4/11/2023 0 Comments Contemporary social work journal![]() ![]() Social work became a technical/rational rather than an ethical and relational endeavour. Managerialism was rooted in principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness and is evident in practice contexts in the turn towards targets and performance management. This was manifest in public services through the doctrine of managerialism, which, in essence, sought to bring business and market principles to public services. The 1980s, however, saw the increasing dominance of neoliberal political and economic ideology. ![]() Nevertheless, it remained self-evident, even in such critiques, that relationships were central to social work. This, it was argued, ran the risk of locating people’s difficulties and solutions primarily at an individual level. Psychosocial models of practice attracted some criticism due to claims that they minimised wider societal and political factors, and focused primarily, on the inner worlds of individuals. At another level, Biestek’s (1957) seminal exposition of social work’s ethics includes what are clearly relational principles such as purposeful expression of feelings, controlled emotional involvement and acceptance. The roots of an emotional dimension to social work can be traced back to the psychoanalytic and psychosocial models that emerged in the mid-20th century (Horney, 1950 Rogers, 1961 Hollis, 1964), which highlighted the importance of previous experiences and how emotions are managed and understood through relationships. Current practice cultures can make it difficult to practise in properly relational ways and would require a radical shift for issues of power, agency and status to be addressed.Relationships are complex, requiring an awareness of ‘self’ and the negotiation of inter-personal boundaries.Current policy directions in Scotland are rooted in the need for effective personal/professional relationships. ![]()
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