ABSTRACT
Harriet Bartlett (1958) suggested that it is the particular “configuration of value, purpose, sanction, knowledge, and method” (p. 5) that makes social work practice and distinguishes it from the practice of other professions. We were asked to consider whether her definition “works" in view of current realities. Current realities include the nature of social work practice today, what is written about it in professional literature and other sources such as newspapers, and external circumstances including changing demographic, employment, and funding patterns and changing standards of practice in other professions (e.g., evidence-based practice). Realities include the following:
Does Bartlett’s (1958) definition work in view of these realities and, if so, for whom and in what ways-for clients (e.g. to maximize the likelihood of receiving effective, efficient, and ethical services), for social workers (to honor obligations described in our code of ethics), for the public in under standing what social work is all about, for taxpayers (getting value for money), or for the profession (e.g., to maintain and expand turf or to clearly describe goals and values)? Interested parties that may lose or benefit from certain definitions include other professional groups from which we hope to distinguish ourselves, legislators and philanthropic groups from which we hope to gain funds, potential students whom we hope to recruit, and clients whom we hope to entice and help. Different definitions may yield different costs and benefits (e.g., better and more students, more funds, and more sta tus). One reason for defining social work practice is to demark social work from other professions and groups that compete for the same clients (e.g., see Abbott, 1988; Friedson, 1986), allowing it to maintain and expand its turf. The more distinctive (e.g., low cost) and valuable a profession sounds, the more it may guard and expand its turf. The more lofty and praiseworthy a def inition sounds, the more others (particularly those with money such as legis lators) may be impressed and promote and contribute to the maintenance and expansion of the profession. This is one source of the aspirational nature of social work definitions. The vaguer is the definition and the less transparent is what is done and to what effect, the more flexible are the boundaries of tasks social workers may assume and the easier it is to assert success because no one knows what has been sought or achieved. Given that social work has ex panded during the past decade in numbers of social workers employed, pro grams funded, and professional schools offering degrees, this function has been served. This is true although there is no evidence that services do more good than harm or that educational programs prepare social workers who of fer services most likely to achieve outcomes clients value at minimal cost and harm.
