This essay presents, briefly, the importance of the profession of social worker from the beginning to the present day. Against the importance of their work, what has been proven over time, professionalization in social worker came very late.
The first step to understand this profession you need to look long ago. This profession has a very long age. Regardless of religion, culture or education among the first encouragement in life is to help to those around you. Since the time of Emperor Constantine I, when the church was legalized, some charitable works have begun. They started with the construction of orphanages, houses for the elderly and all these with subsidy from the Roman Empire. According to information found in Medicine Social Worker careers.com (MSWcareers.com,2019) subsequently this process has continued over time with the church or with public persons.
MSWcareers.com is a blog created by professionals who come to the aid of today’s social workers to understand the roots, and aspirations of this profession. In the UK the first legalization of these types of charities was made with the Law of the Poor given in 1601 by Queen Elizabeth First, known as The Elizabethan Poor Law. Moving one time, much later towards the end of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century with the industrial revolution, and during the wars the need for help was growing. In this period, more precisely in 1889 in Chicago, Jane Addams establishes the first social assistance house. With the help of some young volunteers they managed to give help of about 2ooo people a week.
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Too in the UK due to the large number of migrants, with the industrialization revolution and urbanization, the government has found with lack of qualified personnel shortage to control the new situation of time. Thus, people received free treatment in hospitals and were assisted by social workers called, ‘lady’s almonds”. The first person to receive this qualification was, in 1895, Mary Stewart (Social Work Degree Guide). As a consequence of these changes in 1898, in Colombia, the first class of social workers who then formed small groups to help the needy.
This action has drawn public and the government attention to existing social issues. These were not only several but also various problems. For example, now, besides poverty, there was talk of mental disturbances, prostitution, and also child neglect or exploitation and violence. In such a situation it was not enough only a simple help, but also was need people with some basic knowledge. Thus, these actions had in response the formation of a social system which was later taken as an example in other countries (The University of Edinburg,2007) .The chronology of social work begins to take root. In 1896 Octavia Hill established charitable volunteer courses at the London School. Later these women were called Almoners and worked to support doctors in hospitals.
In 1945 the first Institute of Medical Social Worker was established. Finally, after another 25 years this institute is recognized and included as a member of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW). In the British Encyclopaedia it is specified that the disappearance of feudalism is replaced by the acquisition of the freedom of the less favorable social classes. This fact is overshadowed by the danger of shortcomings and endangerment and other social classes. Let’s not forget malnutrition, venereal disease and another disease.
Social workers were recognized the merits of work and the opening of new schools, the acquisition of new knowledge in the medical field but remains only an occupation until 1955 when together with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) took place a promotion foe the development as a profession.(Social Work Degree Guide; Encyclopaedia Britanica). In the book Professional Identity And Social Work (2017) the first of its kind, S.Webb, brings to the readers’ attention some experiences from the lives of some professionals. Social workers like doctors, teachers and many other professions have a direct involvement in creating the safety and quality of life of some people. Hence it is crucial to separate professional life from real life (p.23). This is because many can be affected because they associate serious cases with personal life or personal beliefs. As D Shulman quotes E. Groffman as being professional, you can completely separate the lay person from the professional.
This implies an adaptation to the situation imposed and a total control over the attitude, vocabulary, dressing or body language (The Presentation of Self in Contemporany Social Life,2016, pp.56-57). As in all professions but especially in social workers, it is very important to observe the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (1996). Unfortunately, there have been many violations of the Code of Ethics throughout history.
Given that children are the most vulnerable and without the power of self-defence, the attention and anger of humanity has been provoked by some horrific cases. One of these is the case of Victoria Climbie (9 years old) who led to her death in unimaginable torment. In this case, several ethical principles were violated by both the social worker and doctors. The first principle is not to use the accumulated knowledge and experience to stop the tragedy. The second principle is that of social justice through the lack of tracing of the vulnerable person. Third principle that has been violated is the one of integrities in which the persons involved have not acted responsibly. Another principle is that of competence by not applying knowledge in practice.
This tragedy caught the attention of Prime Minister Cameron, who wanted to ensure increased child protection by adopting the Children Act in 2004. He also set up an organization called Every Child Matters and registered each child in the government database (The National Archives, Jun,2013). As a result for these decisions, the society expected a solution of these deficiencies among the social insurances. At the difference of only Three years after taking these measures, the society was again shaken by another tragedy due also to the violation of The code of Ethics. This time there was talk of a baby of only one year, And in this case he was involved in doctors and social workers. Also, drastic measures were followed and the conviction of the guilty (The Guardian, Nov, 2008).
The state’s involvement in the company’s welfare has also achieved some successes. In providing housing for disadvantaged families, reduced taxes or some are free for the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities. Flavia Martinelli in the book Social Service, welfare state and place: an overview (2017) deals with a narrow side of social services, that of care. It presents the restructuring of the services and their adaptation in the modern and innovative light (pp.16-18)with the successes, and the gaps..
The barriers to professionalization would be the lack of empathy in the profession of social worker. It is very important especially in cases of abuse or neglect that the person besides the qualified help can form mutual trust.
Through a professional social worker can change the trajectories of the lives of those in need, testimonies in this regard was published in The Guardian (Hardy, 2015). One of many children who needed a social worker presented an eloquent testimony. A simple smile and an effective support in the steps to regain his identity for him was decisive in his life (Christofer Hoyley, academic development officer to higher education, The Guardian,2015).
Another situation was of a woman whose mother was ill with dementia. He confessed that the social worker treated them as ‘human beings’ I quote Ming Ho, because I do not think that this simple gesture can be described more clearly but not only professionally (Ming Ho, writer, The Guardian(2015).
A major influence on social workers was the application of Foucault’s theory. Although it was not accepted from the beginning in time it proved to have some good results. Following the example of schools or Panoptic prisons, this theory was applied in society as well. The state has control over the society having everything organized in a panoptic way.
For example NINO or the date of birth any other actions are registered in government databases and NHS respectively. Thus, control over the criminal acts of the persons with health problems or social needs can be held.
A clear example in applying Foucault’s theory to this profession may be another testimony of a person who was interviewed by Ruth Hardy. Jenni Randall, broadcaster, journalist and campaigner, has been in the care of social assistance for most of her life. During adolescence when he was released from social care custody, he arrived in prison. The only person who sought and sustained him in that period was the same social worker who supervised him during his childhood. The mere fact that she was there, and he caused her displeasure through the situation created, caused to straighten him steps on the right line.
In conclusion, the work of social worker must be viewed as a whole. It is a very complex job with many responsibilities for the person you assist. Some students try to form a professional identity to look for consecrated examples. Others find where they work professional identities suitable worth following.
In this period, humanity is faced with a ruthless virus called coronavirus. You cannot do too much effectively, but to know that you are not abandoned and that someone can speak you, can give you enormous comfort and can sometimes revive the fighting force for your own life. This is the professional who, when he represents everything to someone, will surely know how to be useful.
