The social services of Spain after the neoliberal period: longitudinal analysis from the perspective of social work (2012–2018)

Abstract

The article presents a longitudinal analysis of the Social Services in Spain during the period characterised by neoliberal policies (2012–2018), as well as the situation and reactions of the professional social workers. The quantitative results of three surveys promoted by the General Council of Social Work from Spain on data from 2012, 2013 and 2018 were compared. The sample allows extrapolating the results to all the social workers in Spain. There is a loss of effectiveness and a worsening of the quality of care of the social services. However, social workers do not attribute the deterioration of the system to the increased demand, but to the cuts, privatisation and outsourcing of resources. The professional discourse is critical: it departs from the narrative of punitive neoliberalism and denounces the violation of citizens’ rights. Professional practice reveals the ethical–political commitment in the system and the public militancy of social workers in Spain.