Welfare Reform on the Web (September 2008): Social care - overseas

Law, social work and professionalism: Israeli social workers' attitudes towards the 1996 Social Workers Act

I. Doron, Y. Rosner and M. Karpel

Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, vol.30, 2008, p. 3-16

Since 1996 and the passage of the Social Workers Act, social work in Israel has become a formally regulated profession and anyone working within it is required to meet a range of criteria. However, the impact of the Act over the past decade has received little academic attention. This quantitative study of the attitudes of 337 social workers towards the Act shows significant support for the legislation within the profession, but also raises questions regarding its impact on the rights of those receiving care.

Poverty and social development

I. Dodds (guest editor)

International Social Work, vol. 51, 2008, p. 435-588

This special issue first reviews the history of social work's focus on poverty alleviation or reduction. It then considers global initiatives to address poverty through social development, examines the impact of globalisation, and looks at some specific poverty alleviation projects and their effects.