History Mental Health Social Work
Select an area of Social Work that interests you. Provide an investigation into the ways social workers practice in this are in England and compare it briefly to practice in another area of your choice. Social Work in Mental Health has often been associated with the power to compulsory detain people for admission to Mental Health institutions. This relationship and the role of Mental Health Social Workers has changed overtime, as government policy and wider social influences have impacted on the profession. The effect has been an evolution in the role, setting, training and regulation of Mental Health Social Workers. The policy agendas that gave rise to this can be broadly compared to similar movements in Mental Health provision in the United States.
Prior to the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 Mental Health in the UK was seen as a threat to public health and the emphasis was placed on containing the threat of Lunacy through the detention of people with Mental Health problems, rather than medical intervention (Pilgrim and Ramon, 2009). To this day “the power to constrain, without trial those posing a putative future risk is only found in Mental Health services and in statutes to pre-empt terrorism (Pilgrim and Ramon, 2009, p. 274). Social Work in Mental Health has often played a key role in the process of compulsory admission to Mental Health institutions.
Mental Health Social Work started as a profession in the 1920’s with the emergence on Psychiatric Social Workers (PSWs). They were represented by the professional body the Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, founded in 1929 which was instrumental in training and also kept a register of qualified PSWs. Their training was heavily influenced by Psychodynamic theory as well as psychosocial theories of Mental Health. The 1959 Mental Health Act resulted in the creation of Mental Welfare Officers (MWOs) who gained responsibilities for the application of compulsory civil admissions, which
Prior to the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 Mental Health in the UK was seen as a threat to public health and the emphasis was placed on containing the threat of Lunacy through the detention of people with Mental Health problems, rather than medical intervention (Pilgrim and Ramon, 2009). To this day “the power to constrain, without trial those posing a putative future risk is only found in Mental Health services and in statutes to pre-empt terrorism (Pilgrim and Ramon, 2009, p. 274). Social Work in Mental Health has often played a key role in the process of compulsory admission to Mental Health institutions.
Mental Health Social Work started as a profession in the 1920’s with the emergence on Psychiatric Social Workers (PSWs). They were represented by the professional body the Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, founded in 1929 which was instrumental in training and also kept a register of qualified PSWs. Their training was heavily influenced by Psychodynamic theory as well as psychosocial theories of Mental Health. The 1959 Mental Health Act resulted in the creation of Mental Welfare Officers (MWOs) who gained responsibilities for the application of compulsory civil admissions, which
Bibliography: Godden, J. Wilson, F (2010) ‘BASW/ CoSW report on Social Work in Multi-Disciplinary Mental Health Teams’ BASW [Online] available from: http://cdn.basw.co.uk/documents/poliposi/england/multidisciplinaryhealthteams.pdf (Accessed 18th January 2013) Gould, N. (2010) ‘The Social Work Role in Mental Health Services,’ in Mental Health Social Work in Context. London: Routledge, pp. 49-68 [Chapter 3] Pilgrim, D. and Ramon, S (2009) ‘English Mental Health Poicy Uner New Labour’ in Policy and Politics, 37, pp273-288. [Online] DOI: 10.1332/030557309X411282 (Accessed 18th January 2013) Rapaport, J (2005) ‘Policy Swings Over Thirty-Five Years of Mental Health Social Work in England and Wales 1969-2004’ in Practice 17 [Online] DOI: 10.1080/09503150500058041 (Accessed 18th January 2013) Rich, R. (1986) ‘Change and Stabilty in Mental Helath’ in American Beaviuoral Scientist, 30, pp. 111-142 [Online] available from Sage Social Science Collections (Accessed 18th January 2013) Wilson, K. Ruch, R. Lymbery, M. Cooper, A. (2008) ‘Social Work an Introduction to Contemporary Practice’ Harlow: Pearson