The Institutionalisation of Social Work Practice in China: Dynamics, Dilemmas, and Future Directions
Abstract
Over the past forty years, China has developed a state-led model of social work practice. This study adopts a narrative review methodology, synthesising key developments in the institutionalisation of social work in China. It examines the value of this model in advancing professional development and improving service users’ well-being, while also highlighting its key limitations. The first section outlines the shifts in the welfare system during the 1980s reforms and explains how these changes facilitated the institutionalisation of social work. The second section describes how the state supports social work practice and defines the roles of social workers. It argues that this model has expanded the workforce and enhanced service delivery, particularly when social order and individual needs are aligned. However, its heavy reliance on government funding constrains professional independence. When intervention strategies prioritise the restoration of social order, services may become regulatory rather than supportive, potentially undermining both service users’ well-being and the profession itself. This paper therefore calls for a more balanced approach in which the state maintains a guiding role while allowing greater autonomy for practitioners. At the same time, social workers must develop stronger analytical capacity to identify the root causes of service recipients’ challenges, especially within the broader context of individual–society relations, so as to ensure the profession fulfils its ethical mandate and contributes meaningfully to global social work discourse.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2026.2301.35
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