Last Updated on May 19, 2023 by Team TSW

The education related to social work in the United States is widely recognized by those who possess knowledge in the field. It is neither too formal nor too informal. Education in Social Work was given a more official form over a hundred years ago. The initial lectures were aimed at individuals working with underprivileged communities. This training program was conducted at the School of Social Economics, in Chicago,Illinois. 

Experts Opinion

L. Diane Bernard, who used to be the dean of the Florida State University’s College of Social Work stated that “the sick, indigent, orphaned, elderly and destitute have been with us from the start, …(and the) treatment of those in need ranged from cruel to humane depending on the qualities and capacities of those responsible” for addressing their needs (1995: 7).

Bernard offers a comprehensive overview of the societal issues encountered by the American colonies during their evolution and the subsequent ways in which they were addressed. The complexities that arise due to social issues were explored, which in turn provided insight into how they influenced the early history of social work in the U.S.

During the early years when the population was small and resources were abundant, poverty and dependency were seen as uncommon and temporary. However, this view changed as it became evident that almshouses and workhouses were not effective solutions. In response, religious groups formed voluntary societies to provide relief for different categories of poor and inefficient people. As efforts from public authorities were limited, the number and types of these societies grew extensively. 

Evolution of Social Work in USA 

Let’s pay attention to some notable developments and achievements in the field of social work that eventually make social work what it is today in the USA. Following developments contribute to the origin of social work in USA. The stages of progression for social welfare and social work are as follows: 

1624:Virginia Colony enacts legislation to address the requirements of disabled soldiers and sailors.

1642: Modelled after the Elizabethan Poor Law, Plymouth Colony passes the first such law in the “New World”.

1650: The “Protestant Work Ethic,” which places an emphasis on self-control, economical living, and hard effort, rises to prominence and allows those who adopt it to look down on those who are unemployed or dependent on others.

1692: Massachusetts legalises the act of indentured servitude, allowing for the placement of destitute children with other families who may ask them to work for a while in exchange for financial support.

1776: The United States Declaration of Independence, which emphasizes on freedom for everyone but slaves.

1787: In order to “promote the general welfare,” the United States Constitution was enacted, bringing social welfare into the national political conversation.

1813: Connecticut passed legislation passing responsibility of education of labourers on factory owners. Factory owners to make arrangements for education of  youngsters who work for them to read, write and do maths.

1830: The National Negro Conventions convene to start talking about the welfare, health, and civil rights of women and people of colour.

1843: The New York Association was founded for Improving the Condition of the Poor. To get out of the clutches of poverty its emphasis on avoiding alcohol, practising self-control, and cultivating a work ethic.

1848: Feminists gathered to start talking about women’s rights to vote and equal chances in academic and professional life.

1870: Social Darwinism became popular, promoting the idea that aiding the poor makes them lazy and that poverty is a normal element of the human condition.

1874: The first Charity Organisation Society was founded; initially, it just offered guidance to those in need rather than providing them with monetary aid.

1886: The first US Settlement House was founded with the intention of eradicating the gap between socio economic groups by placing dwellings for the underprivileged in working-class neighbourhoods.

1895: The Chicago School of Social Economics, widely regarded as the birthplace of contemporary social work, starts giving lectures to those who used to assist the poor.

1900: Simon Patten invented the term “social workers” after contradicting the idea of Mary Richmond whether their primary duty should be providing individual services or advocating for social causes.

1915: Abraham Flexner published a paper in which he claimed that the absence of a written collection of knowledge and educationally transferable methods prevents social work from being considered a profession.

1917: Mary Richmond published Social Diagnosis, which advocated an approach to client problems based on understanding their inner lives and familial contexts.

1933: Franklin D. Roosevelt, then president of the United States, announced a “New Deal” for Americans, creating significant social welfare programmes in an effort to combat unemployment and poverty.

1950: The Social Security Act of 1935 was updated to help those who are totally and permanently disabled as well as children and relatives of children in need.

1955: The contemporary civil rights movement was launched, when Rosa Parks, a black woman, resisted being forced to sit at the rear of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

1960: Saw the adoption of the NASW’s first code of ethics.

1964: The “Great Society ” programmes were launched by American President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the Civil Rights Act outlawed racial discrimination in public places.

1965: Additional “Great Society” programmes were formed to address medical requirements, ageing Americans’ needs, and children’s education.

1990: Discrimination against people with disabilities was prohibited by the Americans with Disabilities Act in any firm with more than 15 employees.

1990: The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act offered funds for community planning related to HIV/AIDS as well as prevention, intervention, and treatment.

1996: President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act into law, which limited or eliminated a number of entitlement programmes for the poor and replaced them with more short-term help meant to encourage independence.

Conclusion

The debate over whether the poor are victims of a society where income and opportunities to obtain it are unequally distributed or are caught in a trap of their own making, from which they should be required to “work their way out,” can be summed up as the history of social welfare in the United States during the 20th century. As Barker’s turning points show, despite continuing to grapple with the unintentional allocation of financial resources through taxation, the trend over time has been to provide more types of social aid to the poor.

While attending to the needs of their clients and offering “band-aid” fixes to current issues, social workers continue to be advocates for societal change.