BSSW 121– Social Change and Development Perspectives

1st Year - SW1-01

2nd Trimester – S.Y. 2022 – 2023

HISTORY OF SOCIAL WORK

and DOMINATING PERSPECTIVES

Submitted To:

Prof. Cecilia Cabile

Submitted By:

Melishie A. De Leon

Chandraze Khaera F. Gabutero

Jam Mikaela T. Maines

HISTORY OF SOCIAL WORK

 Social work is a profession that aims to promote social justice and improve the
well-being of individuals, families, and communities. It has a long history that dates back
to the 19th century when social reformers began advocating for the rights of
marginalized and disadvantaged groups such as the poor, children, and people with
disabilities. In the United States, the first professional social work organization, the
Charity Organization Society, was founded in 1877. This organization focused on
providing charitable services to the poor and promoting self-sufficiency among those in
need. In the early 20th century, social work became more professionalized, with the
establishment of social work education programs and the development of standardized
training and certification for practitioners. During this time, social work also began to
focus more on issues of social justice, and social workers increasingly worked to
advocate for the rights of marginalized and disadvantaged groups. In the 1960s and
1970s, the social work profession became more diverse and inclusive, with the
development of new theoretical approaches such as feminism and critical theory. These
approaches emphasized the importance of addressing issues of inequality and power
imbalances and called for social work to be more actively engaged in social justice
efforts. Today, social work continues to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of
individuals, families, and communities. It remains a diverse and multifaceted profession,
with practitioners drawing on a range of approaches and theories to address the
complex social problems facing society.

Originating in volunteer efforts for social betterment in the late 19th century in
Europe and North America, social work became an occupation in the early 20th century
and achieved professional status by the 1920s. The 1930 census classified social work
as a profession for the first time. Social work began as one of several attempts to
address the social question, the paradox of increasing poverty in an increasingly
productive and prosperous economy. Social workers initially focused on poverty, but
were increasingly concerned with the problems of children and families in the 1920s. By
the 1930s, the new occupation had achieved professional status as a personal service
profession, as a result of the growth of professional organizations, educational
programs, and publications (Walker, 1933). But depression and war refocused
professional concerns on poverty, as the crises of the Great Depression and World War
II demanded the attention of social workers. After the war, mental health concerns
became important as programs for veterans and the general public emphasized the
provision of inpatient and outpatient mental health services. In the 1960s, social workers
again confronted the problem of poverty and continued to grow as a profession, so that
by the 21st century, social work was licensed in all 50 states. Since then, the number of
social workers has grown even as the profession's influence on social welfare policy has
waned.

Social work education programs expanded during the years 1913–1919, and
even more rapidly during the next decade, as a result of changes in charity organization
and the expansion of hospital social work, school social work, and child welfare.
Educator Abraham Flexner's conclusion, in a paper read at the National Conference of
Charities and Correction in 1915, that social work was not a profession because it
lacked original jurisdiction and an educationally transmissible technique stimulated the
development of social work theory. During the 15 years following the delivery of the
paper, professional education flourished. Schools of social work were established in the
South and the West as well as in the Northeast and Midwest. Professional organizations
and national federations of agencies were established and engaged in explorations of
social work practice theory. In 1917, the National Conference of Charities and
Correction changed its name to the National Conference of Social Work and adopted a
constitution and by-laws (National Conference of Social Work, 1917).
 HISTORY OF SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE
(PER ERA/PERIOD)
THE PRE-HISTORIC PERIOD

Social Welfare work in those times centered on mutual protection and economic
survival.

THE SPANISH PERIOD

The Spaniards brought the teaching, to do good to others for the salvation of their souls,
and which for many years was the underlying philosophy behind all social welfare
activities.

 1565 – Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi established the first hospital in Cebu for
the purpose of attending to the wounded and the victims of diseases.
 1882 – Hospicio de San Jose was founded to house the aged and orphans, the
mentally defective and young boys requiring reform, but later limiting admission
to children who were discharged, later to be adopted or employed.
 1885 – Asilo de San Vicente de Paul, an asylum for girls was established,
offering religious instruction, primary education, and training in housework in its
inmates.

The hospitals, asylums, orphanages and schools were maintained using subsidies and
grants from the Spanish government. However, these were not sufficient and donations
from philanthropic individuals were also solicited.

THE AMERICAN PERIOD

 1899 – Americans occupied the country and introduced a new educational

system, new health methods, and religious freedom.
 1902 – The Civil government created an agency, the Insular Board, to coordinate
and supervise private institutions engaged in welfare work.
 February 5, 1915 – The American government created the Public Welfare Board
with the passage of Legislative Act No. 2510, essentially to coordinate the
welfare activities of various existing charitable organizations.
 January 1917 – The first government entity to operate as a welfare agency, and
an initial step in child welfare services, was set up.
 1900 – Attempt was made to alleviate the condition of deaf children at the
Philippine Normal School.
 1910 – A school for the deaf and blind was organized.
 1905 – The Philippine chapter of the American Red Cross was established to
take charge of disaster relief in the country and to administer Red Cross funds
from the United States.
 1907 – La Gota de Leche was established to furnish child-caring institutions with
fresh cow’s milk from dairy farm in Pasay, Manila, supervised by a veterinarian.
This agency later opened free consultation clinic for mothers.
 1913 – Associacion de Damas Filipinas was organized by civic-spirited women to
help destitute mothers and their children.
 1921 – Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner was created. It absorbed the
functions of the Public Welfare Board which, while charged with coordinating and
intensifying the activities of child welfare organizations and agencies, was unable
to cope with the mounting problems in the health field, which was manifested by
the high infant mortality rate in the second decade of the century.
 1922 – The Office of the Public Welfare Commissioner prepared solicitation
forms which it required the public to demand of any person appealing for
donations and charities. This was done to protect the public and organizations
from unscrupulous persons collecting funds. This practice, however, was not
legally sanctioned until 1933.
 1924 – The Associated Charities had become independent agency under the
supervision of the Public Welfare Commissioner, and was partly financed by the
government, and partly by private contributions.
– The Philippine Legislature passed a law (Philippine Legislative Act No. 3203) relating
to the care and custody of neglected and delinquent children and providing probation
officers for them.

 1933 – The administration of social welfare in the Philippines was marked by

significant developments when Frank Murphy became the Governor-General.
Scholarship grants for professional training in social work in the United States
were made available.

– The Legislature appropriated funds for the operations of government child and
maternal health centers which was established in every town with at least two thousand
populations.

The economic depression in the 1930s created serious economic problems. The
Associated Charities were unable to cope with the number of applicants for relief and
other social services, despite appropriations made by the Office of the Public Welfare
Commissioner, under its director, Dr. Jose Fabella.

Josefa Jara Martinez who obtained a diploma in Social Work in 1921, worked for the
Public Welfare Board where she started to introduce the scientific approach in social
work.

The Murphy administration’s social welfare programs marked the first time the
government assumed full responsibility for the relief of the distressed due to any cause.

THE COMMONWEALTH PERIOD

 1940 – The Office of the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare was
abolished and replaced by a Department of Health and Public Assistance
Service, which took over the activities that used to be performed by the
Associated Charities which, by then, had ceased to exist.
THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Social Welfare activities during the period consisted mainly of giving medical care
and treatment, as well as food and clothing, to the wounded soldiers, prisoners and
civilians.

THE POST-WAR YEARS

 1946 – The Bureau of Public Welfare re-opened but lack of funds limited its
operations.
 October 4, 1947 – The Bureau became the Social Welfare Commission and was
placed under the Office of the President.
 August 1948 – President Quirino created the President’s Action Committee on
Social Amelioration. It is a comprehensive program of health, education, welfare,
agriculture, public works and financing.
 1946 – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
was created by the United Nations General Assembly to further maternal and
child health in economically underdeveloped country.
 1948 – UNICEF became active in the Philippines, establishing basic health care
services to mothers and children, consisting of medical care, feeding programs
and health education.
 January 3, 1951 – The Social Welfare Commission and the President’s Action
Committee on Social Amelioration were fused into one agency called the Social
Welfare Administration.

THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADMINISTRATION

 Division of Public Assistance

 Assistance was given in the form of material aid like food, financial aid,
transportation aid, medical aid, institutional care and work relief.
  Service was rendered in the form of rehabilitation services and administration
and supervision of rehabilitation projects and workshops.
 Child Welfare Division
 Casework and guidance services for children are under this unit.
 Division on Rural Welfare
 This was created by Administrative Order No. 7, on September 5, 1951.
 It deals with the mounting social problems in the rural areas.

“Self-Help” became the underlying philosophy for the rural community development
projects.

1965 - Republic Act 4373, “An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the
Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines”

- The law requires completion of a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree, one
thousand hours of supervised field practice, and the passing of a government
board examination in social work for licensing or registration as a social worker.
– It is the formal recognition of social work as a profession in the Philippines.

THE SEVENTIES

 September 8, 1976 – The Department of Social Welfare became the Department

of Social Services and Development shifting emphasis on the traditional, often
institution-based social welfare to community-oriented programs and services.
 June 2, 1978 – President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1397,
converting departments into ministries thus the Ministry of Social Services and
Development. The organizational structure, functions and programs remains the
same.

The sixties and seventies marked the existence of voluntary organizations and
establishment of even more agencies.
THE EIGHTIES

The Self-Employment Assistance was upgraded to make it more responsive to its

client’s needs. Case Management System was launched. Social Welfare Indicators
monitor the level of well-being of the MSSD service users.

 January 30, 1987 – President Corazon C. Aquino signed Executive Order No.
123, reorganizing MSSD and renaming it Department of Social Welfare and
Development. The Department was evolving from mere welfare or relief agency
to the greater task of development. The approach taken by the agency during
this period is described as preventive and developmental, participative and client-
managed.

THE NINETIES

The DSWD continued the five program areas of concern during the early
nineties. It also gave priority attention to Low Income Municipalities (LIMs) and other
socially-depressed barangays. The aftermath of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption was the use
of Crisis Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD), a form of crisis intervention used with
victims of disasters and other crisis situation.

 October 10, 1991 – R.A. 7160 Local Government Code was passed.
Implementing functions together with its programs and services were devolved to
its local government unit. The Department, however, retained its specialized
social services consisting of four categories: (a) Center/institution-based
services; (b) community-based programs and services; (c) locally-funded and
foreign-assisted projects; and (d) disaster relief and rehabilitation augmentation.

Today, countless social agencies, organizations and institutions under private

sponsorship are engaged in the provision of many different social services. NGOs play
a very important role in supplementing the needs of the rising disadvantaged sectors in
our society.
  R.A. 4373 (the Social Work Law, 1967) provides that no social welfare agency
shall operate and be accredited unless it shall first have registered with the
Social Welfare Administration which shall issue the corresponding certificate of
registration.
 R.A. 5416 (1968) empowers the Department to (1) set standards and policies; (2)
accredit public and private institutions and organizations; and (3) coordinate
government efforts in social welfare work to avoid duplication, friction and
overlapping of responsibility in social services.

DOMINATING PERSPECTIVES
 Collectivism Perspective in Social Work

The collectivism perspective in social work emphasizes the importance of

community and collective action in addressing social problems. Collectivist social work
seeks to empower communities and promote social change through collective
organizing and advocacy. Collectivist social work practitioners believe that social
problems are often caused by societal structures and systems that perpetuate inequality
and disadvantage. Therefore, they focus on working with communities to identify and
address the root causes of these problems, rather than simply addressing their
symptoms. Collectivist social work may involve working with community-based
organizations, advocacy groups, and other collective efforts to bring about change. It
may also involve working with individuals and families to help them become more active
and engaged members of their communities.

Collectivist social work often takes a strengths-based approach, emphasizing the

inherent strengths and resources of communities and individuals. It also places a strong
emphasis on social justice, and seeks to promote equality and address issues of power
imbalances and social inequality. Overall, the collectivism perspective in social work
seeks to empower communities and promote social change through collective
organizing and advocacy, with the ultimate goal of creating a more just and equitable
society.

 Liberalism Perspective in Social Work

The liberalism perspective in social work emphasizes individual rights and

freedoms, and promotes the use of social services and government intervention to
address social problems. Liberal social work often focuses on helping individual access
resources and opportunities that will enable them to improve their own lives. Liberal
social work practitioners believe that individuals have the right to choose their own
paths and make their own decisions, and that social services and government
intervention can help provide individuals with the support and resources they need to do
so. Liberal social work often involves working with individuals and families to help them
access resources such as education, housing, healthcare, and employment. It may also
involve advocating for social policies and programs that aim to provide greater access
to these resources and opportunities for disadvantaged or marginalized groups.

Liberal social work often takes a client-centered approach, focusing on the needs
and goals of the individual or family being served. It also places a strong emphasis on
personal responsibility, and may encourage individuals to take an active role in seeking
out and utilizing available resources to improve their own lives.

Overall, the liberalism perspective in social work promotes the use of social
services and government intervention to address social problems, with the goal of
helping individual access resources and opportunities that will enable them to improve
their own lives.

 Radicalism Perspective in Social Work

The radicalism perspective in social work emphasizes the need for fundamental
societal change to address social problems. Radical social work often focuses on issues
of social inequality and power imbalances, and seeks to challenge and transform
systems and structures that perpetuate these inequalities. Radical social work
practitioners believe that social problems are often caused by deeper, systemic issues
that require more comprehensive and transformative solutions. They may focus on
issues such as poverty, racial and gender inequality, and exploitation, and may work to
challenge and transform the systems and structures that perpetuate these problems.
Radical social work may involve working with community-based organizations,
advocacy groups, and other collective efforts to bring about change. It may also involve
working with individuals and families to help them understand and challenge the
systems that impact their lives.

Radical social work often takes a social justice and liberation-based approach,
emphasizing the need to challenge and transform systems and structures that
perpetuate inequality and injustice. It may also involve advocating for social policies and
programs that aim to address these issues and promote greater equality and social
justice. Overall, the radicalism perspective in social work emphasizes the need for
fundamental societal change to address social problems, and seeks to challenge and
transform systems and structures that perpetuate inequality and injustice.

SUMMARY

In conclusion, social work is a profession that aims to promote social justice and
improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. The social work
profession originated in volunteer efforts to address the social question, the paradox of
increasing poverty in an increasingly productive and prosperous economy, in Europe
and North America during the late 19th century. By 1900, working for social betterment
had become an occupation, and social work achieved professional status by 1930. By
1920, social workers could be found in hospitals and public schools, as well as in child
welfare agencies, family agencies, and settlement hoses. During the next decade,
social workers focused on the problems of children and families.

As a result of efforts to conceptualize social work method, expand social work

education programs, and develop a stable funding base for voluntary social service
programs, social work achieved professional status by the 1930s. The Great
Depression and World War II refocused professional concerns, as the crises of
depression and war demanded the attention of social workers. After the war, mental
health concerns became important as programs for veterans and the general public
emphasized the provision of inpatient and outpatient mental health services. In the
1960s, social workers again confronted the problem of poverty. Since then, the number
of social workers has grown even as the profession's influence on social welfare policy
has waned.

It has a long history dating back to the 19th century, and has been shaped by a
variety of different philosophical and theoretical perspectives. Three of the dominant
perspectives in social work are collectivism, liberalism, and radicalism. Collectivism
emphasizes the importance of community and collective action in addressing social
problems, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and freedoms and promotes the use
of social services and government intervention, and radicalism emphasizes the need for
fundamental societal change to address social problems. Throughout its history, social
work has been influenced by a range of different approaches and theories, and
practitioners may draw on a range of perspectives in their work depending on the
specific needs and context of the individuals, families, or communities they are serving.
However, collectivism, liberalism, and radicalism are three of the dominant perspectives
that have shaped the development of the profession.
Sources/ References:

https://oxfordre.com/socialwork/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/
acrefore-9780199975839-e-623;jsessionid=AE5F47343034248A9E03CE4E5CD41CF4

https://socialangakingwork.blogspot.com/2010/01/history-of-social-welfaresocial-work-
in.html#:~:text=Social%20Welfare%20work%20in%20those,mutual%20protection
%20and%20economic%20survival.&text=The%20Spaniards%20brought%20the
%20teaching,behind%20all%20social%20welfare%20activities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_work

https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2016/may/24/radical-social-work-
quick-guide-change-poverty-inequality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_liberalism

https://www.britannica.com/topic/collectivism

https://www.theradicalsocialworker.com/