The Quest for Professionalization Social Work Develops from “Everybody’s Business” to a Profession

Evolved From Scientific Investigation  American Social Science Assn (1865) spawned  Conference of Charities (1874) but met concurrently  1879 split from parent and began focus on practical work  1884 renamed National Conference of Charities and Corrections

Charity Work Evolved from Social Science  moved from theory and research to greater concern with methods and treatment  COS folks realized specific skills & knowledge needed to help people  COS and settlement house people concerned with education and training for social workers  Both groups were affiliated with National Conference of Charities and Corrections

Beginnings of Professional Social Work Education  Apprenticeship in social agencies was initial social work education  Attending National Conference supplemented apprenticeship  Informal lectures and reading lists were provided by agencies  People going into charity work took courses in the new field of sociology

Social work and sociology separated  Sociologists found social workers not sufficiently objective  Social workers thought sociology was not sufficiently applied or practical  Social workers saw their work related to other disciplines as well as sociology (law, economics, biology)

Call for Professional Social Work Education  Mary Richmond read paper calling for training school in applied philanthropy  New York Charity Organization Society founded 6 week summer school  Later expanded to one year program  Became 2 year program in 1910  Later: Columbia University School of Social Work

Other Schools  University of Chicago (Hull House)  Boston  Bryn Mawr

Curriculum  Initially stressed casework  Chicago stressed research, policy and administration  Eventually move for university affiliation  Need for involvement of other disciplines and use of research to inform policy decisions  Field work under faculty direction, not just apprenticeship

Rise of Accreditation  Need for standards arose  1920 Association of Training Schools of Professional Social Work  1952 became Council on Social Work Education  Required university affiliation 1935

Rise of Professional Journals  Proceedings of National Conference  Fledgling publications became Survey in 1907  Published until 1952, strongly influenced development of profession  Emergence of Social Casework, Child Welfare, Social Service Review

Rise of Professional Organizations  1917 National Social Workers’ Exchange (employment bureau)  Opened membership to all interested  1921 became American Association of Social Workers  By 1955 had merged with others and become NASW  Other professional organizations developed

1917 National Conference of Social Work  New name of National Conference of Charities and Corrections  State affiliates developed, and Alabama had one of the earliest  Alabama Conference of Social Work  Continues to this day and meets in each spring