Social Diagnosis": A Landmark Publication in the History of Social Work

Publication of a book on social casework (1917)

The first book on social casework was published in 1917 by Mary Richmond. The book was titled Social Diagnosis and it outlined the principles of social casework and how it could be used to help people with social and emotional problems.

Richmond was a social worker who is considered to be the founder of social casework. She worked for the Charity Organisation Society (COS) in New York City and she was instrumental in developing the COS's approach to social casework.

Social Diagnosis was a landmark publication in the field of social work. It was the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of social casework and it helped to establish social casework as a legitimate profession.

The book was divided into two parts. The first part discussed the principles of social casework, such as the importance of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. The second part of the book provided case studies that illustrated how social casework could be used to help people with a variety of problems.

Social Diagnosis was a well-received book and it helped to popularize social casework. It is still considered to be an important text in the field of social work today.

Here are some other books that were published on social casework in the early 20th century:

• Social Treatment: Principles and Methods by Helen Harris Perlman (1957)
• Casework: A Problem-Solving Approach by James W. Whittaker and John W. Keith (1974)
• The Practice of Social Work by Robert V. Wilson and Steven R. Mayer (1986)
• Social Work Practice: A Critical Thinker’s Guide by Bruce A. Thyer (2002)

These books all provide different perspectives on social casework and they can be helpful for social workers who are interested in learning more about the field.