Social Work and Social Welfare in Europe

This article sets social work in Europe in its historical, political, and social context and presents insights into the development of the education, training, practice, and organization of the profession in twenty European countries. The practice of social work has evolved differently in each country but shares common characteristics; in some countries there has been a parallel development of social pedagogy, with close links to social work theory and practice. The development of social work in the Soviet Union effectively ended after the revolution, and the same applied across the Soviet bloc after 1945. Following the political changes in the 1990s, social work was reestablished across central and eastern Europe; developments in those countries are reflected in some of the national publications. The delivery of social work across the Continent has been affected by the implementation of New Public Management approaches and the impact of the service user movement (sometimes called “consumerism”) and more recently by economic austerity policies following the 2008 financial crash. The main political and social structures of Europe—the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU)—have a significant influence on the development of national social policies through EU Directives (laws), the human rights principles of the Council of Europe, and convergent visions. The key instruments that impact social work policy and practice are identified. Literature from the twenty countries was recommended by the social work associations/unions in those countries and is largely in local languages; this is possibly the first attempt to recognize the diversity of social work literature across Europe and to challenge the over-reliance on literature and ideas expressed in English.