Evaluating Alternative Approaches to Social Work: A Critical Review of the Strengths Perspective

This article provides students and practitioners with a framework for assessing new or alternative approaches to social work practice. Drawing on the work of Sibeon (1990), I examine approaches to social work theory, the nature of social work, and the relationship between theory and practice; and present a typology for the assessment of social work theory. I look at the strengths perspective in social work (SPSW) (Saleebey, 1997) as an example of an alternative approach and critique it against Sibeon's (1990) typology and in light of two influential debates that have influenced discussions about the nature of social work, namely, welfarism and postmodernism. The article concludes that a framework for assessment enables critical analysis and reflection of different practice theories. Further, it allows for the review of established theory and practice assumptions and the degree to which alternative assumptions challenge or support existing approaches.