society. It's possible for a
person in the society to move from one stratum to the other. The social status is also
hereditable from one generation to the next.[2]
18
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Q.Social Justice and Rights.

 Justice is the concept of fairness. Social justice is fairness as it manifests in society. That
includes fairness in healthcare, employment, housing, and more. In a socially-just society,
human rights are respected and discrimination is not allowed to flourish. What’s the origin of
the phrase “social justice?” It was most likely first used in the 1780s and appears in Paper #7
of The Federalist Papers. As the Industrial Revolution wound down, American legal scholars
applied the term to economics. Today, its use has expanded significantly and applies to all
parts of society. It’s seen through the lens of traits like race, class, sexuality, and gender.
What does social justice look like?
The principles of social justice
For social justice to become a reality, four pillars must be built: human rights, access,
participation, and equity. Social justice can’t be achieved without these four principles.

Human rights
The connection between social justice and human rights has strengthened over the years to
the point where many use “social justice” and “human rights” interchangeably. While they
are technically different, it’s clear to activists that one can’t thrive without the other. When a
society is just, it protects and respects everyone’s human rights. When a society respects and
promotes human rights, social justice flourishes. This connection is essential because human
rights are recognized globally. When activists fight for social justice, they can lean on the
connection with human rights to hold governments, corporations, and individuals
accountable.
Access
A just society depends on access to essentials like shelter, food, medical care, and education.
It isn’t enough for a society to invest in innovations or create new opportunities; society must
also prioritize access. If access is restricted based on factors like gender, race, or class, it
leads to suffering for individuals, communities, and society as a whole. Social justice activists
spend a lot of time working to restore and increase access for everyone and not just a few
select groups.
Participation
Who gets to have a say in society? Social justice isn’t possible if only a few voices are
respected. Unfortunately, the voices of the marginalized and vulnerable are often silenced in
favor of those with more wealth, cultural influence, and political power. This is even the case
when people have good intentions and want to address major societal problems. If the voices
of those most affected aren’t heard, solutions are likely to fail or possibly make things worse.
Participation must be promoted, encouraged, and rewarded so everyone – especially those
who haven’t had a chance to participate before – can speak.
Equity
Many people believe “equality” is one of the principles of social justice, but it’s actually
“equity.” What’s the difference? Equity takes into account the effects of discrimination and
aims for an equal outcome. There’s an often-cited and adapted graphic (originally created by
business professor Craig Froehle) which demonstrates this clearly and simply: three people
are trying to watch a baseball game over a fence. All of them stand on a box. One can easily
see the field, while the other can just barely see, while the last person is still unable to watch.
“Equality” has given everyone just one box to stand on, even though the tallest person
doesn’t need a box and one box doesn’t allow the shortest person to see. “Equity” gives the
19

tallest person’s box to the shortest person, allowing them to see. Now, everyone can watch
the game.
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Examples of social justice issues

 When the four principles we discussed above are prioritized, a socially-just society is
possible. Where do these principles need to be applied? Depending on the place, some social
justice issues are more pressing than others. That said, most societies struggle with similar
issues. Here are three examples:
Racial inequality
Racial inequality is one of the most common social justice issues in the world. Most nations
have a history of racial discrimination and prejudice of some kind. As an example, the legacy
of slavery and Jim Crow persists in the United States. Racial inequality affects a racial
group’s ability to find work, get access to healthcare, and receive an equal education.
Because race is not a biological reality, but rather a social and political construct with real
consequences, progress takes social and political solutions.
Gender inequality
The way things stand, it will take 135 years for global gender equality to become a reality.
Obstacles like the gender pay gap, weakening reproductive rights, and unequal education
opportunities hold women back. The Covid-19 pandemic also erased a lot of progress as its
impact on work and household responsibilities hit women harder. Social justice activists
consider gender equality, which intersects with other issues like racial and sexual equality,
one of the most important social justice issues of our time.
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 Unit-II

Unit – 2: Philosophy of Social work Profession.

Q.Social Work: Nature and Scope

Social work has varied meanings for different people. For some, social work is (shramadan),
while for others, it is charity or disaster assistance. Services such as road, constructing, or
cleaning a house or its surroundings will fall under the category of (shramadan). However, all
of these are not necessarily social labor. Social work assists people with behavioral issues,
such as children's marital issues and chronic patient rehabilitation issues.

The following are some of the reasons for misconceptions:

1. Social workers are unable to distinguish between western professional and traditional
religious aspects of their employment.
2. Terminology has not developed because social workers are preoccupied with day-to-day
problems.
3. The majority of the findings are obtained from social sciences, therefore precision and
accuracy are weak.
4. Social work is concerned with issues about which even the average person has preconceived
notions.
5. To add to the confusion, politicians, actors, and cricketers refer to some of their promotional
campaigns as social work. Trained social workers are paid and voluntary, while untrained
social workers are not, but both work side by side. Laypeople frequently do not understand
the differences between the types of activities that fall under the label of social work, which
are carried out by a diverse group of people from various backgrounds.

Nature of Social Work 

Some people are dealing with personal or family issues. They may be unable to tackle these
problems on their own at times. As a result, they require outside assistance. Such assistance is
provided by professionals. The person seeking assistance is referred to as a client, and the
professional person assisting him is referred to as a social worker. Social case work is the
term for such tasks.

The customer should be motivated to improve himself or herself. In social work, being
willing to receive aid is a requirement. The client's own efforts to improve his position are
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merely supplemented by the social worker. He respects the client's right to self-determination
by not imposing his advise or solution on them. Clients should not feel superior to social
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workers, nor should they be despised by them. They should have empathy, which means they
 should try to understand the circumstances of the client by putting themselves in her shoes.
They should not, however, feel as if they are the client. The client's feelings must be
understood and accepted by the social worker.
Hundreds of individuals contribute money and goods to support victims of catastrophes and
natural calamities. They will not come into contact with the victims directly. This is
commonly referred to as social service because it entails assisting the helpless. However, in
social work, face-to-face interaction between the professional and the client is critical. In
some cases, with addition to providing temporary relief, the social worker also assists in the
improvement of interpersonal relationships and the resolution of adjustment issues associated
to disasters and natural calamities. Social work is the type of involvement required to address
deeper difficulties and other relationship challenges.

Scientific Base of Social Work

The practice of social work has a solid scientific foundation. Social workers do not consider
that knowledge is valuable in and of itself. Social work is based on a scientific body of
knowledge, although one that has been drawn from several fields in the social and biological
sciences. There are three categories of knowledge in social work, like in any other discipline.
1) Knowledge that has been put to the test. 
2) Hypothetical knowledge that must be converted into empirical knowledge. 
3) Assumptive information, which is practical wisdom, must be transformed into hypothetical
knowledge, which must then be evaluated.
Sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, economics, biology, psychiatry, law,
and medicine are all used to supplement the knowledge. All disciplines have made significant
contributions to our understanding of human nature. This expertise is put to use by social
workers to help their clients address challenges.
Humanitarianism is at the heart of social work. It is referred to as "Scientific Humanism"
since it is founded on scientific principles. Social work is built on a set of ideals that, when
put together, form the "Philosophy of Social Work." Social work is built on a belief in the
individual's inherent value and dignity. Man is revered because he is a human being, not
because he is wealthy or powerful. Human nature bestows worth and dignity on each
individual, which must be respected by all other humans. Discrimination based on caste,
color, ethnicity, sex, or religion is prohibited in social work.
Social work is opposed to "Social Darwinism" and the "survival of the fittest" idea. This
means that social workers do not assume that only the strong would survive and the weak will
perish in society. For social workers, those who are weak, disabled, or in need of care are
equally essential. Regardless of psychological, societal, or economic differences, the
individual is seen as a whole with equal worth and dignity. The social worker believes in the
individual's capacity while also acknowledging individual variances. The importance of
individual self-determination is emphasized. He needs to be understood from both a
household and a cultural standpoint. "Idealism and realism" are combined in social work.
Individuals are vital to a social worker, but society is also crucial. Social conditions have a
significant impact on an individual's personality. However, the individual must ultimately
face responsibility for his or her actions and behavior. The worker must resolve the issue that
is causing the client to be upset. As a result, social work is fundamentally a problem-solving
profession.
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Scope of Social Work 

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 The goal of social work is to assist people who are in need in developing the ability to solve
their problems on their own. It's both a science and a work of art. Social work is science in
the sense that a social worker's body of knowledge is made up of knowledge from other
disciplines, and she/he uses this theoretical foundation to help people, i.e., for practice. It is
necessary to put theory into practice. Skill refers to the ability to perform the task. As a result,
professional social work must be developed into a professional service using selected
knowledge and a set of social work ideals.

A social worker must build a favorable relationship with the people she serves. She should be
able to conduct interviews and compose reports. She/he should be able to diagnose, that is,
determine the source of the problem, and then devise a treatment strategy. The four key steps
involved in social work are assessing the problem, preparing for its solution, implementing
the plan, and evaluating the outcome. The social worker's genuine desire to assist the client
will not solve the situation on its own. She should be able to assist her customers. His/her will
be able to comprehend how to aid people using social work practices. The following are some
examples of social work methods: 

1. Social casework 
2.  Social Group Work. 
3. Community Organization  
4. Social Work Research
5.  Social Welfare Administration
6. Social Action

The first three are referred to as direct aid methods, while the latter three are referred to as
secondary or auxiliary aid ways. These six social work practices are systematic and well-
thought-out approaches to assisting others.
Individual problems, whether in the context of the entire environment or as a component of it,
are the focus of social case work. A person becomes entangled in an issue when he is unable
to deal with it on his own due to circumstances beyond his control. His nervousness makes
him temporarily unable to solve problems. His social functioning is disrupted in any
circumstance. The case worker gathers information about the client's entire environment,
determines the causes, develops a treatment plan, and attempts to modify the client's
perceptions and attitudes through professional relationships.
Social group work is a social work service in which a professionally qualified person assists
individuals in improving their relationships and social functioning through group
experiences. Individuals are vital in group work, and they are supported to improve their
social ties via flexible programmes that emphasise the individual's personality development
in group functioning and relationships. Individuals are assisted in making essential changes
and adjustments through and within the group.
Another type of social work is community organization. A community is made up of groups
and refers to a system of interactions that is well-organized, yet no community is perfectly
organized. Community organization is a method of systematically attempting to strengthen
community ties. Community organization entails identifying problems, locating resources to
solve community problems, creating social relationships, and implementing essential
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programmed to achieve the community's goals. The community can become self-sufficient
and build a cooperative mentality among its members in this way.
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 The process of organizing and administering social work services, both private and public, is
known as social welfare administration. Some of the functions of a social worker in
administration include developing programmed, mobilizing resources, involving personnel
selection and recruitment, proper I organization, coordination, providing skilled and
sympathetic leadership, guidance I I and supervision of the staff, dealing with programme
financing and budgeting, and evaluation.
Social work research is a systematic examination aimed at uncovering new facts, testing old
ideas, confirming existing theories, and determining causal linkages among the issues that a
social worker is interested in. A comprehensive analysis of the given situation, including
social work research and surveys, is required in order to scientifically launch any form of
social work programme.
The goal of social action is to bring about desired changes in order to assure social progress.
The activities of social workers who use the approach of social action include raising
awareness about social problems, mobilizing resources, encouraging various groups of people
to speak out against harmful practices, and applying pressure to enact laws. It aims to strike a
fair balance between community needs and environmental concerns.

Function of Social Work 

Restoration, resource provision, and prevention are the three core functions of social work.
These are interconnected and interdependent. There are two components to restoring
damaged social functioning: curative and rehabilitative. The therapeutic part removes the
factors that are causing the individual's social dysfunction. That is, disrupted interpersonal
relationships are remedied by removing the conditions that cause them. The individual must
acclimate to the new cure or gadget advised after removing the variables that caused the
condition. The person is assisted in adjusting to the demands of the new situation. This is
referred to as the rehabilitative aspect. A hearing device, for example, is recommended as a
treatment for a partially deaf youngster whose social relationships have been harmed as a
result of the problem. This is the therapeutic aspect. The rehabilitative element is getting used
to the hearing aid.
The development and instructional components of resource provision are both important. The
developmental aspect is intended to promote resource effectiveness and personality variables
for effective social interaction. Mr. and Mrs. X, for example, are happily married despite
occasional differences of opinion. They are not getting divorced, and their marriage is in
good shape. They can work out their problems and repair their connection with the help of a
family counselling organization. The developmental aspect is what it's called. The
educational spectrum is intended to familiarize the general population with specific criteria
and requirements for new or changing circumstances. A talk provided by a counsellor to
address family and marriage issues, for example, is an educational process.
The prevention of social dysfunction is the third function of social work. It entails the early
detection, correction, or removal of circumstances and situations that may obstruct efficient
social functioning. For example, establishing a youth club for males in particular locations
may aid in the prevention of juvenile criminality. Pre-marital counselling for teenagers may
help to avoid future marital issues.

Goals of Social Work 

Social work's purpose is to alleviate suffering through resolving people's difficulties. People
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suffer from psychosocial issues related to their bodily and mental health. Apart from that,
children's and adults' adjustment issues can be addressed independently. In other words,
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social work improves the social functioning of people, organizations, and families by offering
 recreational services to the general public, and by sensible use of leisure time, it can help
society avoid delinquency and crime. It also connects the client system to the resources it
requires. Individuals benefit from social work because it assists them in bringing about
changes in their environment that support their growth and development.
Social work promotes democratic concepts and the development of positive interpersonal
relationships, culminating in optimal family and neighborhood modifications.

'Social Darwinism' is not something that social workers believe in. It does not believe in the
survival of the fittest premise. As a result, it uses legal aid to promote social justice. Through
the creation of social policy, it also promotes social fairness. Social work also increases the
efficiency of the social service delivery system.

 Personal Attitude of the Worker

The social worker is a human being as well. She or he will go through all of the feelings that
a human goes through. She or he may feel superior since she or he is in a position to assist
others. When she/he sees herself/himself in the mirror. All of this may be traced back to the
worker's early life and experiences as a Professional Social Worker. While professionally
participating in the assisting position, she/he must comprehend her/his own feelings and
control Nature, Scope, Goals, and Functions. She or he must accept the client's feelings as
they are. She/he must not confuse them with her/his own. She or he must concentrate on
assisting the client by making good use of the client's emotions and resources.

 Social Work and Ethics 

Any profession usually provides its professionals a lot of power. A layperson seeking social
work assistance may be aware of the problem's complexities. The professional counsel of a
social worker is valuable, and his or her judgement should not be questioned. When power is
not restrained by behavioral norms, it can easily devolve into tyranny. Social workers may
charge a hefty fee for their services or impose unpopular demands on the general public. As a
result, professional organizations adopt a code of conduct to regulate the profession.
Ethics Philosophy: The professional has an ethical responsibility to his or her clients,
employers, and coworkers. She/he owes a duty to the community as well as to his/her
vocation. The foundation of a professional's service is their relationship with their client. The
partnership should be unbiased and neutral. The professional should not make any
distinctions based on gender, caste, creed, or color. The professional must maintain strict
confidentiality regarding the client's situation and any relevant information. He or she should
have a good working connection with his or her coworkers, one built on equality,
cooperation, helpfulness, and regulated competition.
The professional has a social obligation and should devote all of her abilities and resources to
the greater good. For the professional, the obligation to the profession is considerably greater.
Members are held to the code of ethics by formal and informal techniques of social control.
When a profession is recognized, it becomes a profession. Only by reserving jobs for people
with technical training, giving precedence to qualifications in jobs, offering awareness of
promotions and financial resources, and so on, can people gain recognition.
Social Workers' Ethical Responsibilities: A social worker has ethical responsibilities to his
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clients, his employers, his coworkers, his community, and his profession. The basic ethical
responsibility of a social worker toward his clients is to ensure the individual's well-being.
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Professional responsibilities, rather than personal interests, should be prioritized by the social
 worker. She must respect the (self-determination) viewpoint of her client. She should keep all
client-related information private. Clients' individual peculiarities should be respected by the
social worker, and non-professional prejudice should be avoided.
The social worker owes his employers an ethical obligation and should be devoted to them.
He/she should supply his/her employer with correct and accurate information. The social
worker should be held accountable for the quality and scope of service provided while
adhering to the agency's standards and procedures. She/he should continue to assist his/her
agency in improving its public image even after his/her job ends.

The social worker must show respect for his or her coworkers and assist them in carrying out
their duties. The social worker should take on the task of expanding her or his knowledge.
She or he should treat everyone equally and collaborate with other studies and practice.
In defending the community from unethical behaviors, the social worker has an ethical
responsibility. She or he must give information and talents to the community's benefit.
Above all, the social worker has an ethical obligation to his or her own field. She or he should
stand up for her profession in the face of unfair criticism or misrepresentation. Through self-
discipline and personal behavior, she/he should maintain and build public confidence.
Professional practice necessitates professional education, which the social worker should
constantly encourage.

Ideologies of Professional Social Work 

We can understand the following social work ideologies if we examine the global historical
context of social work.
Social Work as Charity:
Religion led people to aid their neighbors in need. Alms were distributed to anyone who
needed assistance. Those that assisted them were given alms as a gesture of goodwill. As a
result, western countries began their social work practices with a charitable mindset. They
began offering alms in cash and kind because religion inspired them to help their fellow
human beings who were needy. They quickly understood that they couldn't give enough to
the growing poor, and that a solution was needed to solve the situation. The state (UK
government) interfered at the time by adopting legislation and initiating state inability to care
for the destitute.

Welfare Social Work Approach: 

The state began to help the needy by distributing alms and passing the Elizabethan Poor Law
(1601) in LK. The Act split the impoverished into three groups: those who could work, those
who couldn't work, and those who were reliant on others. The first group was compelled to
work in workhouses, while the second and third groups were given alms from alm houses.
The Act, as well as later enactments, failed to address the issue of poverty. To comprehend
the situation, the government concluded that a personalized strategy was required. The issue
may be the same, but different people have various causes for the same issue. They realized
that each cause must be explored in order to find a solution. As a result, charitable
organizations were formed to carry out that task.
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Clinical Social Work Approach: 

 In 1935, Congress created the Social Security Act, recognizing the need to assist the destitute.
The Act was enacted to address the issues that arose as a result of industrialization. Some of
the people's financial issues were taken over by the government. A big number of people
volunteered. Volunteers monitor untrained persons since they are trained people who can
undertake case work practice. Most people realized that money alone would not fix their
concerns, so they began working as counsellors. Psychological sciences, notably
psychoanalytical thought, have served as a foundation for counselling.

Clinical social work is a type of direct social work interaction with individuals, groups, and
families that takes place mostly in the worker's office. The worker supports contact between
the individual and his or her social environment by using a disciplined use of self in this
technique.

Ecological Social Work Approach:

 In an ecological social work approach, problems are seen as environmental inadequacies
rather than personal deficits. Tradition in social work has stressed social treatment and
reform, which has provided the foundation for an ecological approach. Professional social
workers and the organizations that employ them see themselves as change agents working to
bring about systemic change. The steps in an ecological approach are identifying the
problem, identifying the clients and target system (which is causing the problem),
determining the decision-making process for change goals in collaboration with clients, and
determining the "action system" with which the change agent can achieve change goals.
Social workers aren't pleased with just caring for the disabled and deviants. They want to do
more. Because of Marxism's influence, they advocated oppression as the root of many
problems in 1970. In order to achieve an egalitarian social order, they expanded their
professional obligations to include reform and development. Some of the profession's
revolutionaries have gone beyond societal change and growth. Instead than dealing with
adjustment difficulties and perceiving individuals as victims of an unjust social order, social
workers attempt to transform the system by bringing fundamental changes to social structures
and relationships. This is known as radical social work, and it has also failed to address the
issues for various reasons.

Progressive Social Work: 

Some progressive social workers associate with radicals and their activities. They are
dissatisfied with society's inequity. Progressive social activists work to change society's
oppressive elements. They assist them in healing their wounds and educating them on how to
make the best decisions for their future.
Liberal feminism is a school of thought that emphasizes gender equality and calls for legal
reforms as well as equal suffrage, education, and career opportunities for men and women.
Liberal feminists do not examine the societal foundations of gender discrimination.
Women's oppression, according to Marxist feminists, is a result of the capitalist mode of
production. Only the latter is productive when there is a distinction between home and pay
work.
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Spirituality and Social Work

 India is a melting pot of religions with a long spiritual history. The Vedas and Upanishads are
the spiritual foundations of Hinduism. They offer a way to master one's own inner powers in
order to realize the ultimate truth. The truth is the key to understanding one's own identity
and life's goals. It provides a sense of detachment from oneself and aids with emotional
control. Other religions, too, assist their followers in achieving these goals.
Service to people, we believe, is service to God. The primary premise of social work is
humanitarianism. It values and honors human worth and dignity. Individuals' intrinsic
inventiveness and potentialities are valued in social work.

Through the use of appropriate institutions and timely opportunities, the social worker helps
them to realize their full potential. The social worker will come into contact with a variety of
personalities, including anti-social ones. She must cultivate a nonjudgmental attitude toward
them, accepting people and groups for who they are. Although she is on the receiving end of
the helpful relationship, the social worker is trained to maintain a controlled professional
persona, which allows her to avoid feeling superior. In addition, she must acquire a detached
attitude when interacting with clients in her professional pursuits.

Summary
The goal of social work is to assist people in resolving their difficulties. Typically, social
work is concerned with interpersonal issues such as marital issues, parent-child issues,
chronic patient rehabilitation, and so on. It is not the same as social service. Social work is
distinguished from social service by the presence of professional relationships and face-to-
face engagement. The knowledge base of social work is derived from various social and
psychological sciences. Social casework, group work, community organization, social action,
social welfare administration, and social work research are some of the strategies used in
social work.
Restoration of poor social functioning, supply of resources, and avoidance of social
dysfunction are all key functions of social work. The purpose of social work is to solve
problems. It addresses psychosocial issues related to physical and mental health, as well as
interpersonal connections issues and social justice.
Personal feelings such as love or hostility should not interfere with the social worker's
professional activity. Professional ethics guide a social worker, just as they do any other
professional. She has an ethical obligation to her career, customer, coworkers, and
community.
From charity to Professional Social Work: nature, scope, goals, and welfare approach,
clinical approach, ecological approach, radical approach to Functions progressive social
work, and feminism, the social work history will provide an account of various ideologies

Social Work Mission, Goals & Objectives

The undergraduate Social Work Program at UW-Superior is structured as a competency

based program. The program implements this structure through its mission, six goals and
thirteen objectives and through its specific course goals and competency objectives.
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Mission Statement
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 We serve as a student and community resource, providing holistic undergraduate social work
education.

Program Goals

GOAL

1: Generalist Preparation

To prepare students for entry-level ecologically-based generalist practice at all levels of

intervention (individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities), utilizing a
liberal arts foundation.

GOAL

2: Diversity

To prepare students for inclusive practice with diverse & vulnerable groups in society
throughout a variety of local, regional & international human service settings, particularly
practice with American Indian people, elderly persons, & persons with disabilities.

GOAL

3: Ethics

To prepare students for ethical decision-making guided by the values, principles & standards
of the social work profession, particularly the values of self-determination, empowerment, &
regard for diversity.

GOAL

4: Social Justice

To prepare students to recognize & apply social justice principles in practice situations
calling for social change and advocacy.

GOAL

5: Professional Development

To prepare students for continuing professional development, including future graduate

study.

GOAL

6: Service
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To support on-campus, local, regional & international constituencies with research,

continuing education, consultation and assistance, which promote social justice and social
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development.
 Objectives

Upon completion of the UW-S Social Work Program, students will be able to:

1. Make use of effective communication to employ a planned change approach which

supports client interventions across systems levels (individuals, families, small
groups, agencies, and community);
2. With diverse, misunderstood and/or oppressed populations, use both ethnic- sensitive
(including a specific focus on First Nations people) and socially-sensitive (including a
specific focus on persons with developmental disabilities, persons with mental health
issues, and aging people) generalist practice approaches;
3. Demonstrate how ecological and empowerment frameworks, as well as other
theoretical frameworks, can be employed to inform practice decisions across system
levels;
4. Appraise the structure of organizations, service delivery systems, and communities
and, under supervision, advocate for organizational and community change based on
the principles of social and economic justice;
5. Integrate knowledge of the history of the social work profession and current social
welfare structures, fiscal imperatives, policies, and issues with the ability to analyze
their impacts upon client systems, human service agencies and systems, and social
work practitioners;
6. Apply critical thinking skills in problem solving with social work values and ethics,
human diversity issues, the dynamics of discrimination and oppression, social and
economic justice, and interactions among systems;
7. Distinguish their personal values in relation to professional social work ethics,
especially the values of self-determination, empowerment, and regard for diversity;
8. Understand and apply the values base and ethics of the profession to practice
situations across systems levels;
9. Evaluate the impact of professional use of self in practice situations across systems
levels;
10. Identify and make appropriate use of supervision and consultation;
11. Conduct research to evaluate their own social work interventions and those of others,
as well as to evaluate agency and community practice.

On an on-going basis, the UW-Superior Social Work Program will:

1. Actively recruit and retain American Indian students and faculty;

2. Maintain active partnerships with regional community and tribal community colleges;
3. Offer local and regional populations social work course work and /or other learning
activities through continuing education and distance education options;

Support its faculty in their pursuit of local, regional, national, and international development
opportunities and in facilitating community-based activities like original research, program
evaluation, strategic planning, and/or professional supervision of social work practitioners.

What does a Radical Model of Theory and Practice have to offer Social Work
Practitioners in Contemporary Social Work with Adults? 
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Radical social work is one of many social work theories that provides an insight into the
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causes of hardship for individuals and offers ways in which we could approach these
 problems and support the people we as social workers come in to contact with. This article
will provide an overview of radical social work, its history and development as well as its
place in reintroducing a framework for social work practice today.

By using Spitzer’s (1975) analysis of ‘social junk’ and ‘social dynamite’, I will identify the
issues arising in today’s context for service users who are perceived to fall into these two
groups. It is important to note that there are a multitude of complexities exposed to
individuals that can be argued to occupy many different service user groups, however for the
purpose of this essay I aim to particularly focus on disabled adults and adults with drug and
alcohol dependency. By providing examples of the ways in which issues such as: benefit and
resource cuts, privatisation and the pathologising and criminalisation of behaviour has on
these service user groups I will be able to appropriately apply solutions from the perspective
of radical social work both in theory and practice form. I will then summarise the points
made throughout this article and collate the reasons as to why and how a radical social work
can support social workers and service users in today’s context.

The 1960s and 70s saw a rise in interest in the social consequences of capitalism (Howe,
2009). Radical social work was developed in an attempt to alleviate the consequences
imposed onto individuals in a dominant capitalist society (Leonard, 1975). Spitzer (1975)
provides a Marxist analysis of capitalism, identifying that it defines two service user groups:
social junk, those that are classified as dependent and a drain on society’s resources, thus
needing care, and social dynamite, those that are dangerous and needing to be controlled.
With the development of capitalism dependent on the exploitation of labour workers
(Poynton, 2011), an economic system has been created, which in crisis, creates and recreates
hardship for individuals whilst concurrently reducing the welfare resources introduced to
relieve that very hardship (Brake and Bailey, 1980). The latter is a contradiction
demonstrating the overwhelming power held by capitalists in society - the ability to create a
hierarchical structure in which an ‘underclass’ categorises those that Spitzer (1975) refers to
as social ‘junk’ and ‘dynamite’.

            As a result of capitalism, the societal involvement in social problems was hidden and
not addressed; consequently social work became a ‘partner in crime’ in the silence culture of
social justice (Steyaert, 2013). Pearson (1973) argues that to proclaim the humanistic nature
of social work is fraudulent in that it produces an aims culture, aims of which are impossible
to achieve in a capitalist society. Social work intervention, according to radical social
workers, is ineffective if the client is unaware of the social context intrinsic to their social
problems (Bailey and Brake, 1980).

Radical social work involves understanding oppression in the context of social and economic
structures rather than affixing the problems to the individuals who are oppressed (Brake and
Bailey, 1975). A radical social worker’s role involves positive assistance, the sustaining of
mutual respect and the location of a service user’s problems in a wider social and political
context (Brake and Bailey, 1980). Leonard (1975) outlines four aims for radical practice:
education, linking people with systems, building counter-systems and individual and
structural responses. Radical social work is deemed to be the foundation in the development
of theories such as anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice and critical social work
theory. It is said to have transformed the social work value base to include anti-oppressive
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values (Ferguson and Woodward, 2009).

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 Radical social work declined in the 1980’s with the election of Margaret Thatcher and the
Conservative Party into Government. Ferguson and Woodward (2009) describe the
deprofessionalisation of social workers as a result of them being ‘soft’ on the groups that this
particular Government and the media branded as ‘scroungers’ and the ‘underclass’. The role
of the welfare state in this era, and in the current context it can be argued, has been
significantly reduced with access to support such as benefits and housing becoming more
conditional and less abundant. Almost thirty years since the Thatcher Government, welfare
state responsibilities continue to be mitigated and the poorest and most vulnerable individuals
and communities become marginalised further, with people now more excluded than they
have ever been (Ferguson and Woodward, 2009). This can be illustrated with the example of
food banks. In 2008/09 25,899 people accessed food banks in comparison to a substantial
increase to 913,138 people in 2013/14 (Trussel Trust, 2014).

The above points can also be substantiated by use of legislation enacted to reinforce capitalist
ideology. The NHS and Community Care Act (1990) introduced the concept of care
management, replacing direct work with adult service users with the bureaucratic managing
and ‘rationing’ of resources (McNicoll, 2013). In section 79 of the Care Act (2014), a local
authority is required to delegate its functions - thus conforming to the neoliberal notion of
marketisation. Policy is developed in an attempt to further reduce reliance on the state. The
Care Act factsheets (2014) state that local authorities should be working with communities to
identify services that are already available to them, in other words utilising that of the third
sector to promote independence.

            Another radical offering to address issues such as the above is to expose the political
nature of social work to students within social work education. Many students advocate a
commitment to social justice, however they are disillusioned in their belief that this can be
achieved through individual practice (Baldwin, 2011). A political standpoint can help social
workers become sensitised to the client and their perception of their situation - this is
particularly important for those who have succumbed to self-blame (Bailey and Brake, 1980).
This is directly applicable to individuals with substance misuse problems as there is a
tendency to internalise the societal stigma and blame themselves for the issue rather than
recognise it in a social context. A social work assessment reflects an individual’s need and
eligibility to access resources. An assessment in this sense is a highly political social work
activity, with social workers used by organisations as resource managers rather than ‘enablers
of choice and control’ (Baldwin, 2011: 198). By not having this political nature of social
work exposed, we may risk further perpetuating inequality and oppressive practices
(Thompson and Thompson, 2008). Along with this comes the importance of developing
critically reflective practitioners within social work education. Having this skill allows social
workers to recognise the influence of power inequalities which contribute to the creation of
problems for service users (Howe, 2009). Baldwin (2011) argues that a critically reflective
stance is crucial in that it notes how users are constructed within the welfare system.

            Radical social work is retrievable in today’s context if it is able to rediscover ‘its

humanistic roots’ and the principles of individual liberty and human rights (Langan, 2011:
163). This article has used Spitzer’s (1975) analysis of ‘social junk’ and ‘dynamite’ in
relation to disabled adults and adults that have substance misuse problems and highlighted
the issues exposed to these groups in today’s capitalist dominant and neo-liberal society. I
32

have explored issues such as: the personalisation agenda, direct payments, austerity measures
and resource cuts, privatisation and the criminalisation of behaviour and offered solutions
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from a radical social work perspective to help in overcoming them. To summarise, the
 solutions offered within this article are: advocacy, the revisiting of community based social
work, exposing the political nature of social work particularly within social work education,
forming alliances with service users by developing less tokenistic forms of participation,
ensuring we continue to be critically reflective, acting collectively and reminding ourselves
of our main principles of social justice and anti-oppressive values. As demonstrated in this
article, it is undeniable to argue that radical social work, if applied in the ways outlined
above, can make a significant contribution to alleviating the pressures of neoliberalism and
capitalist measures in today’s context of social work services for adults. If we can completely
apply a radical approach to our practice as social workers, principles such as equality and
social justice will become more prevalent in society rather than branded an unachievable aim.

Q.Major Principles of Social Work

Principles are guiding beliefs and statement of do's and don'ts. Social work principles are
guiding assertions of   statement that have come from experiences and research. The most
commonly discussed principles of social work are as follows:

Principles of Acceptance:

Social work accepts the individual as he or she is with all his/her limitations. Social work
believes that acceptance is the crux of all help. Social worker does not condemn or feel
hostile towards a client because his behavior differs from the approved one. The principle of
acceptance implies that social worker must perceive, acknowledge, receive and establish a
relationship with the individual client as he actually is, not as social worker wishes him to be
or think he should be.

Principle of Individualization:-

The principle of individualization is fundamental to effective social work practice. Social

work believes in the uniqueness of individual. Each individual is different from that of every
other individual nature. As we know that individual is unique as his thumb print. The social
worker views the problem of each client as specific and helps the client move forward finding
the most satisfactory means for client to deal with particular problem situation.

Principle of Communications:-

Communication is a two way process most of the problem that give pain are precisely the
problem of communication. When the communication is inadequate or insufficient the
problems occurs either automatically or because of misunderstanding. The social worker
should have enough skills to grasp the communication. The proper communication is crucial
in social work relationship because the background of the client and worker may be different,
the mental status of the client and the worker may vary. Therefore the social worker should
make all the efforts to see that communication between him and client is proper. The client
should be made feel comfortable and at ease to express his thoughts feelings and facts.

Principle of Confidentiality:-
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Social work believes that during the professional help between the client and social worker,
client have the right of personal information about themselves in relationship with a social
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agency. The principle believes that confidential things of the client must be kept confidential
 and other agencies and individual & should be consulted only with the clients consent.

Principle of Self Determination:-

The principle emphasizes client’s right to self determination. Every individual client has the
right to decide what is appropriate for him and decides the ways and means to realize it. In
other words, social worker should not force decisions or solutions on the clients because the
client has come to him for help. Therefore, social worker should support and guide the client
to develop insight into his social situations in correct perspective and encourage and involve
him to like decisions that are good and acceptable to him.

Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude:-

Principle of non-judgmental attitude presumes that the social worker should begin the
professional relationship without any bias. He should not form opinion about the client, good
or bad, worthy or unworthy. He has to treat the client as somebody who has come to him for
help and he should be willing to help the client without being influenced by the opinions of
other about the client or his situation. This enables the worker and the client feel free to
develop understanding of each other.

Principle of Controlled Emotional Involvement:-

This principle guides social work professional not to indulge too much personally in the
client's difficult situation or being too objective. Therefore the social worker should maintain
a reasonable emotional distance even while sympathizing with the client social worker should
indicate the understanding of the difficult situations of the client without showing pity or
appearing to be indifference.

System Approach to Social Work Practice:-

System approach had been having a successful time in biology, ecology and engineering
system theory encourages practitioner to see their client and problems as part of a whole. The
behavior of each component affected and in turn was affected by all other part of the whole
or system. Thus, to treat one problem entailed understanding the functioning of other related
part of the whole or system. So for example with the difficult child, the behaviour of his
parents, his peers and his school may all have a bearing on his conduct. After a system
analysis the practitioner might well conclude that altering the anti social outlook of the local
peer group is in fact the best way to tackle the client’s difficult behavior and not to send him
to an educational psychologist.

Q.Values Base of Social Work

Every day, social workers stand up for human rights and justice and give voice to unheard
and marginalized populations. They contribute to bettering individuals’ lives, and by doing
so, they improve society as a whole. Social workers are employed by nonprofits, the
government, and private practices.
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There were 713,200 social workers nationwide as of 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, and that number is expected to increase by 13 percent between 2019 and
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2029. Each of those social workers, regardless of the setting in which they choose to provide
 services, must adhere to the professional code of ethics established in 1996 by the National
Association of Social Workers (NASW) Delegate Assembly and revised in 2017.

The NASW Code of Ethics “is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional
conduct of social workers,” according to the NASW website. It outlines six ethical principles
that “set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.” This article will explore the
six social work core values, which comprise:

1. Service
2. Social justice
3. Dignity and worth of the person
4. Importance of human relationships
5. Integrity
6. Competence

Professionals working as social workers understand the importance of these values.

Individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in social work can earn an advanced
degree, such as Tulane University’s Online Master of Social Work, to prepare for the role,
including learning more about social work values.

6 Ethical Principles of Social Work

Social workers devote themselves to serving their communities. They advocate for human
rights through the following six social work core values:

1. Service

Empowering individuals, families, and communities is a primary goal of all social workers.
Service is the value from which all other social work values stem. Social workers regularly
elevate the needs of their communities above their own personal interests and use their skills
and knowledge (from education and experience) to enhance the wellbeing of others. In
addition, social workers often volunteer their time or expertise above and beyond their
professional commitments.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many social workers coordinated mutual aid,
community meals, and PPE drives.

2. Social Justice

Social workers advocate on behalf of the oppressed, the marginalized, and anyone who needs
their voice amplified. They often focus on issues such as poverty, homelessness,
discrimination, harassment, and other forms of injustice. Social workers provide information,
help, and other resources to people seeking equality, and they educate people who may not
directly experience discrimination about the struggles of others who may not have the same
level of privileges in our society.
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Social workers’ efforts to address injustices includes examining their own biases and
encouraging others to do the same. They work to create more equitable support systems and
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 identify structural conditions that contribute to disparities in the health and well-being of
individuals and communities.

3. Dignity and Worth of the Person

Social workers are mindful of individual differences in thinking and behavior, as well as
cultural and ethnic diversity. Only by treating each person with dignity and respect can social
workers promote their clients’ capacity and opportunity to address their own needs and
improve their personal situations. Social workers must be cognizant of their duties to both
individual clients and to society as a whole, and seek solutions for their clients that also
support society’s broader interests.

Social workers seek to eliminate factors that threaten the dignity and worth of individuals, but
they do so with a decentered approach that respects differences and honors self-
determination. Rather than imposing their own values, social workers leverage the values of
their clients and the communities they serve.

4. Importance of Human Relationships

Social workers connect people who need assistance with organizations and individuals who
can provide the appropriate help. Social workers recognize that facilitating human
relationships can be a useful vehicle for creating change, and they excel at engaging potential
partners who can create, maintain, and enhance the well-being of families, neighborhoods,
and whole communities.

Challenging social conditions, such as those created by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight
the essential role of human relationships in supporting health and healing. Social workers not
only build and maintain strong relationships with individuals and communities, they also help
their clients identify relationships that are helpful to them and let go of relationships that are
not

5. Integrity

To facilitate these relationships and empower others to improve their lives, social workers
must act in a way that engenders trust. Each social worker must be continually aware of the
profession’s mission, values, and ethical principles and standards, and set a good example of
these components for their clients. By behaving honestly and demonstrating personal
integrity, social workers can promote the organizations with which they are affiliated while
also creating the most value for the populations they serve.

One relevant trend in social work is the profession’s use of and interest in social media. A
study published by Social Sciences & Humanities Open in 2020 reports that the social work
profession seeks to “regard data privacy protection as a human and civil rights issue” and
“support inclusion of social media information in social work.”
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6. Competence
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 Professional social workers often hold undergraduate or graduate degrees in social work, but
a fair amount of their knowledge comes from gaining on-the-job experience. As part of the
social work values outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics, each social worker must practice
within their scope of competence and avoid misrepresenting skills or experience to potential
clients.

Social workers must constantly strive to expand their knowledge base and competence in
order to make meaningful contributions to the profession and those they serve. Social work is
a lifelong learning commitment, and continuing education can take the form of any activity
that expands a social worker’ knowledge and skill set: conducting personal study and
research, attending webinars and conferences, or pursuing additional licenses or degrees.

Pursue a Career in Social Work

Ethics and values in social work encompass far more than compliance with regulations and
requirements. The core beliefs that guide social workers ensure that while they work on
behalf of their clients, they also work with clients, constantly learning as they empower
others.

Whether you’re new to the field of social work or a practicing professional looking to expand
your knowledge and career options, Tulane University’s Online Master of Social Work
program can teach you the skills you need to enhance human well-being and provide basic
human needs for all individuals and communities. Visit the Online Master of Social Work
program to learn more about a curriculum that serves clients within their environments and
builds upon individual and community strengths.
37
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 Unit -3 Methods of Social work

Q. Primary Methods
Social work is an art of living, it describes the activities of helping individuals, groups, and
communities to enhance their capacity for bringing social change and creating an evil-free
society. it is a subject to identify grassroots of problems and minimize it. Social work is a
professional activity, which requires knowledge, skills, values, and potentialities and their
ability is to use their own resources which, interpret into an actions in working areas. 

Definition of Social work

There are enormous definitions related to social work, where views differ from one another to
different practitioners, professional tried to work on it in various perspectives. 

Indian Conference of Social Work (1957): Social work is a welfare activity based on
humanitarian philosophy, scientific knowledge and technical skills for helping individuals or
groups or communities, to live a rich and full life.   
Bohem (1959): Social work seeks to enhance the social functioning of the individuals, singly
and in groups, by activities focused upon their social relationships that constitute the
interaction between man and his environment. These activities can be the provision of
individual and social resources and prevention of social dysfunction.

Social work As a Profession: According to this perspective social work is a fairly new
profession. Social work as a young professional has experienced growth related to concerns
and hanging times as well as related to the process of developing its knowledge, value, and
skill bases. The focus is on helping individuals to cope with social functioning. Social work
intervention focuses on these transactions in order to influence change. Influence brings
about change depending on the social worker’s capacity. This capacity has a base in the
worker’s knowledge, skills, and reputation, among other factors. This calls for a social
worker to identify needs and problems in social functioning, to apply knowledge professional
values, and skills, including the problem-solving process.
Methods of Social Work:  
Social work to become unique among helping professions developed distinct methods of
practice. These methods are social casework, social group work, community organization,
social welfare administration, and research. Social casework is the first social work method
pioneered by Mary Richmond. 
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It is “Scientific Humanism” as it uses a scientific base. Social work is based on certain values
which when organized constitute the “Philosophy of Social Work”. Social work is based on
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faith in the essential worth and dignity of the individual. Man is an object of respect not
 because he is rich or powerful but became he is a human being. Social work hesitates any
kind of discrimination based on caste, color, race, sex, or religion. Social work is against
“Social Darwinism” and the principle of “survival of the fittest”. This means that social work
does not believe that only the strong will survive in society and the weak will perish. Those
who are weak, disabled, and or need care are equally important for social workers. The
individual is understood as a whole with the same worth and dignity in spite of differing
psychological, social, and economic aspects.
The social worker believes in the capacity of the individual and also recognizes individual
differences. The individual’s self-determination is given importance. He should be
understood from both domestic and cultural points of view. Social work is a combination of
“idealism and realism”. To a social worker, an individual is important but society is equally
important. The individual is greatly molded by social circumstances. But, ultimately the
individual must bear the responsibility for his or her conduct and behavior. The worker has to
solve the problem on account of which the client is disturbed.
Hence, professional social work with selected knowledge and the set of social work values
has to be transformed into a professional service. A social worker has to establish a positive
relationship with the clients. She should know how to interview and write reports. He or she
should be able to diagnose i.e., find out the cause for the problem and finally should work out
a treatment plan. An Assessment of the problem, planning for its solution, implementing the
plan, and evaluating the outcome are the four major steps involved in social work. The social
worker’s keen interest in helping the client, alone will not solve the problem.
The methods of social work will help his/her to understand ways of helping people. Social
work methods are:
Primary methods (direct helping method)
1) Social casework
2) Social group work.
3) Community organization.
Secondary methods (Auxiliary methods)
4) Social work research.
5) Social welfare administration.
6) Social Action
These six social work methods are systematic and planned ways of helping people.
Social casework deals with individual problems- individual in the total environment or as a
part of it. An individual is involved in the problem as he is unable to deal with it on his own,
because of reasons beyond his control. His anxiety sometimes temporarily makes him
incapable of solving it. In any case, his social functioning is disturbed. The caseworker gets
information regarding the client’s total environment, finds out the causes, prepares a
treatment plan and with a professional relationship tries to bring about a change in the
perception and attitudes of the client.
Social group work is a social work service in which a professionally qualified person helps
individuals through group experience so as to help them move towards improved
relationships and social functioning. In group work individuals are important and they are
helped to improve their social relationships, with flexible programs, giving importance to the
personality development of the individual in group functioning and relationships. The group
is the medium and through it and in it, individuals are helped to make necessary changes and
adjustments.
Community Organisation is another method of social work. Being made up of groups, a
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community means organized systems of relationships but in reality, no community is

perfectly organized. Community Organisation is a process by which a systematic attempt is
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made to improve relationships in a community. Identifying the problems, finding out

 resources for solving community problems, developing social relationships, and necessary
programmes to realize the objectives of the community are all involved in community
organization. In this way, the community can become self-reliant and develop a co-operative
attitude among its members.
Social Welfare Administration is a process through which social work services both private
and public, are organized and administered. Developing programmes, mobilizing resources,
involving selection and recruitment of personnel, proper organization, coordination,
providing skillful and sympathetic leadership, guidance and supervision of the staff, dealing
with financing and budgeting of the programmes and evaluation are, some of the functions of
a social worker in administration.
Social work research is a systematic investigation for finding out new facts, test old
hypotheses, verify existing theories, and discover causal relationships of the problems in
which the social worker is interested. In order to scientifically initiate any kind of social work
program, a systematic study of the given situation is necessary, through social work research
and surveys.
Social action aims at bringing about desirable changes to ensure social progress. Creating
awareness about social problems, mobilizing resources, encouraging different ‘sections of
people to raise their voice against undesirable practices, and also creating pressure to bring
about the legislation are some of the activities of the social workers using the method of
social action. It seeks to achieve a proper balance between community needs and solutions
mainly through individual and group initiatives and self-help activities

Q.COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

The community organizing process has been widely used in developed and developing
countries to assist communities to recognize and address local health and social problems.
In public health work, many disease prevention and health promotion goals can only be
realized through the active involvement of community citizens, leaders, and organizations.
Community organization is "a planned process to activate a community to use its own social
structures and any available resources to accomplish community goals decided primarily by
community representatives and generally consistent with local attitudes and values.
Strategically planned interventions are organized by local groups or organizations to bring
about intended social or health changes" (Bracht 1999, p. 86). It is sometimes referred to as
community empowerment, capacity building, and partnership development.

An important outcome of this dynamic process is community ownership (i.e., by community

leaders and institutions), which allows citizens to build skills and resources to effect
community health change and to sustain such efforts over time. Experienced public
health facilitators or community organizers often assist in this process, but control remains
with local groups. The use of community organization strategies is not new in public health.
In the early 1900s, for example, the National Citizens Committee on the Prevention of
Tuberculosis worked closely with public health professionals and communities to control this
infectious disease. In the twenty-first century, hundreds of community partnership groups are
working locally to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency
virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), heart disease, child and spouse abuse, and other
threats to community health. T. Lasater et al. (1984) have described the use of church groups
in mobilizing interventions for heart health. S. Verblen-Mortensen et al. (1999) illustrated a
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multistage process of community organizing to empower citizens to enforce alcohol sale

ordinances for minors in rural communities. Community participation requirements are often
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mandated by both public and private health-funding agencies.

 COMMUNITYWIDE CHANGE

One helpful way to think about effecting change at the community level is to consider the
community as a dynamic system composed of several major sectors (business, government,
schools, media). The people within each of these sectors interact with and influence each
other, and when a change or alteration occurs in one sector it will have an impact on other
sectors. A prohibition against secondhand smoke in public buildings, for example, may lead
to a ban on smoking in restaurants. When health-oriented interventions are incorporated into
many sectors of the community, the likelihood of a positive change increases. This focus on
the total community system and its population is the hallmark of modern health-promotion
programs. Mittelmark (1999) has summarized the results of diverse international community
health-improvement programs and has found that community organization strategies are
commonly utilized. Such techniques work regardless of whether the goal is behavioral in
nature (e.g., to increase daily exercise among special groups) or whether the goal is to
achieve health-policy changes (e.g., to eliminate tobacco billboard advertising near schools).
THE FIVE STAGES OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

In many community organization strategies, a five-stage process can be identified. What

follows is a summary of the key factors and tasks in each stage. It should be noted that these
stages are dynamic and overlapping. In addition, some tasks from an early stage may need to
be repeated in later stages (e.g., updating a community resources inventory).

Stage One: Conducting Community Analysis. A commitment to community participation

in health campaigns requires above all else a knowledge of the assets, capacity, and history of
a local community. This is accomplished by a careful "mapping" of the community to
document its unique qualities, issues, and modes of decision making. This will provide the
basis of an informed approach that realistically matches health goals with citizen readiness,
expectations, and resources. Analysis is a critical first step in shaping the design of campaign
interventions, and it is important to involve members of the community at this stage. The
product of community analysis is an accurate profile that blends health and illness statistics
with demographic, political, and sociocultural factors.

Stage Two: Design and Initiation of a Campaign. Following a community analysis and the
identification of local priorities, the design aspects for a collaborative community campaign
begin to emerge. A core group of citizens and professionals (with both public and private
sectors represented) will usually begin the process of establishing a permanent organizational
structure and making preliminary decisions about campaign objectives and interventions.
This group may also write a mission statement and select a project coordinator. In organizing
community partnerships, several structural forms (e.g., coalition, lead agency, citizen
network) can be considered. B. Thompson (1999) provides a helpful discussion of the pros
and cons of using various structures.

Stage Three: Campaign Implementation. Implementation turns theory and ideas into

action, translating a mission into an effectively operating program. At this stage,
organizations and citizens are mobilized and involved in the planning of a sequential set of
activities aimed at accomplishing campaign objectives. Written plans with specific timelines
have been shown to be a critical forerunner of success. Cost estimates should be included in
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the plan, along with monitoring and feedback strategies to measure progress. The key
element in this stage is the careful determination and selection of priority intervention
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activities that can achieve maximum impact.

 Stage Four: Program Refinement and Consolidation. During this stage both successes and
problems in implementation are reviewed. Task forces of the local citizen organization need
to determine any new directions or modifications for the program, including activities to
maintain high levels of volunteer involvement. Efforts of organizers to have health program
elements and interventions become more fully incorporated into the established structures of
the community (e.g., exercise programs becoming a regular part of worksite culture) should
continue in this phase as well.

Stage Five: Dissemination and Durability. In this last stage the strategic dissemination of
information on project results and the finalization of plans for the durability of intervention
efforts are the key considerations. Communities and citizens need to receive clear, succinct
messages describing what has been accomplished and what continuing effort may be
required. Such messages are reinforced when community leaders and local advocates are
involved in their presentation. The local durability plan should include a vision for future
health and social improvements and lay out a strategy to identify, recruit, and involve new
people in current or future projects and community activities.

A common set of essential planning and organizing tasks has emerged from the many
community mobilization and health promotion experiences of recent decades. These tasks
include selecting broadly representative community participants and clearly identifying their
decisionmaking authority, establishing an effective organizational structure, achieving
mission clarity and realistic objectives, identifying community assets as well as resistance
factors, establishing evaluation and tracking mechanisms early, managing and reinforcing
volunteer involvement, conducting ongoing training for citizen intervention skills, recruiting
a community organizer/facilitator with appropriate competencies and experience, and
securing the necessary resources for the durability of program results.

Q.Auxiliary Methods: Social Work Research.

Social Work Research: Definition Social work research may be defined as systematic
investigation into the problems in the field of social work. The study of concepts, principles,
theories underlying social work methods and skills are the major areas of social work
research. It involves the study of the relationship of social workers with their clients;
individuals, groups or communities on various levels of interaction or therapy as well as their
natural relationships and functioning within the organisational structure of social agencies.
Social Work Research: Meaning, Importance and Scope 7 While on the theoretical side,
social work research re-examines the special body of knowledge; concepts and theories,
where as in the area of social work practice it tries to evolve a systematic theory and valid
concepts, to know the efficacy of different methods/interventions of social work as to search
for alternate/innovative interventions and treatments. Social work research, therefore,
concerns itself with the problems faced by social workers. It encompasses those questions
which are encountered in social work practices or in planning or administering social work
services which can be solved through research and which are appropriate for investigation
under social work auspices. Social work research utilizes the same scientific methods and
techniques, as does social research. No doubt, when some (research designs) procedures of
social research are not suitable to social work research it would be necessary to develop the
tools which would be appropriate to social work research. Social Work Research: The
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Process It must be borne in mind that the process of social work research is not completely
identical to social research. In fact, there are many similarities between this process and the
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traditional research process. The process however, has some additional steps designed to suit
 the objectives of social work research. By following the process social work researchers are
in a position to know precisely what intervention was applied and how much effect was
produced. The process also links research and practice. Social work research starts with
problem identification and setting up of goals. This is followed by the process of assessment
(or need assessment) of the client’s problems. During these initial stages, the researcher
strives to obtain a clear and specific 8 Social Work Intervention with Communities and
Institutions understanding of the problem, using assessment tools such as interviewing
(Monette, et. al., 1986). After the problem is identified and needs are assessed, the next step
is to set up goals to be achieved. The goals are required to be specific, precisely defined and
measurable in some way. The third step in the process is to have a pre-intervention
measurement, that is, measurement prior to intervention; the preintervention measurement is
used as basis from which to compare the client’s condition after the intervention is
introduced. Next stage in the process is to introduce intervention. It is important here to note
that only a single, coherent intervention be applied during any intervention phase. In the last
stage, we assess the effects of intervention by comparing the two measurements, that is,
preintervention measurement and measurements during intervention. Figure 1: The Social
Work Research Process Identification of Problems Need Assessment Selection of Social
Work Research Design Introduce Intervention Assess the Intervention Effects (Data
Collection) Pre-Intervention Measurement (Data Collection) Social Work Research:
Meaning, Importance and Scope 9 Relevance of Research in Social Work Social work is a
practice profession. As such, the major objective of social work research is to search for
answers to questions raised regarding interventions or practice effectiveness. In other words
social work research attempts to provide knowledge about what interventions or treatments
really help or hinder the attainment of social work goals. In addition, it also helps in
searching for answers to problems or difficulties faced by social work practitioners in the
practice of their profession. Ultimately it helps building knowledge base for social work
theory and practice. Social work research also deals with problems faced by professional
social workers, social work agencies and community in its concern with social work
functions. In other words in social work research the problems to be investigated are always
found in the course of doing social work or planning to do it (Dasgupta, 1968). It is obvious
that in social work research the study of a problem is from the point of view of social work
and that of professional social work. The designing of research problems, data collection and
its interpretation will have to be attempted in a manner as would be useful to professional
social work which would add new knowledge to the social work theory and practice and
improve the efficiency of professional social workers. Social work research is regarded as the
systematic use of research concepts, methods, techniques and strategies to provide
information related to the objectives of social work programmes and practices. Thus the unit
of analysis of social work research could be individuals, groups, families or programme of
the agency. That is, social work research, typically focuses on assessment of practitioner’s
work with individuals, groups, families, communities or appraisal 10 Social Work
Intervention with Communities and Institutions of agencies or programmes that involve the
continued efforts of practitioners with many clients. As such, the research design, data
collection and analytic strategies in social work research vary as a function of unit of analysis
and programme of agencies of social work practitioner. Social work research is the use of the
scientific method in the search of knowledge, including knowledge of alternate practice and
intervention techniques, which would be of direct use to the social work profession and thus
enhance the practice of social work methods. Social work research focuses on or confines
43

itself to select aspects of behaviour and alternate models of behaviour modifications. Social
work research helps to find ways and means to enhance social functioning at the individual,
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group, community and societal levels. Social work research lays special emphasis on
 evaluation. This is one of the reasons that social work research is also understood as
evaluative research. Under social work research, varieties of evaluative researches are
undertaken. Some of the researches are on impacts or effects, efficacy and effectiveness.
Evaluation of agencies and its projects and programmes are some of the specialized areas of
social work research. Scope of Social Work Research Social work profession has a scientific
base, which consists of a special body of knowledge; tested knowledge, hypothetical
knowledge and assumptive knowledge. Assumptive knowledge requires transformation into
hypothetical knowledge, which in turn needs transformation into tested knowledge. Social
work research has significant role in transforming the hypothetical and assumptive
knowledge to tested knowledge (Khinduka,1965). Social Work Research: Meaning,
Importance and Scope 11 Not all concepts or theories that are used by professional social
workers have been tested and validated. Concerted efforts through social work research are
very much required to conceptually articulate and validate the concepts and theories, which
will in turn strengthen the scientific base of professional social work. Identification of social
work needs and resources, evaluation of programmes and services of social work agencies are
some of the areas in which social work researches are undertaken. Social work research may
be conducted to know the problems faced by professional social workers in social work
agencies and communities in its concern with social work functions. Thus, social work
research embraces the entire gamut of social work profession; concepts, theories, methods,
programmes, services and the problems faced by social workers in their practice. The areas of
social work research may be broadly categorized as follows: 1) Studies to establish, identify
and measure the need for service. 2) To measure the services offered as they relate to needs.
3) To test, gauge and evaluate results of social work intervention. 4) To list the efficacy of
specific techniques of offering services. 5) Studies in methodology of social work. Social
work is a diverse profession, possible broad research areas could be: i) Community
Development ii) Community Health (Including Mental Health) 12 Social Work Intervention
with Communities and Institutions iii) Child Welfare iv) Women Welfare v) Youth Welfare
vi) Aged Welfare vii) Welfare of SC & ST Groups viii) Poverty Alleviation ix) Physical and
Mental Disabilities x) Juvenile Delinquency xi) Crime and Correction etc. xii) Management
of Social Welfare Department and Organisation xiii) Disaster Management xiv) Industrial
Social Work xv) Issues concerning Advocacy and Networking The list is not exhaustive, it’s
only an exemplary list which enlists broad areas which is very frequently studied by social
workers. Again, within one or more problem areas research might focus on individuals,
families, groups, community organisations or broad social systems. It might deal with
characteristics of a larger population, and the services available to them. Goals and
Limitations of Social Work Research Social work research offers an opportunity for all social
workers to make differences in their practice. There is no doubt about the fact that social
worker will be more effective practitioner guided by the Social Work Research: Meaning,
Importance and Scope 13 findings of social work research. Thus, social work research seeks
to accomplish the same humanistic goals, as does a social work method. Social work research
deals with those methods and issues, which are useful in evaluating social work programmes
and practices. It explains the methodology of social research and illustrates its applications in
social work settings. A substantive part of social work practice is concerned with the micro-
level practice, such as working with individuals, groups, or a community. Social work
research has to take into consideration the limitations of micro level design of study and
techniques. Social work research is basically a practice based research which mostly draws its
inferences through inductive reasoning. That is, inferring something about a whole group or a
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class of objects from the facts or knowledge of one or few members of that group/class. Thus,
in practice based research inductive reasoning carries us from observation to theory through
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intervention/assessment. Practitioners, for example, may observe that delinquents tend to

 come from family with low socio-economic status. Based on the assumption that the parent-
child bond is weaker in low socio-economic families and that such parents, therefore, have
less control over their children, the practitioners may inductively conclude that a weak
parent-child bond leads to delinquency. A substantive part of social work practice is
concerned with the micro-level practice, such as working with individuals, groups, or a
community. Practice based research has to take into consideration the limitations of micro
level practice. Accordingly, practice based research has to have special design of study and
techniques

Social work is an art of living, it describes the activities of helping individuals, groups, and
communities to enhance their capacity for bringing social change and creating an evil-free
society. it is a subject to identify grassroots of problems and minimize it. Social work is a
professional activity, which requires knowledge, skills, values, and potentialities and their
ability is to use their own resources which, interpret into an actions in working areas. 

Definition of Social work

There are enormous definitions related to social work, where views differ from one another to
different practitioners, professional tried to work on it in various perspectives. 

Indian Conference of Social Work (1957): Social work is a welfare activity based on
humanitarian philosophy, scientific knowledge and technical skills for helping individuals or
groups or communities, to live a rich and full life.   
Bohem (1959): Social work seeks to enhance the social functioning of the individuals, singly
and in groups, by activities focused upon their social relationships that constitute the
interaction between man and his environment. These activities can be the provision of
individual and social resources and prevention of social dysfunction.

Social work As a Profession: According to this perspective social work is a fairly new
profession. Social work as a young professional has experienced growth related to concerns
and hanging times as well as related to the process of developing its knowledge, value, and
skill bases. The focus is on helping individuals to cope with social functioning. Social work
intervention focuses on these transactions in order to influence change. Influence brings
about change depending on the social worker’s capacity. This capacity has a base in the
worker’s knowledge, skills, and reputation, among other factors. This calls for a social
worker to identify needs and problems in social functioning, to apply knowledge professional
values, and skills, including the problem-solving process.
Methods of Social Work:  
Social work to become unique among helping professions developed distinct methods of
practice. These methods are social casework, social group work, community organization,
social welfare administration, and research. Social casework is the first social work method
pioneered by Mary Richmond. 
It is “Scientific Humanism” as it uses a scientific base. Social work is based on certain values
which when organized constitute the “Philosophy of Social Work”. Social work is based on
faith in the essential worth and dignity of the individual. Man is an object of respect not
because he is rich or powerful but became he is a human being. Social work hesitates any
kind of discrimination based on caste, color, race, sex, or religion. Social work is against
“Social Darwinism” and the principle of “survival of the fittest”. This means that social work
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does not believe that only the strong will survive in society and the weak will perish. Those
who are weak, disabled, and or need care are equally important for social workers. The
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 individual is understood as a whole with the same worth and dignity in spite of differing
psychological, social, and economic aspects.
The social worker believes in the capacity of the individual and also recognizes individual
differences. The individual’s self-determination is given importance. He should be
understood from both domestic and cultural points of view. Social work is a combination of
“idealism and realism”. To a social worker, an individual is important but society is equally
important. The individual is greatly molded by social circumstances. But, ultimately the
individual must bear the responsibility for his or her conduct and behavior. The worker has to
solve the problem on account of which the client is disturbed.
Hence, professional social work with selected knowledge and the set of social work values
has to be transformed into a professional service. A social worker has to establish a positive
relationship with the clients. She should know how to interview and write reports. He or she
should be able to diagnose i.e., find out the cause for the problem and finally should work out
a treatment plan. An Assessment of the problem, planning for its solution, implementing the
plan, and evaluating the outcome are the four major steps involved in social work. The social
worker’s keen interest in helping the client, alone will not solve the problem.
The methods of social work will help his/her to understand ways of helping people. Social
work methods are:
Primary methods (direct helping method)
1) Social casework
2) Social group work.
3) Community organization.
Secondary methods (Auxiliary methods)
4) Social work research.
5) Social welfare administration.
6) Social Action
These six social work methods are systematic and planned ways of helping people.
Social casework deals with individual problems- individual in the total environment or as a
part of it. An individual is involved in the problem as he is unable to deal with it on his own,
because of reasons beyond his control. His anxiety sometimes temporarily makes him
incapable of solving it. In any case, his social functioning is disturbed. The caseworker gets
information regarding the client’s total environment, finds out the causes, prepares a
treatment plan and with a professional relationship tries to bring about a change in the
perception and attitudes of the client.
Social group work is a social work service in which a professionally qualified person helps
individuals through group experience so as to help them move towards improved
relationships and social functioning. In group work individuals are important and they are
helped to improve their social relationships, with flexible programs, giving importance to the
personality development of the individual in group functioning and relationships. The group
is the medium and through it and in it, individuals are helped to make necessary changes and
adjustments.
Community Organisation is another method of social work. Being made up of groups, a
community means organized systems of relationships but in reality, no community is
perfectly organized. Community Organisation is a process by which a systematic attempt is
made to improve relationships in a community. Identifying the problems, finding out
resources for solving community problems, developing social relationships, and necessary
programmes to realize the objectives of the community are all involved in community
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organization. In this way, the community can become self-reliant and develop a co-operative
attitude among its members.
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 Social Welfare Administration is a process through which social work services both private
and public, are organized and administered. Developing programmes, mobilizing resources,
involving selection and recruitment of personnel, proper organization, coordination,
providing skillful and sympathetic leadership, guidance and supervision of the staff, dealing
with financing and budgeting of the programmes and evaluation are, some of the functions of
a social worker in administration.
Social work research is a systematic investigation for finding out new facts, test old
hypotheses, verify existing theories, and discover causal relationships of the problems in
which the social worker is interested. In order to scientifically initiate any kind of social work
program, a systematic study of the given situation is necessary, through social work research
and surveys.
Social action aims at bringing about desirable changes to ensure social progress. Creating
awareness about social problems, mobilizing resources, encouraging different ‘sections of
people to raise their voice against undesirable practices, and also creating pressure to bring
about the legislation are some of the activities of the social workers using the method of
social action. It seeks to achieve a proper balance between community needs and solutions
mainly through individual and group initiatives and self-help activities.

Q.Social Welfare Administration .

Social Welfare Administration Concept In order to give a professional shape to social work
services, it is necessary that systematic knowledge, skill and resources to rendering such
services should be made available in the aegis of social welfare administration. The
knowledge of social welfare administration as a method of social work is necessary for a
professional social worker, not only to perform the work of the agency but to maintain the
agency moving in positive direction. Meaning To understand the actual meaning of Social
Welfare Administration we have to understand the meaning of Social Welfare and
Administration separately. Social Welfare: Social Welfare in concerned with all those forms
of social intervention that have a direct concern with promoting both the well-being of the
individual and of the society as a whole. Administration: Administration can be defined as
the process in which planned, organized, directed, coordinated and controlled collective
efforts are made to render the services to the people. Social Welfare Administration: The
administration which is directly related to the rending social welfare services to society called
Social Welfare Administration. Definitions: D.R. Sachdeva : Social Welfare Administration
is as a science, it consists of a systematic body of knowledge, the validity of which has been
tested, and the use of which makes it possible to render the services in a more direct and
effective manner. S. Singh : Social Welfare Administration is described as the administration
of the government and non-government sponsored social welfare programmes. Public
Administration: Meaning Public Administration is government administration; it deals with
the machinery and procedures of government activities &focus being specifically on public
bureaucracy related to law & order, revenue & implementation of government policy and
progremme. Public Administration is that species of administration which operates within a
specific political setting. It is a means by which the policy decisions made by the political
decision makers are carried out. Definitions: "Public Administration is detailed and
systematic execution of public law. Every particular application of law is an act of Public
administration" — L.D. White. Public Administration is "the art and science of management
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applied to the affairs of the State" — D. Waldo. Principles of Social Welfare

Administration: 1. Principle of desire to serve human beings. 2. Principle of sound
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organization of agency. 3. Principle of appropriate appointment(Right person at right place

 with right skills) 4. Principle of sound personnel policies and working conditions. 5. Principle
of authority and delegation. 6. Principle of building sound public relations. 7. Principle of
democracy. 8. Principle of sound budget. 9. Principle of proper clerical and maintenance
services. 10. Principle of Self Appraisal/Evaluation. 11. Principle of
recording&documentation. 2. Component of Social Work Administration: POSDCORBEF –
As a social welfare administration includes a wide variety of skills and techniques used in the
actual rendering of services. (1) Planning : Planning is fundamentally on intellectual process,
a mental predisposition to do things in an orderly way, to think of facts rather the guesses. It
is the initial task for arrangement of resources, both physical and social according to the
needs for better life condition and adjustment. (2) Organising :Organising is a skill of
arraigning the various resources and task systematically in manageable manner in relation to
the hierarchal status, capabilities of associates and priorities of agency for smooth
functioning. In every organization there is an integrated series of offices, or hierarchal
statuses, in which a number of functions are closely defined by specific rules. (3) Staffing :
Staffing means the administration of staff. Staffing includes recruitment, selection, service
conditions, promotion, leave, working conditions, welfare etc. Staffing also includes training,
orientation, supervision grievance procedure, retirement rules etc. (4) Directing : Directing is
the giving instructions in orally or in written to staff for doing work in properly. It is an
important task to fulfill of the objective of the agency. The purpose of direction is agency is
to ensure the work is being carried out accordance with the instructions and rules and to assist
the staff for their better performance. (5) Coordinating : Coordination means to bring into a
common action, movement or condition to relate and combine separate parts in harmonious
balance and adjustment. Coordination is an essential element in efficient and effective
administration. Effectiveness of an individual in achieving his aims in any social situation
will depend not only upon his own activity, but also on how well that activity relates to what
the other individuals concerned are doing. (6) Reporting : A report is an official presentation
of facts. It is a summary of activity covering a specific period of time. Reports are prepared
on the basis of the records maintained by the agency, it is usefull planning the new work in
the agency. (7) Budgeting : Budgeting is a process of preparing and presenting the financial
statement including income and expenditure in a proper way. Social Work Administrator
should be sound in technical knowledge of at least bests of budgeting. (8) Evaluation
Evaluation means assessing the work completed by agency in the light of planning and
instructions given before starting task. Evaluation is an important component of social
welfare administration for performance of agency. As an social welfare administrator social
worker has the supervisory function of allocating work, or seeing that it is done, and how it is
done. He evaluates the total performance of the agency. (9) Feedback Feedback in social
service is very important task for the success of programme. It is useful for the beneficiary,
community, funding body and also is policy framing or modification. Generally feedback is
the response of beneficiary or community. The feedback should be made during
implementation of programme as well as the end of programme. The finding

Q.What is Social Action?

Social Action is a term that has gained a great deal of traction over the last few years but
what does it actually mean? It turns out that millions of us across the world take part in social
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action every day and don’t even know it.  This is because there are a whole plethora of terms
that are often used interchangeably and that all refer to social action.
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So put simply here it is:

 Social action is about people coming together to help improve their lives and solve the
problems that are important in their communities. It can include volunteering, giving
money, community action or simple neighbourly acts. (Gov.uk). In schools it might be
referred to as volunteering, active citizenship, community engagement, acts of service or
simply as part of the school values, culture and ethos – just a part of what we do round here
and core to the school’s offer.
The key is that it’s all about using your voice and actions in a meaningful way to bring a
practical and ‘positive difference to others and the environment’ (#iwill) .  Your actions must
go beyond yourself and be of benefit and service to others.
So whether you choose to volunteer, campaign or fundraise  it all fits under the umbrella of
social action!
Examples of social action can include raising awareness of environmental issues such as
climate change, writing to your local MP about a change that is required in your community
or visiting older people in care homes. These are just a few examples of an expansive list. In
this time of Covid, even smiling at someone during your daily exercise counts as social action
as it helps to raise morale and aid in improving the mental wellbeing of those feeling the
weight of the current circumstances.
For us at The Linking Network embedding social action into our schools linking programmes
is part of helping pupils explore how to be at ease with themselves and others and find
meaningful answers to the question ‘How do we all live together?
So for children and young people have a think and decide what social action you are going to
undertake today. The world is always willing to embrace another social action hero and for
all of as educators let’s notice what we are already doing to support our pupils to engage in
social action and consider any additional ways we can enrich our pupils experiences through
opportunities we offer to take action that benefits others.
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 Unit-IV

Unit – 4: Social Work Profession

• Social Work as a Profession (Attributes)

Q. Social Work Profession

Some people associate social work with casework and, by analogy, Child Protective Services.
A social worker can indeed make a career working in this capacity, but social work as a
profession is much broader. Modern social work grew out of attempts – often by women,
often by volunteers -- to heal social ills. Poverty was frequently at the root of what they
tackled – and yet not always. Nearly 100 years ago, social workers were helping veterans
who had been traumatized in World War I. Today’s social workers are in hospitals, health
clinics, schools, various social service organizations. They serve the sick as well as the
disadvantaged. Some offer counseling services through their own private practices.

Social work had a professional identity even in the early 20th century. Today, not
surprisingly, there are more formal standards in place. The Council on Social Work
Education sets the standards for undergraduate and graduate education. The Association of
Social Work Boards develops and administers nationwide licensing exams. The National
Association of Social Workers is a huge clearinghouse for professional resources; this well-
known professional organization has chapters in every U.S. state.
The Worden School of Social Service at Our Lady of the Lake University’s online Master of
Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission on
Accreditation and is designed for working adults with or without a social work bachelor’s
degree. Click here to request information about The Worden School of Social Service at Our
Lady of the Lake University Online Master of Social Work program.

Types of Social Work Practice

Social work can be classified in different ways. Often the terms micro and macro are used.
Social workers at the micro level work with individuals. Macro social workers institute
change on an organizational level: institutions, communities, even global policies.
(Sometimes the word “mezzo” is used for small units like families, but micro will often
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suffice there, too.)

At the heart of social work education is the premise that many careers share a common set of
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core competencies. These include knowledge of human behavior within its social context,
 professionalism and ethics, knowledge of social service delivery systems, and ability to make
sense of social research. At the higher levels, social workers can develop advanced
competencies in specialty areas. They may become clinicians or administrators. They may
focus on particular populations, like children or seniors.
Many social workers pursue clinical social work. While each state define the scope of
practice a bit differently, clinical social work generally involves diagnosing and treating
mental disorders. In short, clinical social workers are mental health practitioners. They
sometimes compete with other mental health practitioners (counselors and even
psychologists) for jobs and clients. However, they often bring a unique perspective to the
role. Social work programs emphasize looking at human behavior in a societal context;
moreover, the profession has a history of attracting idealists. Just as some patients prefer
advanced practice nurses over physicians (citing compassion or greater focus on preventative
care), some clients prefer social workers over mental health professionals from other
disciplines.
Clinical social workers tend to have salaries above the norm for the profession. The BLS lists
$42,650 as the mean for mental health and substance abuse social workers and $44,410 as the
mean for child, family, and youth social workers. These categories are broad, though, and tell
only part of the story. Social workers in elementary and secondary schools make far more
than others who work with children, averaging $58,010. NASW, meanwhile, has reported a
correlation between health and mental health practice areas and higher salaries.

Professional Identity
All states license at least some social workers, though there is not national consensus about
who needs licensing. Those who offer clinical services? Those at the independent level?
Anyone who has a job position titled “social worker”?
In some locales, one can be a social services worker without a license, but not a social
worker. But having the title – and the education that it is based on – can be a real asset. Those
who do casework are not always social workers. Yet publications by NASW suggest that, to a
disproportionate degree, those who are happy doing casework are.
A NASW report, based on a large scale survey, found far greater job satisfaction among
social workers employed in child welfare than what has been reported for child welfare
workers as a whole. Social workers were more likely to report sufficient professional
development and adequate meeting time with supervisors. They also tended to have smaller,
more manageable caseloads – and better pay. Social workers did report a number of job
stresses, but tended to focus more on the plight of families they served than on their own
working conditions.
There can be advantages to having a profession as well as a job… advantages for all
concerned.

Q.Professional Social Work Associations (NASW, NAPSWI

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional organization

of social workers in the United States. NASW has about 120,000 members. [1] The NASW
provides guidance, research, up to date information, advocacy, and other resources for its
members and for social workers in general. Members of the NASW are also able to
obtain malpractice insurance, members-only publications, discounts on other products and
services, and continuing education.
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he National Association of Social Workers was established in 1955 through the consolidation
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of the following seven organizations:[2]

  American Association of Social Workers
 American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers
 American Association of Group Workers
 Association for the Study of Community Organization
 American Association of Medical Social Workers
 National Association of School Social Workers
 Social Work Research Group
NASW's primary functions include promoting the professional development of its members,
establishing and maintaining professional standards of practice, advancing sound social
policies, and providing services that protect its members and enhance their professional
status. The Association developed and adopted the NASW Code of Ethics and other
generalized and specialized practice standards. Certification and quality assurance are
promoted through the Academy of Certified Social Workers, the NASW Register of Clinical
Social Workers, and the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work. Among NASW's political action
programs are Political Action for Candidate Election and Educational Legislative Action
Network. The Association also sponsors, through its 56 chapters in the U.S. and abroad,
professional conferences and continuing education programs, and produces journals (such as
the flagship Social Work), books, and major reference works for the profession.

Code of Ethics
The 1996 NASW Delegate Assembly (revised by the 2017 NASW Delegate Assembly)
approved the NASW Code of Ethics (available in English and Spanish), which is intended to
serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers. This Code includes
four sections. The first Section, "Preamble", summarizes the social work profession's mission
and core values. The second section, "Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics", provides an
overview of the Code's main functions and a brief guide for dealing with ethical issues or
dilemmas in social work practice. The third section, "Ethical Principles", presents broad
ethical principles, based on social work's core values, that inform social work practice. The
final section, "Ethical Standards", includes specific ethical standards to guide social workers'
conduct and to provide a basis for adjudication.[6] Since 2012, the Code of Ethics includes an
LGBT non-discrimination policy.[7] The 2018 revision of the Code of Ethics includes 19
changes that address ethical responsibilities when using technology.[8]

National Association of Social Workers Foundation

The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) is a charitable
organization created to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities
through the advancement of social work practice. It was founded in 2001 and its goals are to:

 Identify, develop and respond to social work policy and practice issues.
 Assist with rapid response to social crises.
 Support practice-based research, so that practice and research are directly linked.
 Raise the visibility of social work and enhance public esteem for the profession.
 Support the development of cutting edge continuing education that addresses critical
issues.
 Promote the appropriate application of new technology to the practice of social work.
NASWF is managed by a nine-member Board of Directors that comprises the current NASW
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President (Mildred “Mit” C. Joyner), three NASW members, and three individuals involved
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in professions other than social work. Nonvoting members of the board include the NASW
 Executive Director who serves as President of the Foundation and the NASW President-
Elect.
The Foundation administers a wide variety of educational and research programs in an effort
to fulfill its core mission of enhancing the well-being of individuals, families, and
communities through the advancement of social work policy and practice. Foundation assets
total more than $3.1 million, including the NASWF Endowment, which is funded by
voluntary contributions from NASW members and other supporters.

National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI) is one of largest

member based organization of professional social workers in the country. Established in
2005, NAPSWI is a non-profit, non- political, national level organization dedicated to the
promotion of standard and status of social work profession. NAPSWI intends to promote the
social work profession across the country with the aim of improving the quality of services in
the social welfare and social development sectors on one hand and to protect interests of
social work professionals on other.
NAPSWI believes in shaking hands with different stakeholders- be it social work educational
institutions, government, non-government, civil society or any likeminded.
Vision
To create a compassionate fraternity of professional social workers.
Mission
To advance excellence in education, training and practice of professional social work through
– education, research, training, networking, advocacy, resource development
Goal
The main aim of NAPSWI will be promotion and protection of interest of social work
profession and professionals in India. The specific objectives will be as follows:
• To promote the profession of social work across the country with the aim of improving the
quality of service in the social welfare and social development sectors.
• To act as a national level organisation and to represent social work professionals and
profession at national and international level.
• To improve the quality of social work education training and practice in the country and
promote such activities as are conductive to social work profession and social work
professionals.
• To undertake, organise and facilitate academic and professional interaction through studies,
courses, training courses, conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures and research in
matters relating to social work profession and professionals.
• To develop code of conduct for professional social workers in the field of education,
research, action and practice aimed at enhancing the status of social work profession and
performance of the professionals.
• To work for better working conditions and conditions for work of social work professionals
in general in India and elsewhere.
• To co-operate and collaborate with any such organisations/institutions at
regional/state/national or international level having similar objectives and similar
international levels.
• To open its branches at state level/regional level/zonal level in order to promote and
strengthen the NAPSWI.
• To publish journal research papers, books, encyclopaedia etc. directly or indirectly related
to social work profession.
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• To work for protection and promotion of the rights and interests of the members at different
levels and initiate measures aimed at providing scholarships, awards, recognitions and
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improving working conditions and conditions for work professionals.

 • To do any activity permissible under the law of land which may instrumental or incidental
in promoting the aims and objectives of the society.

Q.Code of Ethics

The NASW Code of Ethics is a set of standards that guide the professional conduct of social
workers. The 2021 update includes language that addresses the importance of professional
self-care. Moreover, revisions to Cultural Competence standard provide more explicit
guidance to social workers. All social workers should review the new text and affirm their
commitment to abide by the Code of Ethics. Also available in Spanish.
 The first Section, "Preamble," summarizes the social work profession's mission and core
values.
 The second section, Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics, provides an overview of the
Code's main functions and a brief guide for dealing with ethical issues or dilemmas in
social work practice.
 The third section, Ethical Principles, presents broad ethical principles, based on social
work's core values, that inform social work practice.
 The final section, Ethical Standards, includes specific ethical standards to guide social
workers' conduct and to provide a basis for adjudication.
Preamble
The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help
meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and
empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and
defining feature of social work is the profession’s dual focus on individual well-being in a
social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the
environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.
Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients.
“Clients” is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and
communities. Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end
discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may
be in the form of direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation,
administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development and
implementation, education, and research and evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the
capacity of people to address their own needs. Social workers also seek to promote the
responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals’
needs and social problems.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values,
embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, are the foundation of social
work’s unique purpose and perspective:
 service
 social justice
 dignity and worth of the person
 importance of human relationships
 integrity
 competence.
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This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core
values, and the principles that flow from them, must be balanced within the context and
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complexity of the human experience.

 Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics
Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation to
articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The NASW Code of
Ethics sets forth these values, principles, and standards to guide social workers’ conduct. The
Code is relevant to all social workers and social work students, regardless of their
professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve.
The NASW Code of Ethics serves six purposes:
1. The Code identifies core values on which social work’s mission is based.
2. The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession’s core values and
establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work
practice.
3. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when
professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise.
4. The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work
profession accountable.
5. The Code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work’s mission, values, ethical
principles, and ethical standards, and encourages all social workers to engage in self-care,
ongoing education, and other activities to ensure their commitment to those same core
features of the profession.
6. The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess
whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has formal procedures
to adjudicate ethics complaints filed against its members.* In subscribing to this Code,
social workers are required to cooperate in its implementation, participate in NASW
adjudication proceedings, and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based
on it.
The Code offers a set of values, principles, and standards to guide decision making and
conduct when ethical issues arise. It does not provide a set of rules that prescribe how social
workers should act in all situations. Specific applications of the Code must take into account
the context in which it is being considered and the possibility of conflicts among the Code’s
values, principles, and standards. Ethical responsibilities flow from all human relationships,
from the personal and familial to the social and professional.
* For information on the NASW Professional Review Process, see NASW Procedures for
Professional Review.
Furthermore, the NASW Code of Ethics does not specify which values, principles, and
standards are most important and ought to outweigh others in instances when they conflict.
Reasonable differences of opinion can and do exist among social workers with respect to the
ways in which values, ethical principles, and ethical standards should be rank ordered when
they conflict. Ethical decision making in a given situation must apply the informed judgment
of the individual social worker and should also consider how the issues would be judged in a
peer review process where the ethical standards of the profession would be applied.
Ethical decision making is a process. In situations when conflicting obligations arise, social
workers may be faced with complex ethical dilemmas that have no simple answers. Social
workers should take into consideration all the values, principles, and standards in this Code
that are relevant to any situation in which ethical judgment is warranted. Social workers’
decisions and actions should be consistent with the spirit as well as the letter of this Code.
In addition to this Code, there are many other sources of information about ethical thinking
that may be useful. Social workers should consider ethical theory and principles generally,
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social work theory and research, laws, regulations, agency policies, and other relevant codes
of ethics, recognizing that among codes of ethics social workers should consider the NASW
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Code of Ethics as their primary source. Social workers also should be aware of the impact on
 ethical decision making of their clients’ and their own personal values and cultural and
religious beliefs and practices. They should be aware of any conflicts between personal and
professional values and deal with them responsibly. For additional guidance social workers
should consult the relevant literature on professional ethics and ethical decision making and
seek appropriate consultation when faced with ethical dilemmas. This may involve
consultation with an agency-based or social work organization’s ethics committee, a
regulatory body, knowledgeable colleagues, supervisors, or legal counsel.
Instances may arise when social workers’ ethical obligations conflict with agency policies or
relevant laws or regulations. When such conflicts occur, social workers must make a
responsible effort to resolve the conflict in a manner that is consistent with the values,
principles, and standards expressed in this Code. If a reasonable resolution of the conflict
does not appear possible, social workers should seek proper consultation before making a
decision. The NASW Code of Ethics is to be used by NASW and by individuals, agencies,
organizations, and bodies (such as licensing and regulatory boards, professional liability
insurance providers, courts of law, agency boards of directors, government agencies, and
other professional groups) that choose to adopt it or use it as a frame of reference. Violation
of standards in this Code does not automatically imply legal liability or violation of the law.
Such determination can only be made in the context of legal and judicial proceedings.
Alleged violations of the Code would be subject to a peer review process. Such processes are
generally separate from legal or administrative procedures and insulated from legal review or
proceedings to allow the profession to counsel and discipline its own members.
A code of ethics cannot guarantee ethical behavior. Moreover, a code of ethics cannot resolve
all ethical issues or disputes or capture the richness and complexity involved in striving to
make responsible choices within a moral community. Rather, a code of ethics sets forth
values, ethical principles, and ethical standards to which professionals aspire and by which
their actions can be judged. Social workers' ethical behavior should result from their personal
commitment to engage in ethical practice. The NASW Code of Ethics reflects the
commitment of all social workers to uphold the profession’s values and to act ethically.
Principles and standards must be applied by individuals of good character who discern moral
questions and, in good faith, seek to make reliable ethical judgments.
With growth in the use of communication technology in various aspects of social work
practice, social workers need to be aware of the unique challenges that may arise in relation
to the maintenance of confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries, professional
competence, record keeping, and other ethical considerations. In general, all ethical standards
in this Code of Ethics are applicable to interactions, relationships, or communications,
whether they occur in person or with the use of technology. For the purposes of this Code,
“technology-assisted social work services” include any social work services that involve the
use of computers, mobile or landline telephones, tablets, video technology, or other electronic
or digital technologies; this includes the use of various electronic or digital platforms, such as
the Internet, online social media, chat rooms, text messaging, e-mail and emerging digital
applications. Technology-assisted social work services encompass all aspects of social work
practice, including psychotherapy; individual, family, or group counseling; community
organization; administration; advocacy; mediation; education; supervision; research;
evaluation; and other social work services. Social workers should keep apprised of emerging
technological developments that may be used in social work practice and how various ethical
standards apply to them.
Professional self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice.
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Professional demands, challenging workplace climates, and exposure to trauma warrant that
social workers maintain personal and professional health, safety, and integrity. Social work
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 organizations, agencies, and educational institutions are encouraged to promote
organizational policies, practices, and materials to support social workers’ self-care.
Ethical Principles
The following broad ethical principles are based on social work’s core values of service,
social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity,
and competence. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.
Value: Service
Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address
social problems
Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their
knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems. Social
workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no
expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).
Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.
Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and
oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused
primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social
injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and
cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information,
services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision
making for all people.
Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person
Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual
differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients’ socially
responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients’ capacity and
opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their
dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts
between clients’ interests and the broader society’s interests in a socially responsible manner
consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.
Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important
vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social
workers seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote,
restore, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups,
organizations, and communities.
Value: Integrity
Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles,
and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers should
take measures to care for themselves professionally and personally. Social workers act
honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with
which they are affiliated.
Value: Competence
Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and
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enhance their professional expertise.

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 Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to
apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of
the profession.
Ethical Standards
The following ethical standards are relevant to the professional activities of all social
workers. These standards concern (1) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, (2)
social workers’ ethical responsibilities to colleagues, (3) social workers’ ethical
responsibilities in practice settings, (4) social workers’ ethical responsibilities as
professionals, (5) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the social work profession, and
(6) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the broader society. Some of the standards that
follow are enforceable guidelines for professional conduct, and some are aspirational. The
extent to which each standard is enforceable is a matter of professional judgment to be
exercised by those responsible for reviewing alleged violations of ethical standards.

Practicing professionals with holding a degree in this field & who carried out the social work
are termed as “Social Workers”.

There are many examples in history, which shows the origin of practice and profession of
social work, i.e. Charity Organisation Society in the mid of 19th century and English Poor
Laws of the 17th century.
The plus point is social worker can choose to work in any field such as education, healthcare,
military etc. The job market for social worker is expected to grow by more than 10%. It also
offers one a feeling of happiness & kindness as it involves helping others.
Duties of Social Workers
 They help the others who need help.
 They help their clients to come up with their problems and worst situations.
 They handle the situation arises such as child abuse and mental health emergencies.
 Provide psychotherapy services.
 Social workers help others cope with the challenges of their lives.
 Social workers help the disable children, and people with serious illness and addictions.
 Some social workers work with groups, community organizations, and policymakers to
develop or improve programs, services, policies, and social conditions.
Scope
The scope in the profession of social working is wide and limitless. In this profession you can
easily find jobs in organizations that are connected with helping people. You can work after
your graduation such as in schools and other youth serving organizations, hospitals, medical
clinics, and nursing homes, mental health agencies, and many others. In future this will never
happen that the job opportunities in this profession will end.
Courses & Eligibility
Are you ready to make your career in this field….. So let us explain you first how to get
started?
To start a career in Social Work, you should need a bachelor degree in this field. In India,
several universities and colleges offer various bachelors and master courses in this field. Here
we have listed some courses in the field of Social Work:
Bachelor Courses:
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): It is a three-year duration courses. Students after passing
12th from any recognized institution are eligible to apply. You can pursue this course, as a
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full-time, distance or through correspondence. After pursuing this course you can opt for
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master courses like MSW.

Master Courses:
 Master of Social Work (MSW) or MA in Social Work: It is a postgraduate academic
degree with the duration of two academic years consists of four semesters. Students who hold
a graduate degree in Social Work can apply for this course. Bachelor’s degree holders in
Arts, Science, commerce or management are also eligible to apply. This course is also offered
through distance education and correspondence.
MSW Specializations:
 Human Resource Management
 Personnel Management
 Criminology & Correction Administration
 Family & Child Welfare
 Urban and Rural Community Development
 Industrial Relation &Labour Welfare
Doctoral Courses:
Ph.D in Social Work: It is a two-year duration course. Candidates who have a master’s
degree in social work are eligible to apply. Some universities offer admissions to those
students who have scored above than 50% aggregate in the qualifying examination.
Admission
Many institutions or universities like Dibrugarh University, IGNOU 2022 and many others
offers admissions on the basis of marks scored in the qualifying examination and some other
colleges gives admission on the basis of entrance exam, group discussion and interviews.
Some entrance exams are listed below:
 Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) MSW Admission Test (AMU 2022)
 KUCET Social Work Entrance Exam
 Jamia MilliaIslamia MA Admission Entrance Test (JMI Admission 2022)
 Calicut University MSW Entrance Examination
Searching for good colleges to pursue courses in Social Work…… the list of best
colleges is listed below:
 Dept of Social Work, Jamia MilliaIslamia, New Delhi
 Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
 Dept of Social Work, Delhi University, Delhi
 College of Social Work, NirmalaNiketan, Mumbai
 Madras School of Social Work, Chennai
Career Scope
“Social Work is a vast discipline with lots of job opportunities.”
The working area of social workers is very vast; they work with population from newly born
to elderly people. They serve their services to individual, families and communities.
As a Social Worker you can work in different areas like Hospitals, Clinics, Health Industry,
Education Sector, NGO’s, Human Rights Agenices, Old Age Homes, Disaster Management
Departments, etc.
Social workers work at the federal, state and local levels. They work for a wide range of
people. They help infant to the older age people. According to their specialty they are
classified to do work as public servants in government agencies, community centers, schools,
hospitals, mental health clinics and career centres.
As the social care centres are open every year in various places the demand of social workers
is also increasing. You can employ where the need of child and family social worker is
needed.
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What will be your Job Profile?

Some job titles in the field of social work are:
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 Social Worker
  Labour Welfare Specialist
 Teacher
 Social Security Officer
 Criminology Specialist
 Counsellor
Role of a Social Worker:
 Help people of all ages and improve their health and well-being.
 To build trusting relationship with service users.
 Manage and organize support plans.
 Support the physical and mental development of children and young people.
 Support people to improve their financial position.
Salary
What salaries can you expect as a Social Worker?
In India, the average salary of a Social Worker can be expected between Rs. 2 to 3 lac per
annum. With more experience and responsibilities you can expect a really good salary
package.
In the USA, the average salary of a Social worker is above $42k per annum and it can also
be increased depending upon the education, experience, working area, etc.
“The more you practice as a Social Worker, more salaries you will earn.”
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 UNIT 5TH

Unit - 5 Contemporary Social Concerns

Social problems are the general factors that affect and damage society. A social problem is
normally a term used to describe problems with a particular area or group of people in the
world. Social problems often involve problems that affect real life.
Social Issues in India
Introduction
Social issues (also social problem, social evil, and social conflict) refers to any undesirable
condition that is opposed either by the whole society or by a section of the society. It is an
unwanted social condition, often objectionable, the continuance of which is harmful for the
society.
India is facing a large number of social issues such as caste system, child labour, illiteracy,
gender inequality, superstitions, religious conflicts, and many more. It is high time to get
relief of these undesirable social evils.
Major Social Issues: We have prepared a list of major social issues in India. They are briefly
discussed below in the following order:

1. Caste system
2. Poverty
3. Child labour
4. Child marriage
5. Illiteracy
6. Low status of women
7. Gender inequality at work
8. Dowry system
9. Sati practice
10. Alcoholism
11. Superstition
12. Sanitation and cleanliness
13. Religious conflicts
14. Beggary
15. Juvenile delinquency

Poverty
The population of India living below the poverty line declined from 37% in 2004-2005 to
22% in 2011-12 (Planning Commission data). In 2011-12, 22% of the population (one in five
Indians) lived in extreme poverty. This figure is expected to decline to 5% by 2022, as per
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World Poverty Clock estimate. However, 80% of the poor in India live in villages. Rajasthan,
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Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh have the poorest
 areas. 43% of the poor belong to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe categories, as per
World Bank statistics (2016). This disparity needs immediate attention of the government.
Despite the World Poverty Clock claims of decline in poverty, the pandemic has made all all
such predictions go wrong according to Pew Research Center there has been a significant
decline of almost 32 million in the middle class due to the Pandemic in the country. The
report also brings light on how the year of the pandemic has increased the number of poor
(living on $2 or less) to have doubled from 59 million to 134 million.

.
Q:-Discuss Drug abuse as a social problem? Discuss its prevention?

Ans:-Drug abuse:-Drug abuse is a relative term. The word abuse implies wrong doing.
Medical fractioned was of the view that drug abuse means non-medical use of psycho-active
substances, where the doing infers. In the medical sense drug abuse would include poly
pharmacy, which means un necessary use of too many drugs, the unwarranted use or non use
of any drug, the inappropriate use of drugs and coercive use of drugs in the past when the
term abuser or addict was used, it implied heroin users but now it includes LSD, cocaine,
mirifurna and other substances.
Factors contributing drug abuse or causes of drug abuse:-
Adventure and excitement:-Young people start taking drugs to experience adventure and
excitement.
Relief from pain:-Drugs when taken in small quantities and not very often may give relief
from pain. People are unwilling to accept even minor discomforts and are looking to drugs
for solutions.
Family History:- Children of drug addicted family members are likely to become drug
addicted.
Relief from depression: - Many people start taking drugs to get relief from the constant
frustrations and depression of daily life.
Influence of Mass Media: - The drug addicts in films, telefilms and other programmes
projected as hares and there by attract the people towards the drug. The books, magnizes and
leading newspapers publish the brighter aspect of drugs which motivate the youth to use and
subsequently abuse drugs.
Remedial Measures overcome drug addiction:-
1)Awareness & Education:-Peoples especially students living in hostels, truck drivers,
industrial workers and people living in slums etc, should be educated about the ill effects of
drugs. Parents have to play an important role in imparting education. They have to take more
care in keeping the family environment congenial & harmonious.
2) Role of teachers:-Teachers can help a lot in the prevention of drug abuse. They can
discuss dangers of drug abuse with the students. They can talk about the problem of
adolescence and guide the students how to solve them.
3) Physicians attitude:-A change in the attitude of doctors in preventing too many drugs can
go a long way in controlling the abuse of drugs. Besides some legal action is needed to
control the scale of these drugs.

Unemployment 
Unemployment, nowadays, is very common among the youth. This situation is also known as
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joblessness. Moreover, it is a set of circumstances where an able-bodied person is willingly

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searching for a job but is not able to find it. We can calculate the percentage of unemployed
 people prevalent in the economy by dividing it with the number of individuals currently
present in the labour force. The government of India must take the necessary steps to
eradicate it by creating more government and public sector job opportunities. Also, it needs to
support private sector industry that could provide jobs to the ones who really deserve it. As
per the Centre for monitoring Indian Economy data, the rate of unemployment has touched
8.10% in February 2022. This rate of unemployment is high for a country like India. If not
tackled immediately, it will become a challenge for our society and economy.
Q.Mental Health

Poor mental health not only affects a person’s ability to live a fulfilling life and carry on with
their school, work, or familial responsibilities; it also can lead to physical and social problems
with serious impacts. By advocating for prevention and developing effective interventions,
public health professionals help individuals and communities combat mental health issues.

Mental Health as a Public Health Issue

Public health aims to promote healthy lifestyles, as well as to detect, prevent, and respond to
diseases. The prevalence of mental health issues that affect individuals’ physical and social
well-being makes dealing with mental health integral to achieving public health goals.

To begin with, mental health has a huge impact on how people relate to others, make
decisions, and handle stress. People’s ability to live fulfilling lives often depends on their
mental health. This makes protecting and restoring mental health of immediate concern to
public health professionals.

Mental Health and Social Relationships

Poor mental health influences people’s relationships with their children, spouses, relatives,
friends, and co-workers. Often, poor mental health leads to problems such as social isolation,
which disrupts a person’s communication and interactions with others. This can have
particularly harmful effects on children and adolescents whose development depends on
forming bonds with their family members and peers. In adulthood, this social isolation can
lead to family breakdown, divorce, or even childhood neglect.

Mental health problems frequently put financial and emotional strain on families. For
example, a family trying to address a child’s mental illness may exhaust untold funds in
search of treatment. Individual family members may also struggle to cope with their own
symptoms that require support, such as depression or sleeping problems.

Children who have family members experiencing mental health problems may blame
themselves. This can result in loneliness and feelings of being different. It may also lead to
future behavioral or social problems. Additionally, as families address their loved ones’
mental health problems, they may socially isolate out of fear of judgment from others, further
disrupting their emotional well-being.

Mental Health and Substance Misuse

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A clear relationship exists between mental health issues and substance misuse. Each can lead
to the other. In fact, one in four people with a serious mental illness also has a substance use
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disorder, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Data from the Substance Abuse
 and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that people with mental health
issues are also at greater risk of using nonprescription opioids.

People with mental illness consume substances that harm their health at higher rates than
people without mental health issues, according to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and
Health. Consider the following statistics: 37 percent of individuals with severe mental health
issues smoke cigarettes, while only 16 percent of people without mental health issues smoke;
nearly a third of adults with severe mental health issues are binge drinkers, compared to a
quarter of people without mental health issues who report binge drinking.

Additionally, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports an increased risk for the
development of substance use disorders among children and adolescents with mental
disorders. The research shows that children develop mental health issues such as depression
and anxiety before they develop substance use disorders, suggesting mental health issues lead
to problems with alcohol and drugs.

Mental Health and School

Evidence suggests that poor mental health affects people’s educational success. Many
students experiencing mental health issues struggle to form positive relationships with their
teachers. They may also find it difficult to concentrate, feel motivated, or follow school rules.
This often results in disciplinary measures that can interrupt their learning process.

According to the Child Mind Institute, the suspension/expulsion rate for students with
emotional disturbances, for example, is 64 percent. Additionally, every year nearly 28,000
students with mental health issues and other health issues drop out of school. These
individuals who drop out are 63 times more likely to end up in jail than college graduates.
People with no high school diploma also live 9.2 years less than high school graduates.

Public health professionals know that education levels play an important role in many aspects
of a person’s wellness and quality of life. In fact, greater levels of health correlate with higher
levels of education. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the
mortality rates of people with some college are half of those of people who never attend
college. Rates of diabetes and asthma are also lower for people who attain higher levels of
education.

Mental Health and Work

Mental health issues can also lead to struggles at work. Mental health issues often reduce
concentration, which can compromise a person’s productivity. The National Alliance on
Mental Illness reports that difficulty focusing often accompanies depression. Reduced
productivity can limit one’s ability to earn promotions, excel, and build successful
relationships with supervisors and co-workers, which ultimately affects job satisfaction.
Mental health issues can also lead to increased absenteeism at work. This can result in job
loss or reduced hours, which affects a person’s ability to earn a living.

Job loss can result in the loss of health insurance, and the loss of health insurance reduces
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people’s access to health care, which can result in untreated health conditions and the
inability to receive preventive care. A diminished ability to earn a living can also lead to
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 poverty, which affects people’s ability to find housing and receive a quality education, among
other things.

Mental Health and Physical Wellness

Mental health issues influence the onset, development, and effects of physical illnesses.
Often, high-risk behaviors such as substance misuse and physical inactivity correlate with
poor mental health. Research also indicates that mental illness could reduce life expectancy
by 20 years, according to a 2019 study published in The Lancet Psychiatry. The study found
people with depression have a 40 percent higher chance of developing cardiac disease,
hypertension, stroke, and diabetes than the general population. In addition, the study found
that mental illness can reduce life expectancy by up to 20 years. Such statistics highlight that
public health and mental health are two sides of the same coin.
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 Unit -6: Contemporary Social Concerns II
Q.Child Abuse.
CHILD ABUSE.
PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN No country can progress unless it pays adequate
attention to the development of children. A child is the future citizen of the country.
Only those children who grow in a healthy atmosphere can contribute to the
development and strength of their country. Our country has a large population of
children. It is our duty to make sure that they are provided with the opportunities for
good health and education. A large number of children, because of poverty, do not go to
school or are withdrawn from schools before they complete their elementary education
and are forced to start working at a young and tender age in factories, brick-klins,
restaurants, hotels, shops etc. This hampers their growth physically, mentally, and
emotionally. They grow with hatred and agony and fail to become worthy citizens of the
nation. A child in the age group of 6-14 years is supposed to be in the school. But
unfortunately, of the 200 million Indian children in this age group, about 11.3 million
are labourers. The estimate by NGOs puts it at 60 million, of which 2,00,000 work as
domestic help and almost an equal number as bonded labourers. These children become
vulnerable to physical and mental exploitation, they are starved, beaten and even
sexually exploited. This is a serious problem and is generally known as ‘child abuse’.
Right to Education Act, 2009 provides for education of all children between the age of
6- 14 years of age. Once this cherished goal of education for all is achieved, the state of
our children will be much better.

Q.Gender Based Violence

Gender-based violence is a human rights violation

It is an unrelenting assault on human dignity, depriving people of their human rights.
Freedom from violence is a fundamental human right, and gender-based violence
undermines a person’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. It affects not only physical
health but also mental health and may lead to selfharm, isolation, depression and suicidal
attempts.

Gender-based violence threatens a person’s physical and psychological integrity

Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure, and where this is not present, people’s
ability to function in the family, community and society is likely to be impaired, as self-
realisation and development are affected. Gender-based violence is an obstacle to the
realisation of every person’s well-being and to their right to fulfilment and self-
development.
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Gender-based violence is discrimination

 It is deeply rooted in harmful stereotypes and prejudices against women or other people who
do not fit into a traditional gender binary or heteronormative society. For that reason, gender-
based violence can have the effect of pushing women and others who are affected to the
margins of society and making them feel inferior or helpless. In the case of men who do not
act according to dominant masculine gender roles, gender-based violence has the function
of correction by example. The severity of the ‘punishment’ for men who do not act
according to expectations concerning male gender roles (whether gay, bisexual or
heterosexual) may be related to the perceived danger that their difference presents to
normalised and dominant assumptions about gender. Their very lives might collide and
appear to contradict the idea that there are natural forms of behaviour and social roles in
general for men and women.

Gender-based violence is an obstacle to gender equality

Gender equality is central to safeguarding human rights, upholding democracy and
preserving the rule of law. Gender-based violence contributes to cultivating a
heteronormative society and perpetuates the power of men. Gender equality, on the other
hand, entails equal rights for people of all genders, as well as equal visibility, and equal
opportunities for empowerment, taking responsibility and participating in all spheres of
public and private life. Gender equality also implies equal access to, and equal distribution of
resources between women and men.

Gender-based violence is under-reported and there is often impunity for perpetrators

Common myths, such as that what happens at home should stay at home or that it is nobody’s
business what happens in the family are very powerful. This makes denouncing violence in
the family difficult, and it may affect the provision of help and support services, thereby
exposing the abused person to greater harm, with possibly fatal consequences.
Furthermore, violence very often silences those who are affected by it. By failing to speak
out against domestic violence we also mirror the techniques used by perpetrators. In some
countries, most types and forms of gender-based violence are illegal and punishable by law,
but there are countries which lag behind in this respect. The Istanbul Convention of the
Council of Europe asks for criminalization of different forms of gender-based violence.
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 Gen
der-based violence affects everyone
Children raised in families where a woman is abused are also victims of violence (sometimes
not physically, but always psychologically). The children witness violence and may form the
impression that such behaviour is justified or normal; in other words, they assimilate
violent norms. They are also brought up in a culture of violence that may negatively affect
their self-development and ability to function in society. Gender-based violence affects
family members, friends and colleagues.

Gender-based violence has a very heavy economic cost

It requires the involvement of different services - medical, psychological, the police or justice
system – and it results in the loss of resources or of employment by victims. It makes people
underachieve at work and in education, and it negatively affects their productivity.
Many people who suffer from genderbased violence cannot stay at home and need a place to
stay, which sometimes results in homelessness. Shelter services need to be provided for
such people, and while there are services for abused women and their children in many
places in Europe (although not in sufficient numbers), the inadequate number of shelters
for LGBT+ people remains critical
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to
define Earth’s local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of
observed effects that are synonymous with
the term. Changes observed in Earth’s climate since the mid-20th century are driven by
human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse
gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere, raising Earth’s average surface temperature. Natural
processes, which have been overwhelmed by human activities, can also contribute to climate
change, including internal variability (e.g., cyclical ocean patterns like El Niño, La Niña and
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the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and external forcings (e.g., volcanic activity, changes in the
Sun’s energy output, variations in Earth’s orbit).
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 Scientists use observations from the ground, air, and space, along with computer models, to
monitor and study past, present, and future climate change. Climate data records provide
evidence of climate change key indicators, such as global land and ocean temperature
increases; rising sea levels; ice loss at Earth’s poles and in mountain glaciers; frequency and
severity changes in extreme weather such as hurricanes, heat waves, wildfires, droughts,
floods, and precipitation; and cloud and vegetation cover changes.
This website provides a high-level overview of some of the known causes, effects and
indications of global climate change:
Q.SUICIDE.
Suicide is often thought of as an individual problem.
The field of psychology has advanced our understanding of why people die by suicide and
has contributed valuable insights into its treatment, but it can be limiting when emphasizing
the individual at the expense of their broader social realm.
The problem with only viewing suicide as an individual problem is that we neglect the
importance of social forces contributing to suicide.
So how is suicide a social problem?
The risk of suicide in a population increases when the social context fails to provide a
healthy sense of purpose and belonging, contributing to an individual’s sense of
contribution and connection.
What Sociology Says About Suicide
In his classic sociological text, Suicide, Durkheim develops a typology of suicide based on
the concepts of ‘social integration’, and ‘moral regulation’. He identifies four different types
of suicide: altruistic (high integration), egoistic (low integration), fatalistic (high regulation),
and anomic (low regulation).
Altruistic suicide results from a very high level of integration into one’s social context;
Durkheim gives the example of religious sacrifices, but suicide-bombers are a contemporary
version of this.
Being so highly integrated, the individual’s own personal aims are completely aligned with
those of their social group to the point of self-sacrifice. Although there is a moral distinction
between various types of altruistic suicide, Durkheim used the word ‘altruism’ to describe
group integration which differs from its popular use to denote acts of normative moral
goodness.
Egoistic suicide results from a very low degree of social integration. Durkheim found that
this type of suicide was common among the most educated populations in his day.
These populations were more prone to social disintegration because the higher levels of
critical thinking lead to lower levels of tradition which promoted common beliefs and
practices that bind people together.
Fatalistic suicide is a concept briefly mentioned in a footnote of Durkheim’s text, referring
to suicide that results from a very high degree of social regulation (e.g. prison or slavery).
For some reason, Durkheim lists “young husbands” as being at risk of this type of suicide –
but this is one of his more theoretical statements, lacking empirical support in the text.
Anomic suicide results from a very low degree of social regulation. Durkheim gives
examples of large-scale social transitions such as revolutions or economic chaos in the
market.
The fundamental issue causing this type of suicide is the loss of a guiding morality or a
meaningful sense of purpose. This form of suicide is common in wealthy societies.
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Suicide in Wealthy Societies 

Anomic suicide is most common among developed capitalist nations where wealth is
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abundant. Durkheim states:

 “…those who suffer most are not those who kill themselves most. It is too great comfort
which turns a man against himself. Life is most readily renounced at the time and among the
classes where it is least harsh.”
When the central guiding force in our lives is the pursuit of material luxury, it becomes a
bottomless pit requiring ever-more stimulation. As Durkheim states:
“Unlimited desires are insatiable by definition and insatiability is rightly considered a sign of
morbidity. Being unlimited, they constantly and infinitely surpass the means at their
command; they cannot be quenched. Inextinguishable thirst is constantly renewed torture…”
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