Social work, History of social work in the USA, History of social work, 5 phases of social work in the USA, Dorothea Lynde Dix, settlement movement, Definition of social work, global definition of social work, Colonial Period (1620-1776), Civil War and Industrial Revolution (1776-1860), Industrialism- The Human Side (1860-1900), Social Work seeking Professional Characteristics (1900-1930), Highly Professionalized Discipline (1930-2020)

1. HISTORY OF
IN USA
Presented by
Pooja Sharma
MSW 1st Sem of ISS,
Presented to
Dr. R. K. Bharti
Associate Professor

2. INTRODUCTION OF SOCIAL
WORK
• Social Work is a profession that is concerned with man’s
adjustment to his environment and enhancement of his social
functioning.
• A profession which is primarily concerned with organized
social service activity to facilitate and strengthen basic social
relationships and the mutual adjustment between individuals
and their social environment for the good of the individual
and of society

3. Definition of Social Work
International Federation of Social Work defines that, “Social
work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline
that promotes social change and development, social cohesion,
and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of
social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and
respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned
by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and
indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and
structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.’’

4. History of social work in USA
• SOCIAL WORK is an outgrowth of earlier forms of social
activities going back to the centuries.
• Through social work in its present form seems to have no
roots prior to 1860, yet the period from colonization to the
civil war played a large role in the development of social
work.
• For our purpose to understand the historical development of
social work in USA, it has divided it into 5 phrases.

5. I.1st Phase
II.Colonial
Period
(1620-1776)
2nd Phase
Civil War
and
Industrial
Revolution
(1776-1860)
3rd Phase
Industrialis
m- The
Human
Side (1860-
1900)
4th Phase
Social Work
seeking
Professional
Characterist
ics (1900-
1930)
5th Phase
Highly
Professiona
lized
Discipline
(1930--
2020)
5 Phases in the history of Social Work in
USA

6. 1- Colonial Period (1620-1776)
Alms-houses (Stoneham, Massachusetts)
ALM HOUSE
• ALM houses started helping
able-bodies as well as
disabled-bodied people by
providing shelter to them.
• The first ALMHOUSE in
United States history was
founded in Boston,
Massachusetts, in 1622.

7. 1- Colonial Period (1620-1776)
HOSPITALS
• Hospitals were taking care
of mental and physical well
being of people.
• Philadelphia General
Hospital and Bellevue
Hospital were established.

8. 1- Colonial Period (1620-1776)
FORMATION OF ASSOCIATION
• Associations were formed to
undertook charitable trusts and
help the sick and poor people after
proper investigation.
• The first such association was
“SCOTS CHARITABLE” in 1657

9. 1- Colonial Period (1620-1776)
GOVERNMENT UNDERTOOK REPSONBILIY
• USA reflected the Elizabethan Poor Laws
• The Parish and Judges were responsible for its
inhabitants
• Another development during this period was the
broadening of the base of responsibility from the town
to the province in Massachusetts for a special category
of the poor

10. 2- Civil War and Industrial Revolution
(1776-1860)
• The rapid growth of manufacturing industries after the civil
war intensified the complexities of social need.
• To solve the problems of social maladjustment in the cities
and of the labor class, there developed a settlement
movement that had great influence on the evolving pattern
of the social services.

11. 2- Civil War and Industrial
Revolution (1776-1860)
Recognition of the Social Needs
• The first was the gradual recognition of the social needs of
people with particular handicaps.
• Special institutions, both public and private, were developed
for children, for the handicapped and for the mentally ill Child
labor legislation was enacted.
• In 1842 both the States, adopted a law which established 10
hours a day as the maximum work for children under 12 years.
• Children under 12 years were prohibited from working in
textile factories.

12. Dorothea Lynde Dix
Dorothea Lynde Dix contributed
greatly during this period to the
recognition of the need of mentally
handicapped.
• She popularized institutional care
and treatment for mental
patients.
• To solve the problems of social
mal-adjustment in the cities and
of the labor class.
• Developed a settlement movement
that had great influence on the
evolving pattern of the social
services.

13. 2- Civil War and Industrial
Revolution (1776-1860)
State Took Responsibility
• State government opened the first juvenile reformatory in
New York in 1825.
• The first school for deaf was opened in 1817.
• The first school for the blind was opened in Boston in 1830
Soon after other States also provided such facilities.

14. Emergence of Private Agencies
• The emergence of the private
agency.
• People not remain unmoved from
the experience of shock and agony
of poor people living in urban
slums.
• Many organizations and
associations were founded.
• Around 1850 several maternity
homes for unmarried mothers were
established by various groups.
• YWCA movement was also started
during this period.

15. 3- Industrialism- The Human Side
(1860-1900)
• Implementation of scientific
charity movement in this
phase
• The government and the
religion people taught poor
people and make them
capable to get employment.
• First charity organization
society established in 1877 in
Buffalo, New York.
Charity Organization Society

16. 3- Industrialism- The Human Side
(1860-1900)
Development of
“Settlement House
Movement” which was
emerged in Civil War
period but actually came
in existence in 1880.

17. 3- Industrialism- The Human Side
(1860-1900)
The first such
settlement house
was Chicago Full
House started by
Jane Addams for
welcoming
immigrants with
open arms. Jane Addams
Chicago Full House

18. 4. Social Work seeking Professional
Characteristics (1900-1930)
• While helping people who were suffering from war
related problems and post traumatic stress disorders the
idea of social case work emerged.
• For the first time Social Worker interact directly to
suffered people which leads to method of social case
work.
• Social Case Work considered as the first method of Social
Work.

19. 4. Social Work seeking Professional
Characteristics (1900-1930)
• Later on social worker started practicing social work in
different organisation.
• Mary Richmond, who considered as pioneer of social case
wrote her first book “Social Diagnosis” in 1917 and
another book “What is Social Case Work?” in 1922.
• By the end of this phase social work emerged as
professional Social Work.

20. 5.Highly Professionalized Discipline
(1930-2020)
• During this time Social Group Work and Community
Organisations accepted formally as methodology of Social
Work.
• It recognised as intervention in 1940 and 1950.
• Later on organisations started preferring professional
Social Worker.
• Community chest and councils of America established in
1918s and now known as United Community Fund and
Council of America.

21. Conclusion
These were the major mile stone in the history of social work
in USA. In these 5 phases Social Work transformed a lot and
these phrases helped us now to understand the present.
Diverse representative agreed that challenges in Social Work
practice, education, and research can be solved with the help
of history of it.

22.  https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0JF3bN2xzw4/maxresdefault.jpg
 https://d33wubrfki0l68.cloudfront.net/2e3c811918a7149c1935c832
f5a764f6fefedb47/3d62f/images/blog/quotes_hu6a60546c9093637
951ee3b7062cc8ca8_47377_960x720_fill_q90_lanczos_center.jpg
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almshouse_(Stoneham,_Massachuset
ts)
 https://www.geni.com/projects/Scots-Charitable-Society-of-
Boston/49592
 https://cdn3.online.simmons.edu/content/6685172a7e434dcd94bdf
7ae6e7b49cf/image1.jpg
 https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/social-work/charity-
organization-society-of-new-york-city/
 https://savingplaces.org/stories/128-years-of-justice-jane-addams-
and-chicagos-hull-house
References

23. Thank you