© British Association of Social Workers
Social Science in Social Work Practice: The Case for an Action Research Approach
Ray Lees was a Research Fellow in the Department of Social Administration and Social Work, University of York, and is now Head of Applied Social Studies, Polytechnic of Central London. He is a qualified social worker with experience in probation and with the mentally subnormal, formerly a lecturer in politics and social policy, and author of Politics and Social Work (Routledge)
Sue Lees attended the Applied Social Studies course at the L.S.E. and worked in probation and child care. Since taking a degree in psychology in the evenings at Birkbeck she has taught Human Growth and Development and Groupwork at the Middlesex Polytechnic and York University where she is now a Lecturer in Social Work
Summary
This paper explores the relevance of social science to social work practice. It is generally accepted that social science provides a substantive knowledge base for social workers. This article stresses the potential contribution of social science as a method in social work practice. The limitations of the experimental model are discussed and an alternative—the action-research approach—is outlined. The aim of action research is neither to provide a once-off controlled evaluation nor merely a descriptive account of some aspect of social work practice. It is rather to set up an ongoing dynamic interaction between the social scientist, the fieldworker and the administrator. Together they participate in identifying problems, formulating programmes and evaluating their effectiveness. This kind of procedure involves a continual process of problem solving which combines the knowledge and research techniques of social science with efforts to provide effective services. Examples are drawn from related fields and their applicability to social work discussed