A new and very interesting piece of research spanning 15 years, looks at the social work profession from a skills angle and asks whether social workers are routinely going beyond their professional borders.
The paper was published on 5th January, 2018 in the Journal of Evidence Informed Social Work. Entitled, “Should social workers be engaged in these practices?” it was written by Gary Holden, Professor at the New York University Silver School of Social Work, and Kathleen Barker, Professor of Psychology at the City University of New York.
Outlined in the article are a list of jobs social workers seem to be carrying out as part of their social work role, or carrying with them as previously acquired skills. The authors tell us:
“Some of the entries…. are specific interventions, some indicate previous training of the provider (e.g., certifications or degrees), some specify offers of training for others, others are guiding philosophies or conceptualizations and still others refer to equipment.”
The list of skills and courses involved seem to be heavily skewed towards holistic disciplines, as well as religious and spiritual ones like rebirthing, Feng Shui and herbology. A significant number of entries for counselling and therapy can be seen, as well as some medical courses and qualifications.
Holden and Barker say the list they have compiled is unfinished and raw, but urge us to think about how the profession is evolving and whether it is staying true to its original mission:
As the professors point out, the definition and boundaries of social work are a little fuzzy, which we can see for ourselves in England and Wales with our own definition of social work, which is presented as a global one:
“The following definition was approved by the IFSW General Meeting and the IASSW General Assembly in July 2014:
Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.
The above definition may be amplified at national and/or regional levels.”
The BASW’s Advice Note on the roles and responsibilities of social workers is also worth a read.
Ultimately, the researchers want us to think about whether this kind of mission creep is actually a good thing for the social work profession, allowing greater knowledge and by implication better support for vulnerable individuals, or whether the skills presented are not really effective ones for the purposes of helping those in need and building strong communities.
The professors, and Researching Reform would love to know what you think.
Maureen Jenner said:
It’s important that social workers constantly remember their main aim is to enable cohesion of the family unit – not to fracture it. Sometimes problems within the family make this difficult; where this becomes impossible, it may be necessary to spit that unit – but only as a last resort.
LikeLike
finolamoss said:
As with all professions/vocations- solicitors, GPs, nurses SWs have been converted to over managed, deskilled tools by successive governments.
SWs now act as court enforces only, assessing and writing up court documents to remove the old/disabled to for profit corporate residential, if they are Adult Social workers .
And to private fostering/ adoption if child protection in the Care Courts.
All now merely feed these industries that are for profit and privatised ie outsourced.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Pingback: mission creep | HOLLIE GREIG JUSTICE
daveyone1 said:
Reblogged this on World4Justice : NOW! Lobby Forum..
LikeLike
heatherjav said:
I can honestly say after the last 3 years of dealing with Kirklees social services in England I am a shell of my former self. I asked them myself and they have destroyed my spirit. I have lost my daughter who was moved 3 hours away because all she wants is her family and kept running home to me. I have been blamed for everything. I can’t talk to my child or see her unsupervised just because I want her back home. The whole experience had been hell on earth, practically everything I say and do is used against me. I am truly at the end of my road with it all now! I have tried to complain but that is again used against me.
LikeLike
heatherjav said:
I asked for help myself and got none!
LikeLike
Natasha said:
Thank you for your thoughts. I am so sorry you’ve all experienced this.
LikeLike
heatherjav said:
Has my comment been deleted from this article?
Sent from my iPhone
>
LikeLike
Natasha said:
Thank you for your comments, and apologies for the delay.
LikeLike
Dr. Manhattan. said:
one of the big problems with the Role of a Social worker is the level of intrusion into family life and also their role in conducting police checks etc which allows these individuals to know everything about members of the public who they deal with. No Social worker should be allowed to read the police history of any member of the public as its confidential.
Social workers have been given far too much power and now we are seeing the huge problems that are manifesting from that. also i suspect the background checks on Social work applicants are no good enough allowing many dishonest people into these positions of power.
they have so much say in matters that they are even known to influence the decision of court judges to get what they want.
Also there should always be independent bodies keeping a close eye on how Social workers operate before and during court proceedings. this may have prevented many miscarriages of justice in the family courts.
LikeLike
Ian Josephs said:
Social workers should be abolished.They are the most hated profession in the country because they make their living taking children from parents and also because they lie,break promises,,and betray those parents in order to win in court .They take children from parents who have never broken any laws and act like police confident that most judges in the family courts will back them up and “rubberstamp” all their demands.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dr. Manhattan. said:
could not agree more.
LikeLike
[Name Withheld] said:
The social workers who took my grandchildren from a loving Christian family. Went out of their way to tell us they did not believe in God yet when in court swore an oath of truth on the bible then commenced to lie through their teeth. They had been (I found out afterwards) found guilty of lying in court on previous occasions yet the judge decided in his wisdom it was us who were liars. All the 2yrs through the taking the children away they alienated different family members strategically one by one and refused us when we offered to help the now single mother with 3 children. They constantly lied to us to keep us apart. Lies we believed as we thought we were bound by their policy as they told us. ( only to fond out to late it was more lies)
We were told on their Christmas outing they read tatrot cards to one another and talked of Crystal healing and other practices. ( from a reliable Christian worker who left having nothing more to do with them. I am afraid these people are not good but are of evil and weak minds . They serve one God The God of MONEY. Worse still on higher levels they have turned away from all that is good and turned to all that is evil. These people as public servants need to be regulated. They do not work for the good of the people or for the good of our country. Their one desire is to take children from vunerable parents on trumped up charges. All for monetary gain.
As they left the court seeing the mother who had three children taken from her and a new born baby who they took from the hospital , in severe distress. They each smirked at her while leaving. Despicable human beings. They tried to totally fracture and destroy our family. It did not work we have rebuilt the bonds. We are in disbelief that such evil liars exist in society . Unqualified people ( some of their team are young people drafted in on high wage no qualirication jobs to meet growing demand of child snatching. In fact the only requirements seem to be lack of morals and an ability to twist the truth.) who are allowed to wield so much power. Making the police do whatever at their beck and call. This band of evil are reminiscent of another organisation with the same worrying initials The SS and comparable to the atrocities they perpetrated. It was said after the 2nd world war such atrocities would never be known again. Here in Britain in this so called time of peace . The government is standing back and letting this happen to thousands of family’s without uttering a word. Judges , barristers . Solicitors all to frightened to challenge them. What are they frightened of. How can a family fight that which the powers of the land can’t fight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dr. Manhattan. said:
Brilliantly said. and i think your words accurately echo in the minds of thousands of parents who have been done over in the same way by the Evil SS. most of the public might find it hard to believe but we are now dealing with the 4th Reich.
LikeLike
Dr. Manhattan. said:
What we need in this country is one centralized Facebook page or website to bring together the thousands of parents who have suffered these crimes.
a title something like. Victims of Social services corruption. with the intention of Raising awareness and getting more educated people involved to spark a full investigation into this Criminal Activity which is clearly going unchallenged by the Govt.
LikeLike