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Changes in Social Work

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Submitted By Zappy26
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It seems that the most recent changes affecting social work structure and practice have involved: * Increased bureaucracy within social work departments * An increased multidisciplinary approach * Domination of social work by performance related indicators leading to a tick box culture. * Increased use of the private sector. * Decreased contact between frontline managers and clients. * Greater focus on budget management then on clients. * Social worker /client relationship (due to increase workloads) based on control and supervision and not care.

The changes that affected social work came about because of a fundamental reconstruction in its relationship to the state and to the social work client. This is because social and political attitudes toward welfare provision and the welfare client changed in the late 1970s with the coming to power of the Thatcher government. Government policy wanted to introduce a move from a Welfare State system to a system of welfare markets and non-statutory providers and also changed the role of the state from provider to regulator. These policies were also followed by “New” Labour when it came to power in the 1990's This has lead to a welfare organisation that is fragmented. The principle of “universalism” i.e.the view that all should be dealt with equally has been replaced by the policy of targetting those most in need which some argue has lead to discontinuities and inconsistencies in provision of social work support. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2008 states this has led to an "inequitable distribution of services and, in some instances, a reduction in quality leading to serious injustice." The multidiscplinary approach affects the practice of social worker because it has led to a "diminution of social work as a central activity in the UK welfare system."

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