Historical development of social work ,iis Dr BR Ambedkar university Agra

1. Historical development of
social work in uk
By Devvrat Sharma
MSW first semester
Institute of social sciences
Dr BR Ambedkar university Agra

2. European background
The records of earlier civilised peoples reveales , despite the rigors of the times a
compassion for others – for sick ,the old the handicapped
The poor .this was true of Egyptian,Jews,Greeks, Romans and those who adopted
Christian teachings.
• The king issued in 1349 a proclamation, the famous statute of labours
Which required able-bodied workers who were without means of support to accept
employment tendered to them forebade them to leave their own perish,and prohibited
alms to able bodied beggars.
• The accumulation of century and a half of such ills finally obliged Henry Eights to seek
the enactment of a statute in 1531.
this legislation was but a beginning and with in five years was supple mented by the
statute of 1536,as a further acceptance of governmental
Responsibility.

3. To be continued
• In the sixteenth century it signaled the transition of poor relief from unregulated
dispensing of aid by the church to the biggnings of regulation by the state.
By 1572,overseers of poor were appointed as civil officers to direct the expenditure of
tax fund for the purpose of reliving the poor.
The experience of the years between 1349 and 1601 had convinced the rulers of
England of the presence of a destitution among the poor that punishment could not
abolish and that could be relieved only by the application of public resources to
individual need.

4. The Elizabethan poor law
• Acceded to the throne in 1558 and reigned for fourth five years , until her death in
1603.notably the five 1563 ,1572,and 1576 laws were enacted relating to the poor –
taxes and enforced Contributions , putting rouge and vegabonds to work , providing
work for the needy willing to work as well as overseers, almshouses and houses of
correction.
• Toward the end of her reign ,these assorted enactments were codified
in the acts of 39 Elizabeth,1597 and 43 elizabeth ,1601 since reffered to as the
Elizabethan poor law.
the provision was established for three categories of relief recipient,the able bodied
poor,the impotent poor,and dependent children.

5. To be continued
For the able-bodied poor, employment was to be provided under pain of a session jail or
in the stocks for refusal to work.
• Their terms were based upon three clear principles first,they facitly recognised that it
was the state’s duty to care for those unable to care for those unable to care for
themselves second,they continued the distinction between the impotent poor and the
“sturdy baggers”, the farmers were to be cared for and the later punished. Third ,the
unit of the poor law relief was the perish (whose authorities were likely to know,or to
be able to discover the truth about the needs of the parishioners.

6. To be continued
• By the settlement act of 1662 each parish became responsible only for those who had
legal residence with in its bounds ,which usually meant residence by birth .
• Enabling act of 1697, whereby expenses were reduced gave impetus to this method
of work relief.parishes were permitted to “farm out” the poor on contract.
• 1782, parliament was obliged to abolish”family out”.

7. The poor law revision of 1834
• As the “framework of repression”
“the doctrine of least eligibility meant”that the condition of paupers shall in so eligible
as the condition of persons of the lowest class subsisting on the fruits of their own
industry.It mattered not how low the standard might be of the lowest paid common
workman called compulsion.
• Furthermore,it was recognised the state on occasion would have to exercise
compulsion in the best interests of both the community and the individual, specifically
instances involving restraint of vagrants, isolation of mental cases, removel of
children from unfit parents, compulsory schooling it is also called “framework of
prevention”.

8. Development after 1909
Cash payments provided for:
(1) Pension for Windows of insured men with temporary for dependent children.
(2) Allowances during childhood for the orphans of insured persons.
(3) Old- age pensions for insured persons and for insured men between sixty-five and
seventy years of age.
The local government act of 1929 moved closer to the breakup of the old poor
law,which the minority report advocated.
The employment act of June 28 ,1934 created an unemployment assistance board
,operating on a national scale throughout great Britain.

9. The Beveridge report
• On Nov 20,1942 sir William Beveridge chairman of inter –departmental committee
on social insurance and allied services presented the committee’s report to his
majesty’s government.
The report emphasized four major principles.
1. Every citizen to be covered.
2. The major risks of loss of earning power sickness , unemployment , accident,old age
, widowhood , maternity to be included in a single insurance.
3. A flat rate of benefit to be paid ,also without regard to income as a right to all who
qualify.

10. To be continued
• In July 1945,the Labour party came into power and took favourable action upon most
of the other recommendations, including a national health services. July 5,1948,was
the date set for the implementation of several programs.

11. Contemporary public services in
Britain
• Income maintenance
• Family allowance
• National health services
• Personal social services

12. Voluntary services: European
background
Before the rise of modern Europe, throughout the middle ages the religious guides and
craft associations also undertook to provide shelter alms.

13. The charity organisation society
• By Thomas Chalmer in Glasgow ,1843, and later in elbefeld found expression in the
first COS in London,1869.
The purpose of COS was to develop a machinery and a technique whereby relief relief
could be expeditiously and economically administered without duplication and
competition.
The central committees served as clearing house and central registration bureau.

14. The origin of the social settlement
Cannon samual Augustus Barnet founded university settlement house Which was
named as Toynbee hall.
Its objective were.
1. Education and cultural development of the poor.
2. Imparting information to the poor for their improvement.
3. Developing consciousness towards health problems and the need for enacting
legislation.

15. References
• ARTHUR E.FINK.BASES FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE,the assumption of
responsibility,Pg no.22 to 45, professor emeritus , school of social work, university of
North Carolina