Effective Social Work Practice in Lagos: An Emerging Megacity

Abstract

Social work is the profession through which social services in the conglomerate of social welfare are provided by professionally trained persons. The practice of social work has three perspectives namely: residual, which is ad hoc or reactive, and largely practiced before advent of modern social work profession; institutional perspective is the modern approach that is currently put in place, that is, social services that are routinely provided for the people on a continuous basis. The third is the developmental perspective which places emphasis on economic benefit that social services could contribute to financial development. Emerging megacity such as Lagos brings with it a developmental perspective wherein social work practice relegates social work values and ethics to the background. Economic development is placed above human dignity and general welfare of the people. This paper looked at social work practice and Lagos as an emerging megacity with its attendant social welfare problems. It is recommended that social workers in a megacity should have adequate competence through relevant, efficient and effective training; and observing all ethics and principles of social work practice.