Unfaithful Angels, Book Review Example

Introduction

This review is  based upon a reflection of the paper ‘Unfaithful Angels:  How Social Work Abandoned Its Mission’(Courtney, M.E. 1993).  The University researchers decry the demise of the social work private practices and express the need for  a return to that of community based work.  The book contends that a significant portiuon of the social work profession has become “adrift in the psychotherapeutic seas” (Middle Tennessee State University, 2012).  There seems to be a role confusion between that of the psychotherapists and the community social workers and this is degenerating the enabling function of the community social worker.

Analysis

 Important Concepts

The book contains a number of useful concepts but two of the most important points that I have gained from reading the book are  (i) An improved understanding of the function and role of  psychotherapy and its relation to social work [ Chapt 2 refers]  (ii) The emergence of social work as a profession and how it has embraced other disciplines like that of psychology and psychotherapy. [ Chapt 3 refers ] (Courtney, 1993)

Psychotherapy

This discipline has stronger links to psychology.  In theory this is normally administered by trained psychologists but the field has become blurred with social workers delving into this area. It has been estimated that some 3% of Americans receive psychotherapy each year.  It is argued that this has distracted social workers from the prime mission of social work which is community based help as opposed to private counselling sessions

The book asserts that some 40% of social workers have delved into psychotherapy.  However a counter argument is that the social work profession grown as a result of divergence into this area.  As such without taking on psychotherapy techniques it is highly likely that social workers would have dwindled. So the argument is that the mission is not abandoned but it has expanded both its role and capability.  It is this point which makes the authors erroneous in the final analysis of their conclusions.

Social work

This  is best defined as being an activity performed by dedicated individuals, groups or communities to assist those people in society who are vulnerable or in need of assistance. The work comprises professional people who are skilled and trained in the application of counselling, social psychology and basic nursing skills.  The work may be carried out with individuals, groups or communities of people. The work is involved with dealing with the interactions of people and those institutions of society that have a direct relationship with how people conduct their lives.

Social work may therefore be said to contain three specific purposes: (1) helping people to deal with decision making and solving personal problems; (2) enabling people to use resources and services to optimum levels of efficiency  (3) to link people with systems that provide them with resources, services, and opportunities. (Wright State University, 2010). Social workers often act as barometers to society and the determination of people’s relationships with one another. In Britain the Association of Social workers has campaigned against such items as the demonization of the younger generation, the image that society is portraying of people with mental illness and how asylum seekers are being portrayed as people who are devious and socially undesirable. Finally, how the elderly people have been branded as undesirable and a cost burden to society.

 Weaknesses in the books assertions

The picture put forward by the authors, on the psychotherapy profession, is considered to be both inaccurate and misleading.  The ideas portrayed concerning the role of the psychotherapist do not readily align with that of the social worker.  Social workers realise that problems expand beyond the realm of the individual to wider remits including that of healthcare, the environment and domestic upbringing etc. The authors have equally been caught bin a time trap as much of the statistics presented are now out of date and the social work profession has made considerable improvements since the time of publication.

The authors state  that much of the decline in social workers is attributed towards the move or shift in dynamics towards the adoption of psychotherapy practice – “if social work continues to drift in this direction there is good reason to expect that the profession will be entirely engulfed by psychotherapy within the next twenty years, leaving a huge gap in the provision of social services”(Courtney, 1993).  Whilst this may be a contributory factor it is not entirely true. There are many other factors creating the decline in social work as a profession.  For example: poor working and environmental conditions, over-regulation in the political environment,  under funding and under payment of social workers. The picture is more complex than merely a policy of changing practice initiatives.

In more recent years there have been signs that the intellectual perspective of modern social work has been fragmenting. It is the concept of unification of theory and practice that is being abandoned. Some have compared social work as that of a child of modernity that has been forsaken in a post-modern world.  As such there is an urgent need to re-appraise its role within the post-modern world and align strategic concepts to the requirements of social work to-day.  This represents a significant challenge in order to get a coherent modern system that meets the need of social work today.

Applying the books concepts in current practice

The contribution of the work provided by social workers to society has always been somewhat controversial.  These service providers have the difficulty of working with some of the most disadvantaged and psychologically disturbed members of society. Despite the hardships of this environment social workers find themselves at the crossroads of a debate that threatens their very status as professional workers.  It is the increasing level of managerial control and loss of self-autonomy that has created this sense of crisis. The very concept of survival is the ability to redefine itself and the important contribution that it makes within a modern society.  The need to improve the visibility of its mission, function and true sense of purpose.  (Lymbery, M.2011)

Increased legislation, closer supervision and more in depth policy reviews are but a few of the many challenges posed to the social worker today. It may be argued that this has diluted the quality of the service provision of first line care to the patient, thereby creating a more beurocratic regime that is more self-serving political aspirations than putting the patient first. Opposing views state that the increased levels of administration are vital because of a lapse in quality standards within the social care profession and evidenced by a number of recent litigation cases.

One of the challenges is the improvement of sustainable social care and to deal with the tension between that of the economic, environmental and social conditions.  It is this dilemma of putting monetary considerations and budgets before the quality of social care provided to people. Social waters therefore need to live with aspects of uncertainty and in times of change and transformation things often get worse before they start to improve.

Relating the books concept to underlying values

The authors put forward the view that social care should be provided on a universal basis with comprehensive care being provided in a consistent and quality care basis to all sectors of society. This is a good idealistic statement but may lack practical reality when trying to implement such a concept. Consider the current disarray in the general healthcare services provided to millions of Americans. There remain huge disparities between both ethnic,  demographic and wealth concerns between level and quality of services provided.  If anything the concept of the psychotherapy model would better fit the ‘universality concept’ as it would be easier to fund and distribute on a regionalised basis.

The authors state that the psychotherapeutic model is in conflict with community based social work applications but they offer no evidence to support this. In reality it is the combination of social work and psychotherapeutic skills that work in combination with one another in order to offer the best services. It  is the synergy between these approaches in the attempt to change environmental and behavioural conditions that makes this successful.

References

Courtney, H. S. (1993). Unfaithful Angels: How social work has abandoned its mission. New York: Free Press.

Lymbery, M. (2011). Social work at crossroads. British Journal of Social work, 369-384.

Middle Tennessee State University. (2012). Unfaithful Angels. Retrieved 9 20, 2012, from Middle Tennessee State University: http://frank.mtsu.edu/~cfrost/soc/thera/ANGELS.htm

Wright State University. (2010). The definition of Social Work. Retrieved 9 20, 2012, from Wright State University: http://www.wright.edu/cola/Dept/social_work/sw_definition.htm