The Social Worker and Change: Obstacle or Opportunity?

The present article sets out to explore the relationship between the social worker’s identity and the organizational change within the Ministry of Welfare in Israel. The article builds on the observation that successful organizational change requires a good understanding of the impact of change on the identity of the employees. First, the study sets out to clarify the notion of regulation and indicates some current trends in the specialized literature regarding the regulation of social services. Next, an analysis is offered of the regulator’s role in Israel’s Ministry of Welfare, special attention being paid to a number of characteristics and challenges, such as: the regulator’s loneliness, regulatory capacity, and specialization and division (versus inclusion and expertise). A more detailed and nuanced analysis is then offered regarding the identity of the social worker, as a professional in the field of social welfare; specific attention is paid to the professional aspect, the legal-value aspect, and the organizational-institutional aspect. A concluding section brings together some of the key findings and implications of the present study.