Introduction

In the Bailey and Brake collection, there was no specific chapter on women's oppression, but the position of women in society and the ideas and perspectives of the women's movement were embedded within the book and formed a central part of the radical social work revival in the 1970s.

This chapter seeks to explore social work and women's oppression with a focus on gender and class. It will mainly discuss the lives of poorer working-class women who are overrepresented as service users in the social work sector, particularly in relation to childcare and child protection work. In doing so, it will assess the discrimination that women face in the labour market and from the state, and the impact this has on levels of poverty, inequality, health and wellbeing. The chapter will also analyse how welfare developments linked to the marketisation and privatisation of social provision have had a negative impact on the lives of poorer women. Throughout, it will challenge stereotypes of poor women that focus on individualistic and moralistic character deficiencies, and point to the key role of poverty and inequality in shaping their lives. Over the past 10 to 20 years, women and young girls have been subject to increasing levels of sexual objectification, and the chapter will also explore how this has reinforced discrimination within and outside the workplace, as well as having a negative impact on women's self-image and self-worth.

Historical overview

Historically, social work has been underpinned by powerful ideas regarding gender and class which have had an impact on women's role as both social workers and recipients of social care. During the 19th century, middle-class women who were active supporters and agents of philanthropy, intervened in the lives of working-class women, making moral judgements that affected their eligibility for charitable support (Lewis, 1986). Pivotal to this philanthropic activity was the role of working-class women as wives and mothers within the private sphere of the family.