The Social Welfare System

• Social Welfare addresses the well-being of people in society

• Social Welfare Services are created through public laws and policies, which are developed in response to large scale social needs

Two Approaches to Social Welfare• Institutional:

– In place to prevent problems– Proactive– Available to all, regardless of need– Examples: Social Security and Public

Education

Two Approaches to Social Welfare

• Residual:– Designed to address already identified

problems– Reactive– Only available to those in need– Examples: TANF and Food Stamps

History of American Social Welfare

Begins in England

England

• Early aid to needy was assumed by the Church– Aid to travelers– Numerous monastery/hospitals

• Alms given to church meant salvation– Means for church to raise funds to care for needy

• Begging became a very widespread activity– Beggars everywhere– Interfering with social activity– Beggars become somewhat insistent

• Big problems between church and state

Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601

• Codified all previous legislation related to the poor• Historically previous legislation was sporadic and

fragmented– Stop-gap measures without overall plan

Elizabethan Poor LawProvisions

• Family Responsibility– Government last—family first

• Categories of the poor– Able bodied poor– Impotent poor– Mothers and children– Severe penalties for giving alms to beggars

• Residency requirements– Local parish responsibility– Warn away—return to parish

Elizabethan Poor LawProvisions Cont’

• Overseers of the Poor– Established eligibility

• Workhouses, almshouses, etc– Indoor relief– No outdoor relief

Elizabethan Poor LawTransported to the

Colonies

Social Values Influence

Social Welfare Policy

Eight Periods Characterized by:

• Specific Values• Social Welfare Policies

Colonial Period

1690-1800• Social Policies: Elizabethan Poor

Law Rules –almshouses, workhouses, etc

• Values: Individualism, individual responsibility for condition

• Individual effort highly regarded• Abundant, limitless natural resources

Colonial Period

• Values: consistent with WASP traditions

• Morality • Work ethic• Carnal nature of humankind

Pre-Civil War1801-1860

• Social Policy: Residential Institutions• Values: placing people with similar problems

together• Ease of managing needy in institutions

Civil War/Postwar

Period1861-1874

• Social Policy: First Federal Intervention• Values: segregation, federal govt. as resources for those in need.• South in shambles—huge problems• Poor and freed slaves

Progressive Era1875-1925

• Social Policy: Birth of Social Work profession—social needs of immigrants/poor etc., focus of concern

• Values: – Importance of environment and structural factors.– Govt. help in correcting economic imbalances. – Worker rights. – Social Responsibility

Progressive Era1875-1925

• Considerable prosperity• industrial production/overproduction• Credit buying• Spending rather than saving• Needs for durable goods satisfied

Great Depression/New

Deal

1926-1940• Social Policy: Social Insurance

and Public Assistance• Values: social and economic

conditions contribute to economic distress

• Economy collapses

Great Depression/New Deal

1926-1940

• FDR: “only thing to fear is fear itself”• Federal govt. should help financially• Infuse money back into the economy• Put people back to work• Public works projects WPA, CCC, many

others

WWII and After1941-1959

• Social Policy: GI Bill • Values: Individual well-being• WWII may have helped end depression

– Industrial production revitalized– Women working in industry/war effort

WWII and After1941-1959

• Home/family life—particularly nuclear families

• Service personnel honored and supported

Social Reform Period1960-1975

• Social Policy: War on Poverty, civil rights, voting rights

• Values: social responsibility, question authority

• Strong effort to end poverty • Numerous social welfare

programs• Johnson administration

Retrenchment Period

1976-2000• Regan Administration• Social programs terminated• External aid only for “worthy” poor

Retrenchment Period

1976-2000• Social Policy: Cutbacks and local control• Values: Individual and Family responsibility• More decision making given to states• Reduced Federal programs and controls

Social Welfare in the New

Millennium 2000-present

• Social Policy: Terrorism, War, Financial Struggles

• Values????

Predominant American Values

• Individualism• Competition• Progress• Materialism• Capitalism/Free market

Three Types of Packaging/ Delivering Assistance• Cash assistance

• In-kind benefits

• Entitlements

Public Assistance Programs

• Designed to alleviate poverty• “means-tested” must be poor to qualify• Usually carries stigma• Examples: TANF, Medicaid, food stamps,

public housing

Values and Social Welfare

• Change the Person or the System?• Worthy or Unworthy?• Religious Values or Separation of Church

and State?• Impartial Professional or Advocate?• Helping people we know or helping

strangers?• Crisis or ongoing need?