SOCW2108 2. SEPTEMBER.

2023

ARMONT C. PECINA
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 Covers practically everything that men do for the good
of society.

Social welfare is an organized concern of all people for

all people.
--- Gertrude Wilson

The organized system of social services and

institutions, designed to aid individuals and groups to
attain satisfying standards of life and health.

---Walter Friedlander
Social Welfare includes those laws, programs, benefits
and services which assure or strengthen provisions for
meeting social needs recognized as basic to the well-
being of the population and the better functioning of
the social order. These provisions maybe directed
toward strengthening existing arrangements; mitigating
the hardships or handicaps of particular individuals and
groups; pioneering new services; stimulating a better
adaptation of the social structure including the
creation of new programs as needed; or a combination of
all these approaches to social needs.

---Elizabeth Wickenden
All the organized social arrangements which have as
their direct and primary objective the well-being of
people in a social context. It includes the broad
range of policies and services which are concerned
with various aspects of people’s lives—their income,
security, health, housing, education, recreation,
cultural traditions etc.

Social Welfare encompasses the well-being of all

the members of human society, including their
physical, mental, emotional, social, economic and
spiritual well-being.
The Pre-Conference Working Committee for the
XVth International Conference on Social Welfare
defines Social Welfare as all the organized social
arrangements, which have as their direct and
primary objective the well-being of people in a
social context.

Social Welfare encompasses the well-being of all

the members of human society, including their
physical, mental, emotional, social, economic and
spiritual well-being.
• Individual and group efforts
• Major societal institutions which
have their designated roles and
responsibilities for meeting human
needs.
• Social Agency
 • Residual formulation

The residual formulation conceives

of the social welfare structure as
temporary, offered during emergency
situations and withdrawn when the
regular system e.g. the family and the
economic system is again working
properly.
2. Institutional formulation

In contrast institutional formulation

sees social welfare as a proper, legitimate
function of modern society. that some
individuals are not able to meet all their
needs is considered a "normal" condition,
and helping agencies are accepted as
"regular" social institutions.
• Social Security
• Personal Social Services
• Public Assistance
Refers to the programs, services and
other activities provided under
various auspices, to concretely
answer the needs and problems of
the members of the society.
• Humanitarian and Social
Justice
• Social Control
• Economic Development
Social Work is the profession
which is concerned with man's
adjustment to his environment; a
person or groups in relation to a
person's (or their) social
situation.
The Social Work Profession
promotes social change,
problem-solving in human
relationships and the
empowerment and liberation of
people to enhance well-being.
Utilizing theories of human
behavior and social systems,
social work intervenes at the
points where people interact with
their environments.

2001 IASSW & IFSW

• Personal inadequacies
• Situational inadequacies
• Both personal and
situational inadequacies
Jeffrey Bracket (1860-1949)

Baltimore Charity Organization

1st Director of Simmons School of
Social Work

Massachussets Board of Charities

“Social” should be part of this
developing profession’s title
because it depicts the focus on
people’s interaction with important
forces that shape their lives.

He added the word “work” to

differentiate professional practice
from what he considered often
misguided and self-serving
philanthropic activity of wealthy
volunteers.
Social Work is an accurate title for a
profession that applies helping
techniques in a disciplined manner to
address social problems.
Deep appreciation of humans as social
beings. They need other people. A
person’s self-concept and even his or
her very survival, both physically and
psychologically, is tied to the decisions
and actions of other people.
It is this interconnectedness and
interdependence of people and the
power of social relationships that
underpins a profession devoted to
helping people improve the quality and
effectiveness of those interactions and
relationships to enhance their social
functioning.
 The Social Environment
Social Policies and
Social Programs

The
Planned
Change
Process
• Personal • Personal
characteristics Client abilities, characteristics
• Immediate activities, and • Professional
environment background
decisions

Worker skills and • Helping roles

• Problem or techniques • Practice
Change Solution
frameworks and
principles

The Social Agency or

Private Practice Setting

Source: Sheafor, B.W. Techniques and guidelines for

Social Work Practice, 7th Ed. , 2006
The emergence of Rights-based approach

Rights defined

“Rules that protect liberties or impose duties on other

people….that govern social relationships” (Spicker) .
The emergence of Rights-based approach

1. From needs to human rights

2. Rights-based approach and social welfare

3. Human rights-based approach

Social policy refers to:

1. Policies which governments use for welfare and social

protection.

2. Ways in which welfare is developed in a society.

3. Academic study of the subject.

Concern of Social Policy

1. Equitable wealth distribution and poverty reduction.

2. Development of a just, equal and prosperous society.

Objectives of Social Policy

1. Social Justice

2. Social Security

3. Social peace

4. Prosperity shared by the majority of the people

Social Policy
Social Policy

• Policy as an explicit course of action. Akin to a standing plan.

•• APolicy
definite as anofexplicit
course course
action to guide of action.
and determine Akin
present andto a standing
future decisions. plan.
• It is a purposive course of action followed by an actor or set of actors in dealing with a problem
• orAmatter
definite course of action to guide and determine present and
of concern.
• Afuture decisions.
rule of action, manifesting or clarifying specific organizational goals, objectives, values or
ideals and often prescribing the obligatory or most desirable ways and means for
It is a purposive course of action followed by an actor or set of
• accomplishment.
actors
• Policy in dealing
focuses with
attention on whatais problem
actually doneoras matter
against whatofifconcern.
proposed or intended. It is
differentiated from a decision which is a choice of competing alternatives
• A rule of action, manifesting or clarifying specific
organizational goals, objectives, values or ideals and often
prescribing the obligatory or most desirable ways and
means for accomplishment.
• Policy focuses attention on what is actually done as against
what is proposed or intended. It is differentiated from a
decision which is a choice of competing alternatives
Social Policy

Social policy determines how a society distributes its resources among its members to promote
well-being. Social policies direct the delivery of health and human services. Policies relevant to
social work include government plans and programs in the areas of social welfare, economic
security, education, criminal justice, health care, among others.

Social Workers press for fair and responsive social policies that benefit all persons and advocate
changes in policies affecting disenfranchised and oppressed groups whose dignity has been
diminished by injustice.
 The environment system

Demands & Resources Conversion process Policy Performance

Feedback

Policy delivery system

Policy categories

1. Policy demands

2. Policy decisions

3. Policy statements

4. Policy outputs

5. Policy outcomes
Calalang vs. Williams

“Neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor anarchy,

but the humanization of laws, and the equalization of social and
economic forces by the State so that justice in its rational and
objectively secular conception may at least be approximated
”
Social Justice

It refers to the manner in which society distributes resources

among its members. “Social justice prevails when all members of a
society share equally in the social order, secure an equitable
consideration of resources and opportunities, and enjoy their full
benefit of civil liberties” (DuBois & Miley, Generalist Social Work
Practice, 2008, p.7)
Public policy

A system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action,

and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated
by a government entity or its representatives.
Policy as a process and likewise a product.

Levels of policy

a. Micro
b. Mezzo
c. Macro
Core characteristics of Social Policy

1. Formal expression of community values, principles and

beliefs
2. Operationalizes these values, principles and beliefs
3. Gives legitimacy and sanction on social agencies programs
and services
4. A roadmap for the social agency to attain its mission
5. Provides a framework guiding the practitioner in his/her
professional role
Redistributive Policies

1. Vertical

2. Horizontal

Framing policies for equality

1. Equality of treatment
2. Equal opportunity
3. Equality of outcome
Social Protection

“All public and private initiatives that provide income or

consumption transfers to the poor, protect the vulnerable
against the livelihood risks, and enhance the social status
and rights of the marginalized”
“Policies and programs that seek to reduce poverty
and vulnerability to risks and enhance the social
status and rights of the marginalized by promoting
and protecting livelihood and employment, protecting
against the hazards and sudden loss of income, and
improving people’s capacity to manage risks”
Components:

1. Labor market intervention

2. Social Welfare

3. Social Insurance

4. Social safety net

Approaches to Social Welfare Policy

1. Safety net approach

2. Community approach

3. Welfare state approach

Discussion point

Based on the approaches to Social Welfare, is it possible

that the Welfare State approach can be applied to the
Philippine setting? Justify your answer.
Activity assignment:

Try to look for a program(s) implemented by the

DSWD/NGOs, read its goals and objectives. Are they
consistent with the aims of social welfare policy?
Discuss and rationalize.

Submit to email: armont.pecina@pcu.edu.ph

Social Work Theoretical Perspectives
Theoretical Perspectives

Perspectives express values or views of the world.

Perspectives help you to think about what is happening in an
organized way. It helps you to see situations from different
perspectives.
Development Theories

1. Economic Models

Modernization, Dependency, World Systems, Globalization

2. Human Development Paradigm

Development as freedom, people-centered development,

sustainable development
Development

Development has various meanings to different people.

Often confused with “economic growth as measured solely
by annual increase in per capita income or gross national
product regardless of its distribution and the degree of
people’s participation in effective growth” (Mahmoud,
1991
Development

In the simplest terms, development can be defined as

bringing about social change that allows people to achieve
their human potential.
Development

“Development means the conditions for realization of the

human personality. Its evaluation must therefore take into
account three linked criteria: where there has been a
reduction in (1) poverty, (2) unemployment, (3) inequality”
(Seers, 1972).
Modernization

Development through economic growth.

Economic growth became synonymous with progress

and higher level of civilization (Burkley, 1993).

Political and social development would follow and

dependent on economic growth.
Dependency

The theory maintained that the central nations benefited

from trade whereas the peripheral nations suffered.

The theory questioned the mutual benefits of

international trade.
World Systems

A Macrosociological perspective that seeks to explain the

dynamics of “capitalist world economy as a “total social
system” (Martinez Vela).

A world system is what Wallerstein’s term as “World

economy”, integrated through the market rather than a
political center, in which two or more regions are
interdependent with respect to necessities like food, fuel
and protection and two or more polities compete for
domination (Goldfrank).
Globalization

Globalization can be defined as ” the increased

interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples and
countries. It is generally understood to include two inter-
related elements: the opening of international borders to
increasingly fast flows of goods, services, finance, people and
ideas; and the changes in institutions and policies at national
and international levels that facilitate or promote such
flows.” (WHO)
Globalization effects in a nutshell

a. Cultural exchanges allowed homogenized cultures which impacts

disappearance of specific cultural characteristics.

b. Income inequalities, disproportional wealth that benefit parties

differently.

c. Massive development of transport caused serious environmental

problems such as green house emissions, global warming or air
pollution.

d. Impacts environment by way of deforestation, destruction of

ecosystem and biodiversity.
Theoretical perspectives

1. Reflexive-therapeutic

2. Socialist-collectivist

3. Individualist-reformist
Theoretical Perspectives

1. Symbolic interactionism

2. Systems and ecological systems

3. Structural-functionalism

4. Conflict theory
Theory Major Assumption
Structural -Functionalism Social stability is necessary through socialization and Social problems weaken a society’s
social integration. Social structures ensure social stability.
stability.
Conflict theory Society is characterized by pervasive inequality based
on social class, race, gender and other factors. Far-
reaching social change is needed to reduce or
eliminate social inequality and to create an egalitarian
society.
Systems theory Systems theory offers a more complete view of a
person’s situation within his or her social
environment. The component parts of a system is best
understood in the context of relationships with other
systems.
Symbolic interactionism People construct their roles as they interact. As
interaction occurs, individuals negotiate their
definitions of the situations in which they find
themselves and socially construct the reality of these
situations.
Views social problems
Social problems arise from fundamental
faults in the structure of society and
both reflect and reinforce inequalities
based on social class, race, gender, and
other dimensions.
Social problems are seen by
practitioners that enables professionals
to look holistically at a client’s
conditions and environmental factors to
gain a better understanding of why they
face issues or hardships. (Personal and
situational adequacies).
Social problems arise from the
interaction of individuals. People who
engage in problematic behaviors often
learn these behaviors from other
people.
Guiding Theories

1.Rationalism

2.Incrementalism

3.Systems Theory
An analysis of Social Policy

Levels

1. Generic

2. Specialized
Generic level of Social Welfare Policy analysis

a. Equality

b. Equity

c. Adequacy
Specialized level of Social Welfare policy analysis

1. Privacy

2. Dignity

3. Work

4. Independence
Competing value orientation

1. Individual orientation

2. Collectivist
 Individual vs. Collective orientation
Dimension of Individual Collective
choice Orientation orientation
Bases of allocation Cost Effectiveness Social
effectiveness
Provision Freedom of choice Social Control
Delivery Freedom of Efficiency
dissent
Finance Local autonomy Centralization
Bases of Social Allocation

1. Attributed need

2. Compensation

3. Diagnostic differentiation

4. Means-tested
Practice activity

Using the above-cited criteria for analyzing social welfare

policies, identify a specific social welfare policy and try to
analyze it.

Discussion inputs for the next meeting.

End of Presentation