Social welfare refers to the organized system of services, policies, programmes, and institutions designed to promote the well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities. It aims to ensure that every member of society has access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and social security. Social welfare is closely related to the development of social work because it provides the framework within which professional social workers deliver services to vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. The concept of social welfare has existed since ancient times. In early societies, welfare activities were mainly based on charity, religious teachings, and community support. Families, religious institutions, and local communities took responsibility for helping the poor, the elderly, widows, orphans, and persons with disabilities. In India, social welfare traditions can be traced to the Vedic period, where values such as charity (Dana), compassion, and service to humanity were encouraged. Kings, temples, and religious organizations established hospitals, rest houses, and feeding centres for the needy. During the medieval period, welfare activities continued through religious institutions, philanthropic individuals, and local communities. However, these efforts were voluntary and limited in scope. With the Industrial Revolution, rapid urbanization, unemployment, poverty, poor housing, and child labour created serious social problems. Traditional forms of charity became inadequate to address these complex issues. This led to the emergence of organized social welfare programmes supported by governments and voluntary organizations. In the nineteenth century, several social reform movements contributed to the growth of social welfare. In England, the Poor Laws attempted to provide relief to the poor, although