Answering the Critics: The Inherent Value of Social Work

Birthed in the squalor and hardship of the late 19th century ethnic slums of Chicago and New York, social work has struggled since its inception. This struggle has been on two fronts: first, social work has struggled to make a difference in the lives of the destitute; and secondly, social work has struggled to develop a self-confident professional identity. Nearly a century since Abraham Flexner’s denial (1915) of professional status to social work, these struggles have yet to be clearly resolved.