Social Work Definition

A committee of the Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice is seeking your feedback on a definition of social work that reflects the full range of social work practice. 

A need for a comprehensive definition of social work was discovered after a team of scholars examined the 51 state definitions of social work and found that only 13 states definitions reflected the full range of social work practice, and 14 state definitions made no mention of macro social work practice at all. [1] To remedy this situation, a work group formed to draft a comprehensive definition of social work that could be used as a model for state regulations.

To draft this definition, the group reviewed the definitions of the four major national social work associations (NASW, CSWE, IFSW, & ASWB) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Then we took language from those definitions and continued to refine it through an iterative collective process. 

We are now in the process of seeking feedback from the broader social work community, and invite your ideas in this process. The following survey should take 5 to 10 minutes to complete. We very much appreciate you spending time to give us your feedback.

Specific questions about this survey or this project can be directed to Linda Plitt Donaldson, Associate Professor, Catholic University of America, donaldson@cua.edu.



[1] Hill, K., Fogel, S., Donaldson, L.P., Erickson, C. (2017). State definitions of social work practice: Implications for our professional identity, Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 14, 4, 266-279.
 

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* 1. Which choice most closely aligns with your current social work role?

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* 2. In what state do you currently work?

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* 3. What is the highest degree you have earned?

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* 4. In what area of social work do you professionally identify?

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* 5. We are seeking feedback on the following definition of social work. Please select the answer choice that best reflects how well you like or dislike the proposed definition of social work:

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Social work is a practice-based profession and academic discipline underpinned by a Code of Ethics, theories of social work, social science, and the humanities, evaluation and research methods, and indigenous and experiential knowledge. Social work engages people, institutions, and social structures to address life challenges and enhance well-being at all levels of society.  Social work is instrumental in facilitating social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Social work promotes the central principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversity. 

Social workers engage in practice at macro, mezzo, and micro levels. All levels require giving attention to the person-in- environment (PIE) perspective, harnessing emerging technologies to effect change at all levels.  Macro social work is typically geared toward working collaboratively with constituencies to transform systems such as groups, organizations, communities, or units of government concentrating on advocacy, community organizing and development, administration, leadership development, organizational capacity building, and policy and systems change. Mezzo social work is group work spanning macro and micro social work. Social work with groups provides individuals, groups, and communities’ opportunities to build relationships within and beyond the group, to mediate between individual and social needs, and to promote individual and social development in a just society. Micro social work is typically geared toward working collaboratively with individuals, families and groups to address their psychosocial needs, to improve relational functioning, and to promote the capacity and power within them to effect change in their own lives and communities. The social work profession supports its practitioners at all levels in their continued professional development.


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* 6. Would you like to participate in this social work definition work group? If so, please either provide your name and e-mail information below.

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