CHAPTER - I -

CHAPTER 1

SOCIAL WORK AS A PROFESSION

A full-fledged professional education is the backing force of practical

profession. One of the attributes of a profession is its educational standard and training. The existence and triumph of social work profession rest with the standard of social work education. In fact the history of social work profession and the growth of this profession depends to a greater extent on social work education. Kulkami (1993). The more standardized the training the more value addition to this profession. ~venth&h consistent efforts are made to preserve the professional status of this practical profession in India, certain inadequacies hamper its place of development.

Towards a Definition
Social work in modem times has come to mean as a profession of helping people by working together with them in the solution of their problems. Social work has existed as a profession only since the early years of this century. During those times, though beset by the usual growing pain and pressed by the emergency needs of extraordinary social conditions, it has made very satisfactory progress. Nanavathi

(1993). It has developed standards of professional education and had trained nucleus
of skilled workers, supervisors and teachers in the field. And it has produced a valuable and growing body of professional literature.

a s been derived from the Latin The English wol-d "Profession" h

which means,
"

"

Profiteer"

to declal-e publicity, to promise or to vow". The core of the concept

profession has always been the idea of dedication.Barker (1995) Profession is discipline of mind. It teaches us to think clearly, precisely and accurately. Every word has a definite meaning and proper place in its own context. A profession is defined as "A vocation in which a professed knowledge of some department of learning or science is used in its application to the affairs of others or in the practice of an art founded upon it". According to Abraham Flexner the tests of a profession are that of being constituted by intellectual operations carrying responsibility for decisions; of having
its basis in scientific learning' of self-organization; and of having asocial responsibility

and a system of ethics. It is important to remember that social work is a profession. "It is not a trade or business. The distinction between the two is deep and fundamental". 'In business your sole object is to make money. You owe no duly or obligation to anyone except to yourself. You determine the means to achieve your end and there are no standards to limit or resb-ict your action'. 'In a profession the making of money is merely incidental. You have traditions to which you have to be true. The means have to be scmpulsly clean. Like an artist there has to be a passionate desire to attain perfection. And service to society and your fellowmen has to be the dominant motive.under lying your work'. Although a profession involves practice - a doing of something with a high degree of skill - the chief difference between a professional and a non-professional

occupation is not rn the degree of skill required. The crucial distinction is that the skillsof the professional axe based upon a fund of knowledge that has been organixd into an internally consistent body of theory and that this theory plus values and ethics then directs the differential application of skill. Jain (1993) Thus the use of skill in a profession is not directed by a set of rules, but rather by the practitioner's range of theoretical knowledge and their judgement in selecting from among the available theories one that is appropriate to the problem to be solved. It is this possession of knowledge, together with the capacity to organize and apply it differentially to individual situation that marks the profession from other occupations. The acquiring of knowledge may be an end in itself in academic disciplines, but in a profession knowledge and theory is needed as a guide to action. The social work profession in 1ndia has evolved over the last 62 years. Training for professional social work in India started in 1936 when the Tam Institute. of social sciences was founded. The objective of social work training is to prepare competent and qualified social workers. The individuals, who in former days, carried out voluntarily, what welcome now call social work, had little incommon with today's professional social workers in terms of background, skills and tasks.Economic and Political Weekly (1993) Professional social work today relies significantly on a work force of paid workers, only with the lies of the social workcame to be used and to a growing extent it served to differentiate professional and paid from the voluntary and unpaid social worker. Social work began to assume a new professional identity largely as a result of rapid growth i n the number of social workers employed in the Statutory Sector.Kulkami (1998)

The job of a professional is Technical. A professional person adheres to a set of professional norms and the degree to which on occupation fits these criteria is the degree of its professionalisation.

Characteristics of a profession. 1)
A profession is learned. It involves acquisition of special skill based on

training and a high degree of individual responsibility. It involves use of intelletual operation and possesses techniques capableof transmission through aspecialsed educational discipline.Nanavathi (1998)
2)

It has a special body of knowledge and tends towards self-organization for promotion of standards and advancement of interests. It has a strong sense of obligation to use this knowledge for the benefit of the community. It is hence merely theoretical but practical in aims and goals.

3)

There is a feeling of kinship due to common training, experience and public recognition.

4)

There is sense of loyalty or honor expressing itself in a code of ethics in the field of mutual relationships between the client and the worker and public.

5)

Special competence is acquired through intellectual training, which develops skills and requires use of independent, responsible judgement.

6)

Professionals are conscious of common bonds and organize as professional association for the promotion high standards and common interests.

7)

Professional has a special ability in their area of operation. The job of the professional worker is supplementary and complementary to that have and indigenous leader. The social workers as a professional are a guide, enable the rapist, specialist and co-ordinate, all rolled into one. Practice- Professional social work practice means social work by properly

selected and properly trained social workers. It is methodical, systematic and planned social work. It is soclal science used in the service of socrety. It keeps intact the humanitarian approach. It increases the effectiveness of the service rendered by employing the tools and techniques of social sciences. Professional social work is based on the hard rock of value system. It is spirit of social work when supplementary by the scientific method, becomes recognized as professional social work.Malini Karkal(1995) Two types of social work practitioners are needed today and tomorrow; one who is skilled in helping individuals, families and small group to deal with and change trouble some situations in which they find themselves and another who is skilled in the strategies of social change. The focus of social work practice is the interaction between people and systems in their social environment. People today can find help from three kinds of resource systems: I) Informal or natural resource systems consisting of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, bartenders and other helpers.
2)

Formal resource systems which may be membership organizations or formal associations such as labour unions or neighbor associations which promote the interests of their members and

3)

Societal resource systems such as schools, hospitals, housing authorities, police departments and financial assistance agencies. Despite help potentially available from the network of informal, formal and societal systems, there are situations in which people are unable to obtain the resources, services or opportunities need to cope with their life tasks and realize their aspirations. Rosemary (1990)

Existing systems may be inadequate for many reasons:

1)
A needed resource system may not exist or may not provide appropriate help

to people who need it.

2)

People may not know a resource system exists ormay be hesitant to turn to it for help.

3)
4)

The policies of the resource system may create new problems for people, or Several resource systems may be working at cross-purpose

Functions of social work practice

In dealing with such situations described above. Welcome observe social workers performing a variety of functi0ns.Singh.R.R (1985) 1) Helping people enhance and more effectively utilize their own problems-solving and coping capacities,
2)

Establishing initial linkages between people and resource systems.

3)

Facilitating inter-action, modifying, and building new relationship between people and societal resource systems.

4)

Facilitating interaction and modifying and building relationships between people within resource systems.

5)

Contributing to the development and modification of social policy. Dispensing material Resources-money, food, adoptive and faster homes and other resources that are crucial for people's survival.

6)

7)

Serving as agents of social control.

PROFESSIONAL STATUS
The schools of social work in India have shown a greater concern for professionalising social work education. In fact social work education in India came into being to support social work practice i.e., so to say the practice preceded the theory. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences took pioneering efforts to provide professional status to social work education. Later on, the academic bodies in the Universities and Colleges periodically imported new knowledge to social work discipline, which in turn was imparted to the students through curriculum development. Jacob.K.K(l980) In this context the part played by the cumculum development cell of the University Grants Commission for social work is worth to mention. By involving social work educators all over India the curriculum development cell prepared reports for implementing social work education in uniform pattern. Besides these theoretical inputs the professional status of social work

education was gaining momentum because of its practical component viz. Fieldwork. Singh.R.R (1985)The field work experience of the students and social work educator's added practical wisdom to this human service profession. Besides the above, the refresher courses conducted by the Academic Staff Colleges of different universities poured new knowledge and teaching techniques for social work educators. Hence, there are efforts in the direction of professionalising social work education is struggling to maintain its professional identity.

THE PRESENT STATUS

Our thought on professionalising social work education pre supposes and work education. Social Workers lament at evaluation of the present status of soc~al
-

the absence of unifo!micy in the course structure and contents of social work education in India. The social work education is facing an identity crisis.Devi Prasad (1997). The profession has not reached the un-reached, the larger public. Social work education in India has failed to produce private practitioners of social work in a larger number. At the macro level it has not touched the doorsteps of planners and policy makers of our country. The mushrooming growth of social work educational institutions pledge the standard and social work education and compromise with its quality. Social workers identify more with their specialization than with social welfare and social work practice. The contribution of the professional associations for social in workeducation is far from the expected level. By and large the fieldwork a a i n ~ n g schools of social work Failed to fetch practice wisdom to the trainees. The contribution of social workers through social work research is more towards social science

disciplines than to social work. Davis.S (1988) There are people who argue that the edifice of social workeducation's stands mainly on the very imported theories of the west. Similarly another common complaint is the inadequacy of indigenous literature in social work without which it is very diff'icult to maintain the standard of social work education. The academic administration is another practical difficulty with the schools of social work. In most of the Universities/CoUeges the social work depamnent status. A review of the above said shortcomings would indicate a picture of the present status social work education in India.

A FLASH BACK
Social Work Education course has been created to prepare the students for undertaking professional social work practice. It is the only course among the social sciences courses wherein theoretical education and practical training have been incorporated. In India, the course was introduced for the first time in the year 1936 at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay. In Later years, it was started in numerous Universities and colleges across the country. It is, however, seen that during the last 65 years, enough attention has not been paid to incorporate newer theoretical and practical knowledge into the course content. The efforts of the experts in this behalf seem to be inadequate. Consequently, the practitioners of this profession have not been able to fully use their knowledge for resolving the social problems. F1exner.A (1915) As a result, the profession has not been able to acquire a reputation for itself, nor create a social Image nor could receive social acceptance. The profession has also not been able to lay deeper roots in the Indian society. Simultaneous with

the social work profession, numerous professions has emerges, developed. created their own images and received social acceptance. But the social work profession, which has originally emerged during the development period of the United States of America, has recorded only stunted growth in India. In spite of several Indian scholars in social workeducation acquiring national and international reputation, the theoretical content and the practical training of the course has remained basically unchanged. Germain(1979) It only recently that the theoretical part is gradually developing, but the practical training still lags behind. The practical training in the social work education course is called 'fieldwork training'. In reall life situations, fieldwork is known as the soul or the backbone of the social work profession. However, there has been no attempt to strengthen this backbone during the training period. Even within the social work education course, several specializations' have been developed in response to the changing times and the social changes. B~ut the fieldwork training in each of these specializations has not been developed. The teachers imparting theoretical knowledge and the trainers imparting practical training work basically in association with various organizations and institutions. It is, therefore, surprising that even in spite of being in constant touch with the society around, the social work education curriculum has not been developed significantly. The primary objective of the social work education course is to prepare trained manpower that would help the individuals and the society to resolve the problems effectively. NASW (1996) Even the in the present social system, these problems indeed are resolved, but it is a different matter altogether whether these are resolved permanently and effectively. The society is always in a state of change. As such, the established and recognized methods of resolving the problems may not always be useful for resolving the newer

problems that may emerge consequent to a social change. In other words, along r ~ ~ ualso st with the changing society, the methods of resolving the social proble~ns change. Traditional untrained social workers try to resolve social problems according to their capacity and skills and even succeed. It earns them reputation, social image and prestige and people feel the need for their continued services. In brief, the society clearly sees their effort and contribution in the resolution of social problems. On the other hand, it is seen that the trained and knowledgeable individual social workers and social work institutions working in the arena of professional social work have not been successful in effectively resolving the social problems so as to attract people's attention. It does not mean that the professional social work is incapable of resolving people's problems. It only means that the professional social work's effort and contribution to the resolution of the people's problems is not yet markedly visible.NASW (1996) It is also true that the 'professional' of the professional social workers is as yet unnoticed and also that professional social workers have not been able to resolve certain problems in spite of sincere efforts. It is the staunch belief of the professional social work that every problem can be resolved by the application of one of the professional social work methods. Against this argument, certain questions emerge: 1s the potential of the professional social work being exploited fully? Are there any defects andlor lacunae in it? Do the trained social workers fall short in their effort? Has the America-originated profession any utility in the Indian society? Is it necessary to possess any specific skills for using professional social work methods? If yes, do the fieldwork training aims at developing these skills? Are the students trained in all the six methods? Whether the potential utility of the professional social work and the future needs of the society for such

professional services taken into consideration while formulating the social work cumculum? Whether necessary instructional training-material developed? Does the course content maintain a balance between the theoretical knowledge and practical training? If no, whether maintaining of such a balance is at least given consideration? Whether all the social problems can be resolved through professional social work's intervention? If yes, what kind of measures should be initiated for the development of the profession; and if no, what kind of improvements must be incorporated in the social work cuniculum? The present author could not find easy and immediate answers to these nagging questi0ns.Barker.R (1995) Nonetheless, falling back on his 22 years experience as a student and teacher of social work methods in varied situations and meditating on the issues involved, the author has hied to present at least some answers. The author believes that unless field-wise result-oriented fraining programs have been developed in the social work education course, it would not be possible for the social work profession to be socially important and acquire a glowing social image. In other works, it has become necessary to impart qualitatively richer, skill-developing, effective and useful fieldwork training to the students of the professional social work. All the concerned should be thoughtful and active in this behalf. They should take efforts according to individual capacity and imagination. Else, these questions would only continue to discuss at academic forms and would become graver with every passing day. NASW(1973)

Globalization and its Impact

"The battlefor people -centered and sustainable development will be won or lost not in the corridors of Governments, but in every hanzlet and home, in every village and town, in the daily enterprise of every member of the global community and every institution of civil society. '"
Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1995)

Globalization is not a mere concept that can yield itself to a precise definition. Several economists, social scientists, technocrats have defined it from there own cognitive framework, thus drawing boundaries where none exist. Globalization means
I

different things to different people in different countries and ethnic groups the world over. It does not imply post modem era but represents a movement that has swept the world off it's feet and has left tnany countries reeling under it's aftermath. Globalization does not only means economic and technological development but symbolizes a way of life, delaying the old fir the new at every step. Freeman (1994) The emerging global village as consequence of globalization has shrunk the world, both in terms of accessibility and dissemination of knowledge. The merging geographical boundaries have also unleashed change at an exponential rate, making survival far from a pleasurable experience.

THE INDIAN CONTEXT (NASW 1981)

Since independence, the Indian government has followed a protectionist industrial policy, which almost prohibited the entry of foreign companies, thus making the local corporations enjoy a non-competitive and static state of trade and commerce. Social work education, both in terms of cuniculum and training was geared to meet challenges of a slowly evolving economy like-developing cities, migration, changing family pattern, labor problems etc. well within a manageable ambit. But all this period of somnolence changed drastically with the introduction of two factors, a) Structural Adjustment program, because) First generation reforms. This program recommended by IMF and World Bank, encouraged liberalization of the economy, privatization of the core areas like health, education, infrastructure building and maintenance. In the late eighties and early nineties, when several underdeveloped and developing countries were experiencing acute economic crises, it called for some drastic salvaging operations. The IMF and the World Bank came out with a series of stabilization and growth measures called Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), to counter the situation. Acceptance and implementation of these remedial measures were linked with loan disbursement and funding of programs. This was also the time when it was realized that the state although an achiever in certain areas but was not competent enough to handle the complex development processes alone. The SAP package encouraged deregulation of the market, entry of the private players in core areas and set in process of globalization 1iberalization.NASW(1973) The impact of this program on the socio-economic structure was not the same for all countries, each reacted to a seta or forces unleashed differently and these were not always

positive. India ( l i e other developing countries) in the early nineties incorporated SAP in the new econornic policy (NEP). This ushered in a major paradigm shift from welfare economics to the dictates of market forces. Both SAP and NEP have encouraged foreign direct investment (12DI) and the virtual takeover by the private sector. Opening up of the economy and the entry of multinational companies, has brought different equations to play at all levels-economic, social and political which has pushed the common man into the background and women Into peripheral existence. These changes directly influence social work education and practice.

Development-Shifting Priorities
Initially, in India as it was in the West, development was equated to economic growth and consequent increase in GNP. Science and technology became strong vehicles of development-machines, industries, cities, transportation, electricity etc. Initially the government emerged as a strong player in initiating and sustaining the developmental process. This scene continued for the next two decades of independence. Anything traditional was looked upon as an obstacle and modernity
I

as a facilitator. Subsequently it was realized that this type of undiluted and solicited economic growth incurred heavy social and cultural costs, like depletion of natural resources, skewed distribution of wealth, breakdown of community and family networks due to migration of population, changing values, norms etc.

GLOBALIZATION and Its IMPACT

Consider the problems thrown up by globalization, and consequent modernism

1)

Digital divide
To thrive in the 21" Century workplace, i t is increasing vital for young people

to be proficient, not just in technology, but i n critical thinking and teamwork. There is vast difference in technological training available to young people through technology centers, school programs, and community colleges. Integral to this issue is the quality and quantity of the access. Access is not simply having access to uptodate technology; it should also include access to a climate that fosters inclusion, many families do not have a home computer, making schools their only access point. Yet with educational resources determined by meager funds, a divide is growing between students that can afford computer education and those that cannot. Acquisition of digital skills means better employment prospects and increased wealth generation. With the emergence of India as knowledge society and emerging IT hub, has created a huge divide between the computer literates and others, leading to polarization of power and wealth in the hands of a few.

2)

Feminization of poverty and Gender issues of development.

An increase in numbers of wornen in poverty, due to skewed developmental

policies. A three year (1993-96) study conducted by Sujatha Gothoskar; analyzing the effect of industrial restructuring on the restructured lives of women workers in

small and medium-si7d industries covering pharmaceuticals, plastics, soap and detergents, gems and jewelry in Mumbai and Delhi, have had the following impact: Increase of "flexible market" with lax labour laws Less unionized workforce. Adoption of hire and fire policy. Entry of MNC'S and increases of contract labour. Job loss experience increase of verbal contracts (Shanthi Joshi, Pupli, June 1998) Women are the major players in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance; they are the preservers of herbal medicine and seed conservation (V.Shiva,

2000). Technological development has dismantled the village crafts. Mechanization

of agriculture and other forms of production have raised the demand for skilled labour thereby pushing women out of gainful employment. Health services for the women are not for healing but for reducing the number of maternal deaths.

3)

Increased mental health problems among the youth and children.

A survey of adolescent behavior in many industrialized and developing nations

found that problem behaviors such as (21) drug and alcohol use and abuse; (because) unsafe sex, teenage pregnancy; (c) school underachievement, school failure, and drop out; and (d) delinquency, crime and, and violence (Dryfoos 1990) the proof is

everywhere. In a major, yet-to-be-published study, the National Instituteof Advanced Studies conducted in-depth interviews in Bangalore, Chandigarth, Patiala and Delhi with nearly 600 youngsters between 16 and 25 years (the total population of this age group adds up to 215 million today) and found them entangled in a web of frustration. anger, withdrawal and escapism Psychiatrists and counselors across the country report an increasing trend of disturbed urban youth, brought in by their parents, even coming in themselves. Says Rajesh Parikh, a Mumbai neuro-psychiatrist: "Instances of stress and depression among youth have shot up. Today, I get a lot more cases coming to me than five years ago". More than 40 per cent of all reported suicides occur in this age grdup. Sums up P.N.Pimpely, a Punjab University sociologist: "This generation pretends to be something else, but can-ies silent volcanoes of stress and frustration within".

4)

Increased suicide both rural and urban.

India is facing turbulent in by Western cultures propagating independence,

individualism and competitiveness, hitherto inexperienced. India is a typical community in transition; the old giving way, and the new yet to come in, this void is frightening to say the least. Portraying a world of dissolving certainties. With communities in transition being the norm of the day, when values and established norms of behavior goes for a toss, stress levels escalate to such a point that an individual breaks down, finding difficult to lives in this fragmented communities of deprivation, violence and despair. There is a major shift in the cultural paradigm-earlier values, beliefs, norms; traditional career anchors have lost ground in this digital world. When the old has

no relevance, it looses its hold on its members, and they have no one to turn to than themselves. The youth especially are caught in a whirlpool of change. A familiar coping strategy does not seem to work any longer. At times close proximity of villages to urban cities has facilitated a constant traffic between the two, in terms of employment, business transactions, education etc. Infiltration of the media, especially satellite channels and cinema that portray a fantasy world, seems to have a tremendous influence on the psyche of the villagers, especially, the youth.

5)

Medicalisation of the hurnan body.

Growing influence of western medicine and diagnostic procedures, increased

investment in establishing corporate hospitals, rising medical costs , transference of providing m.edical services to private players, shrinking role of the government as health service provider has made quality medical care privilege of the few. A complication arising out of invasive diagnostic procedures (scanning, hormone implants for infertility, etc) and treatment of the same is no longer the domain of government doctors. The current policy evolved under the pressure from the World Bank is to restrict government health services to preventive care and allow the private sector to take over most of the health services. (Malini Kartal et al., RJH, 1995). Privatization of health care leads to curative services than preventive.

6)

Unplanned development
Relocation of entire village populations, due to huge development works.

bringing in its train problems of adjustment due to lost social networks, unemployment etc. Globalization makes capitalism less amenable to regulation. FDI by the MNCs

makes trading fertile lands for Factories a viable economic proposition but at heavy social cost.

SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION

Conventional social work education, more suited for pre-reform period is not of any relevance now for the us here in India. The cumculum should under go a drastic change to meet the changing conditions to include courses addressing the issues and also to equip the students the necessary skills so a to make social work education more relevant and a meaningful one in the changing scenario. The issue can be addressed at two levels:

Responsive and Proactive.

Responsive social work education module focusw on a problems after it is full blown and a substantial number of the population has been affected, for example, displacement of populations from their rots to strange locations not having the basic facilities for survival, AIDS disease, suicide etc. Professional social workers are at a loss as to how to manage the situation in a meaningful and effective way. Experimentation is dangerous at this point of time. New situations calls for a different configuration of skills that our education should provide. Proactive social work education should be the norm of the day. Social workers should take a more effective part in policy level bodies and planning commissions and help the power centers to foresee and forestall the problems that might arise due

to their lopsided r e f o m and plans. A social worker should be acatalyst, an activist, a reformist rather than a passive spectator of providing remedial support to changes that are taking place within the constraints typical of a conventional society. Social work education should aim at building competencies in managing problems of ethnic diversity, human migration, conflict resolution, individual, group and community building, empowerment etc. The practicum structure should take precedence to classroom instruction and cater to competency building. Instead of confining it to twice a week, projects on a smaller scale can be executed relating to the above issues. Stereotypes should give way to out-of-box thinking, conventional models to divergent ones and above a l l making social work education an independent and dynamic discipline that responds to change and moves away from a defined definition of a structured university course.

EMERGING PROBLEMS IN INDIAN FAMILIES

The Indusmal Revolution has brought a series of social change which have altered the economic basis the society. The structure and functions of the family has been markedly modified. Family transferred its economic functioils to the factory and became more consumption unit than a productive ceilter. More and more married women are joining the ranks of the indusmally employed. Family life depends upon its economic base, and the ways a family earns its living determines the nature of family organization. The Joint Family system is rapidly being disol-ganized. Due to urbanization, industrialization, influence of western culture and the prolific use of contraceptive and enjoyment of life, of the modem families are becoming smaller.

Marriages are considered as a mere social contract and so modem families are very weak and unstable. The divorce rate is on the increase and the controls which the family exercises over the individual is being lessened. Morality and religion are slowly loosing their significance.

Impact of Social change

The family, otherwise the home is the place where one can look for personal, Psychological peace and security. The changing society has shifted functions from one institution to another. The traditional functions of the family in many respects is a mere shadow (Shankar Rao, 2001) 1) Many of the economic functions which were previously being performed by the family are now being performed by schools, factories, government and other associations. It is now more a consuming unit than a producing center. 2) The protective functions of the family have declined. Families are no more the place of protection for physically handicapped, mentally retarded, diseased and insane people; other agencies have taken over this function.

3)

The status-ascription function has been weakened, since in modem society much emphasis is laid on achieved status than the ascribed one.

4)

The parental and educational functions have been shifted t o certain external agencies like hospitals, outpatient clinics for mother, the baby clinics, nurseries, creches etc.

5)

The recreational function of the family is losing its importance. Movies, dance halls, nightclubs, gambling centers have come into being. People seek these

. commercialized recreations as single adults of married couples, of as

adolescents or children rather than as a family unit. This has affected the cohesion within the family unit. (Kuppuswamy. B. 1972)

6)

Family as an agent of social control is diminishing its status. Increase in importance of children is inevitable, because of its smaller size. Families tend to become filio-centric families where physical punishment or mal-treatment is very rare. Since the very survival of the human race is based on reproduction, the

biological functions of the family like regulating sexual behavior and childbearing functions has not changed much.

THE EMERGING ENCOUNTERS

The change in the family is accompanied by changing roles of family members.

The family unit suffers with problems. Now-a-days we find a lot of problems emerging in Indian families which threatens its existence.

*
Marital Disharmony:
The most difficult problem that today's family face is that of the natural adjustment of husband and wife. The educated and enlightened woman of today wants to be equal of her husband in every sphere of life but the husbands have not yet adjusted to this situation. Hence a conflict between the two is inevitable. Laxity

in sexual relations, materialism, individualism, rationalism etc., are the causes of paucity of such feelings as benevolence, love etc, Greater stress is laid on sexual pleasure. The laws of divorce are also not very stringent. All these causes have the cumulative effect of increasing the number of divorces.

Selection of Spouse:
The selection process of suitable partner has changed. Self selection procedure is increasing among young working men and women in urban areas. The aspirations with reference to personality traits have changed. One wants a spouse attractive, intelligent, good earner, as well as having the attitude of sharing responsibilities. Working women except that husband should also participate in household work. (Joshi, 2001)

Romantic Love:
Another major problem that confronts the family is that of marriages being based on romantic love. After marriages of this nature when the dreams of husband and wife do not materialize in the family, they are seriously frustrated. Elliot and
Merril in their book social disorganization have described divorces as the inevitable

consequences of romantic marriages. Another problem associated with romance is the problems of coping with inter-religious and inter-caste marriage.

Problems of Dual Earning Members:

Although the Indian family setting provides eventual support to women working in organizations, it also creates tremendous guilt and stress. Women have to leave the children at home in the caie of others while they go out for work. They are not getting sufficient time to look after their children. With the joint family dying out and servants being scarce, the problem is becoming all the more complex.
A study conducted by Aneshensel and Pearlin (1987) revealed that manied

employed women with children predicted to have high levels of stress than others. Young children especially pre-schod children consume large amount of parental time and emotional energy while teenagers are more financially demanding than younger children. Returning exhausted from their work, they don't have the energy to attend to their husband or their children. This hinders the development of children and increase conflict and misunderstanding between husbands and wife.

Parent-Youth Conflict:
Inter-personal conflicts in t h e family are increasing. An unusual amount of conflict between parents and their adolescent children is taking place. This is because of the result of education and employment of women, which in turn leads to late marriages. Kingsley Davis (1960) says that this stress and strain in our culture is symptomatic of the functionless instability of the modem small family.

Laxity in Family Control and Deviant Behavior :

In joint family system, grandmother played a vital role in imbibing the bonds of love, mutual respect, moral, social and cultural values. Today working couples scurry to cope with home front and leaving children to manage on their own. Life has been lacking emotional bondage. Besides this, the emergence, of filio centric families leads to laxity in family control. The paved way for deviant behaviors such

as wancy, cheating, crime, corruption, and suicidal tendencies among teenagers.

Philip. T (2001) in his study noted that the absence of a close knit family life and the emergence of more individualism facilitate delinquency and gang violation.

Substance Abuse in Children and in Adolescents:

Tripath1.et.d. (2001) stressed that parental separation; divorce and disturbed family relationship increase the likelihood of the adolescent drug problem. Most frequently involved reasons are curiosity, pleasure seeking and personal or family problems. Other risk factors for substance abuse include social isolation and unconditional behavior patterns. Another study by Tripathi, Raksh Lal & Nandkumar, (2001) revealed that maternal affection and family support, healthy behavior patterns-involvement in work, studies, sports, religion and personal characteristics of self acceptance, self esteem, and low aggression act as prospective factors against substance abuse.

The wide Spread of Sexual Problems and HIV:

The urban adolescent/ youth in India are sexually initiated at an early age due to the exposure to mass media. Decline in the social control over youth traditionally exercised by institutions such as family and schools, increase in age at marriage, changes in social values and aspirations, which are some of the features of a modem society. (Leena, 2001) A survey conducted on sexual attitudes and behavior among urban educated youth (IS-29years) found that about 28% of the males and 6% of the females had pre-marital sexual contact.

The spread of HIV among young people in India is growing cause for concern.
Leena (2001) has pointed out that a large number of reported AIDS patients in India are below the age of 2 years and havecontracted the disease the through sex.

Abuse and Neglect of Elderly:

The fast changing Indian social scenario leading to the degeneration of the joint family system, dislocation of cultural and familial bonds and loss respect for the aged indicate that the family can no longer be secure place for the elderly. (Srinivas
& Vijayalakshmi 2001) Government of India has projected that by 2001 the number

of elderly are expected to touch 75.9 million. New papers report that 50% of crimes committed against elderly have citizens involve matters of inheritance. Hospital social workers have recounted that many elderly are dumped in hospitals without accurate information about their residential address. Abuse against the elderly may involve acts of omission such as improper personal or nutritional care that more actually fall in the category of neglect, both passive and active and psychological

abuse and financial exploitation (Piemer & Finkelthor, 1988). In extreme cases the elderly are asked to leave the house either because of lack of space or the younger generation cannot afford or even at times the elderly, themselves are creating a nuisance in the family (Kapur, 1997). The feeling of being unwanted and having no one to trust in the family appears to be resulting in suicidal ideas in a sizeable in a sizeable number of the aged population. Many social scientists have expressed their grave concern regarding the rapid changes that rn taking place it. Some have said that families have gone to the dogs, while others lamented that family is heading towards disorganization. But it would be more appropriate to say that it is merely seeking to adapt itself to changed conditions.

FUTURE PROSPECTS OF SOCIAL WORK IN FAMILY WELFARE

The widely emerging problems m families threaten the existence of family and the personal well being of each family member. A socially healthy family should find ways to deal with stresses brought about by changes. A Family unable to workout its problems should seek outside help. Therefore, there is an urgent need to formulate strategies, which would ensure a better quality of life. Social work intervention is essential in order to solve these serious problems and to protect the family from disorganization. Social work intervention through methods like casework & group work can be used to improve parent-child relationship, to improve husband-wife relationship and

to reduce child delinquents. Family counseling centers are thesctheplaces where families in distrust I danger can seek help. Counselors in these. centers make use of the various therapies like marital thereby, family therapy, behavior therapy, rationalemotive therapy etc., to help the families to work out their problems. Family counseling programs can be arranged to help family members identify

theii pmbkms and work together to solve them.

School counselors, youth consolers and hospital social workers may also provide iupport to family members separately or as a group. Family support group can be formed in which people have a chance to talk with and listen to others with problems like their own. Here members encourage each other as they learn to understand and change their behavior. The emerging problems in Indian families necessitates the significance and widens the scope of Family & child Welfare specialization in social work practice. Human society cannot be static. The changes and the transformation process accompanies unforeseen problems. The emerging problems in Indian families are of such challenges posed before social work profession.