Welfare Reform on the Web (August 2007): Social care - overseas

Quality of care: expanding the social work dialogue

D.M. McGivern and others

Social Work, vol.52, 2007, p. 115-124

For social workers to engage in efforts designed to improve the quality of social services, they need to understand what is meant by quality of care and know how to identify and leverage the factors most likely to influence it. This article introduces a conceptual model that articulates numerous influences on the quality of social services. It details the macrosystem, consumer, advocacy, organisational and practitioner influences on social services that positively affect consumer outcomes.

Social justice and people of faith: a transnational perspective

D.R. Hodge

Social Work, vol.52, 2007, p.139-148

Severe religious persecution is increasing around the world. Persecuted people of faith are disproportionately poor, women and members of marginalised minority groups. They have few advocates on the international stage. This article suggests strategies which US social workers might use to challenge social injustice on behalf of people of faith around the world. To this end, the author presents a human rights based social justice ethic based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.