Eleven Resisting the EasyCare model: building a more radical, community-based, anti-authoritarian social work for the future
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Mark Baldwin
Abstract
In Britain, ruling politicians have constructed a system that is rhetorically defined as choice and control, but which, in reality, is far from that. Resistance to this system is essential for radical social work because the EasyCare model constructs a system that is outside of the values, traditions, and ethos of professional social work. This chapter discusses the positive alternatives to the defensive practice required of (in particular) local-authority-based social workers. It approaches radical resistance and positive radical practice based on Radical social work. The chapter examines the main themes from the book and brings them into the contemporary context, including individualism, social workers making alliances with new movements, radical social work as a critique of the history of the welfare state, the persistence of poverty, cultural diversity, social-work education, community work, and educating the public about the social-work role. It advocates examples of radical practice for today, including ideas for action that are feasible in most organisations where social workers are employed and in which students carry out their practice learning.
Abstract
In Britain, ruling politicians have constructed a system that is rhetorically defined as choice and control, but which, in reality, is far from that. Resistance to this system is essential for radical social work because the EasyCare model constructs a system that is outside of the values, traditions, and ethos of professional social work. This chapter discusses the positive alternatives to the defensive practice required of (in particular) local-authority-based social workers. It approaches radical resistance and positive radical practice based on Radical social work. The chapter examines the main themes from the book and brings them into the contemporary context, including individualism, social workers making alliances with new movements, radical social work as a critique of the history of the welfare state, the persistence of poverty, cultural diversity, social-work education, community work, and educating the public about the social-work role. It advocates examples of radical practice for today, including ideas for action that are feasible in most organisations where social workers are employed and in which students carry out their practice learning.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors iv
- Acknowledgements vii
- Foreword ix
- Introduction 1
- Case Con and radical social work in the 1970s: the impatient revolutionaries 11
- The best and worst of times: reflections on the impact of radicalism on British social work education in the 1970s 27
- Social work and women’s oppression today 45
- The jester’s joke 59
- LGBT oppression, sexualities and radical social work today 79
- Radical social work and service users: a crucial connection 95
- Why class (still) matters 115
- International social work or social work internationalism? Radical social work in global perspective 135
- Rediscovering radicalism and humanity in social work 153
- Re-gilding the ghetto: community work and community development in 21st-century Britain 165
- Resisting the EasyCare model: building a more radical, community-based, anti-authoritarian social work for the future 187
- Bibliography 205
- Index 231
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors iv
- Acknowledgements vii
- Foreword ix
- Introduction 1
- Case Con and radical social work in the 1970s: the impatient revolutionaries 11
- The best and worst of times: reflections on the impact of radicalism on British social work education in the 1970s 27
- Social work and women’s oppression today 45
- The jester’s joke 59
- LGBT oppression, sexualities and radical social work today 79
- Radical social work and service users: a crucial connection 95
- Why class (still) matters 115
- International social work or social work internationalism? Radical social work in global perspective 135
- Rediscovering radicalism and humanity in social work 153
- Re-gilding the ghetto: community work and community development in 21st-century Britain 165
- Resisting the EasyCare model: building a more radical, community-based, anti-authoritarian social work for the future 187
- Bibliography 205
- Index 231
