Describe historic development of social work

Describe historic development of social work.

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The ideology of social work is based on charity, society's efforts to reduce poverty and inequality. Constantine I legalized Christian churches who in tern provided shelters for the poor, provided burial services, orphanages and hospitals funded by grants from leaders of the Empire. In the Middle Ages the church ensured through their influence that members of their parishes offered penance through charitable works in form of donations and providing labor for the institutions like the orphanages and the poorhouses. Social welfare services emerged after industrialization and urbanization. the first development of social work was introduced by the Charity Organisation Society founded by Octavia Hill and Helen Bosanquet that provided individual responsibility against poverty in 1869. The society systematically allowed poverty relief which latter brought social administrative relief which was state-wise and based on poor Laws of the 17th century.

Decline of Feudalism saw the need of the English Empire to control the poor and the beggars who affected the nature of the the empire. The Tudor reign saw the abolishing of the Monasteries providing poverty relief as a voluntary form to an obligatory tax from every member of the society. The English poor laws allowed compulsory taxes to assist the poor and vagrants.

In 1597 the poor laws were codified then later become the Elizabeth Poor Law of 1601 providing provisions the deserving poor. These laws allowed administration for the poor people in a parish level. The ill and the old received charity in the form of food and provisions and the elderly would be placed in homes known as the alm houses. the potent poor who were well bodied beggars would be placed in correctional homes and would receive punishment to make them more hardworking.

In Colonial America, the almhouses were build in 1713 by William Penn in Philadelphia. the second almhouse was built in 1738 to house the terminally ill people and the elderly without families.
the Poor Law was amended in the 18th century creating the Poor Law Commission which controlled the poor relief. The new law abolished outdoor relief in order to concentrate on indoor relief for the deserving poor. The Commission oversaw the creation of workplace Unions in parishes which were to assist the well bodied beggars to receive relief. The conditions of the workplaces was very bad thus discouraging people from going to receive the relief.
Further development of social work was seen in the 20th century where scholars sort to solve the problem of poverty rather than dealing with the symptoms of poverty. such scholars included Joseph and Seebohm Rowntree. Though Joseph's survey he was able to define poverty an identify the people in York who lived below the poverty line. from his study the government would be able to provide a social strategy through employment to reduce and eradicate poverty. today poverty is regarded as a social responsibility and is handled through welfare and individual involvement through social work.

AngelineMarie answered the question on March 6, 2018 at 13:53

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Describe historic development of social work

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