Concepts In Social Work PDF

CONCEPTS IN SOCIAL WORK ▶ Social Work, Social Service, Social Welfare, Social Reform, Social Justice, Social Health, Social Security, Social Policy, Social Defense, Social Development, Human Rights, Social Legislation, Social Administration CONCEPTS  W.A. Friedlander (1963:4): "...

CONCEPTS IN SOCIAL WORK ▶ Social Work, Social Service, Social Welfare, Social Reform, Social Justice, Social Health, Social Security, Social Policy, Social Defense, Social Development, Human Rights, Social Legislation, Social Administration CONCEPTS  W.A. Friedlander (1963:4): "Social work" is a professional service based upon scientific knowledge and skill in human relations which assists individuals, alone or in groups, to obtain social and personal satisfaction and independence." SOCIAL WORK ▶ 1) Social work is a specialized kind of work. ▶ 2) This work is performed by persons who are specifically trained to do this work. ▶ 3) Educational training for social work equips social workers with some specialized kind of scientific knowledge and technical skills and develops among them a democratic and humanitarian outlook and orientation. ▶ 4) Social Work adopts the required strategy according to the nature of problem ▶ 5) Strategy used in social work may introduce changes in the personality structure of person faced with problem and to bring about transformation in social structure as well as system. ▶ 6) Social work promotes human and social development, ensures fulfillment of human rights and guarantees performance of social duties - obligations towards family members, people in the community and members of society at large. ▶ 7) Social worker may accept (and generally he or she does accept) compensation for the work done by him/her either from those who engage hider or take work from hider or from those who benefit from his/her work. ▶ At times, moved by altruistic considerations a trained social worker may be seen providing services absolutely in an honorary manner. IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL WORK ▶ Social services thus are those services which are envisaged and provided by society to its members to enable them to develop optimally and help them to function effectively and to lead life of decency, dignity, and liberty. ▶ These services directly benefit all the members of society, irrespective of their religion, caste, race, language, region, culture etc. SOCIAL SERVICES ▶ The characteristic features of social services are as under: ▶ 1) Social/ public services are visualized and organized by society/state. ▶ 2) These services directly benefit all sections of society. ▶ 3) These services have a very wide scope including every thing that has a direct bearing on the quality of life of people. ▶ 4) These services aim at promoting human and social development, protecting human rights of people and creating a sense of duty among them towards society. SOCIAL SERVICES ▶ Social services are very important for social work because - 1) SOCIAL WORK IS CONCERNED WITH PROMOTING HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. 2) SOCIAL WORK SEEKS TO ENHANCE EFFECTIVE SOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND CREATE NEW SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO MODIFY THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS IN ORDER THAT PEOPLE MAY OPTIMALLY REALIZE THEIR POTENTIALS AND EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SOCIETY'S PROPER FUNCTIONING. 3) SOCIAL WORK AIMS AT PROMOTING 'SUSTAINABLE' DEVELOPMENT BY CONSERVING AND DEVELOPING ENVIRONMENT SO THAT-ENOUGH RESOURCES MAY BE LEFT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS ALSO TO ENABLE THEM TO LEAD PROPER LIFE. ▶ The term 'social defense' has both narrow and broad connotations. ▶ In its narrow sense, it remains confined to the treatment and welfare of persons coming in conflict with law. ▶ In its broad meaning, it includes within its ambit the entire gamut of preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitative services to control deviance in general and crime in particular in the society SOCIAL DEFENCE ▶ Social defense consists of measures relating to prevention and control of juvenile delinquency and crime, welfare services in prisons, after - care services for discharged prisoners, probation services, suppression of immoral traffic, prevention of beggary and rehabilitation of beggars, prevention and control of drug abuse and alcoholism and treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics. ▶ Correctional services which are part of social defence programmes are an important field of social work practice. Social workers are working as care workers, probation officers, managers of juvenile cadres. SETTINGS OF SOCIAL DEFENSE ▶ Defining social security for the first time Sir William Beveridge (1942:120) expressed the view: "The term 'social security' is used to denote the security of an income to take the place of earnings when they are interrupted by unemployment, sickness or accident, to provide loss of support by the death of another person, and to meet exceptional expenditures, such as those concerned with birth, death and marriage." ▶ The International Labour Organization (1942:80) defines social security "as the security that society furnishes through appropriate organization, against certain risks to which its members are exposed." SOCIAL SECURITY ▶ Social security is the security deliberately provided by making collective efforts by people in society in an organized manner as a matter of right. ▶ This security protects against different types of contingencies or unforeseen situations which may confront people from cradle to grave, from birth to death. ▶ These contingencies may be purely biological such as maternity, or they may be purely economic such as unemployment, or they may be bio-economic such as super-annuation, retirement, etc. ▶ Social security benefits may be in the form of cash or kind or both. MAJOR CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF SOCIAL SECURITY ARE: ▶ There are three major forms of social security: ▶ 1) Social insurance, 2) Public/social assistance, and 3) Public or social services. ▶ In case of social insurance, prospective beneficiaries are required to make some contribution, may be it is very nominal for the benefits which they are given in case of occurrence of contingencies. ▶ in certain cases, special exemption may be granted from the requirement of payment of contributions. FORMS OF SOCIAL SECURITY ▶ Public / social assistance may be given in cash and / or kind to enable people to meet the existing actual need and to lead a minimum desirable standard of living. ▶ A subtle difference between public and social assistance is that public assistance is provided through the state exchequer after assessing the existing actual need and ensuring that prospective beneficiaries will fil1 certain prescribed eligibility requirements including those relating to family responsibility and observance of morality. ▶ Social assistance is provided to indigent people considered to be eligible according to certain specified criteria by some civil society organizations to enable them to satisfy their basic minimum needs. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC/ SOCIAL ASSISTANCE ▶ Understanding of the concept of social security is essential for any professional social worker because ▶ he/she works for promoting human and social development ▶ increasing peoples' active participation in various types of programmes directed towards guaranteeing a minimum desirable standard of living to every one. ▶ In case people's continuity of income is threatened and their capacity to work is impaired, they will not be able to satisfy their own minimum needs, let alone the provision of any kind of support to their family dependants. ▶ performance of social roles effectively by utilizing their own resources. WHY SHOULD WE LEARN SOCIAL SECURITY? ▶ Social welfare is the people's well-being promoted by society through a wide variety of ways and means. ▶ According to Friedlander ▶ " 'Social Welfare' is the organized system of social services and institutions, designed to aid individuals and groups to attain satisfying standards of life and health, and personal and social relationships which permit them to develop their full capacities and to promote their well-being in harmony with the needs of their families and the community." SOCIAL WELFARE ▶ 1) It is a deliberately organized system of services and institutions. ▶ 2) These services and institutions specifically cater to the varied kinds of needs of weaker and vulnerable sections of society. ▶ 3) The weakness and vulnerability of these sections may emanate not from any personal fault of people belonging to them but from different types of physical, mental, social and, moral handicaps that may encounter and adversely affect them. ▶ 4) The aim of social welfare is to protect and promote the interests of these sections to enable them to optimally realize whatever potentials, talents, abilities they may have to carve out a dignified place for themselves in society, and to effectively discharge the duties and responsibilities of positions which they happen to occupy. IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL WELFARE ▶ According to Justice Krishna Iyer (1980: 157-1 58), " Social justice is a generous concept which assures to every member of society a fair deal. Any remedial injury, injustice or inadequacy or disability suffered by a member for which he is not directly responsible, falls within liberal connotations of social justice." ▶ The concept of social justice is broad enough to include within its ambit not only distribution of means, benefits, burdens, etc. throughout the society as it results from its major social institutions (Miller, 1972:22) but also biological, social, economic and cultural development of individual in a society (Govind, 1995 :6). SOCIAL JUSTICE ▶ 1) To ensure that 'Rule of Law' prevails in society. ▶ 2) To guarantee 'equality of opportunity' ▶ 3) To provide special opportunities to weaker and vulnerable sections. ▶ 4) To ensure equality of outcome. ▶ 3 5) To prevent abuse and exploitation of weaker and vulnerable sections. ▶ 6) To preserve the religion and culture of minorities and to provide freedom to pursue and propagate them without endangering public order and peace. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ARE: ▶ Eyden (1 9695) 1 has been of the view that "social policy is taken as including those courses of action adopted by the government which relate to the social aspects of life, action which is deliberately designed and taken to improve the welfare of its citizens." SOCIAL POLICY ▶ 1) Social policy is the policy of state responsible for conducting the affairs of society. ▶ 2) It states the framework within which and course of action by adopting which affairs of society are to be conducted. ▶ 3) It relates to people in general and concerns itself with provision of social services which in their nature are direct and general. ▶ 4) It aims at promoting human and social development. THE SALIENT FEATURES OF SOCIAL POLICY ▶ Social policy in India has been specifically enunciated in Part IV of the Constitution entitled as Directive Principles of State Policy. ▶ There are specific Articles like 38 and 46 which provide for promotion of people's welfare within the overall framework of social justice. ▶ It is noteworthy here that there has been a drastic change in social as well as social welfare policy of the Government of India after 1991 - the year in which the policy of liberalization, privatization and globalization has been adopted as part of the Structural Adjustment Programme. ▶ Prasad (1990) defined “ reform means forming again, reconstruct, which can be done only when a system is first demolished; but social reform envisages amendment, improvement and so on, thus entailing peaceful crusading, use of non violent means for change and change in the slow speed. SOCIAL REFORM ▶ The social reform, a movement was started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in East India to eradicate child marriage, sati pratha, purdah system, polytheism, and polygamy from the Indian society. ▶ The social reform movement in 1820 introduced legislation guidelines for the development of a society free from casting inequality. ▶ Society promoted women’s rights for inclusion of the rule of a marriage of divorced women. ▶ Further, to develop the education for the Muslim community Aligarh movement was introduced in 1875. ▶ The creation of Arya Samaj in North India between the years 1824-1883 helped promote social equality for women. ▶ The Arya Samaj movement in North India in 1824 fought against polytheism, priesthood, animal sacrifice, and idolatry in Indian society. ▶ The Brahmo Samaj movement was introduced by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1773 and the tenure of the movement was 1772-1833. The creation of Brahmo Samaj helps to develop a movement against the casting inequality and unnecessary rituals among the Hindus. ▶ Tattvabodhini Sabha was founded by Debendra Nath Tagore to form Brahmo religion in 1848 to encourage religious beliefs and stop unnecessary rituals in the society ▶ Brahmo Samaj: against idol worship, polytheism, caste oppression, unnecessary rituals and other social evils like Sati, polygamy, purdah system, child marriage, etc. Society also strove for women’s rights like widow remarriage and education of women. It also fought, attacked prevailing superstitions among Hindus. ▶ Aligarh Movement:Sayyid Ahmed Khan founded Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh in 1875. Later, it became Aligarh Muslim University. It offered modern education to Muslims. Prarthana Samajin 1863, Keshub chandra sen helped found the prarthana samaj in bombay. The prarthana samaj preached monotheism and denounced priestly domination and caste distinctions. The Theosophical Movement Though Annie Besant’s name is most associated with this society, it was actually founded by Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in New York (later shifted to Madras) in 1875. It promoted the study of ancient Hindu, Buddhist and Zoroastrian philosophies. It promoted the concept of universal brotherhood, as expounded in the Upanishads and Vedas. ▶ Socialhealth is the ability of individuals to form healthy and rewarding interpersonal relationships with others. SOCIAL HEALTH ▶ Adapting to social situations ▶ Staying true to yourself in all situations ▶ Balancing your social and personal time ▶ Being engaged with others in your community ▶ The ability to develop and maintain friendships ▶ Creating boundaries in friendships and relationships ▶ Having a supportive network of family and friends ▶ Social health is considered a pillar of wellness as it relates to how comfortably we can adapt in social situations and includes our support structure to get through life’s challenges. GOOD SOCIAL HEALTH ▶ Midgley defined this term by providing the following eight elements ▶ A dynamic process- elements of change and growth ▶ Progressive in nature-Positive improvements ▶ Multi faceted-social, cultural, economic, political, environmental and others ▶ Interventionist- policies, programmes, laws, projects and plans ▶ Productivist- development of individuals, families and societies ▶ Universalistic- well being of whole populations ▶ Spatial focus- slums, rural, urban, tribal, state, country etc ▶ Promoting Social welfare- SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ▶ Dr. R.N. Saxena defines social legislation as ‘any act passed by the legislature or a decree issued by the government for the removal of certain social evils or for the improvement of social conditions or with the aim of bringing about social reform. ▶ i) to ensure social justice, ▶ ii) to bring about social reform, ▶ iii) to promote social welfare, ▶ iv) to bring about desired social change. ▶ v) to protect and promote of rights of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups of the society. SOCIAL LEGISLATION ▶ Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. HUMAN RIGHTS ▶ Dunham (1962): “Administration as the process of “supporting or facilitating activities which are necessary and incidental to the giving of direct service by a social agency. Administrative activities range from the determination of function and policies, and executive leadership to routine operations such as keeping records and accounts and carrying on maintenance services”. SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION ▶ 1. Administration is a dynamic process keeps its continuity of reaching the goal. ▶ 2. The administrative process goes on for meeting a common purpose or goal. ▶ 3. Planning, organizing, leadership, decision making, authority and communication are essential ingredients of administrative process. ▶ In other organizations, the objectives will be different but in Social Work Administration the objectives are always people’s development as whole.