CLA1602

Social Work as a Discipline of

Social Sciences

Learning outcomes

To articulate the value base and purpose of

social work
To differentiate the multiple functions and
roles of social workers
To discuss the movement of professionalism
of social work in Hong Kong

Part I
What is social work????
Student/Your

response:

Why Study Social Work?

Are you interested in learning more about

social work??

Making a positive difference to peoples lives

Changing systems that keep people poor
Interested in pursuing a secure job or a wellpaid job (?)

As of 4/2014

True Meaning of Social Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhb-eKsZ2
mU

Defining Social Work

Some people use the term social work to refer
to any type of activity that is geared towards
helping people solve their problems. For
some people , during my own career as a
social work practitioner, I was told by
teachers, nurses, and others that they too did
social work. (Thompson, 2009: 1)
So what do you think?

Social Work When Compared

to Other Professions /
Sociology (focus is on collective, groups of
Disciplines

people)
Psychology (focus is on individuals)
Counselling (focus is on individuals)
Criminology (focus is on criminal law,
procedure and justice)
Nursing (focus on is on physical aspects of
individuals)
Social Welfare/Policy (focus is on the policy)

How are Social Work and

Social Welfare Related? (I)
-

Social work as one form of social welfare

Social work as the personal social services
which emphasize the welfare of individuals or
groups (as opposed to the whole population
as a whole)
Can you think of some vulnerable groups that
social workers may deal with?

How are Social Work and

Social Welfare Related? (II)

1)
2)

3)

Three premises underpinning social work and

social welfare
That the person is important
That he or she has personal, family and
community problems resulting from
interaction with others
That something can be done to alleviate
these problems and enrich the individuals
life.

Definition of Social Work

(By International Federation of Social Workers)

The social work profession promotes social change,

problem solving in human relationships and the
empowerment and liberation of people to enhance
well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour
and social systems, social work intervenes at the
points where people interact with their
environments. Principles of human rights and social
justice are fundamental to social work.
Source: http://www.ifsw.org/en/f38000138.html

Part II

Social Work Functions and Roles

Multi-level Approach to Generalist

Social Work (I)
Three broad functions:
1) Consultancy
2) Resource management
3) Education
Source: Miley, K.K., OMelia, M.W. and Dubois, B.L. (2013) Generalist Social
Work Practice: An Empowering Approach (9th ed.), Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson. [Chapter 1 Generalist Social Work Practice]

Systems in Social Work

The context of person:environment
transactions

Multiple Systems

Roles Played by Social Workers (Sheafor

and Horejsi, 2008)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Broker
Advocate
Teacher
Counsellor/clinician
Case manager
Workload manager
Staff developer
Administrator
Social change agent
Professional

Many Faces of Social Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJXRB1V5e
Vw

Part III

Professionalization of Social Work in Hong

Kong

Why do we need to
professionalize the social
http://www.swrb.org.hk/engasp/video.asp
work career?

Development of Social Work

Profession in Hong Kong (Chow, 2008)
Two major periods (p. 24):
1) From end of WWII to early 1970s
2) 1970s - now

The First Period From Missionaries

to an Occupation

Importing social welfare services from the

West
From volunteers / missionaries to an
occupation
1948 Hong Kong Association of Social
Workers
Early 1950s social workers were introduced
by international relief organizations
1965 The first White Paper on Social
Welfare

The Second Period Professional

Emergence and Consolidating the Gains (I)

1972 formal social work qualification is

needed for the position of social welfare
officer
1973 White Paper on Social Welfare
professional status of social workers
1979 another White Paper on Social
Welfare

The Second Period Professional

Emergence and Consolidating the Gains (II)
1980s expansion of social welfare services and
increasing demand of social workers
1990s financial crisis; resources no longer
available for expansion
1998 - Social Workers Registration Board was
established on 16 January 1998. It is a statutory
body established under the Social Worker
Registration Ordinance (the Ordinance) which
has been put into effect since 6 June 1997.
2001 all practicing social workers are required to
register

The Movement of Professionalization

in Hong Kong (III)

The Social Worker Registration Ordinance (in

1997)
Use of the social worker title by nonregistered person is illegal

Source: Lai, F. W.H. and Chan, T.K.T. (2009) Social work in Hong Kong: From
professionalization to re-professionalization, China Journal of Social Work,
2(2), 95-108.

Some Figures / Statistics

1)
2)
3)

4)

As at 25/9/2014, the Registered Social

Workers are as follows:
total: 19,292 (2014) [14,460 (2009)]
Male: 29.33%; Female: 70.67%
Qualification: Degree: 62.94%; Diploma:
36.42%; Other: 0.63%
Agency: Government (10.74%); NGO
(52.36%); Other / No information provided
(36.91%)

http://www.swrb.org.hk/EngA
SP/publication_e.asp

Next week

Criminology as a discipline of Social Sciences