本文嘗試採歷史分析的研究取向，來觀察與理解英國1968年後國家、福利治理與社會工作的關係。本文認爲，在英國國家社會工作發展的進程中，最核心的影響來自國家權力而非專業自主性。在1968年之後，國家分別透過奠基於集體主義的「科層－專業主義」、新自由主義的「市場－新管理主義」以及第三條路的「參與／分散－管理主義」等不同的福利治理模式，來引導、模塑、控制社會工作。英國戰後在社會民主理性的集體主義思維裡，是以「科層－專業主義」來建構高度集中化的福利國家體制，社會工作被鑲嵌線在這樣的體制裡，作爲一門被國家所依重與信任、用以輸送福利服務的專業技術，而國家權力也因此合法地透過科層體制來壟斷、控制與支配社會工作。1979年及1997年是英國的保守黨與新工黨在競爭政黨長期執政後贏得大選的年份，這兩個分居於政治光譜不同位置的政黨主政後，或翻轉、或修正、或延續先前競爭政黨的福利治理理念／意識型態，但基本上都是在市場化與分散化運動的思維下，以一套全新的福利秩序來取代先前高度集中化的「科層－專業主義」福利國家體制，國家透過預算的分配、建構更大規模的稽核、評鑑制度，讓社會工作產生內部自我規訓，進而達到國家控制的目的。

This article tries to explore the state and welfare governance toward the regulation of state social work in England since 1968. This paper argues that since World War Ⅱ, owing to the acceptance of state responsibility for providing universal welfare, social work has become a statutory occupation and a part of the state. After it, collective social provision became principal ideology. State social workers started to engaged in the social services departments providing 'direct service and care' for the needy. In late 1970s, when Conservatives came to power, they stressed shrinking state provision and the mixed-economy of welfare gained influence. While community care delegated more power to the voluntary and private sector which became the mainstream service provision for adults. Care management inevitably became the new favorite and restructured social work practice. Then, in 2000s, New Labour represented a new political landscape-more tightly framed by the neo-liberalism rationality and new managerialism on the one hand and by the greater statutory and legal controls on the other. The emphasis on accountability, standards and performance indicators, collaboration and partnership became high priority and the main concern in social work practice, social work education and training. In sum, the social work in England has not exhibit the real autonomy yet, it was dominated by the state profoundly. The state welfare governance not only sets out the duties and responsibilities of social workers, but defines the practice implementation of the state social work.