Definitions of Social Welfare and Its Relationship with the Profession.

 

Definitions of Social Welfare

definition may well include all organized societal responses that promote the social well-being of a population this would include education health rehabilitation protective services for adults and children public assistance social welfare services for those with physical and mental disabilities  job training programs marriage counseling  psychotherapy pregnancy counseling adoption and numerous other related in the encyclopedia of social work pnelson reid 1995 defines social welfare in this way that social welfare is probably the best understood as a vision that idea being one of a decent society that provides opportunities for work and human meaning provides reasonable security from want and assault promotes fairness and evaluation based on individual merit and is economically productive and stable that social welfare is probably the best understood as a vision can be organized and governed to produce and provide these things and because it is feasible to do so the society has a moral obligation to bring it to fruition the term social welfare then refers to a complete list of planned activities of public and private sectors that seek to prevent to alleviate or contribute to the resolution aa selected set of social issues to others who look at social welfare in general from the idea that society meets its resources for the general welfare of all social welfare encompasses public facilities such as libraries public parks and hospitals others include social support to corporations sometimes called corporate welfare or the extensive investment that some countries such as the United States make to businesses in addition to investment in people with need still others view social welfare more narrowly to consist of programs that address issues such as poverty and child maltreatment the length and breadth of the list of social problems typically depend on the values perspective of the person compiling the list the historical time in which the list is developed and the perceived economic resources available to meet the social welfare problems listed as you read on consider how individual and professional values shape one's views about what constitutes social welfare social work the primary profession that works within the social welfare system and with those the system serves social workers implement planned social change activities prescribed by social welfare institutions they facilitate change by working with individuals’ families’ groups organizations and communities and at the societal level to improve social functioning social workers advocate for social and economic justice within the social welfare system making needed resources available to members of vulnerable populations children elderly people those with disabilities and those living in poverty social workers within the social welfare system assist abused and neglected children and their families pregnant and parenting teens the homeless and others living in poverty individuals with health and mental health problems youth and adults within the criminal justice system employees in the workplace refugees across the world and individuals with a myriad of other needs they organize neighborhoods and communities to strengthen or create programs and policies to better meet human needs and advocate for change in a variety of roles at state national and global levels individuals involved in other helping professions work closely with social workers in planned change at all levels.