Love in social care: Necessary pre-requisite or blurring of boundaries

Abstract

This article is a practice reflection on the theme of love in social care. It explores the personal qualities required for social care practice and the role of a social care worker in residential child care . A definition of love is provided, and comparisons are made between the concepts of love and compassion. Questions are raised about the the issue of boundaries in the professional helping relationship and the impact of defensive practice on children's emotional development. The article concludes that love and compassion are essentially the same thing, and that since compassion is a necessary pre-requisite for the work, love is, and always will be a the core of everything we do.

“The Will to Survive”: The Lives of Young People with “No Papers” in the United Kingdom

“…Love has become the subject of considerable attention among scholars exploring the concept of love in social work and education (e.g., Byrne 2016;Collins 2023;Gatwiri and Ife 2023;Ross 2023;Vincent 2016). In hooks ' (2001, p. 4) seminal work All About Love, she cites Peck's (1978) definition of love as "the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth".…”

The Practice of Spiritual Criminology: A Non-Doing Companionship for Crime Desistance

“…Love and compassion are mentioned interchangeably in several disciplines as chief principles for working with people in extreme social exclusion (Hill, 2002; Morley & Ife, 2002). As a common practice in working with people, love is discussed in traditional religions such as Islam (Jawad, 2009), Buddhism (Bukko Dendo Kyokai, 1966; Tich Nhat Hahn, 1999) and the Judeo-Christian tradition (Benedict, 2005; Byrne, 2016; Singer, 2009). In social work, love is perceived as an ethic of practice (Godden, 2017).…”