Social Work Social Policy And Social Welfare Social Work Essay

genial wee-wee sociable Policy And Social Welf be Social Work EssayWith reference to changes in giving medication form _or_ remains of government and ideologies of public assistance, debate the signifi empennagece of the shift from Victorian Pauper to twenty-first light speed serve up exploiter and its impact on brotherly work perform and apprizes.This identification has used a historical timeline of Governmental changes to policies and laws as a background to debate the shift from Victorian Pauper to twenty-first century dish exploiter. The divide in the midst of the rich and poor has al steerings been an issue that incompatible governments submit faced, dealing with it differently, for usage Clement Attlees labour Government in 1945 introduced the welf ar state to give ein truth British citizen cover, regardless(prenominal) of income or lack of it. Those who lacked jobs and homes would be assisted.The definition of a Pauper according to the Collins vocabulary is some integrity who is relatively poor, in comparison to the general population or historically eligible for public charity.The definition of a overhaul user is someone who at some point uses or receives health or hearty tuition function. (General Social Care Council)The term service user is criticised, as critics Adams et al (2009) believe it centrees on one element of the individual, implying dependance, without pickings into account upstart(prenominal) aspects and argue that the term places the service user in a disempowered position in their relationship with a professional, with power residing with this professional. The home(a) Network of Service Users Shaping our lives however sees the term service user as positive, its an individual who uses the services, they confer power creating a stronger voice and having a greater ability to shape services. (Levin 2004)Modern British companionable policy has its raiseation in the Poor Laws, dating from 1598 to 1948.The P oor Law (1601) interpretd a compulsory poor rate and helped dance orchestra the poor to work. However as the Parish was the basic area of administration, and laws were enforced differently from parish to parish with no set standards of interest ca development inconsistencies between areas. The Poor Law amendment act (1834) modified the lively system. Poor Law Unions were introduced, parishes were grouped together, and those Unions would be the accountability of a scorecard of Guardians. The Guardians were responsible for the administration of poor relief for their locality, rather than leaving the responsibility of administration in the hands of individual parishes and townships. Workhouses were introduced and encouraged, one workhouse in distributively union to give poor relief. This Act stated that no adequate to(p) bodied person was to receive any other(a) help other than in the workhouse. The purpose of the workhouse was to let individuals enter and leave as they desir e and they would receive free food and accommodation, however as time passed bushel grew with regard to the seeming overuse of the workhouse. As a result the eligibility criteria for gateway to the workhouse was then altered. Life in the workhouse was to be do as condemnable as it was outside. The wretched existence offered, and the smear attached to being an inmate, disciplined that provided the truly deprived used them. A jail style system of segregation for men and women meant that even families had to be severalised, altogether different from 21st Century social work values which espouse a stronger cargo to keeping families together, with baby protection services and child welfare agencies providing condescend to ensure family preservation. (Payne, 2005)It was in 1869 that The Charity Organisation Society ( cos lettuce) was organize to mingle the many smaller sources of relief and make provision more in effect(p) and effective. The COS perceived that merciful assi stance was needed and believed that their aim was to cranial orbit all families, but were unsure how the money had antecedently been spent. COS set out a scheme of financial help, introducing local committees, who then brocaded funds and distributed these to families in need. Similar to many charities today, thither are unchanging many families who dont ask for help because of religion, language, pride or because they are non aware that help may be available. (Family Action) The aim of COS was to dribble charities to converge their resources, which might then be distributed more systematically. However the individuals helped had to be deemed capable of becoming self supporting. Worthiness was considered before any charitable help was given. Those who werent considered worthy were left to destitution, the Society effectively deciding that as they deemed on that point to be no hope for their redemption, that to help them would be a waste of limited resources which would be better spent elsewhere with individuals or families who could subsequently lift themselves out of meagreness and dependence. (Campling, 1996) The COS model was pioneering in fetching into account the consequences if they helped every individual, as they thought this would lead to dependency and exaggeration in order to receive money.COS was withal formed with the objective of achieving a decrease in the charitable expenditure as a result of greater efficiency and the economy of scale, and in this whiz the COS reflected the wider ideology of the industrial revolution. on-line(prenominal) Social Work objectives similarly seek to achieve value for money, with the Audit commission defining value for money as the best possible balance of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Whilst the 21st century social worker endeavours to deal fairly with the inescapably of everyone, nevertheless, the dispersion of needs is uneven and changes constantly. To ensure musical note is consistent add ress course of study reviews are monitored and service users may be involved in feel circles, engaging them in deciding whats best. Direct payment schemes are in any case offered to a minority group of service users to let them decide on and customise their own social care. The main problem Social operate face is the potential impact of the dynamic and variable economic and political environment in which they must function. Whilst trying to provide individualised care packages they relieve oneself to ensure that its effective in respect to cost. Also there is growing recognition that a number of minority groups may be excluded from accessing services such as Social Work services and, in like manner those services which have previously not been provided in culturally divert ways. (Making ends meet, 2010) Appropriate steps will thence need to be interpreted to enforce anti preferential practice and anti oppressive practice, when considering how to provide help in accessing ser vices for minority groups.The COS quickly build that more than financial aid was needed to help paupers. Emotional and other practical help was also required, for example help with exposeing employment. COS volunteers were trained to offer such additional help and, therefore, the formal upbringing offered by COS can be seen as the forerunner of advance(a) social work training and qualifications. They adopted an overture which attempted to psychoanalyze the problem. Working with the individual and family to help them achieve a lasting reply so all could be kept in their familiar environments. This go about was very time consuming, and the approach the worker took to investigate the individual was very objectionable.This approach is the basis of the current Social Work casework approach which is straightaway lavishlyly criticised. Holman (1993) suggests that the casework approach only masks social and political obligations in individuals lives, therefore helping to maintain their situation. there are now other approaches that focus on reducing ine tint. Which investigate the social and political reasons as thoroughly as the individuals as to why they are in exiguity. A clean manifesto for Social Work now highlights the need to use a collection of approaches as the need to combat poverty and discrimination is greater than ever.Many who tried to use the COS principles found it difficult to fail individuals who needed help. Other approaches were latterly introduced to help more individuals. The Settlement house Movement (1884) was one of these. Its principles focused on university volunteers working with the poor in their spare time, offering fosterage. Its aim was to achieve mutual respect between the classes. This approach focused on empowering the poor, helping them to help themselves. Society also benefitted from this model. It focused on a more structured analysis of poverty and its impact on human behaviour by practising interventions at a cl ub level. This is needed now to help small communities and the individuals within it. The record of social work practice then changed and focused on individuals. A significant element was hearing clients voices and the incomparable knowledge of the professionals working with them to help whichever way they could. (Adams et al, 2009)Using these models the Government laid the basis of the future social services. The major concern being that all areas should be given the same services. These new services were provided away from The Poor Law to evade the association. Current Social Work smooth has its inconsistencies, however the White Paper Tackling wellness Inequalities Programme of Action (Department of health, 2003), focuses on a number of ways to liken access to healthcare, for example working with people who face overlapping health problems for instance older people who have ill health and are in poverty. Social Workers are focussing on secondary prevention, as this type of prevention can impact more individuals.A major compensate produced regarding the welfare of individuals was the Beveridge business relationship (Department of Health, 1942). This answer for focused on how Britain could be rebuilt after the war. In 1945 labour was elected and promised to introduce a welfare state. The welfare state involved introducing new services. These included the National Health work and Housing Acts. The welfare state was produced to encourage the provision of services for the public. (Laybourn, 1995)Glasby (2005) looked at previous reforms and how the future would be in adult social care. It evaluated all important authorships to see how social work could be improved. angiotensin-converting enzyme narration that impacted policy and practice during the 1960s was the Seebohm report (1968). This report highlighted the problems of poverty and was tasked to review the organisation and responsibilities of the Local Authority Social Services in England as well as to consider what changes were desirable to tighten an effective family service. (Seebohm, 1968, pg11.) Prior to this report Social Work was spread crossways various Local Authorities and different Government sections. This caused inadequacies in the quality of provision. Access was very difficult. For example, range and quality of provision of services were irreconcilable also the Seebohm Report highlighted a poor coordination of information between these services. The report recommended a new Local Authority department providing a community based and family orientated service, which would be available for all. When this recommendation was brought into action new Social Services Departments were formed. The Seebohm Report did highlight potential problems. It stated that having separate departments for children and adults might subsequently make it difficult to treat the familys needs as a whole.The Barclay Report (1982) looked into the role of a social worker. In its origin line it stated that too ofttimes was expected of social workers. It found that it was a profession that was confused about its role and because of intense media interrogatory was struggling with work load. It found that there was an ongoing need for social workers to fulfil many functions including promoting community networks, working with other services and playacting as an advocate for clients. The report did criticise social work departments for taking a reactive stance towards social problems, dealing with those needs which are forced upon their attention but failing to develop overall plans which tangency the voluntary, statutory and private services in an area into a arranged plan which is static a problem today. (Department of Health, 1982, pg.38) Social Services Departments find it difficult to help every need as they dont have interminable resources. They need to use other services and work with them closely, the help of Interprofessional education will ensure that other professionals have an understanding of social workers roles. The Barclay Report produced very similar recommendations to that of the Seebohm Report (1968). Although it highlighted that the community approach may have more success now, as there is a greater potentiality for individuals to be more autonomous and make their own decisions. The community approach focuses on the local community and social workers would observe individuals in the scope of their community. This approach uses local centres and pools resources, creating less impact on the Social Work services so their resources can be spread further.Reports such as these have highlighted how important good social work is, and how much it is needed. in that location are many problems involved in the profession. There is still stigma attached to the term service user just as there was to the term pauper. Whilst researching the different acts and welfare ideologies that have been introduced throughout the timeline I hav e used (see paragraph one, page one) I have found that individuals still have problems accessing help. There are families who still may be shape to ask for help because of the stigma of doing so. New approaches have introduced service user involvement by asking them what help they want and defining the quality of help they receive. A recent report by Beresford, Shamash, Forrest and Turner (2007) researched service users future vision for adult services. They found that the process of accessing social care was frequently negative for service users furthermore the assessments were very dependent on the quality of the staff carrying it out. All social workers should work to one high standard. It shouldnt be a lottery of if you get a good one or not. A universal tool could be implemented so that all service users were asked the same questions and could highlight their specific problems and needs whilst using the tool. Service users also highlighted the fact that access to their social worker was commencement and many of the service users questioned had gaps in their services making them feel insecure.Reports researched for this assignment have all found that service users know what they want and can easily highlight the problems they face or have had previously. One report found that while welfare bureaucracy has been condemned by governments for a dogged while, service users still identify problems (Shaping Our Lives, 2007). There is still social exclusion. Social Services Departments may contribute to it as they help individuals just enough, conclusion the quickest way to help them not necessarily the best way in the long run because of finite resources. Using different approaches, for example the community approach would help at different levels so less emphasis is on Social Services Departments resources. Vast improvements are still needed. For example child poverty is getting worst. The Report Monitoring poverty and social exclusion (2009) found that chil dren who live in low-income households, where at to the lowest degree one adult works, is at the highest it has ever been. This increase has affected the Governments child poverty targets. The recession affected reaching the targets greatly. It is vital now to bump from the recession but also to recover from underlying problems that were there previously before the economic downturn began.Reports like Shaping Our Lives (2007) found that service users feel more responsible and confident about the help they are receiving when they have been more involved in the decision processes. A report by Beresford et al, (2007) found that service users would like a watchdog with a board of service users and professionals so they could be involved in discernment the quality of care they receive.The Race Equality Act (2006) sets the context for anti- discriminatory practice within which social workers operate. However, whilst it could be critiqued that some progress has been made as a result wit h respect to those of different culture and religion, keep inequalities would suggest much more progress remains to be made.To come together social work has changed significantly and progress to help all individuals needs to continue. However as a profession it needs a large voice to talk about the problems they face therefore getting pointless help to ensure that service users and paupers have even fewer similarities. There has been a great shift from pauper to service user. Service users have much more freedom and rights now. Albeit there are still similarities which need to be focused on to improve the services available. Social Service Departments also need to refuse to let policies be imposed when they dont improve on what is already implemented. Rights are now benefitting service users but we need to ensure this continues.