Top 10 Definitions of Social Work: A Comprehensive Guide

Explore 10 powerful definitions of social work and discover the core principles behind this transformative profession.

Social work, a field dedicated to improving lives and communities, can be defined in many compelling ways. Understanding the core of social work empowers individuals seeking support or those considering this impactful career. Let's explore these top definitions.

Top 10 Definitions of Social Work

1. International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW): "Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility, and respect for diversities are central to social work."

2. National Association of Social Workers (NASW): "Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal."

3. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE): "Social work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. It aims to help people develop their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve problems."

4. Barker's Social Work Dictionary: "An applied science of helping people achieve an effective level of psychosocial functioning and societal changes that may be required to achieve this purpose."

5. Oxford Dictionary: "The work of providing social services for the community, especially to help the disadvantaged."

6. The British Association of Social Workers (BASW): "The social work profession promotes social change, problem-solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work."

7. Turnbull, (1971): "An activity designed to give assistance in the attainment of personal and social adjustments."

8. Friedlander, (1961): "A professional service based on knowledge and skill in human relationships which assists individuals, alone or in groups, to obtain social and personal satisfactions and independence."

9. Zastrow, (2000): "An applied science concerned with analyzing and improving social functioning of individuals, families, groups, and organizations in the community with the focus on enhancing social justice."

10. Dubois & Miley, (2005): "An art, a science, and a profession that helps people solve personal, group, and community problems, and attain satisfying personal, group, and community relationships by applying methods based on knowledge and values."