Page 1 of 10
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 05
June 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 171
Social Work Profession: A Methodological Overview
Mohd. Shakil
Research Scholar, Department of Social Work, A.M.U., Aligarh.
Available at: shakilmswamu@gmail.com
Abstract:
Social work is an enabling profession that
assists people with problems of living and
human relationships and with the
dysfunctional complexities of various social
institutions. Today, this profession is utilized
in a variety of settings and agencies. Some
of the significant ones are psychiatric,
medical, marriage and family counseling,
school, corrections, rehabilitation, public
welfare, drug abuse, women and child
welfare, and social policies. Social work
profession ensures that social workers
develop scientific knowledge and
professional skills to tackle human
problems, understand their needs and access
available resources to provide solutions at
the individuals, groups and communities
levels. There are six methods of social work
profession that come under two broad
methods named primary method and
secondary method. In primary method, the
first three methods are: (i) Social Case
Work, (ii) Social Group Work, and (iii)
Social Work with Community Organization;
while in secondary method, the next three
methods are: (i) Social Action, (ii) Social
Welfare Administration, and (iii) Social
Work Research . Thus, in the discourse of
social work profession, this paper attempts
to provide a linear understanding about the
methodological overview of professional
social work practice. The paper is divided
into seven parts. The first part deals with the
introduction. The second part discusses
about the social work profession. The third
part describes the characteristics of social
work profession. The fourth part focuses
upon the purpose of social work profession.
The fifth part presents the methods of social
work profession. The sixth part deals with
the principles of social work profession.
Finally, the last part presents the code of
ethics in social work profession along with
conclusion.
Key Words: Social Work Profession,
Methods, Purpose, Principles, and Code of
Ethics.
Page 2 of 10
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 05
June 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 172
ntroduction:
Though professional social work practice is
far reaching in its scope, a changing world is
continue to present new challenges,
opportunities and avenues to make a
difference. Health care, educational and
community based services are becoming
prevalent and require the special skills for
social workers. Poverty, alcohol and drug
abuse, and the generational transmission of
domestic violence are issues faced by nearly
all practitioners. Today, technology is
advancing several methods of service
delivery and allowing for the extension of
new approaches to the traditional notions of
existing relationships. The professional
social work practice is distinctive from other
helping professional services in its approach
of assisting people to function optimally
within their environments.
Today’s social workers have access
to a far wider range of information and
knowledge related to values and ethics than
did earlier generations of practitioners.
Times have changed dramatically in this
respect, and the profession’s literature must
keep pace. Contemporary social workers
must be acquainted with advancing
knowledge related to the profession’s values
and the kind of ethical issues and the
challenges that practitioners encounter
(Reamer, 2013). Urban and rural
communities facing poverty, high
unemployment, lack of infrastructure,
environmental problems, and disinvestment
often seem beyond help. Traditional welfare
state policies provide assistance to
impoverished and troubled families, but do
little to help families and communities
develop (Sherraden & Ninacs, 2009).
Practice in social work and the human
services involve assisting a wide variety of
people who require help in dealing with
problems in their lives or providing social
services to people so that they can live their
lives more effectively. Children and their
families, young people, people with physical
or intellectual disabilities, with mental
health, needs, and problems associated with
old age, and issues faced by communities
are all part the broad focus of these services
under social work practice (Hugman, 2013).
Social Work Profession:
When a question is posed ‘what is social
work profession?’ we expose ourselves to
multiple interpretations and associated
queries. Does the question imply that there
is a single, particular entity, job or
profession that we call by the name of social
work? And, if so, is social work a global
Page 3 of 10
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 05
June 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 173
phenomenon or does it relate solely to
particular nations at specific periods in their
development? When we come to analyze the
questions of definition still further we see
that the practices of social work vary and
differ not only across the countries of the
world, something that may well be expected
and given the local circumstances in which
social workers operate, but also within the
UK itself. Within the four administrations in
the UK (England, Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales), the regulation of social
work by professional bodies differs, and
legislation underpinning social work
practice varies specially between England
and Wales, and Scotland. If what we do as
social workers portrays what we are in the
eyes of the public, and if what we do is
shaped by legislation that is singular to a
country or region, then we have a range of
social work type. So, it is a fact that social
work profession is not a homogenous entity.
The complexities of social work practice and
the diverse meanings associated with it
across the world, and even in individual
nations, are acknowledged in the literature.
The acceptance of the broad and somewhat
problematic definition of International
Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), 2000,
is however indicative of similarities and
standards in social work globally. The
commonalities are seen within shared
approaches to aspects of social work
curricula, methods, practices, and legislation
and administration: “The social work
profession facilitates 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 centre of 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 well-being” (Parker & Doel, 2013).
In modern times, social work profession can
be defined in the words of Water A.
Friedlander, “Social work assist in realizing
democratic principles and human rights,
seeking to secure for all citizens a decent
standard of living, social security and the
fulfillment of the universal human need for
love, acceptance, recognition and status”
(Bhattacharya, 2012).
Characteristics of Social Work
Profession:
Social work may be defined as an art, a
science, a profession that helps people to
solve personal, group, and community
