American Social Security System
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Care of the Elderly; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty. 9061 words.
This entry examines why our nation’s Social Security system was built, what it does, and what must be done to maintain and improve this foundational system for current and future...
Capacity Development and Building
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online December 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; International and Global Issues in Social Work; Social Work Macro Practice; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty. 11486 words.
As a profession, social workers must understand and work well within the realms of capacity development. This understanding is important because it provides a foundation for working at the...
Foster Care
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Child and Adolescent Social Work; Couple and Family Social Work; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty. 9592 words.
Social work has long been involved in child foster care. Though its initial involvement de-emphasized the importance of infant–caregiver attachment, Bowlby’s theory of attachment is...
Fundraising for Human-Services Nonprofits
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Social Work Macro Practice; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty; Occupations, Professions, and Work. 3175 words.
Of the 1.6 million tax-exempt organizations registered with the IRS as of March 2012, about one-fourth are human service nonprofits, including some 254,100 charities with about $134.5...
Hunger, Nutrition, and Food Programs
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Social Work Macro Practice; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty; Social Justice and Human Rights. 4612 words.
Food insecurity and hunger are serious problems around the world, with an estimated 870 million people chronically undernourished. The vast majority of these people—an estimated 14.9%—live...
Privilege
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Social Work Macro Practice; Poverty; Race and Ethnicity; Occupations, Professions, and Work. 1600 words.
Privilege is the invisible advantage and resultant unearned benefits afforded to dominant groups of people because of a variety of sociodemographic traits. Privilege provides economic and...
Social Services
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Social Work Macro Practice; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty; Occupations, Professions, and Work. 3113 words.
Formal or institutional social services began in the United States in the late 19th century as a response to problems that were rapidly increasing as a result of modernization. These...
Social Welfare Expenditures
in Encyclopedia of Social Work
P ublished online June 2013 .
Article. Subjects: Public Management and Administration; Social Work Macro Practice; Social Policy and Advocacy; Poverty. 3310 words.
Understanding both public and private welfare expenditures is necessary to appreciate the full scope of a social welfare system. This entry examines spending in four major areas of social...