Understanding the Development of Faith-Based Social Work Organisations in China

The Chinese government has opened the door for faith-based organisations (FBOs) to provide public services since 2005. Yet the field of faith-based social work services remains understudied. This article begins with a literature review of the institutional environment for FBOs and addresses three questions: what types of faith-based social work organisations (FBSWOs) have emerged in China? How can FBSWOs survive and develop? What does the rise of these FBSWOs mean to the development of social work as a profession in China?

By analyzing longitudinal data collected from 2006 to 2014, this article identifies three models of faith-based social work organisations that have emerged and developed in China: 1) traditional faith-based organisations that have recently hired social workers to deliver social services; 2) grassroots social service organizations supported by a certain religious body or bodies; and 3) grassroots social service organisations operated by religious social workers without strong connections to religious bodies. Implications for the development of professional social work in China are also discussed.