prescribe how such institutions ought ideally to operate. One useful way of categorising ideologies focuses on differences in the ideologies' prescriptions for how much the government ought to be involved in directing or regulating economic, social and cultural affairs and how much individuals or voluntary organisations ought to be left alone to make their own (widely varied) decisions in these spheres of life.
             The term 'human services' can be thought of as generic, in that it defines a range of social welfare services. The human services emerged out of the understanding of a welfare state, which according to McLean, I. (1996) is "a system in which the government undertakes the main responsibilities for providing main responsibilities for social and economic security of the state population." These services adapt and change to meet the continuing needs of society. The welfare state has undergone many changes through the centuries. Significant historical developments include: 1592, when the Poor Law was introduced out of genuine concern for the poor; 1834, when it was revised with a strong emphasis on getting rid of scroungers and alike; 1869, which saw the formation of charitable organisations concerned with social welfare; 1909, Fabian academics argued for a break-up of the present poor law system and suggested that locally elected authorities be responsible for providing health, childcare and education. These developments had similarities with proposals put forward in the Seebohm Report sixty years later. 1942 saw the Beveridge Report that highlighted a lot of problems as a result of war and there was a great deal of social and financial problems. Important developments from this report included a universal system of national insurance, the creation of the national health service, state responsibility for maintaining full employment, and a universal system of family allowance. Local authorities were given huge r...