1.1 A brief history of Social Service Work.
Jennifer Abrams
It is important that this segment begins with a clear declaration. The history of Social Welfare in Canada is directly tied to the history of colonization. The Sociological Imagination will be essential for future Social Service Workers to understand how this history of “helping” was oppressive to the Indigenous Nations that lived here centuries prior to Colonization.
What is lacking in the literature of the history of Social Welfare in Canada is discussion of what existed before colonization. Indigenous communities on Turtle Island (North America) were vast and diverse in culture, history, spirituality, and language. That said, a common feature was a strong sense of community and connection to the natural environment. This author can make no claims to this ancient knowledge but the journey of acknowledging that there were helping mechanisms that pre-existed western values is important. The process of decolonizing Social Welfare is a process of learning for Settler Colonists (anyone whose ancestry is not Indigenous) and re-connection to culture for Indigenous Social Welfare professionals. Michael Yellow Bird (Clarke, 2021) writes “more often than not, we are estranged from one another, from our environment, from the sustainable practices and wisdom of our ancestors that we have not fully brought into social work practice, research, policy and education” (p.27). How can we use or sociological imagination to re-vison what is possible for the profession in the context of decolonization and social change?
Prior to the 1800s, there was limited formal social welfare in Canada. Religious groups, charity organizations, families and communities were the primary sources of “help” for European colonists and Indigenous communities. Through the 19th century, social welfare policy was informed but English Policy and the Poor Law of 1601, revised in 1832 (Hick & Stokes, 2017). This policy clearly established the notions of the deserving and undeserving poor. The deserving poor were those considered to be poor through circumstance, not moral flaw. The underserving poor were judged to be those with low morals and lack of drive or work ethic. Supports were more readily provided to the deserving poor. Underserving poor were denied services or placed in workhouses.
Until the 20th Century (the 1900’s) Social Welfare was run by churches and private philanthropic agencies. They were run by volunteers and lacked in regulation. With the progression of scientific processes in all areas, Charity Organization Societies (COS) emerged in England and North America. It was the goal of the COS’s to organize the vast charity groups towards better outcomes. These societies began practicing what is now recognizable as modern casework (Hick & Stokes, 2017). Settlement Houses emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century. These houses saw middle and upper-class young adults settle in impoverished communities to assist. The first settlement house in Toronto was founded in 1902 by Libby Carson and Mary Bell (Hick & Stokes, 2017).
It was religious groups that were mandated to open and run the Residential School System in Canada. These schools were designed to strip indigenous children of language and cultural identity. This discussion does not typically appear in standard social welfare histories but rather occupies its own space in the literature. Critiques of the residential school system are not new. In the early 20th century (1900-1930) both the Superintendent of Indian affairs, Duncan Campbell Scott, and the Medial Advisor for Indian Affairs, Dr. Bryce were both indicating serious concern about conditions in the schools (Hick & Stokes, 2017). Although church run at this time, these schools were part of Canada’s formal social welfare system.
From the early 1900’s to the 1940, social work emerged as a profession. The implementation of Casework and the notion of social work diagnosis emerged through the work of Mary Richmond, an American who worked for a COS. In 1914, the University of Toronto established a Department of Social Services for the scientific study of society to train socials workers (Hick & Stokes, 2017). As social work moved from community and religious organization to a profession, there was distinct shift for addressing morality to addressing overall social reform. For example, an able-bodied person who was not working was previously judged as lazy or unwilling whereas with a social reform view, the rates of unemployment and the impact of the economy were examined. It is no coincidence that during this time, sociology was also developing as an area of social analysis.
After the great depression and World War two there was rapid growth in the development of social welfare programs. Driven by rapid growth and political ideology services expanded greatly under the notion that “social services were not a luxury, but part of a smoothly functioning economy” (Hick & Stokes, 2017). With the growth of social services, there was increasing demand for social service workers. This generated a great demand for trained professionals.
Since the 1980’s there has been a decline in government run social services identified and the Era of Erosion. Fueled by national and global ideology that emphasizes small government and fiscal restraint social service programs have been regularly cut back. There has been a rise in income inequality (the rich have more and the poor have less). Social Service Workers need to be aware of the impact of government and policy on the day to lives of Canadians. Learning and examining policies and programs towards the wellbeing for all is a professional requirement. The Sociological imagination is a tool to do this necessary work.
Did you know? – Social assistance in Ontario is $733.00 per month for a single person (if you are paying rent). Is this enough to live on? Is this an amount that you feel is enough to live comfortably? How can you use you sociological imagination to understand and challenge some of the stereotypes about recipients of social assistance?
References
Clarke, K., & Bird, M. Y. (2021). Decolonizing Pathways Towards Integrative Healing in Social Work. New York: Routledge.
Hick, S., & Stokes, J. (2017). Social Work in Canda: An Introduction, Fourth Edition. Toronto: Thompson Educational.