Saul Lovell

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Saul Lovell's PhD research project

Poverty and children's social work in England: A case study

Poverty and Social Work: Exploring the Profession's Role in Addressing Structural Inequality

Poverty has been clearly established as a major contributing factor to the increased incidence of child abuse and neglect. Families living in poverty face higher levels of stress, reduced access to resources, and fewer support networks, all of which increase their vulnerability.

In the UK, local government social services departments are tasked with protecting children at risk and supporting families in crisis. However, demand for these services is at an all-time high, with overstretched resources struggling to meet the complex needs of children and families. This project examines the extent to which social work as a profession is addressing the structural issue of poverty, a critical factor underpinning many of the challenges faced by the families they serve.

Social Work: Balancing the Personal and the Political

Social work operates in the space between the personal and the political. Practitioners support individuals and families in their personal struggles while navigating broader systemic issues. Over the years, the identity of the profession has evolved in response to shifting social, economic, and political landscapes. However, if social work in the UK is to be practised with integrity and sustainability, it is essential to critically examine how the profession positions itself in relation to family poverty.

This question is particularly urgent given increasing economic inequality and severe cuts to local government budgets. Austerity measures have disproportionately affected vulnerable communities, placing additional strain on social services. In this challenging climate, social workers navigate a tension between meeting immediate needs and advocating for systemic change.

Research Aims and Focus

This project explores the extent to which children’s social workers in England are aware of the link between poverty and child abuse and neglect and investigates their perceptions of the profession’s role in addressing this issue. This exploration seeks to illuminate how social work professionals understand and respond to one of the most significant structural barriers faced by the families they support.

To contextualise current practice, the project will begin with a literature review that examines several key areas:

The History and Development of Social Work This section will trace the evolution of social work as a profession, highlighting how its focus has shifted over time and its historical approach to poverty and inequality.

The Political Context in the UK Social work is deeply influenced by the political and economic context within which it operates. This section will explore how government policies and funding priorities have shaped the profession.

Poverty and Inequality The review will delve into the broader issues of poverty and inequality, examining the political and social narratives that influence public perceptions and policy decisions.

Existing Policy and Guidance Finally, the review will analyse current policies and guidance relevant to social work practice, assessing how they address structural issues of poverty and inequality.

Methodology

To gain a deeper understanding of how social work professionals perceive and respond to poverty, the research will employ a qualitative approach, incorporating interviews and focus groups with a range of participants, including frontline social workers, managers, and educators. The data collected will be analysed using discourse analysis, a method that examines how language is used to construct meaning and power relationships. This approach will identify correlations or divergences between the broader social and political narratives around poverty and the narratives within social work.

Potential Impacts and Contributions

The findings aim to contribute to the field of social work by providing a clearer understanding of the profession's position in relation to poverty. Specifically, the research seeks to answer the following questions:

To what extent do social workers recognise the link between poverty and child abuse and neglect?

How do they perceive their role in addressing structural poverty?

What barriers or challenges do they face in integrating a focus on poverty into their practice?

The project could inform policy, practice, and education within the profession, sparking conversations about social work’s identity and its commitment to social justice. The research may advocate for greater integration of anti-poverty strategies into practice, revisiting training curricula, developing new frameworks, or fostering collaborations between social workers and stakeholders like policymakers and community organisations.

Conclusion

In an era of deepening economic inequality and escalating social challenges, how social work engages with structural poverty is more pressing than ever. By examining the profession's awareness, attitudes, and practices in relation to poverty, this project seeks to highlight both the opportunities and limitations of social work as a force for social justice. Ultimately, it aims to contribute to a more informed, reflective, and proactive profession better equipped to address the root causes of the issues it seeks to resolve.

Supervisors

Researcher biography

Saul has a BA Hons in Humanities from the University of Brighton and obtained a Masters in Social Work from London Metropolitan University in 2008. Since then, he has worked continuously in local authority child protection and looked after children’s services as a social worker and a manager. Currently he works as a service manager for looked after children in an East London local authority. Saul is passionate about social justice and these values underpin his practice and his motivation to begin a PhD research project. The choice of topic was informed heavily by a realisation borne from observations over a 16 year period, that social work as a profession appears to be increasingly concerned with addressing symptoms of social injustice, rather than root causes. Saul is proud to be a social worker and cares deeply about the experiences of service users, and indeed the future of the profession. Therefore, his hope is that by taking a step back, critically reflecting on the profession’s position in relation to structural oppression, and contributing to the conversations regarding ways forward, that it may be possible to chart a route to a more meaningful, effective form of social work which meets the needs of service users and simultaneously brings more job satisfaction to the workforce.