What is Social Work?
Social work is a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development, social cohesion, and the empowerment of people and communities. It involves understanding human behaviour, social systems, and policies to help individuals, groups, and communities overcome challenges.
Definitions by Scholars
Walter A. Friedlander: "Social work is a professional service, based upon scientific knowledge and skill in human relations, which assists individuals, groups, or communities to obtain social or personal satisfaction and independence."
NASW: "Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favourable to this goal."
Scope of Social Work
The scope includes family welfare, child welfare, medical social work, psychiatric social work, school social work, industrial social work, correctional social work, community development, disaster management, and social policy & planning.
Core Principles
Key principles include acceptance, individualization, purposeful expression of feelings, non-judgmental attitude, client self-determination, confidentiality, and controlled emotional involvement.