‘ ‘I didn’t come into social I didn’t come into social work for this!’ work for this!’ Managerialism, Managerialism,

Modernisation and Modernisation and Alternative FuturesAlternative Futures

Iain FergusonIain FergusonUniversity of StirlingUniversity of Stirling

andandSocial Work Action NetworkSocial Work Action Network

Miss Earth 2010 – a Miss Earth 2010 – a ‘modern’ beauty contest?‘modern’ beauty contest?

‘‘Modernising the traditional focus of the "beauty Modernising the traditional focus of the "beauty pageant" and bringing beauty contests firmly into pageant" and bringing beauty contests firmly into the 21st century, the main focus of the event is to the 21st century, the main focus of the event is to empower the entrants to focus on and promote empower the entrants to focus on and promote environmental awareness. During their environmental awareness. During their participation, the girls plant trees, raise funds for participation, the girls plant trees, raise funds for their own chosen charities, attend environmental their own chosen charities, attend environmental activities, act as spokeswomen for environmental activities, act as spokeswomen for environmental thoughts and educate people on green issues, in thoughts and educate people on green issues, in particular the three Rs (reduce, reuse and particular the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle)’. (Press Release, Miss Earth 2010)recycle)’. (Press Release, Miss Earth 2010)

Cutting Public ServicesCutting Public Services

‘‘There is a sense of liberation There is a sense of liberation that we are going to empower that we are going to empower public sector professionals to public sector professionals to undertake the reform’, Philip undertake the reform’, Philip Hammond, Shadow Chief Hammond, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary to the Treasury, ((The GuardianThe Guardian , 25 , 25thth July) July)

Inequality in the UKInequality in the UK

• ‘‘Britain has been slowly moving back in time – to Britain has been slowly moving back in time – to levels of income inequality that prevailed more than levels of income inequality that prevailed more than half a century ago and to levels of wealth inequality half a century ago and to levels of wealth inequality of more than thirty years ago’ (Lansley, 2006: 29)of more than thirty years ago’ (Lansley, 2006: 29)

• Inequality matters: Inequality matters: ‘almost all social problems which ‘almost all social problems which are more common at the bottom of the social ladder are more common at the bottom of the social ladder are more common in more unequal societies’ are more common in more unequal societies’ ((The The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do better, Always Do better, Wilson and Pickett, 2009) Wilson and Pickett, 2009)

• Inequality and ‘social pain’: increased Inequality and ‘social pain’: increased levels of levels of homicide, mental illness, teenage pregnancies and homicide, mental illness, teenage pregnancies and obesityobesity

Neo-liberal globalisation and Neo-liberal globalisation and social worksocial work

• Globalisation, Global Justice and Social WorkGlobalisation, Global Justice and Social Work (Ferguson, Whitmore and Lavalette, 2004): (Ferguson, Whitmore and Lavalette, 2004): Argentina, Mexico, India, Senegal, France, Argentina, Mexico, India, Senegal, France, Britain, Australia, Canada, USABritain, Australia, Canada, USA

• ‘‘Contingent on context’ but no country Contingent on context’ but no country unaffected: from impact of Structural unaffected: from impact of Structural Adjustment Programmes to ‘the mixed Adjustment Programmes to ‘the mixed economy of care’economy of care’

• Neo-liberal social work: the experience of the Neo-liberal social work: the experience of the UKUK

DefiningDefining managerialismmanagerialism

‘‘The idea that managers The idea that managers should be in control of public should be in control of public organisations and that they organisations and that they should run these organisations should run these organisations in line with business principles in line with business principles and concerns (Evans, 2009).and concerns (Evans, 2009).

Social work with people? The Social work with people? The Vanishing RelationshipVanishing Relationship• Reduction of social work to care management, Reduction of social work to care management,

coupled with the contracting out of direct work coupled with the contracting out of direct work to private or Third Sector organisations; to private or Third Sector organisations;

• Reliance on IT, with one recent study finding Reliance on IT, with one recent study finding that children and families social workers in the that children and families social workers in the UK now spend between 60 and 80 per cent of UK now spend between 60 and 80 per cent of their time sitting in front of computers; their time sitting in front of computers;

• Severe lack of resources, meaning that workers Severe lack of resources, meaning that workers continue to carry very high caseloads and that continue to carry very high caseloads and that a service is only offered to those who meet a service is only offered to those who meet extremely high eligibility criteria.extremely high eligibility criteria.

Doing neoliberal social work Doing neoliberal social work (1)(1)

"Being a care manager is very different "Being a care manager is very different from being a social worker as I had from being a social worker as I had always thought of it. Care always thought of it. Care management is all about budgets and management is all about budgets and paperwork and the financial paperwork and the financial implications for the authority, whereas implications for the authority, whereas social work is about people. That’s the social work is about people. That’s the crucial difference.“ (Jones, 2004)crucial difference.“ (Jones, 2004)

Doing neoliberal social work Doing neoliberal social work (2)(2)‘‘The focus of social work has become The focus of social work has become

entirely procedural and the meaning of entirely procedural and the meaning of the work has been lost. The needs of the work has been lost. The needs of children have become secondary to the children have become secondary to the needs of agencies protecting them. The needs of agencies protecting them. The contents of assessment appear contents of assessment appear insignificant as agencies are far more insignificant as agencies are far more concerned about whether they are concerned about whether they are completed on time’ (Cited in UNISON, completed on time’ (Cited in UNISON, 2009)2009)

Protecting vulnerable adults Protecting vulnerable adults and children?and children?

• The case of Baby ‘P’The case of Baby ‘P’• Prioritisation of management skills over Prioritisation of management skills over

therapeutic skills therapeutic skills • Reduction of complex issues of Reduction of complex issues of

relationship, personal biography and relationship, personal biography and structural poverty to tick- box structural poverty to tick- box computerised assessments computerised assessments

• Elevation of centralised targets over Elevation of centralised targets over addressing urgent human need addressing urgent human need

• ‘‘What works?’ doesn’t workWhat works?’ doesn’t work

Reclaiming Social Work Reclaiming Social Work

• 1960s/1970s: crisis of social work - led to emergence 1960s/1970s: crisis of social work - led to emergence of ecological approaches and radical approachesof ecological approaches and radical approaches

• ‘‘Another social work is possible’ Another social work is possible’ • Based on:Based on:• Centrality of relationshipCentrality of relationship Rediscovery of collective approaches and emphasis Rediscovery of collective approaches and emphasis

on social justice on social justice Learning from experience of service user movementsLearning from experience of service user movements Emphasising society’s responsibilities as well as Emphasising society’s responsibilities as well as

individual responsibilitiesindividual responsibilities Collective discussions of practitioners, service users, Collective discussions of practitioners, service users,

academics and social movement activistsacademics and social movement activists

The Social Work Action The Social Work Action NetworkNetwork

• ‘‘I didn’t come into social work for this’ – I didn’t come into social work for this’ – Glasgow, 2004.Glasgow, 2004.

• The Social Work Manifesto (The Social Work Manifesto (www.socialworkfuture.org))

• UK-wide conferences: Liverpool (2006), UK-wide conferences: Liverpool (2006), Glasgow Caledonian (2007), Liverpool Hope Glasgow Caledonian (2007), Liverpool Hope (2008), Bath (2009).(2008), Bath (2009).

• Challenging the scapegoating of social Challenging the scapegoating of social workers: the Baby P Case.workers: the Baby P Case.

• Developing the national (and international Developing the national (and international network).network).

Defending Asylum Seekers Defending Asylum Seekers in Glasgowin Glasgow