Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice. Prospera Tedam
SHARP framework is a useful tool for engaging in anti-oppressive social work as it helps to identify and support service users to counter what may be dominant stereotypical views about them. For minority groups, the SHARP framework employs a social justice perspective, enabling social workers to practise in a careful and systematic, values-informed way towards progress and sustainable change.
Case Study
Mel Johannson is a 44-year-old female on her own with two children after the death of her husband two years ago. She is registered disabled and was made redundant by her employer. She was paid a bulk sum of money which has run out, used mostly on the rent for her house. Her landlord has advised that he does not accept tenants receiving welfare benefits as Mel struggled to pay her rent for the previous month. Mel requests a meeting with her social worker to discuss her options. Social worker Peter insists that Mel remain in her current house as it would be difficult to attempt to find alternative housing. He undertakes a budgeting exercise with Mel and finds that Mel will have less than £200 to live on after all her outgoings. Mel’s current property is adapted to meet her mobility needs, and importantly has a garden where her children, aged 11 and 13, often play. Peter is concerned that it will be difficult find a similar property which will meet the family’s needs. One week later, Mel’s landlord advises her of a planned increase in rent. This is the last straw and Mel becomes anxious and distressed.
Consider how you might use the SHARP framework discussed above to assist Mel.
What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of this framework?
Commentary
In this case study, you are reminded about how Mel’s intersection of identities creates a unique experience for her and her children. Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that there is a growing group of people in the UK who experience poverty due to high housing rental costs. Mel’s current unemployment leaves her in a situation where she is in receipt of benefits, much to the dissatisfaction of her landlord, who notifies Mel of a rent increase. You will need to carefully consider the link between housing, disability, single parenthood, unemployment and poverty.
Greater understanding is required of how poverty and employment traps vary by area and rent levels. The significance of the links between housing, poverty and material deprivation deserves greater recognition in policy.
Chapter summary
In this chapter, we have explored the main ideas around the term ‘oppression’ and have focused on the ways in which oppression manifests in the context of social work. We have argued in favour of the use of the SHARP framework (Shaia, 2019) and how ideas of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) can aid your understanding of the nature and impact of oppression and oppressive practice on service users. Through activities, reflective questions and a case study, you have been encouraged to reflect critically on the forms of oppression and what can be done to minimise and disrupt its presence in social work interactions.
Further reading
Shaia, WE (2019) SHARP: a framework for addressing the contexts of poverty and oppression during service provision in the United States. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 16(1): 16–26.
This article provides an excellent introduction to, and discussion of the SHARP framework, examining the context of poverty and oppression from a North American perspective. It has wide application to the UK context.
Wilson, A and Beresford, P (2000) Anti-oppressive practice: emancipation or appropriation? British Journal of Social Work, 30(5).
This article highlights the importance of involving service users equally in developing anti-oppressive practice and how the failure to involve services users in this work has detrimental effects on the whole concept.
2 Valuing diversity
Achieving a Social Work Degree
This chapter will help you develop the following capabilities from the Professional Capabilities Framework (2018):
1 Professionalism
2 Values and ethics
3 Diversity and equality
4 Knowledge
See Appendix 1 for the Professional Capabilities Framework Fan and a description of the 9 domains.
It will also introduce you to the following standards as set out in the Social Work Subject Benchmark Statement (2019):
5.3 Values and ethics
5.16 Skills in working with others
See Appendix 2 for a detailed description of these standards.
Introduction
On a daily basis, social workers encounter varying problems, personalities and people, and should work with this variety effectively without prejudice, oppression or discrimination. This chapter aims to extend our understanding and appreciation of diversity in social work and share strategies to enhance our approach to diversity in a way that is empowering and sustainable. There will be a discussion about what diversity is, how it enriches the experience for social workers and service users, as well as how a lack of diversity is oppressive and discriminatory. Using case studies and reflective activities, you will be drawn to the concepts of ‘othering’ and ‘difference’. The idea of cultural competence will be introduced in this chapter with the view to advancing our understanding of how social workers demonstrate and evidence that they value and celebrate diversity. We will outline the ways in which three concepts – exclusion, denial and suppression – work against the core idea of diversity. Suggestions about how social workers might expose, reject, avoid and disrupt such practice will be offered using the SHARE model (Maclean et al., 2018).
What is diversity?
In simple terms, diversity involves the range of human differences. Valuing diversity considers how we can accept and celebrate our differences because, as human beings, each of us has a story, made up of diverse experiences. Our backgrounds, experiences and life lessons make us unique, supporting the well-known phrase that no two people are ever the same. Diversity is a broad concept, often encompassing terms such as inclusion, multiculturalism and difference, to mention a few. Eradicating unlawful discrimination experienced by minority groups and individuals through legislation is a reminder that valuing diversity cannot be left to the good will and preferences of people. Social workers are uniquely placed to understand the need to challenge and disrupt structures, values and views that alienate, oppress, marginalise and exclude people for reasons of their diversity. For example, Black, Asian and minority ethnic people, women, people with mental health problems, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) people, the elderly and people with disabilities often bear the brunt of social and structural inequalities. There is also diversity in the specialist areas of social work which practitioners work in. This type of diversity will be highlighted further in Chapter 14 where multi-agency working is discussed.
Why is diversity important?
Everywhere on this earth we find a condition of separateness among groups. People mate with their own kind. They eat, play, reside in homogenous clusters. They visit with their own kind and prefer to worship together. Much of this automatic cohesion is due to no more than convenience. There is no need to turn to out-groups for companionship. With plenty of people at hand to choose from, why create for ourselves the trouble of adjusting to new languages, new