What Was The First Social Care Service?
The initial origins of social care came from three movements that began to intersect with each other through the work of the Charity Organisation Societies and other charitable organisations.
Throughout the length and breadth of human history, people have cared for and looked after other people; one of the main reasons humanity has survived for so long is by looking out for each other.
However, determining when the first established care worker agency was set up and started to look after people who needed help to take care of themselves and live an independent life has a relatively modern origin, by comparison, beginning in the 19th century.
What are the origins of social care services?
The initial origins of social care came from three movements that began to intersect with each other through the work of the Charity Organisation Societies and other charitable organisations.
The first step was the development of individual casework, where an individual’s problems were directly considered and put at the forefront of any care strategy and was part of the COS’ fundamental philosophical shift towards what they defined as “scientific philanthropy”.
The next change was the reform of the English Poor Laws and changes in poverty relief with regards to people who were unable to work with the particular needs of those unable to work factored in.
The final movement, primarily led by the settlement house movement is the concept of social action, where people come together to help improve each others’ lives, either through volunteer work, charity or campaigning to challenge ways in which society causes or exacerbates poverty.
The COS, particularly under the leadership of Octavia Hill, wanted to move away from broad and largely unhelpful policies that did not help the majority of people who were struggling and developed with the help of John Ruskin an early social housing system.
This came with it a close connection between her organisation and her tenants, particularly with how weekly rent collection visits also coincided with checking up on the wellbeing of tenants.
Eventually, this work would develop into additional movements, forming a web of social care services.