Functions and Scope of Social Welfare Administration

Functions and Scope of Social Welfare Administration
Social welfare Administration, like any other administration (Government / business) requires
clear objectives and policies and an efficient organizational structure with precise staff
organization, sound methods of selection, recruitment and promotion of personnel, decent
working conditions, and fiscal accounting and control to guarantee for responsible management.
Nevertheless, there are important differences between social service administration and other
types of government administration.
Social Welfare administration requires.
Ø Faith in the Philosophy and methods of Social Welfare
Ø Knowledge about social legislation
Ø Familiarity with social work practice.
Functions of Social welfare Administrators/Agencies.
Rosemary Sarri, Warham, and Kidneigh identified various functions to be performed by the
executives of Social Welfare agencies.
According to Warham, Social Welfare administrators are supposed to perform the following
functions
1. Formulating the Agency’s objectives
2. The Provision of a Formal structure
3. The promotion of co-operative Efforts
4. Finding and Deploying Resources

5. Supervision and Evaluation

John Kidneigh classified the functions of Social Welfare administration under two headings, i.e.

Enterprise Determination and Enterprise Execution.

Enterprise Determination Enterprise Execution

Fact finding Setting up organizational

Analysis of social conditions and services to

meet human needs.

Staffing the Agency

Decisions on the best ways of reaching the

objective

Supervising and controlling personnel and

finances

Planning and allocating resources Recording and Accounting

Supplying financial resources.

Rose Mary Sarri listed out the following functions.

Institutional level (Higher level)

Ø Deciding about the problem to be addressed

Ø Establishment of the organizational domain

Ø Determination of organizational boundaries

Ø Management of organization-environment relations

Ø Reporting and interpretation to the community

Ø Development of a particular public image

Managerial level (Middle level)

Ø Mediation between clients and professionals

Ø Procurement and allocation of resources

Ø Direction and co-ordination of the staff.

Ø Overall recruitment, selection, training & supervision

Technical level (Lower level)

Ø Performing technical activities like counseling referral, teaching, provision of material

resources

Ø Selecting/experimenting viable technologies to attain organizational goals

Ø Continuous staff development.

Technical level (Lower level)

* Performing technical activities like counselling

referral,teaching, provision of material resources

* Selecting/experimenting viable technologies to

attain organisational goals

*Continuous staff development.

Managerial level (Middle level)

* Mediation between clients and professionals

* Procurement and allocation of resources

* Direction and co-ordination of the staff.

* Overall recruitment, selection, training & supervision

Institutional level (Higher level)

*Deciding about the problem to be addressed

* Establishment of the organisational domain

* Determination of organisational boundaries

* Management of organisation-environment relations

* Reporting and interpretation to the community

* Development of a particular public image

Rosemary Sarri/Dunham listed out the following activities of Social Welfare Administration.

1. Translation of Social mandates into operational policies and goals to guide organizational

behavior.

2. Design of organizational structures and processes through which the goals can be achieved.

3. Securing of resources in the form of materials staff, clients and social legitimation necessary

for goal attainment and organizational survival.

4. Selection and engineering of the necessary technology

5. Optimizing organizational behavior directed toward increased effectiveness and efficiency

6. Evaluation of organizational performance to facilitate systematic and continuous problem

solving.

Personality Requirements of a Social Welfare Executive

Personality means the distinguishing traits and characteristics behavior of a person; the sum total

of a person’s somatic, mental, emotional and social traits; An executives personality is the

outcome of his knowledge/understanding, his attitude his skills and actions

Knowledge

Attitude

Skills All these four constitute personality

Action

Attitudes:

Attitudes are predispositions to act and are intertwined with the feelings of people, which are

essential to build satisfactory relationship with staff and community. Significant attitudes that

are necessary for an executive to be successful are given below (Skidmore)

Ø Genuine respect for each staff member as an unique individual

Ø Recognize that no person is perfect and accepts this premise regarding staff and self

Knowledge required for an executive:

Adequate knowledge of administration is essential for an executive to be effective. Following

are the brief descriptions of some of the salient areas of knowledge. (Trecker, Skidmore)

Ø Knowledge of self and meaning of being and executive feeling about authority and

responsibility

Ø Adequate knowledge of the agency’s goals polices services and resources.

Ø Basic knowledge of the dynamics of human behavior

1. Understanding of the individuals who make up the agency, their needs, abilities and

motivations

2. Understanding of how the individual receives basic satisfaction from his work, how to

provide recognition for genuine accomplishment.

Ø Comprehensive knowledge of community resources especially those related to the agency.

Ø Knowledge of organizational theory/ Group dynamics

1. Understanding of groups, i.e. board, staff, constituency, how they define their function

and approach to their work.

2. Understanding of kinds of help the group need in doing its work; how group asks for

and accepts help

3. Understanding of how the group relates and work with other groups in the agency

and in the community

Ø Adequate understanding about the social work methods used in the agency.

Ø Acquaintance with the professional associations in social work/welfare.

Ø Adequate knowledge of evaluation process and techniques.

Ø Willingness to provide a physical setting and emotional climate that will help bring out the

best in each staff member

Ø Respect for values

Ø Being open and receptive to new ideas and facts

Ø Recognize that the welfare of the agency is of more importance than any worker, including

himself.

Skills required for an executive:

Skill means expertness or mastering over certain activities, which give a sense of

accomplishment, and lends color to the personality. An executive is expected to have the

following skills

Ø Skill in selection of the staff

Ø Skill in defining purposes and objectives of the agency

Ø Skill in helping the staff organize for effective work

Ø Skill in developing a work methodology

Ø Skill in helping individual members.

Action:

An executive’s knowledge, attitude and skills are automatically expressed in the form of

following activities.

Accepting, caring, creating, democratizing, trusting, approving, maintaining equilibrium,

planning, organizing, prioritizing, delegating, interacting with community and professional

persons, decision making, facilitating, communicating, building and motivating.