Each time in Blast from the Past, we showcase an article from past issues of Social Dimension; timeless articles that are still relevant for Social Work practice today.
This article was published in Social Dimension (Issue 1: 1995) by Dr Myrna Blake, who used to be a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Psychology in the National University of Singapore. She had also served as President in the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) from 1982 - 1984. In 2000, she received the Outstanding Social Worker Award having contributed more than 40 years in battling social injustice and supporting the community as a social worker.
The request to write a paper on this topic proves the validity of its title. However, there is also a hint of a need to sort out some underlying confusions about what 'family work' means., about the difference that a systemic approach introduces and how it all fits into social work practice. This paper attempts to address these questions.