original_query: What are the roots of social work?
query: What are the roots of social work?
answer: Social work's roots lie in societal attempts to address poverty and inequality, initially intertwined with religious charity.  Pre-modern examples include the Christian church's provision of social services in the Roman Empire and beyond. The modern profession emerged from three strands in the 19th century: individual casework (Charity Organisation Society), social administration (English Poor Laws), and social action (settlement house movement).