What is social work and social policy - Essay Example

What is Social Work Social work in context with children welfare is a social science that allows the social workers to apply various research methods in order to improve the social living conditions of children and their families. Horner defines social work as a blend of personal interaction and services that by default includes caring, supporting, assisting and maximising well-being (Horner, 2006, p. 1). The role of the social worker is not limited by the pertinent social problems of children which include their education and living and protection but also to help preservation of their families while remaining into the boundaries of social justice. By multidisciplinary team, it is meant that every social worker in the team has been assigned to a particular social task, which is carried out by the mutual collaboration and participation of all the members of the social work team. Social Policy The most significant aspect which is related to a multidisciplinary social work is the appropriate linkage of social work with social policy. Social policy is aimed to assist the state welfare services to the extent where social worker found the convenience to promote children well-being within the society. Since a social worker is well aware of the notion that social well-being can only be achieved through individuals' satisfaction which is defined by fulfilling their needs at social level, therefore he performs his duty in relation to the other members of the multidisciplinary team, so that other members of the team may find it useful to play their part. This is sometimes beyond providing the food, housing and clothing concerns. This is illustrated on page 3. In other words, social policy makes it easier for the multidisciplinary team to quantify children satisfaction of needs while restricting the social approaches at the basic level. Social policy analyses, while social worker practices and implements the policies (Parrott, 2002, p. 3). Ensuring Stability of Children - Children Act 1989 Social policies while acknowledging the fact that child is unable to groom unless given adequate resources and environment, developed some strategies to be implemented at the local level. Named after the Children Act 1989, the social policy reformed provisions for the local authority services in context with children's homes, housing conditions and every organisation and community to which a child is a part thereof. The Children Act 1989 analysed every legal reform pertaining to children and developed provisions that ameliorated child fostering, grooming, inclusion of day care centres and adoption (DFES, 2004). From Child Welfare to children accommodation in various establishments, the Act bridges the gap between the actual welfare and legislation and serves to guide the social workers in a division of 12 sections. It is to this reason why a multidisciplinary team is required so that each social worker of the team serves to the purpose of implementing appropriate measures of the Children Act 1989. Part I of the 1989 Act highlights introductory issues like child welfare and parental responsibility in the welfare. Part II deals with the residential issues in context with legal proceedings of the child's family. Financial aid is a part of it. Part III deals with defining the local authorities in the provision of day care and appropriate accommodation while part IV deals with supervising and caring for the children in legal context. Part V highlights all the measures in case of child abduction, aimed at securing and protection of children at local level. Part VI, VII and VIII signifies the role played on the behalf of community, voluntary and registered children's homes. Part IX and X is all about the ways in which fostering and day care should be provided. XI and XII define the miscellaneous issues on the grounds of children's inspection, health concerns and educational concerns in independent schools (Children Act 1989, 2008). Every Child Matters - Children Act 2004 "Every Child Matters: Change for Children" in December 2004, published the report according to the Children legislation Act 2004. The aim this time was to maximise opportunities while minimising risk exposure towards children (HM, Every Child Matters). The Act serves as the legal programme which supports local authorities and trusts in underpinning and implementing according to the legal framework. Section 10 of the Act classifies the sole responsibility of every trust or welfare to ensure the "Every Child Matters" 5 outcomes i.e., ensuring health, safety, achievement, optimism and economic well being (Children Act 2004). Multidisciplinary Approach Social workers in relation to the multidisciplinary approach are employed on local settings to perform their responsibility for explaining, interpreting, and sometimes defending the child welfare system to other social members of their team. Being a part of a multidisciplinary approach, tasks are divided among the team members in context with equipping the schoolteachers and principals with higher education and training programs and updating psychologists, psychiatrists, and other professionals about the child welfare system. Social workers train other professionals who are unlikely to be aware of the laws, values, and policies that structure child welfare practice. Beyond legal Assistance Not limited to education or accommodation, social workers help children with all the legal assistance in the field of juvenile justice, so that they may be able to help today's youth who have been accused of committing crimes. Children Act 1989 indirectly shifts the responsibility of the state on the shoulders of social workers to provide their assistance with the child and family in case they remain fail to prevent child from committing serious criminal offences by placing the child into state custody for the purposes of punishment or rehabilitation (Petr, 2004, p. 11). Social Workers in Health Care Setting Similarly, social workers in the health care system work with children and their families in public health settings as well as in general hospitals. The role of social workers in such settings requires more effort than what is expected from them as they help children and their families to prevent minor health problems from becoming more serious. This way they cope emotionally with the stresses and pressures of serious illness of the young ones by finding appropriate resources in the community. Social Workers challenging role in disability Social workers do not lag behind even in the field of developmental disabilities where they help children and their families to understand the nature of the disability and to face the challenges that became evident as the child grows older. It would not be wrong to say that social workers confront to more challenges than what children and their families are assumed to face. The task of finding qualified professional service providers, providing all the required financial supports, and advocating for appropriate educational and legal services are the core responsibilities, which a social worker team is supposed to fulfil. This way each social worker's role in a multidisciplinary team upholds significance, which only a social worker can understand better. References Children Act 1989, 2000. Accessed from < http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890041_en_1.htm> Children Act 2004. Accessed from < http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/strategy/guidance/> DFES, 2004 Accessed from HM, Every Child Matters Accessed from Horner Nigel, (2006). What is Social Work: Context and Perspectives, Transforming Social Work Practice. Second Edition Parrott Lester, (2002) Social Work and Social Care: Routledge: London. Petr G. Christopher, (2004) Social Work with Children and Their Families: Pragmatic Foundations: Oxford University Press: London Read More