A Feminist Perspective on the Development of the Social Work Profession in New South Wales

Abstract

This paper argues that during the process of incorporation into a profession, social work lost any connection with early women who had been social activists. These women were responsible for developing the training programme for social work in New South Wales. Control of the training programme was initially transferred to men. Gradually as the medical profession influenced the course content, other avenues for the training and employment of social workers diminished. Medical social work became the dominant specialty. The control of the social work profession became linked to the medical profession. An analysis of the relationship between gender and professionalisation explains women's loss of control over their initiatives. Such an analysis also alerts the social work profession to the real dangers of being taken over by other more powerful and male dominated professions.