Social Work in a Global Context

Issues and Challenges

George Palattiyil, Dina Sidhva, Mono Chakrabarti

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781136280238
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Health Care Delivery

Social Work in a Global Context engages with, and critically explores, key issues that inform social work practice around the world.

Social work can take many forms, and is differently understood in different parts of the world. However, at base, it can be seen as a profession which strives to advance the causes of the vulnerable and marginalised with the aim of promoting social justice, equality, and human rights. This text provides examples of social work in a wide range of countries, informing our understanding of what social work is. It looks at how practice changes or stays the same, and at the impact of policy, as experienced by service users as well as by practitioners working in challenging circumstances. It also meaningfully reflects on the strengths and challenges that are enabled by diversity.

Divided into four parts, this wide-ranging text discusses:

- what social work means in four different countries

-some examples of the impact social and political context can have on social work practice

- how social workers see and work with the vulnerable

- the future for social work, from disaster work to involving service users.

Social Work in a Global Context is the first truly international book for all those interested in comparative and cross-cultural understandings of social work.

Part I

Defining and redefining social work in a global context

George Palattiyil, Dina Sidhva and Mono Chakrabarti

Social work is a people-centred profession, trying to help those in need to become independent and enable them to realise their full potential (IFSW, 2002). Social workers work with individuals, families and communities to help improve their lives. This may be to help protect children and adults from harm or abuse, or supporting people to live independently in the community or advocating for the rights of disadvantaged and marginalised people.

Social work originated in the West from a pre-modern charitable response of individuals or groups of people to address the problems of society, and over the years evolved to become the more modern profession of social work underlined by formal training in theory and practice (Palattiyil and Sidhva, 2012). Historically, the origins of social work are rooted in humanitarian and altruistic ideals that took the shape of voluntary work or charitable pursuits to help the poor and needy, for example the Victorian poor houses in Great Britain. While philanthropic and voluntary ideals continue to influence social work in some parts of the world, social work in most Western countries has undergone a radical transformation and has become more regulated, with statutory provisions underpinning social work education and practice.

Today, social work has become a major global profession; the Directory of Schools of Social Work compiled by the International Association of Schools of Social Work indicates that there are around 3,000 schools of social work and the website of the International Federation of Social Workers indicates that there are 1.5 million professional social workers practising in at least eighty-four countries (cited in Dominelli, 2010). Over the years, social work has been defined and redefined to reflect both the contextual and global imperatives affecting human lives. Several countries in the world with a national regulatory framework or a professional association for social workers have their own codes of practice (see British Association of Social Workers or the US Council on Social Work Education, for example). Social work is a contextually oriented profession, although several schools of social work are increasingly attempting to internationalise the social work curriculum (Nikku and Pulla, 2014). This contextual paradigm is very evident across the world in both social work education and practice. It is said, for example, that the individual paradigm is strongly represented in American social work (Cox and Pawar, 2013); that the mobilisation of the masses to address social problems is the focus of social work in China (Chow, 1997); that social work is underpinned by a strong emphasis on social justice and social action in Latin America (Kendall, 2000); and that social development is the focus of social work in Africa (Healy, 2008).

Social work across the world is committed to eradicating poverty and inequality and promoting social justice; nonetheless, the way in which social work approaches these challenges is contextually shaped. Thus, there is no single way of defining what social workers do across the world in a simple, single sentence. In what seems to be the latest definition, the International Federation of Social Workers and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (2014) adopted a broader vision which states that:

social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes 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 central to 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 wellbeing.

It is evident that issues of development, globalisation and human rights have impacted social work greatly (Healy, 2008; Kendall, 2008; Dominelli, 2010) and social work has been responding to global social problems (Lalayants et al., 2014), trying to address the ever increasing inequality and poverty across the world. This global influence of social work was manifested in the joint work of the three global bodies representing social work when they agreed on the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development (Jones and Truell, 2012; IASSW et al., 2014).

Part I of this book makes an attempt at exploring the conceptualisation of social work and examining some of the key issues and challenges facing social work in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Concern for social justice and human rights underpins social work practice on a global level. Chapter 1 illustrates the issues faced by social workers operating in the arena of mental health and disability, who have to continually manage the ongoing challenge of engaging productively with a variety of policy frameworks and practice scenarios.

Chapter 2 provides a brief review of social work in New Zealand, where issues of social justice for Maori people, along with the impact of poverty and marginalisation, create unique challenges. Social workers struggle with issues of professionalism and funding in a managerial environment, yet they continue to combat injustice in their everyday work as they advocate for the fair treatment of service users. On the other hand, Chapter 3 explores the concept of utilising evaluation in practice. This chapter discusses how evidence-based practice (EBP) has evolved globally, and in particular, how it has been utilized in practice with individuals, families and groups across the world and examines some of the inherent challenges in using EBP.

References

Chow, N. (1997). China. In N. Mayadas, T. Watts and D. Elliot (eds) International Handbook on Social Work Theory and Practice. Westport: Greenwood.

Cox, D. and Pawar, M. (2013). International Social Work: Issues, Strategies and Programmes, 2nd edn. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Dominelli, L. (2010). Social Work in a Globalizing World. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Independent World. New York: Oxford University Press.

International Association of Schools of Social Work, International Council on Social Welfare and International Federation of Social Workers (2014). Global agenda for social work and social development: First report. International Social Work, 57(S4), 3–16.

International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) (2002). Definition of Social Work. Berne: Author.

International Federation of Social Workers and International Association of Schools of Social Work (2014). Global definition of social work. Available at: http://ifsw.org/get-involved/global-definition-of-social-work/.

Jones, D. and Truell, R. (2012). The global agenda for social work and social development: A place to link together and be effective in a globalised world. International Social Work, 55(4), 544–72.

Kendall, K. (2000). Social Work Education: Its Origins in Europe. Washington, DC: Council on Social Work Education.

Kendall, K. (2008). Foreword. In L.M. Healy, International Social Work: Professional Action in an Independent World. New York: Oxford University Press.

Lalayants, M., Doel, M. and Kachkachishvili, I. (2014). Pedagogy of international social work: A comparative study in the USA, UK, and Georgia. European Journal of Social Work, 17(4), 455–74.

Nikku, B. and Pulla, V. (2014). Global agenda for social work and social development: Voices of the social work educators from Asia. International Social Work, 57(4), 373–85.

Palattiyil, G. and Sidhva, D. (2012). Guest editorial – social work in India. Practice: Social Work in Action, 24(2), 75–8.

Chapter 1

Social work in Australia

Similarities as difference

Barbara Fawcett

Introduction

Social work in Australia is multifaceted and diverse. As a country, Australia encompasses six states – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania – and two territories – the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. The legislative context is informed by federal and state laws and although, for example, there is a federal Disability Discrimination Act dating from 1992, mental health legislation differs across and between states and territories. As a result, social workers have to take account of varying legislative and policy frameworks, they have to work with the tensions associated with the often conflicting federal and state priorities and funding schemes, and they also have to be fully cognizant of local contexts. There are also huge variations in terms of metropolitan and rural settings, with the latter often lacking the infrastructure and services taken for granted in the major urban conurbations of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.¹

In this chapter social work in Australia is critically examined to highlight prevailing issues, trends and challenges. There is recognition of the situation for Indigenous Australians as well as a particular focus on two fields of policy and practice – those of ‘disability’² and mental health. An exploration of these arenas is used to appraise aspects of anti-oppressive practice, social inclusion and service user involvement. This discussion incorporates an appraisal of the tensions among federal, state and territory governments in the formulation, funding and rolling out of policy and practice initiatives. As part of this process, the way in which social work in Australia is both similar to, but also different from, social work in the United Kingdom is critically reviewed.

The Australian context

Australia’s recent history is characterized by immigration and, as in many other countries, this has been to the severe detriment of the indigenous population. From the declaration of ‘Terra Nullius’ by the first European settlers, to the policies and practices that led to the Stolen Generation during the period from 1920 to 1969,³ Aboriginal people have tended to be viewed by federal, as well as by state and territory, governments as a problem to be managed. As a result, marginalization, discrimination and social exclusion have continued to feature significantly. The decision by John Howard, the Federal Premier (representing the right-of-centre Liberal/National Coalition) to send in troops to address allegations of child sexual abuse within Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory in 2007 can be seen as marking a recent regressive turn in the relationship between the federal government and Aboriginal people. It is also notable that this action was accompanied by the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975 for Indigenous Australians living in the Northern Territory (Fawcett and Hanlon 2009b). A review of the Intervention by Peter Yu (2008), presented to the newly elected Labor administration of Kevin Rudd in 2008, tried to redress the balance. The report made it clear that whilst urgent action was needed to address the unacceptably high levels of disadvantage and social dislocation experienced by Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, this needed to be premised on genuine consultation, engagement and partnership.

The current situation remains complex, with injustice, structural inequality, ill-health and poverty fuelling intra- and inter-family and community dislocation. The way forward is an area beset by contestation, but as former Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma (2007) pointed out, in order to put in place the building blocks of long-term change, the recognition of human dignity, worth and social justice has to form the basis of all interaction. In a landmark statement on 12 February 2008, Kevin Rudd formally apologized for the abuse of the Stolen Generation. Nevertheless, Aboriginal people remain vastly overrepresented in all indices of social exclusion, including poverty levels, incarceration, child protection removals and lack of educational attainment, as well as in the arenas of ‘disability’ and mental health. There have been significant policy initiatives such as Closing the Gap (Committee on the Social Determinants of Health 2008), which have been supported by both the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments, but it is notable that even in relation to base line indicators such as life expectancy, there remains a significant disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians (Australian Human Rights Commission 2007; Commonwealth of Australia 2010). Currently, addressing inequality is not a priority for the incumbent Liberal/National government. However, these are all areas that require ongoing commitment and support by social work, and social workers have a key role to play in promoting sustained interaction and building constructive partnerships.

The situation in relation to Indigenous communities in Australia draws attention to the struggle that social workers have across the globe to productively manage tensions between very different types of government intervention and the promotion of social justice and human rights. Often, these situations are not clear-cut but are beset by different agendas and conflicting interests. Accordingly, social work as a profession has to acknowledge complexity whilst managing the increasing pressure for ‘quick fix’ solutions. Social workers have to recognize the implications of marked power imbalances for particular groups and individuals and ensure that their practice addresses the effects of oppression and discrimination. The challenge is clearly considerable, and underpinning principles drawn from anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice, as well as from critical reflection (both of which will be discussed later) have proved to be particularly important.

Mental health

When attention is turned towards areas such as mental health and ‘disability’, the overall canvas in Australia presents as being far more fragmented than is the case in the United Kingdom overall as well as in many European countries. With regard to mental health, the national policy context in Australia is based on an overarching mental health strategy. This was initially developed in the early 1990s following the 1991 United Nations Declaration, Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness. Australia was a signatory to this Declaration, and its publication drew attention to prevailing deficiencies leading to calls for a co-ordinated national approach. This was rolled out in 1992 and contained four major documents. The first was the National Mental Health Policy (Commonwealth of Australia 1992), which outlined the broad aims and the key underlying principles that were to provide the policy framework for service planning and development. The second was the National Mental Health Plan (Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing 1992), which became the first five-year National Mental Health Plan for implementing the aims and principles of the National Mental Health Policy. The National Standards for Mental Health Services (Commonwealth of Australia 1996) were developed under this first plan as a means of assessing service quality and operating as a guide for continuous quality improvement. The remaining two documents were the Mental Health Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (Mental Health Consumer Outcomes Task Force 1991), which outlined the civil and human rights framework underpinning the strategy, and Medicare agreements, which revised funding agreements with general practitioners and psychiatrists.

As in many other countries, progress has not always kept pace with expectations, and when the first National ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Routledge Advances in Social Work
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of figures
• List of tables
• Notes on contributors
• Foreword I
• Foreword II
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction Social work: an emerging global profession
• I Defining and redefining social work in a global context
• 2 Political, social and theoretical context of social work
• 3 Vulnerability and social work response in a global context
• 4 Toward the next generation Developments in social work education
• Index