Fields of practice in social work: interim appraisal of a dynamic development

In Germany, social work has long been more than what it was originally intended to be; it is more than an emergency support provided outside the school and family. Its fields of practice have changed over time, and analysis of those historical changes show that social work has become a constituent part of the welfare state’s basic provisions and developed a pool of pro-fessional knowledge, while its practitioners have spread into an ever more specialised array of fields. Social work has normalised into a service which modern societies need for their devel-opment and integration. As the welfare state developed its modern influence, occupations in the social sector have become part of the social infrastructure, even if market mechanisms and competition are gradually exerting greater influence in those fields of practice. However, in times of scarcity and global change, the fields of social work practice also face other chal-lenges.