The Development of Personal Social Services in France (1896-1946)

Birks, Colin Haywood (1987) The Development of Personal Social Services in France (1896-1946). MLitt(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the social, economic and political factors which contributed both to the rise of social work in France and to the forms and categories of social work practice which emerged during the period 1896 to 1946. During the period in question French social work developed from its first organised beginnings, as a religiously inspired movement for social reform and social harmony, into a significant instrument of national social policy. By 1946 training courses for social workers had long been established and were conducted within a strict statutory framework, the value of social work was well recognised by entrepreneurs, and the r61e social workers could play in promoting the health and well-being of children in a nation characterised by slow population growth was understood by governments. It was in 1946 that holders of the State diploma in social work were first given, unequivocally and by statute, the exclusive right to practise as social workers and that the existing professional association of social workers, L'Association Nationale des Assistantes de Service Social, was established. One of the major themes of the thesis is the health care orientation of social work in the context of the pursuit of national power and security through populationist policies. Also discussed is the role of social work in promoting industrial harmony and thereby aiding in economic development against a backcloth of paternalistic industrial relations. Particular attention is paid to the impact on social work of the major upheavals caused by the two world wars and the experience of governments of radically different ideological persuasions: the Popular Front and the Vichy regime. The strong and persistent moral content of early social work is a recurrent theme throughout.

• Item Type: Thesis (MLitt(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Social work
• Date of Award: 1987
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1987-77690
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2020 11:53
• Last Modified: 14 Jan 2020 11:53
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/77690