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Systematic Review

Social Work Participation in Service-Oriented Social Assistance in China: A Scoping Review

by
Yaping Shao
1,
Liangcheng Yang
1 and
Miao Wang
2,*
1
School of Social Development, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
2
Department of Social Work & Social Policy, School of Sociology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 2301; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052301
Submission received: 11 January 2025 / Revised: 20 February 2025 / Accepted: 4 March 2025 / Published: 6 March 2025
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Abstract

:
Service-oriented social assistance (SSA) is a demand-driven approach providing vulnerable populations with social services to prevent social exclusion. This study aimed to systematically review social work participation in SSA in China. We utilized the scoping review method to synthesize empirical studies showcasing SSA practices implemented in China published in either the Chinese or English language in the CNKI and Web of Science databases until July 2023. In total, 623 English and 336 Chinese studies were retrieved and screened, resulting in 4 studies being included in this review. Our findings reveal that social workers participated in SSA mostly led by the government and played an essential profession-led role in providing disaster assistance or comprehensive services in residential care. The clients ranged from individuals in absolute poverty to relative poverty, and their potential continued to be stimulated. Despite limitations, this scoping review research informs future social work participation in SSA practices in China.

1. Introduction

Social assistance constitutes a pivotal social protection system aimed at alleviating poverty and achieving social justice through the provision of material support or in-kind services to vulnerable individuals [1,2]. Historically, material-oriented social assistance has been the predominant approach globally, involving the distribution of cash or goods to impoverished communities to ease their economic struggles and sustain basic livelihoods. While this approach has demonstrated efficacy in certain contexts [3,4], research suggests that it may lack long-term sustainability and can potentially disincentivize assistance recipients from actively participating in the labor market [5,6]. In response to these challenges, numerous nations have advocated for welfare activation reforms designed to foster work incentives and reduce dependency on social assistance [7,8].
Service-oriented social assistance (SSA) has emerged as a preferred activation strategy compared with material-based aid [9]. This approach involves providing personalized care, development, and integration services tailored to the diverse needs of individuals in poverty [10]. SSA is a kind of empowerment approach for vulnerable groups. That is, SSA provides services to empower vulnerable individuals and stimulate the internal motivation of the parties to change their unfavorable social status to enhance their sense of power and life control. This is also the core idea of empowerment theory in social work [11]. From the perspective of empowerment theory, it is difficult to solve the problem of the low subjective efficacy and powerlessness of vulnerable groups by simply relying on a material-oriented approach [12]. However, research indicates that SSA alongside material-oriented social assistance is more effective in addressing individual development needs than the material-oriented approach alone [13]. By providing service-oriented support, the potential and resilience of social service recipients can be significantly enhanced, even in challenging circumstances [14]. Globally, SSA is gradually developing as a complementary approach to traditional material-based support.

1.1. Social Assistance in China

In China, social assistance is considered a fundamental institutional safeguard aimed at ensuring the basic subsistence of vulnerable individuals in need [15]. Akin to other countries, the Chinese social assistance system encompasses both material-oriented and service-oriented social assistance while taking the material approach as the main kind. As reported by the National Bureau of Statistics [16], approximately 55.5 million individuals, constituting approximately 4% of the population, are receiving social assistance.
The Chinese government has prioritized the enhancement of its social assistance system over the past seven decades [17]. Recognizing the imperative need for a comprehensive social assistance system, the Ministry of Civil Affairs was officially tasked with formulating and overseeing this critical policy. During the 1990s, the Dibao system (a minimum living guarantee in urban areas) and the Wubao system (support for individuals facing exceptional hardships in rural regions) were established as the foundational elements of social assistance. In 2014, a significant milestone was achieved with the issuance of the Interim Measures for Social Assistance by the State Council of China. This landmark policy outlined a comprehensive social assistance system encompassing “8 + 1” diverse assistance programs, including Dibao, Wubao, disaster relief, medical aid, educational support, housing assistance, employment facilitation, legal aid, and temporary assistance [18]. Over an extended period, the implementation of these programs has been primarily stewarded by both national and local governmental entities [19].
Social assistance played a pivotal role in poverty eradication in China, as evidenced in recent studies by Ren [20] and L. X. Yang [15]. During the crucial phase of poverty reduction, social assistance policies effectively covered a total of 19.36 million individuals, representing a significant 19.6% of the impoverished population [21]. Thanks to the combined efforts of social assistance and various poverty alleviation initiatives, China has successfully lifted all 98.99 million rural residents out of poverty [22] and achieved the momentous milestone of eliminating absolute poverty in 2020 [23]. As measured based on the World Bank’s absolute poverty standard of USD 1.90 per person per day, China, as an upper-middle-income country, accounted for three-quarters of the global reduction in absolute poverty in the same period [24]. Chinese social assistance achievements in poverty reduction are critical to safeguarding basic living and improving the development of vulnerable populations.
However, with emerging challenges, such as relative poverty [25], the enduring impact of COVID-19 [26], and other disasters in the contemporary era, there is a growing demand for services for vulnerable populations in China [27,28]. The need for living care, psychological support, skill development [29,30], social integration, and other vital social services has significantly increased [31]. Consequently, the current material-focused social assistance system in China is facing considerable challenges and is in dire need of reform to address the diverse needs of vulnerable populations [32,33].

1.2. Social Work Participation in Social Assistance

Social work originated from poor relief activities in the 19th century and has been applied to social assistance since the beginning [17]. It was an effective approach to delivering social assistance in collaboration with social work professionals [34]. Studies suggested that social work’s participation in social assistance has unique advantages in preventing social risks, meeting living needs, facilitating change in individuals, and improving the social environment [35]. Social work with an empowerment approach can arouse the life beliefs of vulnerable groups and guide them to make full use of individual, familial, and other socioenvironmental resources to experience their own dominance in their individual lives [14]. It shows a professional advantage in social assistance practices.
Social work in China, despite starting late and developing immaturely, has rapidly developed in recent decades, and its participation in social assistance has gained considerable attention. Social work was initially introduced to China in the 1900s. However, the high education required to train professional social work practitioners was asked to stop until the 1980s, when it was gradually re-established with the reconstruction of sociology [36]. Unlike the Western model of social work development, where practical services take the lead, China’s social work is characterized by an education-first approach. Hence, for a long period, Chinese social work services did not develop well, and well-trained college graduates had no professional social work jobs and turned to other work. Until 2008, China started social work professional qualification exams, and more social work professional jobs were provided. As per the official statistics issued, there were 1161 thousand registered social workers in China by the end of 2023. Although China’s social work only has a history of approximately 40 years after reconstruction, it has always committed to protecting the vulnerable population, meeting their needs, and improving their well-being [37]. As China starts a new development stage of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, social work is becoming an important social force in promoting the transformation of social assistance from solving the difficulties of survival to meeting the needs of development [38].
Social work participation in social assistance has received significant attention in China. The Chinese government has issued specific policies. These policies require agencies and social workers to offer services like social integration, capacity building, and psychological counseling to social assistance recipients [18]. Also, training to enhance social work’s role in social assistance and better serve vulnerable groups has been prioritized [18]. Despite the indispensable professional role in SSA, very little evidence is available to understand how social workers participate in SSA in China.

1.3. Study Aim

The urgency of social workers participating in SSA to stimulate the incentive and capabilities of vulnerable groups to self-develop and empower them to achieve a decent standard of living has become increasingly apparent in China in the last decade [39]. Despite its importance and necessity, there is currently a lack of comprehensive knowledge about these practices in China, which is a missing piece of the global social assistance picture. Therefore, this study aimed to scrutinize the studies about social work participation in SSA in China using a scoping review methodology. The findings of this review will contribute to understanding general knowledge in this area and informing future social work practices in social assistance in China and worldwide.

2. Materials and Methods

The scoping review method is a type of systematic review that is particularly suitable when the conceptual boundaries of a topic or field are heterogeneous and not ready for a full systematic review [40,41]. This study utilized the scoping review method to answer the following research questions: (a) How does social work participate in SSA and in what modes? (b) What types of social work services and modalities are being implemented, and how effective are they in promoting the welfare of disadvantaged populations in need? (c) Who are the main recipients of this SSA? All procedures followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines [42].

2.1. Data Sources and Search Strategy

We performed a comprehensive data search on 1 July 2023. The whole search was carried out on the same day. The research team thoroughly screened and considered all eligible studies published before the search date.

2.2. Search for English-Language Studies

We searched the relevant studies published in the English language included in the Web of Science database limited to peer-reviewed empirical studies. We used a variety of keywords with similar meanings in the search to limit the topics to include those of social assistance as comprehensively as possible, detailed as follows: (social assistan*, social aid, social rescue, social relief, social protection, or bottom support), service-oriented type (service-orient*, resilien*, social investment, empower*, or social asset*), research design (interven*, program, project, practice, mechanism, modality, strategy, experiment, outcome, efficacy, or effect*), and location (China and Chinese, as well as the names of all provinces and municipalities in Chinese mainland). We did not limit the social work profession to a comprehensive search as we manually coded the included studies considering the immature development of social work in China.

2.3. Search for Chinese-Language Research

We searched for empirical studies published in Chinese journals in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, which is the most extensively utilized academic database in China [43]. The CNKI search function does not allow for the specific limitation to peer-reviewed articles. We narrowed our focus to journals listed in the SCI, Chinese Social Science Citation Index, and Peking University Core Journals Index, as these are the most prominent indices in Chinese academia [44]. The aforementioned keywords were translated into Chinese and were used to search the CNKI database in addition to their frequently used Chinese-language synonyms in terms of social assistance, service-oriented services, and the research design. Considering that the majority of the studies were published in the Chinese language in Chinese journals, we did not utilize the location keywords in the CNKI search.

2.4. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

This scoping review study encompassed eligible empirical research on programs that offer SSA to vulnerable individuals in China, with detailed descriptions of implementation procedures and outcome evaluations. The selected studies must have implemented social assistance via the social work profession, either with or without concurrent material-oriented social assistance. Conference papers, master theses, and doctoral dissertations that did not undergo peer-review procedures were excluded for being unable to assess the study quality. Review studies, i.e., systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and discussion papers were also excluded for not being empirical-evidence-based. Given the cultural, economic, and social assistance policy variations, we excluded studies conducted in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

2.5. Article Review Process and Coding

The first and second authors initially examined the titles and abstracts of all studies identified via the search process. Only studies that met the inclusion criteria were further considered. Subsequently, we thoroughly reviewed the full texts to make final inclusion or exclusion decisions. The authors manually coded and excluded studies without social work participation. All searching, screening, and review processes (presented in Figure 1) were carried out independently by the first two authors. In cases of disagreement, they consulted with the third author until a consensus was achieved.

3. Results

Figure 1 illustrates the PRISMA flow diagram, outlining each step of the searching, screening, and reviewing processes. Initially, a total of 623 English studies and 336 Chinese studies were retrieved. After initial title and abstract screening, 620 English studies and 334 Chinese studies were excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria due to not being relevant to SSA or not reporting detailed intervention information. The full texts of three English-language and two Chinese-language studies were reviewed accordingly. After that, one English study was excluded for not having a full text available. Consequently, a total of two English and two Chinese articles passed the full-text review and were included in this scoping review research.
We systematically coded various characteristics for the four included studies, such as language, sample size, duration, location, and funding resources. We also documented details about the social work participation mode, types of social work services provided, service implementation modalities, recipients, outcome measurement, and primary findings of each study. Two authors independently carried out this coding process.

3.1. Characteristics of the Included Studies

Table 1 presents the characteristics of the four included studies. Two studies were published in English [45,46], while the remaining two were published in Chinese. All studies were conducted by Chinese scholars.
The included studies exhibited a wide range of sample sizes, ranging from 60 to 335,849 participants who were direct or indirect service recipients. The service duration varied from approximately three months to ten years. Geographically, two studies were conducted in western China where earthquakes frequently occurred [45,46], while the other two programs were implemented in eastern regions with relatively developed social work professions [17,47]. In terms of funding, two programs relied exclusively on government funding [17,45], one program received financial support solely through charitable donations [46], and one received both government funding and charitable donations [47]. We systematically coded the detailed program information to gain a comprehensive understanding of SSA with social work participation and address the research questions. The results are presented in Table 2.

3.2. Who: Modes of Social Work Participation

After a comprehensive review, we identified varied modes of social work participation in SSA. Social workers were mostly involved in the programs led by the government with social workers’ participation as helping professionals (n = 3). The social work profession also led SSA with government support in one another program. Both modes brought unique expertise and resources to the program, working toward the common goal of providing effective social assistance to individuals in need.

3.2.1. Government-Led and Professional Participation

Table 3 compares two different social work participation modes of SSA in detail. The majority of SSA programs with social work participation were primarily led and facilitated by the government (n = 3) [17,45,47]. In these programs, both the central and local governments were responsible for monitoring the whole service procedures. Government work involved developing policies that outlined the desired distal and proximal outcomes, required contents, and delivery procedures of social work programs. Additionally, the government provided financial support, approving budgets and final accounts; their administrative staff actively monitored the entire procedures, and social workers were required to report to them [45]. Led and organized by governments, the social work profession was particularly involved in service implementation procedures. For instance, social work teams, operating either independently [45] or via social workstations [17], alongside non-profit charitable social organizations [47], played crucial roles in risk identification, needs assessment, service provision, and outcome evaluations throughout the entire process in SSA. These contributions were carried out under the guidance and supervision of the governments, emphasizing their importance in the field of social work and social policy.

3.2.2. Profession-Led and Government Support

Social workers also participated in SSA practices as a leading profession with administrative support from the government. Qi and Gu’s [46] social work program incorporated a multidisciplinary professional team comprising a university group (comprising both social work and architecture professors), frontline social workers, and residents. All team members worked collaboratively on an equal footing through ongoing discussion and negotiation with social workers as the principal team leader.
Unlike the previous government-led mode, the entire program was organized and facilitated by social work professionals [46]. Social work educators from universities and frontline social workers mediated the relationship between the local government, housing designers, and residents during the service provision. They also assisted in identifying the community needs, establishing rapport with community members, coordinating the multidisciplinary team, and helping residents generate a long-term development fund [46]. The social work team obtained accreditation and policy support from the local government and funding support from the foundation. Furthermore, the social work team linked resources of architectural experts for community reconstruction. Two architecture experts were dedicated to designing and rebuilding the physical space. The local residents actively engaged in the design and rebuilding processes, offering their suggestions and contributing physical labor. The entire team collaborated effectively, leveraging their respective strengths to contribute to the post-disaster reconstruction efforts under the profession leading social work.

3.3. What: Service Modalities

Service modalities refer to the social work approaches and strategies employed in SSA programs. Among the four studies included, two programs utilized community reconstruction service strategies in earthquake-affected areas [45,46]. The other two programs offered comprehensive social work services to vulnerable groups in regular circumstances [17,47].

3.3.1. Community-Centered Disaster Social Work Service in Areas Affected by Earthquakes

Both Wu et al. [45] and Qi and Gu’s [46] studies implemented community-centered reconstruction services in villages affected by earthquakes, which aimed to rebuild communities, focusing on enhancing social capital, promoting resilience, and improving residents’ quality of life. The authors of these two articles acted as both researchers and participants in social work services in SSA. However, the focus of social assistance differed. In Wu et al.’s study [45], the community functioned as a holistic intervention system to focus on reconstructing relationships broken by the disaster. Therefore, the social work team provided integrated multidimensional social work services aimed at strengthening the capacities of individuals and families to face disasters. They facilitated four social work activities integrated with casework, group work, and community work: reflexive–therapeutic practice for intrapersonal care, reparative–supportive practice for the recovery and restoration of external supports, mobilization–empowerment practice to rebuild rapport via collective action in the community, and deconstructive–advocated practice to promote the community’s internal and external environment [45]. The social work services in SSA were evaluated using interviews with 24 social workers, which was effective in improving disaster assistance responses and coordinating development under the influence of rustic and authoritarian traditions.
Meanwhile, Qi and Gu’s study focused on empowering the left-behind elderly villagers and motivating them in community rebuilding via a spatial intervention called a community kitchen [46]. The social work service strategies focused on empowering the local residents and integrating social, cultural, and economic skills to improve their abilities for long-term sustainable development. Key social work activities involved identifying the needs of the elderly, mapping local assets via an oral narrative history, and discovering their strengths to actively participate in reconstruction. They used participatory services designed to enable local residents to make their own decisions and stimulate community co-creation [46]. In-depth interviews with local officials, community leaders, and older villagers were conducted by the research team after each stage. By analyzing the qualitative data, this program found that the elderly were strongly motivated, their cooperation was cultivated, and they actively participated in reconstruction via participatory social work action.

3.3.2. Comprehensive Services in Residential Care

Two programs offered comprehensive services to at-risk populations. One case, detailed by Zhang and Liao [17], was part of the Shuangbai (two hundred) initiative, distinguished by its precise identification and refined professional services. In this program, social workers focused on meeting the non-material needs of vulnerable groups, such as poor elderly people, Dibao recipients, children in distress, and disabled people, by establishing trusting relationships with local residents, educating them on policies, visiting vulnerable communities, and residing with them to accurately understand clients. Meanwhile, social workers functioned to explore clients’ advantageous assets. They also established informative archives in one person/household file form to obtain client information and formulated personalized service plans. Then, social workers provided sustained empowerment services and psychological support and connected vulnerable individuals with the necessary resources [17]. Follow-up assessments for vulnerable clients via phone calls and on-site visits by social workers indicated that these social work services effectively fostered self-reliance and improved the daily living skills of vulnerable groups.
The program implemented in He’s study serves as another exemplary model practiced in the Shanghai community [47]. This program emphasized the mobilization of social resources and the provision of diversified case services, program support, and psychological care to aid vulnerable individuals and families in need. A wide array of projects and integrated services, including the assessment of high-risk families and connecting social resources, building an integrated help information platform, and psychological care and empowerment initiatives, were delivered. The staff in the government departments and social organizations were interviewed, and they reported that the programs effectively compensated for the limitations of existing material-centered social assistance policies, and the living conditions of residents were significantly improved.

3.4. Whom: Service Recipients

The beneficiaries of SSA encompassed disaster-stricken people [45,46], persons receiving Dibao, elderly and disabled people in poverty, low-income families, and people with special difficulties not covered by current social assistance policies [17,47]. These recipients could also be categorized into two primary groups: those facing specific challenges during certain periods, such as residents affected by earthquakes [45,46], and vulnerable populations with regular needs [17,47]. All these groups experienced short- or long-term poverty and lacked some necessary capabilities. Moreover, they needed material help as well as psychological comfort, development motivation, and participation.

4. Discussion

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of social work participation in SSA in China. All four studies included in this scoping review reported notable positive impacts on various dimensions, including the individual, family, and community levels. This review aimed to comprehensively understand SSA in China, which contributes Chinese experience and lessons to global SSA. Although substantial evidence indicates the necessity to actively develop SSA in China [48], our review highlights a lack of practices in SSA, especially with limited social work participation, and limited research to scientifically report relevant practices, with only four eligible studies identified. Furthermore, the limitations in the reviewed studies underscore the need for more rigorous social work programs designed to provide SSA.

4.1. Service Provision: Extensive and Orderly Participation of Multiple Entities

A diverse array of helping professionals were identified within the reviewed studies as key players in the delivery of SSA, including representatives from central and local governments, social workers, university research teams, and community residents. The mode of professional aid participation in SSA in Mainland China is unique, wherein the government still functions as the dominant role despite the participation of multiple entities benefiting critically. Among the four SSA programs included in this review, only one was profession-led with government support. A significant majority (n = 3) were government-led, highlighting the prominent role of government entities in SSA. The strength of this government-led approach lies in its capacity to amalgamate diverse resources, refine service policies, ensure sustainable financial backing, and harness administrative power to swiftly respond to and facilitate social work service implementation [49,50]. However, this model has been criticized for its rigidity and inefficiency [47]. Challenges include difficulty in accurately identifying recipient needs and prompt responsiveness with limited participatory entities [51]. Learning from global experiences and empowerment theory, the responsible service-providing subjects of SSA should be a cooperative model with multiple entities interacting, involving the government, market, and society [47]. An inclusive coordination system that fosters extensive and orderly participation from various stakeholders is urgently needed to address these limitations and effectively cater to the needs of vulnerable populations seeking social assistance [52,53].
Based on the findings from this scoping review, we support the notion that social work participation can help break through the government-led bureaucratic rigidity in SSA. In the reviewed studies, social work played a pivotal role as a mediator between the government and service recipients via government–society cooperative strategies [46], which served to flexibly respond to individual diverse needs and overcome limitations inherent in the government’s bureaucratic approach to social assistance, harnessing the synergies of multiple entities and showcasing their complementary strengths [54]. Besides indirect services, social workers also provide direct multilevel and multidimensional services by integrating social resources and professional service methods. The extensive involvement of social work in SSA is evidenced in various studies [17,45,46,47]. This finding underscores the significant participation of professional social workers in SSA.
However, the participation of social workers in SSA is still constrained, and the various obstacles they encounter should be carefully considered [55]. The decision making and autonomy of social workers embedded in the Chinese administrative system may be limited by the government’s authority [56]. Under the prevailing government-led system, social work fluctuates between specialization and administrative requirements. Furthermore, the services provided tend to lack professionalization and may result in social workers being entangled in complex bureaucratic processes [57], which weakens the autonomy of social work. Therefore, it is imperative to reevaluate the government’s administrative authority and emphasize the importance of cross-departmental collaboration in SSA [45,58].
The studies included in this review have informed the development and facilitation of the SSA system in China. These studies highlight the effectiveness and successful experiences of collaboration between social workers and the government in planning and delivering services, which enables functional divisions among various participating entities. Specifically, the Chinese government can unify plans and allocate financial funds to support SSA using a top-down approach. Social workers and other entities can then implement services with adequate flexibility and provide policy advocacy from the bottom up [17,45,47]. These functional divisions integrate the strengths of both the government and social forces, enhancing service efficiency. The cooperation mode facilitates a swift response, fosters mutual trust, ensures proper service implementation [45], and provides valuable experience for the innovation of SSA in developing countries with an administrative working system tradition.

4.2. Social Work Service Implementation: Emphasizing Empowerment and Capability Building

The studies included in this scoping review indicated that social workers presented professional advantages in program designs and service delivery in SSA [47]. In the design of intervention services, social work participation in SSA necessitates a greater focus on the empowerment and capacity building of vulnerable populations. Besides the problem-solving approach, several capacity-building projects were also designed and implemented in these studies, aiming to promote the recipients’ internal and external protective factors. The studies emphasized that social work strategies should prioritize the delivery of developmental assistance services relying on community resources, emphasizing community engagement, continuous empowerment, external support, psychological counseling, and cognitive intervention [17,45,46]. These multilevel intervention approaches have effectively strengthened individuals’ and communities’ abilities to self-develop [59,60]. Furthermore, tailoring the cultivation of self-determination to the local cultural context is suggested as a common and exemplary social work approach, offering valuable insights for the implementation and promotion of future SSA intervention services in China. The practical insights gained from this approach in China can also enrich global discussions on social work participation in SSA and contribute to the development of inclusive and sustainable social policies worldwide.
Regarding the modality of social work service delivery, all four included studies demonstrated that participatory social work actions and leveraging the strengths of recipients are crucial. However, in reality, most social work projects in SSA exhibit a singular giving characteristic, with inadequate subjectivity on the part of the recipients [50]. Social work services perpetuate persistent negative stereotypes of people as social assistance recipients. The strengths and autonomy of service recipients are sometimes overlooked during the service implementation process due to their resource scarcity and disadvantaged position [61,62]. Meanwhile, social workers’ emphasis on remedial solutions, lack of creativity [63], and insufficient competence in service provision also limit the recipients’ participation [28]. Given this circumstance, we strongly recommend paying close attention to the strengths and self-support abilities of recipients and encouraging their active participation in service provision. Additionally, it is necessary to enhance social workers’ abilities to handle complex situations and problems in future service implementation.

4.3. Service Recipients: Expansion of Service Coverage

SSA has become a common welfare governance approach worldwide and in China [10]. Globally, it is almost inevitable that the qualified recipient population continues to expand with the development of social assistance [64], which is supported in this study. Our findings suggest a steady broadening of the beneficiary groups for SSA, with an initial focus on individuals in absolute poverty, gradually expanding to encompass those experiencing relative poverty [17,45,46,47]. This shift is likely attributed to the emergence of social risks and new poverty challenges in the current development landscape as absolute poverty is being addressed. Consequently, China has observed a diversification of recipients and broadening requirements for service assistance [19,30,48]. It is crucial to recognize and integrate the diverse needs of vulnerable groups via a professional social work approach within the social assistance framework to achieve common prosperity and high-quality development. This underscores a dedication to fostering an inclusive and equitable society that leaves no one behind.

4.4. Regional Differences in Social Work Participation in SSA

The research of the included studies exhibited some regional differences. Two included studies on post-disaster reconstruction focused on the earthquake-prone Sichuan and Yunnan regions of China, reflecting China’s successful experience in the field of post-disaster social relief. The other two articles about comprehensive services in residential care mainly focused on Shanghai and Guangdong, where the development of social work is relatively mature. The experience of services and assistance carried out in these two places can provide a reference for the implementation of services and assistance in other regions.

4.5. Limitations of the Reviewed Studies

The included studies developed distinctive social work service strategies in SSA according to different conditions, and the practices achieved good outcomes in reality. The action strategies of social work practices worth reference in these articles focused on precise identification and refined professional services [17], the mobilization of social resources [47], participants’ and cross-sector cooperation, and community-centered social work intervention [45,46], which demonstrates China’s unique exploration of social work service interventions in SSA. Despite their contribution to SSA in China and worldwide, the limitations of the reviewed studies still need attention, which may provide valuable insights for future social work interventions in SSA practices.
Firstly, these studies were primarily qualitative, with small samples and limited social assistance fields involved. The experiences of social work services gleaned from the reviewed studies were based on specific geographical, economic, and cultural contexts, such as the regions of post-disaster reconstruction or residential care in developed provinces of China. These experiences are not representative of other regions with diversified contexts and hinder replication by other practitioners or in different locations. Secondly, the professional assessment of the social work interventions was inadequate in the included studies. Among the four reviewed studies, one study lacked comprehensive assessments of service outcomes or reliable and valid assessment tools [47], posing challenges in accurately determining their effectiveness. Two studies lacked follow-up assessments, making it challenging to determine the duration of effectiveness. Thirdly, challenges in the sustainability and standardization of these social work intervention services appeared due to insufficient resource mobilization capacities and the lack of professional knowledge or skills. One study lacked sustained financial support. A significant number of studies (n = 2) did not provide detailed information regarding social work participation, such as service delivery processes and the demographic characteristics of recipients. Therefore, enhancing the ability to apply for funding and develop and report standardized treatment manuals in future research is highly emphasized. Furthermore, while some social work interventions demonstrated success in pilot tests, their small sample sizes necessitate implementation and evaluation in larger groups to conclusively assess their effectiveness. Various problems remain.

4.6. Limitations of This Scoping Review Study

Our study has several limitations that offer valuable insights for future research. Firstly, while we attempted to conduct a comprehensive search across databases, it may not have been exhaustive. Additionally, our search was limited to studies published in the English or Chinese language, potentially excluding eligible studies published in other languages. More databases covering more languages can be considered in future systematic review studies. Secondly, our review analyzed general information about the delivery model of social work services in SSA, modalities, and recipients, without detailed consideration of possible geographical diversities, such as those between urban and rural areas, which are particularly relevant given China’s vast geographical space and diverse population. We expect more developed social work services in SSA to be reported in research and to provide future scholars with more documentation to understand the diversified experiences and lessons. Thirdly, our conclusions are based on the reported textual information in the included studies, and additional information may have been obtained if we had contacted the authors directly. We suggest that future studies contact the authors directly to ask for more detailed information not reported in the published manuscripts to better understand the programs.

5. Conclusions

Despite its limitations, our scoping review study represents a pioneering effort to systematically examine social work participation in SSA in China and worldwide. The social work profession participates in SSA in various modes globally. In China, the social work profession is embedded in the Chinese administrative system and plays a professional role in SSA. This scoping review study identified four promising programs in this domain, involving the delivery model of social work services, utilizing diverse intervention modalities, and serving different recipient groups, and acknowledged the need for further research. Although currently limited in quantity, these social work programs contribute to informing and enhancing future social assistance practices aimed at supporting vulnerable populations in China and beyond.

Author Contributions

Y.S.: Conceptualization, methodology, writing—original draft, review and editing, visualization, project administration, funding acquisition; L.Y.: validation, methodology, writing—review; M.W.: conceptualization, methodology, editing, validation, writing—review, and supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by The Social Science Fund of Tianjin, China, as a part of the Youth Project “Research on Improving Path of Service-Oriented Social Assistance under the Background of High-quality Development”, grant number TJSRQN22-003.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Sustainability 17 02301 g001
Figure 1. Search and review procedures. Footnote: For English studies, the studies from the Web of Science database included the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science (CPCI-S), Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Social Science and Humanities (CPCI-SSH), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI), Book Citation Index—Science (BKCI-S), Book Citation Index—Social Sciences and Humanities (BKCI-SSH), and Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) journals. For Chinese studies, the search included the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases.
Figure 1. Search and review procedures. Footnote: For English studies, the studies from the Web of Science database included the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science (CPCI-S), Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Social Science and Humanities (CPCI-SSH), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI), Book Citation Index—Science (BKCI-S), Book Citation Index—Social Sciences and Humanities (BKCI-SSH), and Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) journals. For Chinese studies, the search included the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases.
Sustainability 17 02301 g001
Table 1. Description of social work participation in the service-oriented social assistance practice in Mainland China.
Table 1. Description of social work participation in the service-oriented social assistance practice in Mainland China.
AuthorLanguageSample SizeDurationLocationFunding Resources
[45]English2256 villagers in villages affected by the earthquakesOver 3 monthsYunnanGovernment support
[46]English60 villagers in villages affected by the earthquakesApproximately 1.5 yearsSichuanCharitable donations
[17]Chinese200,000 residents in C Street Approximately 4 yearsGuangdongGovernment support
[47]Chinese335,849 residentsApproximately 10 yearsShanghaiGovernment support and charitable donations
Table 2. Characteristics of service-oriented social assistance practice in Mainland China: social work participation and outcome.
Table 2. Characteristics of service-oriented social assistance practice in Mainland China: social work participation and outcome.
AuthorParticipation ModeTypes of Social Work ServicesSocial Work Service Implementation ModalitiesRecipients Outcome MeasurementPrimary Findings
[45]Government-ledCommunity-centered reconstruction service: community as a holistic intervention system to focus on reconstructing relationships broken by the disasterIntegrated multidimensional services: reflexive–therapeutic practice, reparative–supportive practice, mobilization–empowerment practice, and deconstructive–advocated practice Disaster-
affected people 		Qualitative method:
interviews with 24 social workers		Significantly improved disaster assistance response and promoted coordinated development
[17]Government-ledComprehensive services in residential care: refined assistance services for the poor elderly, Dibao recipients, children in distress, and disabled peopleAccurate identification and refined services, including establishing trust, determining clients and identifying their needs, establishing information archives, formulating service plans and providing continuous empowerment servicesVulnerable groups Qualitative method:
interviews, regular telephone calls, and on-site visits		Enhanced the precision of social assistance and effectively cultivated the self-reliance and life skills of vulnerable groups
[47]Government-ledComprehensive services in residential care:
case support for prominent difficulties; projects to support specific events; and psychological care		Advocate social resources to participate and provide diversified case assistance and comprehensive services based on levels of difficulties Vulnerable groups Qualitative method:
interviews with staff in government departments and non-profit charity organizations 		Made up for the deficiency of the current social assistance policies and helped residents to improve living conditions
[46]Profession-ledCommunity-centered reconstruction service:
Empower villagers in community rebuilding		Interdisciplinary action to discover the strengths and capacities of the elderly and to empower them by training their social, cultural, and economic skillsDisaster-
affected people		Qualitative method: in-depth interviews with various groups The elderly exhibited a strong sense of motivation, which fostered their cooperation and led to their active participation in community reconstruction efforts
Table 3. Comparison of different modes of social work participation in SSA.
Table 3. Comparison of different modes of social work participation in SSA.
Participation ModeSubject Function in SSAFunding SourceCharacteristicService Effectiveness
Government-ledThe central and local government Guide and monitor the service procedures, develop policies, evaluate outcomes, deliver procedures, and provide financial supportThe central and local government Administrative dominanceWide range, insufficient services, funds guaranteed,
low profession, lack of autonomy
Profession-ledSocial work educators in universities and social workersProvide services, mediate the multidisciplinary relationship, link resources, and raise fundingCharitable donationsProfessional autonomy and interdisciplinary cooperationProfessional autonomy and
funds not guaranteed
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Shao, Y.; Yang, L.; Wang, M. Social Work Participation in Service-Oriented Social Assistance in China: A Scoping Review. Sustainability 2025, 17, 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052301

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Shao Y, Yang L, Wang M. Social Work Participation in Service-Oriented Social Assistance in China: A Scoping Review. Sustainability. 2025; 17(5):2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052301

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Shao, Yaping, Liangcheng Yang, and Miao Wang. 2025. "Social Work Participation in Service-Oriented Social Assistance in China: A Scoping Review" Sustainability 17, no. 5: 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052301

APA Style

Shao, Y., Yang, L., & Wang, M. (2025). Social Work Participation in Service-Oriented Social Assistance in China: A Scoping Review. Sustainability, 17(5), 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052301

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