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Historical Foundations of Addressing Need: Indigenous, French, and English Traditions
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1. Describe two major characteristics of traditional Indigenous approaches to social welfare and healing.
Indigenous approaches to social welfare can be characterized by their foundation in tradition passed down from generation to generation, and by their holistic approach to healing.
2. What are the two major tenets that shaped pre-industrial thinking about poverty in Canada? How did each of these influence the provision of relief?
The two major tenets of pre-industrial thinking about poverty were that poverty was individually driven and that the poor could be divided into those who were deserving of relief and those who were not.
3. What is the principle of “less eligibility” and what is its significance for social work in Canada?
The principle of “less eligibility” required those who received poverty relief to live at a standard that was below what one could expect from employment. It is important because it can still be seen today within the design of many of our social programs.
4. Describe the differences between the Charity Organization Societies and the Settlement House Movement in their approaches to understanding and supporting the poor.
The Charity Organization Societies (COSs) took a scientific approach to poverty relief, emphasizing standardization, assessment, and casework. “Friendly visitors” who undertook this work believed that poverty was the result of individual failure and sought to reform/treat individuals out of poverty. The Settlement House Movement believed that to understand the poor, you should live among them. Educated individuals moved into poor neighbourhoods and offered community services. A fundamental difference between the two movements is that COSs believed that poverty resulted from dysfunctional families in a functional society while the Settlement House Movement believed that families were functional but that society was not.
5. Describe the concept of the family ethic.
Women’s lives in colonial society were shaped by the patriarchal family, which dictated that women’s roles were in the home. Any woman (such as an unwed mother) who challenged these norms was seen as a threat to the social order. Women who adhered to the family ethic (married, bearing and caring for children, and obedient) were given more favourable treatment by the systems of social welfare. The consequences of this view can be seen today in the disproportionate rates of poverty among single women.
6. What is Social Darwinism? How was it applied to the provision of relief?
Promoted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Social Darwinism was the application of Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution to social theory, led by philosopher Herbert Spencer, which in turn influenced perspectives on relief provision to the poor. Social Darwinists believed that indiscriminate poverty relief weakened a person’s moral character, leading to the overall weakening of society. Following this belief, those who were poor were seen as “unfit” while those who were wealthy were seen not only as “fit” but as possessing higher moral character. Thus, an individual’s character, instead of the individual’s social, economic, and political environments, was considered to be at the core of their poverty. Many Charity Organization Society-affiliated reformers, influenced by Social Darwinism, also believed that only by separating poor children from their parents could they prevent the transmission of poverty from one generation to another.
7. How has neoliberalism shaped contemporary social work practice?
Neoliberalism refers to a set of economic policies whereby the control of economic factors is shifted from the public sector to the private sector. Neoliberalism is often associated with former prime minister Brian Mulroney, whose neoliberal government was in power from 1984 to 1993. Neoliberalism’s effects have been broad and continue to impact social work in multiple ways. Because neoliberalism centres free market values, policies that promote the market and reduce social programs are preferred. A serious consequence is the movement of financial considerations to the heart of social work, rather than client-centred practice. This means social workers have higher workloads while facing drastic reductions in human and financial resources and increasing bureaucratic requirements.
8. What is self-care? Why is self-care important to one’s social work practice with clients?
Self-care is the act of taking responsibility for one’s own personal well-being through activities that promote constructive energy, harmony, and health. Social workers often find themselves in demanding work contexts. As a result, they may experience occupational hazards such as burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization, which may reduce one’s practice effectiveness, hinder one’s ability to concentrate, and impair decision-making. The CASW Code of Ethics Value #6 calls for social workers to be competent in social work practice, respecting the client’s right to competent services. If a social worker is experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, or vicarious traumatization, their ability to offer competent service is greatly hindered.