Social Work Notes / Changing concepts of Social welfare / Kerala PSC Notes / UGC-Net

 Social Work Notes / Changing concepts of Social welfare / Kerala PSC Notes / UGC-Net

 Social Work Notes / Changing concepts of Social welfare / Kerala PSC Notes / UGC-Net

Here are discussed major concepts of social welfare which have been recognized in the process of social development. Romanyshyn has described the following concepts.

From the Residual to the Institutional Concept

Residual concepts of social welfare hold the view that social welfare activities should come into play only when the normal structures of society break down. Welfare programmes exists to meet the emergency needs of individuals when they are incapable of providing for themselves through the normal institutions of the family and the market. The poor, dependent children, the aged, is handicapped have been some of the recipient of welfare services. In such a situation society intervenes through public or voluntary means to assure some of minimum level of personal well-being and social functioning.

Institutional view of welfare is predicted on the assumption that a modern industrial society requires a variety of services as first line supports to enable individuals to cope successfully with a changing economic and social environment and to assure the stability and development of social institutions.

Charity to Citizen right

Charity, philanthropy, relief and help to the disabled and deviants have been the traditional way of welfare. But gradually and gradually this concept got changed and receiving welfare services became the citizen’s right. Social rights make up the dominant theme of the present century. The notion, of such rights is implicit in the concept of the welfare state.

Special to Universal

One tends to think of social welfare as consisting of special services for the poor. Increasingly, however, social welfare programmes are developed to meet universal needs of the population. Such universal programmes tend to focus on certain common social contingencies that are consequences of living in an industrial society, with such related risks as unemployment, old age, disability, loss of the bread winner, the high cost of medical care and so forth.

Minimum to Optimum

Social Welfare services are not restricted now to minimum capacity and resources to be made available to individuals. Attention is focused now to make available to all children to those optimum conditions that may make it possible for them to develop to the fullest of their capacities.

Individual to Social Reform

Now one believe that problems are not due to individual’s weakness or his moral defects but they are structural and result from defects in institutional arrangement. Consequently, reform of the society is more important than that of the individual.

Voluntary to Public

Social Welfare services have been provided since time immemorial but most of these services were by volunteers and voluntary agencies. New government have realized its responsibility and public departments are now more active in this field.

From Welfare for the Poor to a Welfare Society

The basic problem of philanthropy has changed from that of caring for the physical needs of a relatively few destitute people living in a simple society in attempting to meet the physical, social and psychological needs of total population in highly complexed society. The emphasis is now being placed on securing a better, happier, or healthier world for all.

 Social Work Notes / Changing concepts of Social welfare / Kerala PSC Notes / UGC-Net