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British Journal of Social Work (2002) 32, 877-891
© 2002 British Association of Social Workers

A Critical Perspective on Quality within the Personal Social Services: Prospects and Concerns

David Watson

David Watson is a lecturer in social work at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Correspondence to David Watson, Glasgow Caledonian University, Room W109a, Hamish Wood Building, City Campus, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 OBA, UK. Email: d.watson{at}gcal.ac.uk

Summary

This paper considers the development of ‘quality’ within the personal social services over the last decade. In particular, it locates ‘quality’ within a managerial discourse, which de-politicizes and minimizes the critical aspects of the concept in order to increase organizational scrutiny and control through the use and development of performance measurement. It is in this critical context that the prospects and concerns for recent policy initiatives such as the Labour Government's ‘Modernising Social Services’ are considered. It is the contention of the paper that the critical and empowering aspects of recent policy developments and quality approaches will be minimized, as they are subsumed into activities which are presented as technical and value-free. Further, that unless this process is critically questioned and challenged by managers and other stakeholders ‘quality’ and its development will lead to greater proceduralization, increasing bureaucracy and ultimately commodification of the work processes.


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