THE STATUS OF SOCIAL WORK AS PERCEIVED BY KEY HUMAN SERVICE PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

First-hand experience in various practice settings points to large-scale misunderstanding,ignorance and undervaluing of social work. In fact, it may be argued that the social worker isoften confused, lacks confidence and has a weak voice when compared to other professionals.Barter (cited in Shera, 2003:203) adds that the profession is indeed actively marginalised and islosing ground to nurses, health workers and occupational therapists. Dane and Simone (cited inDittrich, 1994:19) also mention this marginality and token status that is generally attributed tosocial workers in secondary settings such as hospitals, schools, legal aid offices, nursinghomes, business and industry. Their explanation for this perception is that, where socialworkers are few in number but their visibility high, this may lead to their decisions beingconstantly scrutinised, thereby undervaluing and undermining their worth. To add to thiscomplexity these writers introduce the dimension of gender into the undervaluing of theprofession, stating that social work may be “devalued as women’s work in such settings that arepredominantly male in inspiration” (Dittrich, 1994:20).

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