Social Problem

Social problems are inevitable in any society. Several philosophers and theorist have studied this phenomenon and came up with several patterns that have to be present for a social problem to be considered as such. These conditions are deemed necessary due to the complex nature of society, people’s values and beliefs about what is wrong or right or what is normal or abnormal. A social problem is defined as something that is wrong within a social context. However social conditions are classified as social problems if, according (Wright & Weiss, 1980), they are observable, possess subjective analysis, they are solvable, there are actual claims makers who define the social condition as a problem and are actively trying to convince others that

For this reason, one cannot simply assume that all agents involved in a certain social problem have the same understanding of it in terms of definition, conditions, remedies etc. Hence in knowing if Social problems have to be observable both those affected and those that observe it has to come to a consensus that it is indeed a social problem; child protection came out if the need to enforce the assumptions that are associated with modern interpretation of who a child is. Hence child protection rest on the very notion that a child is vulnerable, incompetent, incomplete needs guidance and family support. Based on these conditions laws and entities are implemented to protect the rights of children. However difficult arrises from the assumption are that these conditions were formed from observers who view child protection from an ideal society namely functionalist view point; because the conditions are not practical in all settings and they appear vague. According to Otway the bureaucratization of social work with children and families gives rise to an approach there is now a concentration of agreements, task completion and skills training instead of therapeutic interventions. This methodology shifts the social workers’ approach from people-oriented to task-oriented. This in child care protection poses problems for decision making about child’s best interest’ or that of the family. However when the family fails to provide for the child and there becomes a need to decide the fate of the child Social workers now have to recognize the dilemma associated with making wrong decision. That approach failed because too many children end up in states care even for things that are deemed of less harm than being placed in states care. There then became a need to assess the subjective nature of a child