The Association of Social Workers (ASW) was the main professional body for non-specialised

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

s in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It was established as the British Federation of Social Workers (BFSW) in 1935 and changed its name in 1951. From 1949 it opened its membership to all social workers and from 1951 promoted itself as the body to join to work towards a unified profession. In 1970 the association finally achieved its aim by merging with six other social workers' organisations to form the

British Association of Social Workers The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the largest professional association of registered social workers and qualified care managers in the United Kingdom. The association has a members' code of ethics that outlines best social work ...

, having been a member of the

Standing Conference of Organisations of Social Workers Standing, also referred to as orthostasis, is a position in which the body is held in an ''erect'' ("orthostatic") position and supported only by the feet. Although seemingly static, the body rocks slightly back and forth from the ankle in the s ...

which had been led by

Kay McDougall Kay McDougall OBE born Kate Florence Long aka Kate Florence McDougall (6 November 1910 – 29 June 1999) was a British psychiatric social worker. She led the formation of the British Association of Social Workers and she was its first member. ...

References

External links

Catalogue of the ASW archives
held at the

Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick The Modern Records Centre (MRC) is the specialist archive service of the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, located adjacent to the Central Campus Library. It was established in October 1973 and holds the world's largest archive collecti ...

Social work organisations in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1935 Organizations disestablished in 1970 {{UK-med-org-stub