Helping the Aged: A Field Experiment in Social Work

In 1970, a field experiment was conducted in the UK to assess the effectiveness of social work. The experiment involved 300 aged applicants to a local authority welfare department, half of whom received help from trained caseworkers. The results showed that the trained workers had a more significant impact on their clients' activities, feelings, and attitudes. The study contributed to research methodology, helped to clarify operational goals in social work, and measured social work effort.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 214 pages
Publication date: 05 November 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

In the vibrant decade of 1970, the demand for social workers soared, accompanied by a growing interest in their methods, objectives, and the impact of their efforts on both sides of the Atlantic. Prior studies conducted in the United States aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of social casework had sparked intense debates among researchers and practitioners.

This groundbreaking book, originally published in 1970, represents the pioneering British attempt to assess the efficacy of social work. Led by a social worker, a team comprising a physician and a statistician meticulously examined the social and medical conditions of 300 aged applicants seeking assistance from a local authority welfare department. Their goal was to determine the specific needs of these individuals for help.

To achieve this, half of the applicants were randomly selected to receive assistance from trained caseworkers, while the remaining half remained under the care of experienced local authority welfare officers without professional training. After a designated period, the social and medical conditions of the surviving clients were reassessed.

Both sets of social workers had made significant strides in addressing practical needs, demonstrating their commitment to alleviating the suffering of those in need. However, it was the trained workers who achieved a more profound transformation in their clients' activities, feelings, and attitudes.

The opinions of the elderly participants about the services they received and the social workers who had delivered them added a unique dimension to this groundbreaking study. It not only contributed to research methodology but also helped to clarify operational goals in social work, laid the foundation for measuring social work effort, and expanded our limited knowledge of social work with older individuals at that time.

This seminal work remains a valuable contribution to the field, serving as a testament to the tireless efforts of social workers and their commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those they serve.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032054452