Social Work - Research Paper Example

? Social Work Introduction In North America, the profession of social work began around the time of the Industrial Revolution. As the profession continued to evolve, it was influenced and shaped by different social, political, economic, and technological influences (Holosko, 2003). However, the profession of social work has never been able to define itself in a clear and meaningful way (Baylis, 2004; Holosko, 2003; Howe, 1998). To date, the closest thing to a true definition of the profession is Bartlett’s (1958) working definition of social work practice which was based on the idea that the inability to define social work was an obstacle to the profession’s ability to move forward (Holosko, 2003). History and Milestones of Social Work Charitable Organizational Societies and Settlement Houses The profession and practice of social work in North America began before the turn of the century, with the Charitable Organizational Societies and Settlement Houses from the United Kingdom (Baylis, 2004). Both of them were based on the principle of voluntary philanthropy and of improving conditions for less fortunate members of society. At that time, the term “social work” was coined and applied to volunteers of these movements (Id.). This is an important milestone because it gave the foundation of social work’s motives and purpose. Social work had altruistic motives and a concern for misplaced values of individuals and societies, social justice and reform mostly focused on poverty and other societal problems and how they affected individuals. The purpose of social work was to help those who were in need in any way possible, mostly by providing tangible resources such as food, clothing, housing and money (Holosko, 2003). Volunteers’ method of intervention was to help socialize people so that they could function better in society (Id.). Individual vs. Societal Problems The next important milestone in the profession of social work came at the turn of the 20th century. At that time, voluntary philanthropy gave rise to scientific philanthropy as social reform changed from a religious to educational based auspice (Id.). This began the 14-year debate, from 1909-1923, between thinking of problems as societal problems to individual problems. At the same time, this milestone reaffirmed the social conscience value of social work; defined casework methods with individuals, small groups, or families; acknowledged the role of empirical research in intervention methods; and, created the split between the dependency problems of individuals and problems of societies (Ramsay, 2001). The Flexner Conference of 1915 At the National Conference on Charities and Correction in 1915, Flexner presented his analysis of the profession of social work which was that it was an intellectual activity and not actually a profession because it did not have the core sociological traits of a profession (Holosko, 2003). Flexner believed that a profession had to have a communication technique through a highly specialized educational discipline; however, this was not possible given the diverse nature of social work (Id.). The Milford Conference of 1929 This was an important milestone in the social work profession for a number of reasons. One reason the Milford Conference was important is that it unified the social work profession through the casework approach (Howe, 1998). Some other important results of the Conference were that the future casework was contingent on using the community and its resources; more research helps to make better casework decisions; and, the role of the community agency itself as an influence on social work practice (Id.). The Hollis-Taylor Report (1951) This report defined both the professional and nonprofessional activities related to the social work profession. The report was also important because it made a significant impact on curriculum development in undergraduate and graduate social work programs in the United States (Baylis, 1998). Another result of the report was that it brought back the split between individual and societal problems in the profession of social work (Id.). Bartlett’s Working Definition (1958) In 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was formed by joining together seven different professional social work organizations. The group got together for the purpose of advancing the effort to determine a single profession and seek a common base of practice that applied to all activities and settings used in social work (Ramsay, 2001). One of the NASW’s first tasks was to come up with a definition of social work practice that would be acceptable to all of the groups in the NASW, which led to Bartlett’s working definition (Id.). The NASW’s definition has been described as a “constellation of value, purpose, sanction, knowledge, and method, and no part alone was characteristic of social work practice” (Bartlett, 1958). Bartlett further clarified his working definition by asking the following questions: social work’s purpose (why), function and services (what), methods and process (how), working relationship (with whom), sanction (under what authority), asperse and location (where), and points of intervention (when) (Id.). Boehm’s Curriculum Study of 1959 Boehm conducted a comprehensive study of the curriculum of social work which agreed with and was consistent with the working definitions values and goals of social work (Holosko, 2003). The only difference between the two was that Boehm put the activities of social work in various levels that transcended fields; and, the levels were activities of individual practitioners, group workers, and community workers (Id.). Boehm used a broad-based theory of social work and recognized the following five specializations: casework, group work, community organization, administration, and research methods. Boehm believed the functions of social work referred to enhancing social functioning, including restoring impaired capacity, providing resources, and preventing social dysfunction (Id.). The Common Base of Social Work Practice This was Bartlett’s effort to advance the working definition of social work toward a professional model for social work practice. The text used a common practice framework that included the following three components: a central focus on social functioning, a broad orientation to people being served directly or indirectly, and an interventive repertoire of professional interventions; and, Bartlett framed social work practice as the interdependence between person and environment. This was an important milestone because it laid the foundation of social work practice, the person-in-environment model related to social functioning (Id.). The Madison Meeting of 1976 This meeting was called by the NASW so that they could work on a conceptual framework for social work practice. The NASW tried once more to answer the question of whether or not there is a common conceptual framework for the profession of social work (Ramsay, 2001). The O’Hare Meeting of 1979 This meeting was called to continue working on a conceptual framework for the social work profession; however, this meeting also sought to find some agreement on the purpose and objectives of social work practice (Id.). The results of this meeting retained the core mission of social work to its roots in poverty; the importance of values for the profession and for social institutions, agencies, and the services they provided; making the focus of practice the anchoring of the person in situation in environment; acknowledging client-system change intervention; individuation of client-centered problems; identifying the strategies to restore social functioning; expending the sanction of social work practice domains; adding objectives to purpose, function, and methods; acknowledging a global environment for practice; the judicious and timely use of interventions and methods; and, using research and evaluation to direct and inform social work practice (Ramsay, 2001). International Federation of Social Workers With the rapid advances in technology, it became apparent that there was a need for a definition of social work practice at the international level. The definition they came up with was a paradigm for practice and is an updated definition; however, it still contains the concepts previously used by Bartlett, Boehm, and Gordon (Id.). Therefore, even though the social work profession has advanced in the past 50 years, the definition of social work practice has not. The Kentucky Conference of 2001 This conference was held at the University of Kentucky, School of Social Work, and was held in order to come up with a resolute definition of social work practice. By calling this conference, the debate over the definition of social work practice was kept alive and insights were presented that would guide social work practice in the new millennium (Holosko, 2003). Summary Each one of the milestones that have been identified and discussed above has influenced the profession of social work in some way; and, all of them together make up the social work profession that currently exists. Even today, the social work profession still struggles to define itself; however, the profession continues to grow and evolve despite the lack of a clear and concise definition. License and Training Requirements in Maryland A license is required to practice social work in most states, including Maryland; and, the license is issued by the State Board of Social Work Examiners. Licenses are issued after an accredited post-secondary degree is obtained and an examination administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is passed. In Maryland, there are four levels of licensure: associate, graduate, certified or clinical. A graduate degree and extensive supervised experience are required to advance to higher levels of licensure. The process of obtaining a social work license in Maryland is as follows. First, get a degree in social work from a post-secondary program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The next step is passing the examination that corresponds with the degree level obtained. Students with a bachelor's degree can qualify to become a licensed social work associate (LSWA) and students with a master's degree can qualify for licensed graduate social work (LGSW). Students who have or had a license to practice social work in another state may apply through endorsement for a similar license in Maryland. Next, acquire work experience for advanced licensure. At least 3,000 hours of supervised experience in social work and 144 hours of direct supervision from a licensed, board-approved supervisor is required to qualify for advancement from LGSW to licensed certified social worker (LCSW). A Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LSCW-C) must meet several requirements in addition to LCSW level requirements, including 12 credit hours of clinical coursework, with at least half being achieved at the undergraduate level, and performing the 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work in direct service to clients. References Bartlett, H. (1958). Working definition of practice. Social Work, 3(2), 5-8. Baylis, P.J. (2004). Social work’s protracted identity crisis: a Lacanian perspective. Psychoanalytic Social Work, 11(1), 55-69. Holosko, M.J. (2003). The history of the working definition of practice. Research on Social Work Practice, 13(3), 271-283. Howe, D. (1998). Relationship-based thinking and practice in social work. Journal of Social Work Practice, 12(1), 45-56. Ramsey, R. (2001). Revisiting the working definition. Paper presented at the Kentucky conference, “Re-Working the Working Definition,” Lexington. Read More