Understanding Social Welfare Social welfare concepts and definitions
Conceptualizing
human needs and social institutions
Conceptualizing
human needs and social institutions
Abraham
Maslow¶s hierarchy of needs
Psychological survival needs: nourishment, rest, Psychological sex, warmth. Safety needs: preservation of life and sense of security Belongingness needs: to be part of a group and to love and to be loved. Esteem needs: approval, respect, acceptance, appreciation, appreciatio n, etc. Self actualization needs:to be a ble to fulfill our fullest potential
NASW
Need
statement of needs
for physical and mental well being Need to know Need for justice Need for economic security Need for self realization, intimacy and relationship.
Social institutions Social institutions are networks of relationships that carry out the essential social functions. Social institutions develop around these needs. Kinship & family, religion, workplace, market place, mutual assistance and government, etc. are organizational forms. They are formalized way of providing resources for helping to meet human needs.
Key organizations and
functions Organizational
forms
Primary functions
Social welfare functions
Families
Procreation, Care, Financial intimacy,support support
Churches
Spiritual development
Counseling, social services
Organizations and functions
contd. Organizational
Primary functions
Social welfare functions
Work organizations
Employment
Employee benefits
Producers & consumers
Exchange of goods/services for money
Commercial so.welfare goods/services
forms
Organizations and functions
contd. Organizational
forms
Primary functions
Social welfare functions
Support groups, vol. agencies
Mutual aid, philanthropy
Volunteering, com. Social ser.
National/
Regional/local governments
Mo bilization & Antipoverty, distri bution of economic goods for security, health, collective goals education, housing, etc
Questions to ask
Degree
to which human needs are met or
unmet
Degree
to which pro blems are solved or unsolved
Degree
to which opportunities are provided for advancement
Social welfare characteristics: Residual approach provided only when needs are unmet by other institutions- family, religious institution, market, etc. Viewed as a safety net Temporary and viewed as negative Stigma attached. It is curative Sees poor as incompetent, second-class citizens & provides second class services
Help
Social welfare:institutional/ developmental approach
SW is considered as a first line defense of modern industrialized society. Seen as normal and accepted way of fulfilling social needs. No stigma attached. It is preventative. Recognizes the need for variety of social services to maintain good standard of living. Social pro blems are rooted in social structure and hence planned social change.
Residual Vs institutional The residual welfare ameliorates the pro blem of the µunfortunate classes¶ through middle and upper class benevolence. Institutional view considers SW as front line function of modern society in a positive way working with other institutions for a better society. These concepts are reflection of broader cultural and societal conditions & values American social welfare has com bined both these conceptions
Social welfare characteristics contd.
Right versus charity
Minimal versus optimal
Identify examples
Discuss
Social welfare:Selective and Universal services.
Selective services Residual/minimalist
Means tested
Eligi bility & benefit levels are determined on a case basis
Financial assistance not a right
Benefits paid from general revenue
State control is important
Advantages
of selective programs
Limitation
on cost
Society does not pay for services if can be afforded privately
Universal services institutional/developmental
Availa ble
for all. E.g. pu blic education, day care, social insurance.
They are quality services that attracts all categories of people. o stigma attached.
N
E.g. children in the U. S. are required by law to attend school
Advantages
of universal programs
Universal programs limit stigma
Difficult
Universal programs tend to improve itself once they are esta blished.
Selective programs have limited constituency
to find fair formula to administer selective program
Hard Vs Soft goods and
services
Hard
or concrete services are tangi ble goods or services like food stamps, meals-on-wheels, housing, rent su bsidies Soft services are in the forms of guidance and counseling to help people cope with social and emotional pro blems. They include counseling for family pro blems, psychiatric treatment for mental disorders. Hard services & poor. Soft services & higher income group.
Direct and Indirect services Direct services are intended to benefit the recipient immediately. E.g. family counseling, health care, etc.
Indirect services are primarily intended to improve the general social welfare; they may also benefit the individual recipient. E.g. education, incarceration of convicted victims
Public Vs Private agencies
Pu blic agencies: Veterans, state mental hosp.
Private voluntary agencies like United Way, Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Private for-profit agencies
Control:
Federal, State, Local
Community control movement after the 60s ew Federalism of Regan placed greater burden on states
N
Recently states assume more responsi bility under the new welfare reform (The Personal Responsi bility Work O pportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996).
Changing
concepts of social welfare
From residual to institutional From charity to citizen right From special services to universal services From minimum resources to optimal social environments From individual to social reform From voluntary to pu blic and private From welfare of the poor to Welfare State From social welfare to Social Development
Changing
conceptions contd.
From residual to institutional From charity to citizen right: To T. H. Marshall, citizenship consists of three sets of rights and duties, namely, Civil, Political and Social rights. Civil right: Right to li berty, freedom of speech, equality before law,etc. Political right: right to vote, get elected, etc. Social rights: Refers to µmodicum of economic welfare and security and the right to share to the full in the social heritage and life of a civilized being according to the standards prevailing in society¶.
Charity
to citizen right contd.
Political rights, initially restricted to the aristocracy were extended first to the middle class, then to the working class and finally to the women. Similarly, social rights in the form of Poor Law, were first restricted to the needy. As social services, they were later extended to the working class and eventually to the whole population.
Charity
to citizen right contd.
Marshall point out the paradox of the development of citizenship (equality) in capitalism which is a system of inequality.For him, welfare measures are not an egalitarian measure. Social services are not primarily a means of equalizing income. Welfare state in fact makes inequality more accepta ble and legitimate.
From special to universal services We tend to think of SW as special services to poor. Increasingly, SW programs are developed to meet universal needs of the population. Special services tend to isolate the poor to be inferior in quality. Universal services are free of stigma and integrate the poor into the society. The SSA of 1935 is the first National venture in this direction.
From minimum to optimal
There is a move from providing minimum resources to the creation of optimum social environments and resources to nurture and develop human potentialities.
From individual to social reform move from psychological and moral defects/deficiencies to structural and social factors.
A
Is poverty due to individual deficiencies or due to structural and social factors?
From voluntary to public
During
Eliza bethan poor laws the approach to relief was voluntary.
With the Social Security Act, the approach is pu blic where the Government has a role in dealing with the poor.
From welfare of the poor to a welfare society
From the relief of immediate needs to a long term planning that will prevent future needs
From social welfare to social development
Social welfare
Social development: Planned institutional change including social, economic and political change for the welfare of the nation as a whole.
Analytical
perspectives
Studies of the process of welfare policy: Focuses on the dynamics of policy formulation with regard to socio-political and technical-methodological varia bles. Deals with the societal context in which policy decisions are made, the behaviors, motivations and goals of various actors who participate in the process and stages of the process of policy development
Analytical
perspectives contd.
Studies of the product: Analyses the policy choices which are the product of planning process.
Studies of performance: How well is the program carried out? What is its impact? Impact is the difference between pre-program behavior and conditions and post program behavior and conditions which can be legitimately be attri buted to the intervention.
Social welfare:
As
moral concept reflecting value preferences.
As
social policy
As
programs and services
As
income transfer
As
study of functions outside market forces to meet human need.
