Historical Divides and Ethical Obligations Within Social Work Discussion Paper

Discussion 1: Family Theory

Murray Bowen is one of the most respected family theorists in the field of family therapy. Bowen views the family unit as complex and believes it is important to understand the interactions among the members in order to solve problems. Satir and Minuchin also advanced family therapy with their concepts and models. As a clinical social worker, using these models (along with having an ecological perspective) can be very effective in helping clients.

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For this Discussion, review the “Petrakis Family” case history and video session, episode 6. The Petrakis family, Episode 6 video can be found at: http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/SOCW/MSWP/CH/mm/homepage/episodes.html. Click on the Petrakis family tab and watch episode 6.

 

Post (using two concepts of Bowen’s family theory) a discussion and analysis of the events that occurred after Alec moved in with his grandmother up until Helen went to the hospital. If you used the concepts of structural family therapy, how would your analysis of the situation be different? Which family theory did you find to be most helpful in your analysis? Finally, indicate whether Satir’s or Minuchin’s model is the more strength-based model. Why?

Discussion 2: Historical Divides and Ethical Obligations Within Social Work

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) specifies the ethics and values of the profession in their Code of Ethics. Section 6.04 of the Code of Ethics (1999) states:

Social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully. Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social justice.(Preamble, p. 8)

With the requirement of social and political action among social workers, there is little political activity among clinical social workers. Why? What barriers exist that prevent social workers from fulfilling this ethical obligation?

What does it mean to be a macro social worker? A micro social worker? Do these differentiations have any real meaning? If not, why is this language used when referring to the social work profession?

In this Discussion, you will look at the obligation of social workers to engage in political action in their practice and discuss why there appear to be different perceptions of the responsibility for political action among social work professionals.

Post an analysis of historical divides (such as the schism between Jane Addams and Mary Richmond (Attached)) and historical influences on current social work practice with respect to policy advocacy and action. Do such schisms exist in contemporary social work? If you think these divides exist, how do they prevent social workers from fulfilling their ethical obligation(s)? Are they important differentiations? Historical Divides and Ethical Obligations Within Social Work Discussion Paper

 

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Historical Divides and Ethical Obligations Within Social Work

Introduction

Social work is a profession that draws from many different fields. As such, it has always placed its focus on issues of class, race and gender. Social workers have historically been divided by these divisions in the workforce; however, their jobs also require them to be sensitive to these factors in order to adequately serve the needs of those they serve.

The Significant Historical Divides in Social Work

The history of social work shows a clear divide between those who have worked in the field since its inception, and those who have only recently joined it. The first generation of social workers were generally working class people with little education or training, who often came from religious backgrounds and founded their own organizations to help them provide care for the poor. These early founders felt that they were doing God’s work by helping other people through charity work—but this did not mean that all these early leaders were willing to draw attention away from themselves by taking positions as public figures or accepting awards for their efforts. They believed strongly in what they were doing, but also knew how important it was not to become too attached to fame or recognition outside of their own communities; instead, they preferred anonymity so as not put themselves at risk if anyone found out about what they were doing under cover!

Social Workers and Poor Whites

Social workers and poor whites were not the same. The majority of social workers were middle class women, who had a different perspective on poverty than their clients did. They saw themselves as experts in helping people with problems, but didn’t consider that many of their clients might also be poor whites and share similar problems with other poor whites (such as alcoholism).

Poor whites also saw themselves as experts, who understood what it was like to live in poverty better than most outsiders would ever understand or empathize with them. Because they had lived through these experiences themselves, they knew what needed to be done for each individual family member—and how those things could be accomplished through hard work and perseverance instead of charity or handouts from outside sources like social workers’ offices!

Social Service Organizations as Businesses

Social service organizations are businesses. They’re profit driven, and they have a responsibility to their shareholders, clients, the community and their employees.

In order to do this well, social service organizations must be aware of their legal obligations as well as ethical ones.

The Precarious Position of Racial Discrimination in Social Work

• The need to confront racial discrimination in social work.

• The importance of understanding the history of racism in social work.

• The role of social workers in confronting racism, including their own organizations.

Takeaway:

In the end, it’s important for social workers to understand their own biases and be aware of the historical roots of social work. They should also be aware of the ethical issues that arise from their work and how these can affect their clients. Social workers should also consider how they can help people who are suffering discrimination or other injustices in society by providing them with resources and support that goes beyond what is required by law.

Conclusion

Social workers have been some of the most influential figures in social change throughout history. They paved the way for new ideas and helped shape the world around them. This paper has highlighted three historical events that shaped social work today and how they impacted its client base: immigration laws, racial discrimination and poverty. These three events have also had an impact on social workers as well as their clients; however, each individual will experience these events differently depending on their background or personal beliefs. The impacts of these events can only be fully understood by examining both sides of each story; however, there are many people who claim to be neutral rather than understanding both sides equally well enough to make an informed decision (i.e., no one side has anything over another).