ABSTRACT
This chapter utilizes a constructionist approach to the qualitative data to examine in detail social work students' attitudes to the relationship between poverty and social work, and to the role of welfare benefits in social work. Some students remembered previous social work practice experiences to explain their definition of the relationship between poverty and social work. Fran's experience of living on a low income was unusual and positive in helping her to understand social service users' perspective. The Hallam University groups were concerned that the relationship between poverty and social work was one where the defining element in relation to social service users was one of social control. Students agreed that attitudes of placement supervisors and social workers were extremely variable, but made a crucial difference as to how issues of social work and poverty were handled in practice.
