Convergence of social policy and social work:Lessons for Iran

Using an analytical approach and proposing the question: How is the convergence of social policy and social work possible? this study aims to investigate the role of social work in social policy development and the effect of welfare ideologies, and consequently social policies on social work. This paper identifies and conceptualizes the areas of interest to express this relationship in two axial roles: 1) the minimalist role in which the social worker is only the executor of social policy. In this situation, the social worker appears in the role of social policy executor in organizations and centers that provide social services, and 2) the extremist role in which the social worker acts as the social policy reformer. In this situation, the social worker embarks on a plan to analyze the existing problem, to present a research proposal, and even approve the policy at the same time with implementing the social policies to determine the agenda for implementing or preventing the implementation of a policy. In this role, the social worker both helps with developing the effective social work in a two-way interaction with social policy and help with the dynamicity and evolution of the social policy in an organic connection; the synergy interaction which is considered as a necessity for up-to-date social work and applied social policy in Iran.