The Mid-Twentieth Century: The Era of Applied

Social Science - 1941 and beyond.

Post World War, the government came to realise the importance of social services.

They understood how significant these services are to the booming society. Hence, many

career opportunities opened for social workers after the war, when the economy was growing

rapidly. Following the establishment of the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW)

in 1927, a professional degree for the Master of Social Work was introduced in 1947 by the

university of Toronto and social work became a professional occupation (Hicks & Stokes,

2017, p. 50).

What are some significant characteristics/ events that took place in

this period and What led to them.

1. New Deal Programs (1933-1936):

 The government introduced programs to help people during tough times like

the Great Depression. They made laws like Social Security to give money to

elderly and disabled people (Simmons University, 2014).

2. New Deal Expansion:

 Over time, the programs grew to cover more areas like art, kids' welfare, and

housing. Social workers became more involved in helping communities and

families (Simmons University, 2014).

 3. Social Workers in WWII:

 When World War II started, social workers helped soldiers and their families.

They supported injured soldiers and helped families deal with the stress of

having loved ones at war (Simmons University, 2014).

4. Military Social Work:

 Social workers had important roles in the military, with special jobs and ranks.

 They were crucial in supporting soldiers and families during and after the war

(Simmons University, 2014).

The aftermath of World War II

● The prediction of a possible recession took place which could also cause social unrest,

which also led to the introduction of many programs such as Family Allowance,

Universal Old age pension and benefit program for persons with disabilities, in order

to spur the growth of the economy (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 50).

● Ultimately the nature of Canadian Social Work changed and there was a huge

increase in employment. The opportunities for social work were no more restricted

only to the private and volunteer agencies.

● The government departments and government-financed agencies showed way more

participation (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 50).

● There was a debate on how social work was practised during this period and both the

Freudian or Diagnostic approach and the newer Functional approach gained a lot of

attention (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 50).

● The diagnostic approach mainly focused on the psychic condition of the person and

the events that took place in his or her life which required some particular skills of the
 social worker and the ability to make a plan for the treatment (Hicks & Stokes, 2017,

p. 50).

● On the other hand, the Functional approach was mainly based on the mentality or the

beliefs of an individual to determine what would be best for their future (Hicks &

Stokes, 2017, p. 50).

The emergence of new models of social work

● In 1970, the Federation of Children’s Aid staff was invented by some unionised

workers in Ontario (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 51).

● After some years these groups of unions joined the Canadian Union of Public

Employees which today holds a large number of social workers as employees all over

the country (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 51).

● Many new models of social work practice were introduced in 1960s and 1970s such

as: -

● Generic or integrated approach

● The problem-solving approach

● The behaviour modification approach

● The Structural approach

The Expansion of Social Services and Social Work

● Even when the economy was expanding after World War II, the demands on the

private organisations kept growing and after a lot of pressure the federal government
 and the council had to introduce a national program to support this cause (Hicks &

Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

● Therefore, the 1956 Unemployment Insurance act supported the provinces with those

people who were totally eligible and available for work but were unemployed (Hicks

& Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

● Furthermore, in 1966 Canada Assistance plan was introduced in which the federal

government offered to share 50 % of provincial cost for welfare and social services

which further led to important changes in social assistance (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p.

52).

● There was a huge increase in the number of social workers from 1951 to 1971 and the

demand kept increasing due to the new programs and services (Hicks & Stokes, 2017,

p. 52).

● During the expansion period (1963–1973), social service and income security

programs grew. Canada evolved into a welfare state with state-run healthcare. New

income security schemes for disabled individuals, single parents, the unemployed, and

kids (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

Increasing Demand for Social Works Programs

● Higher enrolment in social work programs at colleges and universities was caused by

an increase in the need for social workers. The purpose of the 1967-founded Canadian
 Association of Schools of Social Work (CASSW) is to supervise professional

education initiatives (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

● Educational Establishments Offering Social Work Education: At the moment, 46

colleges and 34 universities provide social work and social service education (Hicks

& Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

● Comparable Pay and Sectors of Employment:

● These days, social workers make about the same money as teachers and nurses. Social

workers are primarily employed by child welfare organisations and hospitals (Hicks

& Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

● The Development of Social Work Practices:

At first, casework predominated. In the middle of the 20th century, community and

group work were included. Social administration and social policy were

acknowledged as vital fields by certain colleges (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 52).

Regulating the Social Work Profession.

● In Canada, the social work profession is governed by regulatory laws that protect the

public interest and uphold professional ethics. Regulatory bodies manage registration,

standards, and complaint handling; they are distinct from advocacy associations

(Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 53).

● The Social Workers Act of British Columbia and the Social Work and Social Service

Work Act of Ontario are two examples. Programs for continuing competence require

continuous professional development, which improves service quality and the

currency of knowledge (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 53).

 ● Clear disciplinary procedures uphold responsibility and confidence in the industry,

encouraging moral behaviour and the welfare of clients (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 53).

● Respect for professional norms and ethical principles is enforced by regulatory

organisations in Canada, including the Manitoba College of Social Workers (Hicks &

Stokes, 2017, p. 53).

● These organisations support the public's trust in social workers while maintaining the

profession's integrity through proactive oversight and open procedures (Hicks &

Stokes, 2017, p. 53).

Deserving and Undeserving poor? Is everyone bound to have

welfare benefits?

In order to be helped, poor people were classified in two categories - Deserving poor and

Undeserving poor. Deserving people were those who were poor by no fault of their own and

were just out of luck. These people were of good moral character, clean and tidy and never

asked directly for assistance. On the other hand, the people who were lazy and morally

demotivated were considered to be undeserving poor (Hicks & Stokes, 2017, p. 36).

Even though these labels are not used in today’s modern society, they very well still exist,

continuously affecting the attitude and policies in regards with social services today. To

exemplify, people who are trying and are more aware about their situations and are

continuously working to improve them are considered to be more deserving of the Welfare

benefits. This usually includes the people who are willing to and are eligible to work but are
just out of luck and are working to achieve employment in search of becoming self-sufficient

and taking care of the people who depend on them.

On the other hand, people who are not even trying and willing to work and choose the bad

lifestyle making poor choices for themselves are considered to be undeserving of the benefits.

This may include those homeless people who would rather beg for money than actually work

for it even when they are physically fit and totally capable of it.

Furthermore, the latest welfare programs often have some criteria and conditions that one

needs to pass or be eligible for before being able to receive the welfare benefits. To illustrate,

one might need to show specific needs or achieve certain income to be able to qualify for the

help and benefits. Also, it has been found that sometimes the deservingness may also be

impacted by the racial and socioeconomic factors. The deservingness is also calculated by the

personal event that might have taken place in one's life. For example, the benefits a family

who might have suffered in a war totally out of their control, is entitled to receive, is way

different than the benefits an international student will receive.

References:

● Hicks, S., & Stokes, J. (2017). Social Work in Canada (2nd ed., p. 50-53). Thompson

Educational Publishing.

● Hicks, S., & Stokes, J. (2017). Social Work in Canada (2nd ed., p. 36). Thompson

Educational Publishing.

● Manstead, A. S. R. (2018, April). The psychology of social class: How socioeconomic

status impacts thought, feelings, and behaviour. The British journal of social

psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5901394/

● Simmons University (2014). The Evolution of Social Work: Historical Milestones.

https://online.simmons.edu/blog/evolution-social-work-historical-milestones/