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Social Workers and the Generalist
Intervention Model
March 30, 2023 by Angy
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A generalist intervention model is a multilevel approach that allows
social workers to work within a variety of environments.
So, how does the generalist intervention model help social workers
support service users or clients better?
This article outlines the generalist intervention model which is an
important macro-social work theory. This approach provides a
holistic and comprehensive social work service to clients, taking
into account their individual needs and their environment.
The generalist intervention model requires practitioners to have a
good understanding of all aspects of social work practice – from
knowledge of di몭erent sources of support, to assessing service
users’ needs, creating goals and developing action plans.
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The generalist intervention model follows four premises:
1–Social and physical environment is what makes people behave in
a certain way.
2–By changing or modifying anything related to the social or
physical environment, human behaviour can be altered.
3–Work with any level of a human system uses similar social work
processes.
4–Generalist practitioners have responsibilities beyond direct
practice to work towards social policies.
Social Workers and the Generalist
Intervention Model
Social work programmes are usually entrenched in the generalist
model.
However, once a social work student becomes a newly quali몭ed
social worker, there are opportunities to specialise in areas of
interest such as becoming a mental health social worker, older
persons social worker or a social worker in children’s services.
The generalist intervention model assist social workers in
supporting service users or clients e몭ectively.
The process follows 7 stages as follows;
1) Engagement
2) Assessment
3) Planning
4) Implementation
5) Evaluation
6) Termination
7) Follow-up
1.0 Engagement
In the engagement stage, the social worker approaches the clients
and tries to build a relationship, and within that relationship, they try
to build trust.
It is a process that requires active listening and empathy.
It’s the 몭rst time the social worker and the client meet; the
importance of 몭rst impressions here plays a fundamental role.
First impressions are important because they last well beyond that
moment; the client will remember that moment until the last
interaction they’ll have with the social worker.
Any future interaction will be based – on an unconscious level – on
that 몭rst impression.
This is called the primacy e몭ect; in short, when someone
experiences something before other things happen in a sequence,
they remember that 몭rst thing more.
2.0 Assessment
In this phase, the social worker will ask questions in order to
understand the problems better than the clients’ struggles and 몭nd
a suitable solution.
If the professional is working with children, they will use an “all
about me” assessment; it is a series of questions that the children
will have to answer for the social worker to understand better their
client.
It usually has some questions about their favorite things to do, their
opinion on things like school or family-related, and to make it even
more child-friendly, at the end of the assessment, the child can
colour it however they like.
Teachers also use it in the school to get to know their students
better.
In most local authorities, social workers may complete a Children
and Families (CF) Assessment when working in children’s services.
The Children Act 1989 provides the legal basis for social work
assessment of a child and his / her family.
Social workers may also complete a needs assessment when
working in adult services.
The Care Act 2014 provides the legal basis for social work needs
assessment of adults.
Other assessments may include mental capacity assessments
which follows the Mental Capacity Act (2005) legal framework.
The assessment stage goes side by side with the engagement
because a social worker is engaging and interacting with the child
or adult during an assessment.
3.0 Planning
In the planning stage, the focus is on goal development. The social
worker and the clients work together to develop an action plan that
includes speci몭c objectives and tasks.
Patience is essential because the client might become frustrated if
they can’t reach a speci몭c goal or their expectations aren’t met; the
social worker has to reassure them and help them by giving advice
or showing them the best way to reach that goal.
4.0 Implementation
Planning and implementation also go side by side; the social
worker monitors the client’s progress.
The client has an active role in bringing up challenges, obstacles,
or threats that won’t allow them to carry out the action plan.
Therefore, it is important to have a good relationship with the client;
and there needs to be mutual trust and understanding.
5.0 Evaluation
During the evaluation stage, the social worker keeps track of the
progress and monitors the client.
It’s at this stage that the professional has to decide to change the
plan if the previous plan isn’t working.
This stage calls for critical evaluation and re몭ection.
Upon re몭ection, the social worker might decide to return to the
assessment stage to better identify the needs of the client or
service user.
6.0 Termination
The ultimate goal of any intervention is to make sure that the client
can maintain changes and monitor any progress independently,
without the help of any professional.
7.0 Follow – up
There is also a follow-up stage where, after a certain amount of
time, the social worker checks on the client to see if the progress is
still there or another intervention is necessary.
If the social worker evaluates the situation correctly, they can
potentially make someone’s life better.
That’s how rewarding this profession can be.
Before you go
For social workers, the generalist intervention model o몭ers a guide
to supporting clients or service users on their path to self
actualisation and self-determination.
It can help inform speci몭c interventions and approaches in practice.
The generalist intervention model key
stages
The process follows 7 stages as follows;
1) Engagement
2) Assessment
3) Planning
4) Implementation
5) Evaluation
6) Termination
7) Follow-up
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About
Hi there! I'm Angy. The creator of Social Work Haven. I am a Social Worker, Practice
Educator Mentor, and Best Interests Assessor. I created this motivational and educational
blog focused on empowering social workers and providing content about social work,
personal development, mental health so that we can increase awareness and have
conversations about social work, personal development and mental health. Enjoy!
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