Since 1990, empowerment approach emerged as a promising model for social work
practice from a strengths perspective, presenting a way of focusing on the person and
human rights. Social work practice with clients suffering from poverty, illness and
disability in both mental and physical health conditions, abuse and violence, however,
can be easily driven towards a paternalistic approach, neglecting empowering approach
to the client. This study aimed to examine current states of empowerment approach
among social work practitioners who experience tensions and conflicts when the
paternalism permeates their practice of empowerment approach and theoretical and
historical backgrounds of the conflicts and to suggest ways of coping with such
conflicts. In specific, first, this study investigated concepts of paternalism, paternalistic
characteristics of social work practice, some experiences of social work practitioners
regarding the conflicts between paternalism and empowerment approaches. Second, this
study did search traces of paternalism throughout histories of social work practice,
especially surrounding two traditions of social work practice, i.e., the Charity
Organization Society and the Settlement House movement in 19C of western society,
medical model and dichotomous thinking behind the modern practice of paternalism,
and their influences on current social work practice. Third, this study discussed how
social work practice today is under the influence of both paternalism and empowerment
approach. Finally, this study suggested the reflexive examination of the professional self
as a way for social work practitioners who do practice in terms of empowerment
approach to cope with dilemmas with relying on paternalism.