Reflections on researching colonial policy on child welfare services using historical method

• Main Author: Shaffie, Fuziah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information (AENSI Publisher) 2013
• Subjects: D History (General); HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/17369/1/ANAS%20354-359.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/17369/; http://www.aensiweb.com/old/anas_special_2013.html

The literature and research in social work and social welfare domain is expanding rapidly in most advanced nations. However, seemingly this scenario is not reflected in Malaysia.Scholars intent on learning about history and the development of social work would be confronting challenging difficulties to locate and obtain appropriate documented sources, since reference are not readily available.Though there are contributions to the literature that suggest social welfare in Malaysia was originally moulded by British colonial policy, to date there is no research that has been undertaken to explain or ascertain this proposition.Thus, the method used in the study is considered ‘unusual’ because during the decolonization period, most studies emphasized on the economic and political aspects of British colonialism.Working on the ground of developing the knowledge base of social work and social policy, at least in the context of Malaysia, it is the researcher’s intention to explore this area from a historical perspective because to contribute to this knowledge base, the first aspect to be learned is its history.In essence, an understanding of the evolution, structure and role of the state and other agencies involved in welfare provision is a necessary pre-requisite for a better understanding of the aforementioned knowledge.The use of both the archival materials and secondary sources will project a more vivid documentation on the importance of the state’s role in welfare provision, the structure and operation of the system, in particular towards the welfare of the children.