Universal Credit, lone mothers and poverty: some context and challenges for social work with children and families

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-203
Author(s):  
Malcolm Carey ◽  
Sophie Bell
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Social Rights ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Lone Mothers ◽  
Paid Employment ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Benefit System

Universal Credit is a streamlined benefits delivery system initially introduced in the UK in 2008. Conditionality-based welfare policies are increasingly international in scale, and are now widely adopted by neoliberal governments on the basis that paid employment offers the most efficacious route out of poverty for citizen-subjects. Numerous studies suggest otherwise and highlight their negative impact upon the social rights, lived experiences and attempts to alleviate poverty for claimants. This article analyses the effect of the reformed benefit system and wider workfare policies upon lone mothers, including as a consequence of engagement with an ever-more stigmatising benefit system, and associated risks posed by sanctions or precarious low-paid employment. It highlights some of the consequences for social work with children and families of Universal Credit, including ongoing tensions and challenges created for the profession by the punitive policies of the workfare-oriented centaur state.

Neoliberalism, austerity and social work with children and families: challenges and critical/radical possibilities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Rogowski
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Welfare System ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Welfare Provision ◽  
Poverty And Inequality ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk

In the UK, neoliberalism and associated austerity have dominated social work and welfare provision over the last decade. Consequences include severe financial cuts to social work with children and families, as well as public services generally, and large increases in poverty and inequality. Despite increasing numbers of people in difficulty, the social work and welfare system has become more punitive and presents ongoing threats to social work’s commitment to human rights and social justice. This article examines such developments and includes the views of practitioners. Despite the strength and depth of challenges, it argues that critical/radical possibilities remain for practitioners to work both individually with service users and collectively. Such opportunities need to be taken with a view to working towards a more just and equal society, this being a much-needed antidote to the unequal neoliberal world we currently inhabit.

The professional development of social work in Poland after 1989

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabina Pawlas-Czyz ◽  
Lars Evertsson ◽  
Marek Perlinski
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
The State ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Welfare State

The close connection to the welfare state has been favourable for the development of many welfare professions. But the state does not always act as an ally. It can push professions in a direction they do not want to go. This happened to the social work profession in Poland where the social work profession claimed jurisdiction for working with children and families with complex needs, but the state chose to give jurisdiction to a new profession – the family assistants. In this chapter, it is argued that this type of jurisdictional dispute should be framed within a political framework, analysing welfare policies as a structuring link between state and professional jurisdiction. The “fate” of the social work profession in Poland reflects a lack of bargaining capacity vis-à-vis the state to tie social policies concerning social work with children and families to their jurisdiction.

SOCIAL HUMAN RIGHTS: GENERAL THEORETICAL CHARACTERISTIC

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyudmyla Bogachova ◽  
◽  
Tetiana Herhulenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Social Rights ◽  
Historical Aspect ◽  
Social Sphere ◽  
The Social ◽  
Housing Rights ◽  
Social Code ◽  
The Welfare State

In the article, within the framework of the general exploration of human rights was made an attempt to substantiate the importance of social rights as a separate category of rights that belongs to the «second generation» of human rights and needs analysis within the state and legal reality. Attention was paid to the historical aspect of the development of social rights. The events, that inevitably influenced the emergence, development and ideological justification of the need for recognition of social rights are analyzed, the causal links involved in their formation are also indicated. In publication the connection of social rights with the concept of the welfare state is revealed, the main purpose of this state is to promote the realization of these rights. The fundamental features of this form of organization of government and society make it possible to evaluate the great dependence of the realization of social rights on socially oriented policy and economy of the country. For a deep understanding of the essence and ideas embedded in the content of social rights, the features and characteristics of this category of rights are studied. Attention is also paid to the different approaches to the concept of social rights expressed by researchers in this issue. The sources in which social human rights are legally fixed are considered (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Social Charter, the Constitution of Ukraine, the German Social Code). Also there is a comparative analysis of the enshrinement of these rights in courses mentioned above. Particular attention is paid to the characteristics of social rights listed in the German Social Code, as well as to the content of the agreement between Ukraine and Germany about cooperation in the social sphere. Great attention in the publication is paid to the studying of events in Ukraine that hinder the realization of social rights. The coronavirus pandemic and military events in the East of the country have negative impact on the implementation of social rights. The statistical data confirming the violation of the housing rights and medical care at present are given. Conclusion is formulated about the need of analyzing social rights as a specialized group of human rights, which have passed a significant historical path of formation and have unique characteristics and features.

Reconfiguring professional autonomy? The case of social work in the UK

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Chandler ◽  
Elisabeth Berg ◽  
Marion Ellison ◽  
Jim Barry
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Professional Autonomy ◽  
The Third ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk

This chapter discusses the contemporary position of social work in the United Kingdom, and in particular the challenges to what is seen as a managerial-technicist version of social work. The chapter begins with focus on the situation from the 1990s to the present day in which this version of social work takes root and flourishes. The discussion then concentrates on three different routes away from a managerial-technicist social work: the first, reconfiguring professional practice in the direction of evaluation in practice, the second ‘reclaiming social work’ on the Hackney relationship-based model and the third ‘reclaiming social work’ in a more radical, highly politicised way. Special attention is devoted to a discussion about how much autonomy the social workers have in different models, but also what kind of autonomy and for what purpose.

The Rediscovery of Child Neglect

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Scourfield
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Child Neglect ◽  
Work Team ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk

The article is a discussion of the construction of child neglect in a child and family social work team in the UK, based on ethnographic research in the social work office. Two influential and contrasting professional discourses on neglect are identified, and it is suggested that the dominant construction of neglect in the team studied is maternal failure to adequately service children's bodies. This construction is discussed in relation to some relevant theoretical insights and in the context of trends in contemporary child protection work.

Time and change: UK social work and comparative European welfare policies since 1990

2020 ◽  
pp. 21-42
Author(s):  
Linda Bell
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Welfare Regimes ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Background History ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Work Education

This chapter gives a brief contextual background history to ‘social work’. It emphasises the years after 1990. This period encompasses many policy and political changes and theoretical developments in the UK and internationally, which affect social work practice and education. This is the time period encapsulating the author's involvement with social workers and social work education. The chapter presents some comparative geographical locations partly to reflect aspects of this involvement with social work and contacts with social work and social workers in those places, as well as to reflect different kinds of welfare regimes and to indicate some different kinds of welfare professionals.

scholarly journals In defence of a university social work education

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
June Thoburn
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Fast Track ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
University Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Work Education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the particular characteristics and strengths of mainstream undergraduate and postgraduate university education for social workers. Design/methodology/approach A brief summary of the establishment of the honours degree or M-level qualification as the requirement for registration as a social worker in England is followed by a summary of the main aspects of “mainstream” social work courses. The values underpinning a “student” rather than a “trainee” route into social work are explored and some limited comparisons made with recently introduced fast-track specialist programmes. Where relevant, the student experience is contrasted with that of fast-track specialist trainees. Findings The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential impact on the social work profession and on agencies providing social work services of the cuts over the past few years in the numbers of students on “generalist” mainstream social work programmes. Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper. It recognises that more information is available on long-established university programmes than on the more recently available fast-track routes into social work and cites relevant research. Practical implications The paper points to the changing balance between numbers entering social work in England via mainstream and fast-track specialist programmes and argues for a fuller debate amongst all stakeholders as to whether this change is in the interest of the profession and those who need social work services. Social implications The author argues that the unequal level of funding between the different entry routes into social work is distorting choice (for students and future employers) between fast-track specialist and mainstream social work education. It is hypothesised that differences between the curricula and learning experiences of the two routes may have an impact on the social work service available to vulnerable people across age and needs groups. It also points to a potentially negative impact on social work education and the knowledge base of the reduction in numbers of academics with both social work practice experiences and research qualifications. Originality/value This is an original paper that draws on the author’s experience and the published research and grey literature cited.

Social Pedagogy: What Questions Can We Ask About Its Value and Effectiveness?

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Public Care ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Social Pedagogy ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Cross National

Social pedagogy is a field of professional practice associated with the care and education of young children, support of young people, and with family support that has an established place in many continental European countries. It has attracted attention in the United Kingdom (UK) for its potential relevance to the policy ambition of improving the generally poor educational and social outcomes for young people in public care. In this article, I discuss some issues arising from the task of establishing the value, or effectiveness, of the social pedagogic approach. Using findings from cross-national studies, I argue that there are various problems with measuring the ‘effectiveness’ of social pedagogy, but that in countries where social pedagogy is well established and supported by a policy and cultural context, its role in supporting children and families is highly valued. I conclude by considering some implications for the introduction of social pedagogy into the UK.

‘Emotional Abuse’ Referrals to a Scottish Children's Panel Reporter over Five Years

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. G. Furnell ◽  
Philip V. Dutton ◽  
John Harris
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Clinical Features ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Interrater Reliability ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
The Social ◽  
Potential Basis ◽  
Professional Practitioners

Difficulties of definition, investigation and establishment in ‘emotional abuse’ of children have resulted in both a lack of clinical information and uncertainty among professional practitioners about the topic. This paper reports a survey of all suspected cases referred, under Section 32(2)(c) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act (1968), to a Reporter to a Children's Panel over five consecutive years. The source allowed consideration of demographic and clinical features of children and families, professional response and involvement, and outcome. The results suggested that children and families referred for suspected ‘emotional abuse’ had features in common with physically abusing adults and victims, including multiple social disadvantage and risk of alcohol or drug abuse. Many of the children referred were young, and likelihood of referral declined with increasing age. Referring agencies appeared to become more discriminating in parts of legislation used; a variety of agencies were involved with cases. The Reporter's initial decisions were usually supported by the Sheriff” Court. Proposed categories for cases, based on main clinical features, achieved high interrater reliability between two judges and may form a potential basis for classification and prognosis.

scholarly journals An Empirical Approach to Study Smartphones’ Usage in Academic Performance of University Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-286
Author(s):  
Nargis Abbas ◽  
Uzma Ashiq ◽  
Syeda Mahnaz Hassan ◽  
Muhammad Alam
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Academic Life ◽  
Academic Learning ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Social ◽  
The University

The purpose of this study was to find out the advantages and disadvantages of smartphone usage in the academic life of Social Work students at the University of the Punjab, Lahore. The quantitative research methodology was adopted in this study. The survey of Social Work students from the university was done by employing purposive sampling technique. Students having smartphones were part of this study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data from 203 Social Work students of the University of the Punjab. The SPSS was used to analyze the data among the smartphone users. The Social Work students used smartphones not primarily for academic purposes but for social activities. It also operated as a learning aid, which was absolutely essential to students which made them capable to find quick information and got their time saved. Smartphones were also seen more as a distraction in the classroom rather than learning aid as smartphone produce distraction in the classroom and this distraction diverted students’ attention in the class. Students multitasking and non-academic usage of smartphone produced negative impact on students’ learning and resultantly lower their academic performance. Smartphone usage seemed great if smartphone is capitalized to achieve the benefits associated with its use; resultantly the Social Work students can possibly enhance their academic learning that may lead them to success in their academic life.

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