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Portrait of social work.

Diane Barnes1, Richard Hugman

  • 1School of Social Work, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Journal of Interprofessional Care
|August 31, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Social work aims to improve people's well-being by considering their social contexts. This paper explores the diverse and often contested goals, theories, and practices within the social work profession.

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Area of Science:

  • Social Sciences
  • Sociology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Social work is a broad profession focused on enhancing individual and community well-being within social contexts.
  • Its unique strength lies in a contextualized approach to human needs.
  • The wide scope of social work also leads to diverse and competing professional discourses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the contested nature of social work's goals.
  • To examine the competing theories within the social work profession.
  • To analyze the diverse methods of practice in social work.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review
  • Discourse analysis
  • Conceptual analysis

Main Results:

  • Social work encompasses a wide range of practices, from individual distress to community-level well-being.
  • The profession is characterized by 'highly contested' goals, theories, and methods.
  • Competing discourses shape the understanding and application of social work principles.

Conclusions:

  • Social work's broad contextual approach is both a strength and a source of internal debate.
  • Understanding these contested elements is crucial for the profession's development.
  • Further research is needed to reconcile diverse perspectives in social work practice.

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