Social Work and PovertyTheory and Practice

Challenges and Proposed Research

What is Social Work?? Global Definition

Social work is a practice-based profession and anacademic discipline that promotes social changeand development, social cohesion, and theempowerment and liberation of people.Principles of social justice, human rights,collective responsibility and respect fordiversities are central to socialwork. Underpinned by theories of social work,social sciences, humanities and indigenousknowledge, social work engages people andstructures to address life challenges andenhance wellbeing. (IFSW and IASSW, 2014)

Poverty A human condition characterized bysustained or chronic deprivation of theresources, capabilities, choices, securityand power necessary for the enjoyment ofan adequate standard of living and othercivil, cultural, economic, political andsocial rights (United Nations Committee on Economic, Social andCultural Rights (UNCESCR), 2001, p.2-3)

Resources below minimum needs, includingneed to live with dignity in society (Barnard,2018)

Common factor in significant furtherproblems (Nadkarni & Dhaske, 2012)

In developed countries often a focus onrelative rather than absolute poverty (World

Bank, as cited in Cox & Pawar, 2013)

Aotearoa 2017 - 27% of children wereliving in poverty with 7% in severepoverty (Duncanson et al, 2018)

Violation of human rights - people inpoverty treated as less than human (ActionAid, 2003, p.3; Dowling, 1999)

Moral outrage that poverty persistsdespite the reality that the world hasmore than ample resources to eradicateit (Ferguson, Ioakimidis & Lavalette, 2018)

Measurement of Poverty

Precise measurement problematic

Two common measures, both useful butproblematic (Boston & Chapple, 2014)

Income – poverty line set at a proportionof median or average income

Hardship – material deprivation ofessentials of life, food, clothing, medicalcare

Focus especially in Aotearoa on childpoverty, however term problematic

However measured, poverty major globalproblem, affecting one-quarter of the world’spopulation (Cox and Pawar, 2013)

Poverty and Social Work Issue of human rights and social justice

Historically attracted significant attention from the social work profession (Cox &Pawar, 2013; Dowling, 1999; Nadkarni & Dhaske, 2012; O’Brien, 2013).

Poverty and social exclusion near universal factors in the contexts of social workpractice (Backwith, 2015).

However not always recognised, analysed, and effectively addressed:

Historically Charity Organisation Society – individualised, moralistic approach

Influence of counselling - non-blaming, non-stigmatising and non-directiveapproach, but material issues seen as “presenting” problems, masking supposed“real” issues (Dowling, 1999)

Recent neoliberal dominated practice focused on individualised or family-basedrisk factors and behaviours (Backwith, 2015; McCartan et al, 2018; Morris et al, 2018)

Poverty part of the background music of practice (Backwith, 2015, p.1), thewallpaper of practice: too big to tackle and too familiar to notice (Morris et al,2018, p.370)

Poverty Aware Social Work

Some recent renewed attention, poverty-aware socialwork practice Making poverty visible, experience of poverty seen

and understood Participatory parity between practitioners and people

in poverty in seeking social justice and influencingpoverty

Closer, more egalitarian relationship with attentionto both material and emotional needs

Active partnership with service users on strategies toaddress poverty, standing with service users inchallenging oppressive systems(Boone, Roets & Roose, 2019; Krumer-Nevo, Monnickendam and Weiss-Gal, 2009;Saar-Heiman, Lavie-Ajayi & Krumer-Nevo, 2017; Schiettecat, Roets & Vandenbroeck,2017; Schiettecat, Roets & Vandenbroeck, 2018)

What about our students??

Item NZ Social Practice students

Enforced lack of essentials (for respondent or household as a whole)

meal with meat, fish or chicken (or vegetarian equivalent) at least each 2nd day 2 20

two pairs of shoes in good repair and suitable for everyday use 5 21

suitable clothes for important or special occasions 7 41

presents for family and friends on special occasions 6 43

home contents insurance 12 54

Economised, cut back or delayed purchases ‘a lot’ because money was needed for other essentials (not just to be thrifty or to save for a trip or other non-essential)

went without or cut back on fresh fruit and vegetables 10 27

bought cheaper cuts of meat or bought less than wanted 27 49

put up with feeling cold to save on heating costs 10 32

postponed visits to the doctor 11 39

postponed visits to the dentist 26 65

did without or cut back on trips to the shops or other local places 15 43

delayed repairing or replacing broken or damaged appliances 12 51

In arrears more than once in last 12 months (because of shortage of cash at the time, not through forgetting)

rates, electricity, water 11 40

vehicle registration, insurance or warrant of fitness 9 44

Financial stress and vulnerability

borrowed money from family or friends more than once in the last 12 months to cover everyday living costs

13 52

feel ‘very limited’ by the money available when thinking about purchase of clothes or shoes for self (options were: not at all, a little, quite limited, and very limited)

19 51

could not pay an unexpected and unavoidable bill of $500 within a month without borrowing

19 82

Theoretical Framework: Structural Social Work (Mullaly & Dupré, 2019)

Aligned with radical and critical social work

Assertion of the social justice value base of social work

Social problems part of the structure of society, notindividual

Poverty particularly a social structural issue

Casework based, individually oriented social workinadequate to address service users’ problems

Change efforts must focus on social structures rather thanonly individual and personal issues

The Challenge . . .

When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist . . .

Archbishop Dom Hélder Pessoa Câmara

And Since It’s Christmas . . .

And perhaps we give a little to the poorIf the generosity should seize usBut if any one of us should interfereIn the business of why there are poorThey get the same as the rebel Jesus

Jackson Browne

Strategies (Schiettecat, Roets and Vandenbroeck, 2017)

Personal and political

Doing what you can - exercising discretion to the maximum extent possible on behalf of service users

Getting by – finding strategies to enhance dignity on a daily basis

Hiding what you do – engaging in covert strategies to maximise benefits for service users

Getting out – service users seeking self-improvement through education and employment

Advocating what should be done – systemic advocacy for change atorganisational and governmental levels

Getting organized - collective and political action

One Interesting Development: Anti-Poverty Practice Framework for Social Work in Northern Ireland

Introduced in 2018, endorsed by Government

Poverty “the elephant in the room” (Department of Health, 2018, p.5)in most situations that social workers assess and intervene in

Framework a strategy for giving social workers support,guidance and tools to re-centre addressing poverty in theirpractice

Premised on social work’s commitment to social justice andrecognition that poverty is a social injustice

Poverty recognised as structural rather than individual issue

Encourages social workers to actively consider the impact ofpoverty in conducting all social work assessments and designinginterventions

(Department of Health, 2018; McCartan, Morrison, Bunting Davidson & McIlroy, 2018)

Current Context and Opportunities in Aotearoa

Social work’s commitment to social justice and humanrights implies moral obligation to address poverty

Current Government expressing a commitment toaddressing poverty and engaging in a positive mannerwith the social work profession

Social Workers Registration Board to develop scopes ofpractice for the profession. Opportunity for aprescription for working to alleviate poverty to beincluded

Research Proposals

Analysis of Practicum experience and learning of students who complete placements at one radical organisation, Auckland Action Against Poverty

Personal advocacy with Work & Income Public awareness raising and activism

Action research project to develop an Anti-Poverty Practice Framework for Aotearoa

References

Action Aid, (2003). Human rights-based approaches to poverty eradication and development. Retrieved August 12, 2019 from https://actionaid.org/sites/default/files/the_rights_based_approach.pdf.

Backwith, D. (2015). Social work, poverty and social exclusion. Berkshire, England: Open University Press.

Boone, K., Roets, G., & Roose, R. (2019). Social work, participation and poverty. Journal of Social Work 19(3), 309-326. doi: 10.1177/1468017318760789

Boston, J. & Chapple, S. (2014). Child poverty in New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Bridget Williams Books.

Cox, D. & Pawar, M. (2013). International social work: issues, strategies and programs (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Department of Health (2018). Anti-poverty practice framework for social work in Northern Ireland. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/Povertyframework.pdf.

Dowling, M. (1999). Social work and poverty: attitudes and actions. Aldershot, England: Ashgate.

Ferguson, I., Ioakimidis, V. & Lavalette, M. (2018). Global social work in a political context: radical perspectives. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.

Krumer-Nevo, M., Monnickendam, M. & Weiss-Gal, I. (2009). Poverty aware social work practice: a conceptual framework for social work education. Journal of Social Work Education 45(2), 225-243.

McCartan, C., Morrison, A., Bunting, L., Davidson, G., & McIlroy, J. (2018). Stripping the wallpaper of practice: Empowering social workers to tackle poverty. Social Sciences, 7(10) 193- (16 pages). doi: 10.3390/socsci7100193

Morris, K., Mason, W., Bywaters, P., Featherstone, B., Daniel, B., Brady, G., Bunting, L., Hooper, J., Mirza, N., Scourfield, J., & Webb, C. (2018). Social work, poverty and child welfare interventions. Child and Family Social Work 23(3), 364-372. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12423

Mullaly, B, & Dupré, M. (2019) . The new structural social work: Ideology, theory and practice.(3rd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Oxford University Press.

Nadkarni, V. & Dhaske, G. (2012). Poverty and human needs. In L.M. Healy & R.J. Link (Eds.) Handbook of international social work: human rights, development and the global profession (pp.232-236). New York: Oxford University Press.

O’Brien, M. (2013). Social work registration and professionalism: social justice and poverty –fellow travellers or discarded passengers? Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work 25(3), 50-59.

Saar-Heiman, Y., Lavie-Ajayi, M., & Krumer-Nevo, M. (2017). Poverty-aware social work practice: service users’ perspectives. Child and Family Social Work 22, 1054-1063. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12325

Schiettecat, T., Roets, G. & Vandenbroeck, M. (2017). What families in poverty consider supportive: welfare strategies of parents with young children in relation to (child and family) social work. Child and Family Social Work 22, 689-699. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12285

Schiettecat, T., Roets, G. & Vandenbroeck, M. (2018). Hide and seek: political agency of social workers in supporting families living in poverty. British Journal of Social Work 48, 1874-1891. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcx129

United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2001). Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights: Poverty and the International Covenant On Economic, Social And Cultural Rights: Statement adopted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 4 May 2001. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/docs/statements/E.C.12.2001.10Poverty-2001.pdf.