Samantha Arellano
Summary over Chapters 1-4
I first learned about social work after getting hurt at work a while back. I needed help
with my normal daily routine. I didn’t have anyone to help and a social worker helped me get the
services I needed. After reading the first four chapters, I realized I really didn’t know the extent
of social work. I thought social work was just working with and helping all kinds of people. The
idea I had was just working with kids and people that are addicted to drugs, but as I read over the
chapters I came to realize that there are many types of social work. I also learned a little part of
the process required to provide help to people.
To start off, Social Welfare programs came around in the 1930s. Many people tend to get
social work and social welfare mixed up but there is a difference between the two. Social welfare
is not perceptional. The main meaning of social welfare is a system that provides public services
and many programs. That is when the government helps aide people in today’s society. Social
welfare has many programs and benefits to help with economic, educational, and health issues.
This is the maintenance of society which is how people’s needs are being met and what people
get from society. For example, social welfare for the unemployed could be money to purchase
necessities and/or food assistance that is provided by the government. Social welfare is always
changing. It is affected by changes in lifestyles, society, economy, and health. Many people don’t
adapt to these changes well. For example, nowadays there are less stay at home moms due to
changes in family dynamics, roles, and economy.
Human service shares a relationship with social welfare. Human services include
personal services like some kind of case work, therapy, religion and etc. There is also protective
