Social work values in social services administration textbooks: A profession overshadow by a managerialist approach

Abstract

This presentation is based on the study of social services administration textbooks published between 1965 and 2014, observation and interviews with frontline and management social workers. The coverage of values and ethics in these texts varied considerably and the situation in the field is worrying. The limited stress on social work values and overconcern on managerial ethics, accountability, performance, etc. as reflected in the textbook content draws our attention to the possible misdirected training of social workers for administrative roles. Moreover, from personal field experience and interviews with social workers we noticed that agencies concern more on procedures, financial management, development, survival than values such as social justices. It is time for social workers at different position to reiterate the importance of our profession values. We have to state out stance and help administrators without social worker background to understand the specific values that the profession uphold.