Indirect Work: Social Work's Uncelebrated Strength

Historically, indirect work has referred to social work practitioners' intervention in clients' environments in the broadest sense, and collaboration with others to this end. This work consumes much of the social worker's time and energy. However, indirect work often has been disparaged and neglected, unlike direct, face-to-face therapeutic work with clients. This article places the social work profession's ambivalence toward indirect work within an historical context. The article discusses the works of Flexner, Richmond, Reynolds, and Hollis, as well as modern social work approaches that take into account the wider political arena. Taken together these approaches point to a growing sophistication in the profession's conceptualization of indirect work. However, practice principles grounded in research are lacking. The article examines the dangers of failing to develop indirect work in the next century, especially in view of contemporary social problems and clients' positive evaluations of it. The article also outlines recommendations for practice and research.