Introduction
Although it is unlikely that many social workers would openly acknowledge this, this is probably the dominant model of contemporary social work practice in the UK.
Social work is a public service. This means it is paid for out of taxation, and so needs to deliver good value for money in order to justify its existence. One way that social work can demonstrate that it is delivering value for money is by being clear about what it is trying to do and then publishing results about how well it does it. The need to deliver value for money can also be achieved by introducing competition. Traditionally, social work has been a ‘monopoly service’, that is in each area it has been provided by a single provider, the Local Authority. With the Managerial Model, different services can be put out to tender so different providers can offer to provide those services. This may include the Local Authority, but can also include private companies, charities, and even worker cooperatives. The contract for those services then goes to the provider who puts in the ‘best’ bid (generally the cheapest bid).
What Social Workers Do
The cynical view of what social workers do under the Managerial Model is “what they are told to.” The Managerial Model is largely about using pre-set assessment tools to deliver pre-set services and assessing those services using pre-set criteria. The space for individual professionalism or for creative delivery of services is more limited here compared to other models of social work.
However, on a more positive note, the Managerial Model means that social workers use open and transparent assessment tools to make sure that everyone who qualifies for a service receives it, and that the services people receive are fair and equitable. The exact nature of the assessment and the services will depend upon the contract, but this is open to negotiation through the democratic process – if the current councilors don’t arrange good services, vote in a new lot who will do better.
Even more than this, the managerial model can help make services more effective by ensuring that all social workers within a team use best practice. The opening paragraph suggested that the Managerial Model limited creativity. This may be positive in that ‘creative’ services can also be chaotic and even dangerous. Good managerial supervision can help ensure that social worker practice in safe and effective ways by using research-based and standardised models of intervention.
What Theories Do They Use
As the name implies, the Managerial Model uses Management Theories. This means that ideas like eligibility criteria, performance indicators, and targets are central to the model.
In a broader sense, the model is largely rooted in neo-liberalism. There is a belief that ‘the market‘ delivers better and cheaper services than the State, and that market forces, such as competition, are the most effective way to ensure good value for money.
Although not alone in this, the Managerial Model is also underpinned by Evidence-Based Practice, more so than other models of social work. This is because in setting targets and putting together contracts, there is a need for these to be based on sound evidence.
Key Theorists
Unlike the other models of social work practice, the key theorists for the Managerial Model are political. Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Reagan in the USA provided the major driving force for a shift in the post-war consensus in the role of the State in providing social services and regulating markets. Thatcherism and Reaganomics provided a key driver to deregulate markets generally and to reduce the size and scope of public services.
New Labour continued the policy of marketisation of public services, and this has continued under the Coalition and the Conservative Governments in 2010 and from 2015 onwards.
Maintenance Model
This model sees social work as primarily being about helping individuals, family, and communities to function effectively in society.
Therapeutic Model
This model sees social work as primarily being about promoting individual emotional well-being so as to overcome psycho-social problems.
Managerial Model
This model sees social work as primarily being about the effective and efficient delivery of social services to ensure people’s needs are met in a fair and cost effective manner.
Radical Model
This model sees social work as primarily being about transforming society as a to create a fairer, more just society.
Created by M. Allenby. Last updated by M. Allenby 12.1.21