This chapter introduces key concepts about social work theory. It discusses how social work can be viewed as a "contested activity" with different definitions based on varying perspectives. The chapter explores definitions that focus on social work's nature, skills/tasks, and clients' social circumstances. It emphasizes the importance of theories in informing practice and introduces the concept of social constructionism. Critical thinking and reflective practice are presented as ways to thoughtfully consider the theoretical influences on social work.

2. CHAPTER 1
Introduction to
understanding social
work theory

4. INTRODUCTION
 This chapter introduces you to some of the key
themes discussed in this book. In particular we
will explore different definitions of social work
and see that these draw upon different
explanations about its nature and purpose.
 In turn, this leads to the view that social work is
a ‘contested activity’ based on different
knowledge sources, ideas and beliefs that we
draw upon to help us make sense and which
influence our view of what social work is and
what we think social work should do.

5. In other words, we begin to see
the relationship between thinking
and doing, or more specifically,
how social work theory can
influence our practice, and the
importance of
recognising the influence of these
ideas, knowledge sources and
beliefs, through critical thinking
and reflection.

6. BY THE END OF THE CHAPTER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO
:
1) Recognise social work as a contested activity based on
different views about itsnature and purpose;
2) Understand the approach known as ‘social
constructionism’ which draws attention to the different
ideas or constructions about the nature and purpose of
social work as arising from different world views;
3) Identify what is meant by the term ‘theory’ and its
relationship to informing practice;
4) Recognise the importance of critical thinking and
reflective practice.

7. DEFINING SOCIAL WORK
 To begin with, let us consider definitions about
‘what social work is’ as in doing so,
this helps to reveal the range of ‘theories’ or ideas
and beliefs we draw upon to construct our view.

8. ACTIVIT 1.1

9. FOR THE AUTHOR'S DEFINITION
 coming up with a satisfactory definition was
surprisingly difficult! But, I would begin to define
social work as:
--A paid professional activity which involves
working with both adults and children to help them
try and resolve practical and interpersonal
difficulties in order to enable them to function and
participate more effectively.
 This can be on an individual basis or within
families, or working with groups or communities to
improve their inter-social or personal competencies
through the provision of a range of services and
interventions.

10. OTHER DEFINITIONS
 A professional doing a varied and worthwhile job which
focuses on improving people’s well-being . . .helping
vulnerable people to make crucial decisions to regain
control of their lives.
 They may be parents and children who are struggling in
the face of deprivation, disability or abusive behaviour;
people with mental health problems; those with physical
or learning disabilities; people with drug or alcohol
problems; people suffering from HIV/ AIDS; older people
who need support or refugees and homeless people

11. In contrast, an alternative definition may have
emphasized more the types of reasons
why social workers are involved in people’s
lives, such as poverty, ill health, abuse and
family breakdown or offending, for instance.
These definitions seem to hint more at
people’s social circumstances.
This second approach towards defining social
work is typified by Jones’ (2002) account,
which describes social work as:

12. DEINITION BY JONES’ (2002)
overwhelmingly a class-specific activity
. . . whether the client is old or young,
able-bodied or with a special need, an
offender, a single parent, an abused
child or partner, black or white, clients
are most likely to be poor and most
likely to be drawn from those sections of
the population which enjoy the least
status, security and power

13.  A third type of definition may have concentrated more
on the skills, tasks or interventions you associate with
social work, such as listening, advocacy, assessment,
care management or using the law.
 This is the view adopted by Trevithick (2005), who
states: that social work involves working with some of
the most complex problems and perplexing areas of
human experience and, for this reason,
 Social work is – and has to be – a highly skilled activity
. . . (these) skills and interventions can be used in
practice to enhance our effectiveness and help bring
about positive outcomes.

14. In highlighting skills and interventions,
this definition suggests social work is
an
applied, interactive activity that draws
upon the use of particular knowledge
sources and beliefs, and the use of
practical and interpersonal skills about
how to work effectively with people
and problem-solve.

15. FORMAL DEFINITIONS OF SOCIAL WORK
 We can see from the above that trying to define social
work can be problematic and points to competing views
about its role and purpose.
 Indeed in their definition, Pierson and Thomas (2002) go
on to suggest that social work is an increasingly complex
activity.
 To begin with however, they define social work as the
paid professional activity that aims to assist people in
overcoming serious difficulties in their lives by providing
care, protection or counseling or through social support,
advocacy and
community work (p448).

16. SOCIAL WORK AS A CONTESTED ACTIVITY
 It can be argued that the range and emphasis taken in
the different definitions outlined above demonstrate
social work to be a contested activity with competing
views about its purpose and role.
 One reason for this, as Parton (1996) argues, is that
social work provides an essentially mediating role
between the individual and society; it
occupies, alongside other welfare professions, the middle
‘space’ in between.

17.  Social work takes place within a variety of different
practice settings, which can
include for instance, residential homes, hospitals, young
offender teams and child protection teams.
 In addition social work utilises a range of skills and tasks
that include practical ones such as problem-solving,
administrative tasks and the use of assessment protocols
as well as more interpersonal skills such as listening and
interviewing

18. UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF THEORY TO INFORM
OURPRACTICE
 So far, I have introduced the term ‘theory’ in
inverted commas to refer to the range of
knowledge, or ideas, skills and beliefs we draw
upon to help us make sense of ‘what social work
is’, which in turn influences our view of ‘how to
do social work’.
 In this section I will introduce a definition of what
is meant by the term ‘theory’ and its central
importance in helping us inform our view of
social work. (These ideas are discussed more
fully in Chapter 2

19.  To begin with however, a theory can be
described as representing a set of related ideas
and assumptions that are drawn upon to help
explain a particular phenomenon.
 A theory represents therefore an explanatory
framework which attempts to help us make
sense of the phenomenon in question – in this
case, the context of social work.
 These explanations provide us with an
opportunity to hypothesize, or make a judgment,
about what we think is going on. It also provide
us with an explanation that can aid our
understanding of what the matter is.

20.  For instance, we may be working with a mother who is
struggling to deal with her nine-year-old son’s challenging
behaviour. The boy has been diagnosed as having
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
 In attempting to work effectively with this family, we may
draw upon biological explanations to help us understand
the diagnosis of ADHD and some of its effects and how it
can be managed, e.g. drugtherapy.
 However, we may also draw upon a behavioural
explanation in working with the mother to help her deal
more effectively, through a behavioural method of
intervention, in managing her son’s behaviour.
 So, in thinking about our work with this family, we might
also draw on attachment theory, as another
psychological explanation that could help us in our work,
and which seeks to help us understand the relationship
between the mother and her son

21. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM
 One way of managing the ‘fluidity’ of the
idea that social work is a contested activity
is the adoption of the approach known as
social constructionism.
 This approach sees different ideas or
constructions about the nature and purpose
of social work as arising from different world
views – that is, the bigger picture about
what kind of society or community we favour
and our view about the role of the state in
welfare.

22. FIGURE 1.1 A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST APPROACH TOWARD
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL WORK
 Figure 1.1 represents how social work can be viewed
from a social constructionist approach.
 The outer circle represents the role of the state in
welfare, with common examples (not a comprehensive
list) .
 The inner circle represents the role and responsibility of
social work and that questions of values and ethics are
central to its purpose.

23. Figure 1.1 A social constructionist approach toward understanding social

24. CRITICAL THINKING
 An important assumption of the social
constructionist approach is that there are
alternative ways of making meaning and hence of
knowing.
 The implication of this approach therefore is that we
should be critical of ways of knowing as there are
always competing ways of understanding and
making meaning

25.  Critical thinking thus refers to the process of becoming
more aware of the ideas and encompassing beliefs which
frame our understanding of social work and their
influence on our practice. As Brookfield (1987) states:
Broookfield (1987) goes onto identify four essential
components of critical thinking:
1) identifying and challenging assumptions;
2) challenging the importance of context;
3) imagining and exploring alternatives (which leads to);
4) reflective scepticism. (p7–9)

26.  In their book Critical thinking for social work, Brown and Rutter
(2006) acknowledge the work of Brookfield (1987) and
develop the ideas of Ford et al. (2004, 2005), identifying a
critical thinker as one encompassing a number of requisite
intellectual resources (Brown and Rutter, 2006, pp2–9).
 Background knowledge of the situation in question.
(In social work, this includes our formal knowledge of social
work and our practice experience that helps us develop a
depth of knowledge and understanding.)
 Possession of critical concepts.
(This involves an understanding of the ideas and language
associated with critical thinking and argument.)
 Knowledge of critical thinking standards.
(This involves established standards for appraisal and
evaluation of arguments, theory and research and use of
judgment.)

27.  Knowledge of strategies and ways to find
things out.(This involves devising strategies or
procedures which help guide our behaviour or thinking.)
 Habits of mind.
(This final point emphasizes a value position that a
critical thinker also requires certain qualities or ‘habits of
mind’ that enable these intellectual resources to be
developed.
 Given the central importance of values and ethics in
informing socialwork practice, social workers are well
placed to develop ‘habits of mind’ which
support and encourage critical thinking.)

28. USING REFLECTION TO INFORM PRACTICE
Critical thinking and reflective
practice have been used together
to suggest a dynamic process of
thinking about and engaging with
the ideas and beliefs which inform
and influence practice in social
work.
Indeed the two concepts support
each other,

29. REFLECTION
 Reflection is therefore an engaging process that
involves asking questions about our practice and
its influences, but the process should also be
proactive.
 Being reflective allows us to think critically about
the knowledge, skills and beliefs that inform our
practice and thus evaluate their impact.
 It is a way of improving our practice as well as
making us aware of ‘what worked’

30.  Thus critical thinking is the ability to interrogate the
ideas, beliefs and assumptions which we use in our work
and recognize alternative views, whereas reflective
practice is the process of ‘active’ engagement with those
ideas and alternative views as a means of improving our
practice.
 As social workers we are thus constantly engaged in
alternative viewpoints, or even contested views

31. END