Moral Welfare Workers' Association

Papers about the Association's foundation and its constitution, 1939-1964; annual reports, 1962-1968; membership papers, 1941-1969, minutes of meetings, including General Meetings and those of the Executive Committee, 1952-1970, circulars etc., 1954-1969, correspondence etc., papers relating to salaries and conditions of work and training, and evidence submitted to committees, 1947-1967, MWWA publications, including MWWA Newsletter, later Bulletin, 1961-1970. Includes Frances Martin, A History of the Moral Welfare Workers Association, 1963.

In 1938 the Standing Committee of Diocesan Organising Secretaries for Moral Welfare Work proposed and encouraged the formation of a professional association which could help establish and maintain standards of work. A draft constitution was drawn up which was adopted by members after the end of the second world war. Circular 2866 issued by the Ministry of Health in 1943 was a milestone. Membership of the Association rose from 170 in 1941 to 360 in 1945, but was still under 400 in 1970, when the association merged with six other social workers' organisations to form the British Association of Social Workers.

Reference: R.W. Stacey and A.T. Collis, Catalogue and guide to the archives of the predecessor organisations, 1890-1970. Birmingham : British Association of Social Workers, 1987. R.W. Stacey and A.T. Collis, British Association of Social Workers. Supplementary Catalogue to the Catalogue and guide to the archives of the predecessor organisations, 1890-1970. Birmingham : British Association of Social Workers, 1988.

The archives of BASW's predecessors were listed before their deposit in the Centre. A published catalogue is available for purchase. The archives of the different organisations are distinguished by different initials.

Except for records containing personal data, this collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

This collection was deposited in the Centre by the British Association of Social Workers, 17 July 1997. BASW deposited its own archives in the Centre in 2003.

Link to full catalogue: http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/MWA

There are no restrictions on the use of this archive, apart from the requirements of copyright law.

These archives have been weeded for duplicate ephemeral material.

Further deposits are not expected.

MSS.378/BASW contains records after 1970, when this association was merged with others to form the British Association of Social Workers.

Related archives held in the Centre are: Association of Children's Officers (MSS.378/ACO); Association of Child Care Officers (MSS.378/ACCO); Association of Family Case Workers (MSS.378/AGFC); Association of Psychiatric Social Workers (MSS.378/APSW); Association of Social Workers (MSS.378/ASW); Institute of Medical Social Workers (MSS.378/IMSW); Society of Mental Welfare Officers (MSS.378/SMWO); Association of Tuberculosis Care Workers (MSS.378/TUB) ; National Association of Probation Officers (MSS.378/PROB); and Standing Conference of Organisations of Social Workers (MSS.378/SCOSW).

Other related archives are: (MSS. 422) Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work; (MSS.432) Social Workers' Benevolent Trust; (MSS.463) National Institute for Social Work Training.