Social Work in Organizations

Abstract

Much literature on social work focuses on practice with service users; relatively little attention is given to the need for practitioners to be able to function well in the organizational context. This article will explore the nature of organizations within which social workers are employed, taking the view that many problems experienced by practitioners can be traced back to failures of understanding their place in the world of employment. While social workers are accountable both to the profession and to the service user, the accountability that they have to employing organizations also must be accepted. Using examples drawn predominantly from the British context, the article will first focus on the changes that have occurred within organizations. From this understanding it will then discuss the various ways in which social workers might experience organizational difficulties, suggesting ways in which such problems can be managed. It will conclude by suggesting that effective social work is impossible without clarity and understanding about how the organizational context can best be managed.