UNIT II: SOCIAL WORK
LESSON 1: THE
DISCIPLINE OF
SOCIAL WORK
LEARING OUTCOMES:
The learners are expected
to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of the disciplines of social work;
2. Identify the goals and scope of social work;
3. Demonstrate comprehension of the principles of social work;
4. Discuss the core values of social work; and
5. Participate in a group presentation about particular situations in
which practitioners of social work are commonly confronted with.
SOCIAL WORK
It is a practice-based profession and an academic
discipline that seeks to facilitate the welfare of
communities, individuals, families, and groups, promotes
social change and development, social cohesion, and
the empowerment and liberation of people.
It is reinforced by theories of social sciences and guided
by principles of social justice, human rights, collective
responsibility, and respect for diversities.
It engages people and structures to address life
challenges and enhance well-being.
A Social Worker is a practicing professional
with a degree in social work.
Respect for diversity means acknowledging and valuing the unique qualities
and differences of individuals and groups, fostering understanding and
inclusivity, and promoting a world where everyone feels valued and
respected
THE FIELDS WHERE A SOCIAL WORKER MAY
BE EMPLOYED IN:
Poverty Relief Human Rights
Life Skills Addictions Rehabilitation
Community Development Disaster Management
Forensics Mental Health
Industrial Relations Disabilities
Child Protection Hospitals
Elder Protection
Women's Rights
GOALS AND SCOPE OF
SOCIAL WORK
1. Enhancing the people’s capacities to
resolve problems, cope, and function
effectively
2. Linking clients with needed resources
3. Improve the social service delivery network
4. Promoting social justice through the
development of social policy
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL
WORK
Various authors may provide
several principles of social work but
agree on the fact that central to
social work are the principles of
social justice, human rights,
collective responsibility and respect
for diversities.
THE FIVE MAJOR PRINCIPLES
OF SOCIAL WORK
1)Principle of Acceptance
2)Principle of Individualization
3)Principle of Self-Determination
4)Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude
5)Principle of Confidentiality
PRINCIPLE OF
ACCEPTANCE
Acceptance is a fundamental social
work principle that implies a sincere
understanding of clients.
This principle holds that the professional
social worker accepts the client as it is.
Social workers who accept clients treat
them humanely and considerately and
afford them dignity and worth.
PRINCIPLE OF
ACCEPTANCE
Social Workers convey acceptance by
taking genuine concern, listening
receptively, acknowledging others’
points of view, and creating a climate of
mutual respect.
Acceptance implies that social workers
understand clients’ perspectives and
welcome their views.
PRINCIPLE OF
ACCEPTANCE
In social work situation, a client invites a
worker into his life, into his problem, into
his emotional stressful state, and into his
personal affairs.
The principle of acceptance says that
the worker shows his/her acceptance by
taking genuine concern, listening
receptively, etc.
PRINCIPLE OF
INDIVIDUALIZATION
The client of a social agency is like all the other persons
we have ever known, but he is different too. In broad
ways, he is like all other human beings; in a somewhat
more limited way, he is like all other human beings of
his age or time or culture.
But, as we move from understanding him simply as a
human being to understanding him as this particular
human being, we find that, with all his general likeness
to others, he is as unique as his thumbprint.
PRINCIPLE OF
INDIVIDUALIZATION
The principle of Individualization means that every
client is unique for the worker. As we know that
the client is a person, with a problem in his / her
life. He / she is a person with a particular religious
beliefs, economic position, social status, and a
particular cast.
The worker has to accept the client with all
his/her strengths and weaknesses. Every client is
not just an individual but the individual.
PRINCIPLE OF SELF-DETERMINATION
Determination is a noun derived from
the word “determine.” “To determine”
mean “to decide something.”
Dictionary meaning of determination
is “the process of deciding on or
establishing a course of action.”
PRINCIPLE OF SELF-DETERMINATION
From these we can infer that self-
determination refer to the process of
deciding on or establishing a course of
action by a person, or a group, or a state by
itself, without any kind of foreign compulsion
or coercion etc.
Simply, the decisions which come from one
self, which are the results of one’s own wishes
and desires.
PRINCIPLE OF SELF-DETERMINATION
In social work literature, Self-determination is defined
as “a condition in which a person’s behavior (i.e. his
actions and thoughts) comes from his or her own
wishes, desires and decisions.”
The principle of self-determination is based on the
recognition of the “right and need of clients to
freedom in making their own choices and decisions.”
Social workers have a responsibility to create a
working relationship in which choice can be
exercised.
PRINCIPLE OF NON-JUDGMENTAL
ATTITUDE
All human beings have dignity and worth. It is
intrinsic. It is by nature. The principle of non-
judgmental attitude means that Social workers
do not judge others as good or bad, worthy or
unworthy, dignified or undignified, etc.
However, it does not imply that social workers
do not make decisions; rather it implies a non-
blaming attitude and behavior.
PRINCIPLE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidentiality,or the right to privacy, social
worker must not disclose the clients information,
such as their identity, their discussion with
professionals, professional opinions about clients,
or records.
Since clients often share sensitive, personal
material with social workers, preserving
confidentiality or privacy is essential for
developing trust, a key ingredient of any effective
CORE VALUES OF SOCIAL
WORK
1. Service: to provide help, resources, and
benefits to help people achieve maximum
potential
2. Social Justice: to uphold equal rights,
protection, opportunity, social benefits to
everyone
3. Dignity and worth: every person is unique
and worthwhile
CORE VALUES OF
SOCIAL WORK
4.Importance of human relationships: to
value the exchange between social
worker and client
5. Integrity: maintain trustworthiness
6. Competence: practice within the
scope of known skills and abilities
SERVICE TO HUMANITY
Service to others is one of the main values in social work, from
which all of the other values stem. Social workers acknowledge
that serving others is more important than self-interest and put
the needs of their clients ahead of their own. This can be
difficult at times, and you'll be expected to seek the advice of
your supervisor or even participate in your own psychotherapy
to help you deal with any personal issues that may arise.
Additionally, the value of service means that you'll be
encouraged to volunteer some portion of your time - or
working on a pro bono basis, according to the Code of Ethics
of the National Association of Social Workers.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Social justice is another key value of social
work. Many social workers decide to enter
the profession because they recognize the
need to help underprivileged, vulnerable
populations, such as the homeless, those
struggling with substance abuse issues or
victims of domestic violence.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
As a social worker, you have an inherent desire to
improve the lives of people who are less fortunate
or unable to advocate for themselves.
According to the Code of Ethics of the National
Association of Social Workers, social change
efforts in social work are primarily focused on
unemployment, poverty, discrimination and other
forms of social injustices.
HUMAN DIGNITY AND
WORTH
As a social worker, you understand the inherent value of
every human life, regardless of background or beliefs. You
respect the differences between your personal beliefs and
those of your clients, taking into account ethnic and
cultural diversity. There may be times that you have to
deal with your own biases against a particular population.
It can be a struggle, but you have to put aside your
feelings for the sake of helping your clients. You
acknowledge that your clients have the right to self-
determination -- even if you think you know what's best in
a given situation.
INTEGRITY
Integrity means acting honestly, responsibly and ethically
at all times. You are trustworthy and you don't betray
client confidentiality, unless you're required to do so in
certain circumstances by law, such as in cases of
suicidality.
Not only do you act with integrity, but you also promote
integrity in your colleagues and other professionals. For
example, you don't ignore a colleague who gossips about
a client -- you confront this colleague directly or bring your
concerns to the attention of your supervisor.
COMPETENCE
The value of competence means that you
practice in your area of expertise -- and you don't
misrepresent your skills or experience to get
ahead.
Competence also means that you're continually
striving to improve your knowledge and to make
meaningful contributions to the profession.
COMPETENCE
The value of competence means that you
practice in your area of expertise -- and you don't
misrepresent your skills or experience to get
ahead.
Competence also means that you're continually
striving to improve your knowledge and to make
meaningful contributions to the profession.
UNIT II: SOCIAL WORK
LESSON 2: PROFESSIONALS
AND PRACTITIONERS IN
SOCIAL WORK
LEARING OUTCOMES:
The learners are expected to:
1. Demonstrate understanding about professionals and practitioners
in social work;
2. Show an understanding of the roles and functions of social workers;
3. Identify specific work areas in which social workers work;
4. Identify career opportunities for social workers;
5. Value rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities; and
6. Distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among
practitioners.
ROLES, FUNCTIONS, AND
COMPETENCIES OF
SOCIAL WORKERS
A. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
ADVOCATE:
In the advocate role, the social worker champions the
rights of others with the goal of empowering the client
system being served.
A social worker in the role of advocate speaks on
behalf of clients when others will not listen or when
clients are unable to do so. Social workers have a
particular responsibility to advocate on behalf of those
disempowered by society.
A. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
BROKER:
In the role of broker a social worker is a professional agent responsible
for identifying, locating, and linking client systems to needed resources
in a timely fashion. Once the client’s needs are assessed and potential
services identified, the broker assists the client in choosing the most
appropriate service option and assists in negotiating the terms of
service delivery.
In the role of broker the social worker is also concerned with the quality,
quantity, and accessibility of services.
A. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
COMMUNITY CHANGE AGENT:
A community change agent participates as part of a group or
organization seeking to improve or restructure some aspect of
community service provision. A change agent, working with others, uses
a problem-solving model to identify the problem, solicit community
input, and plan for change.
A community change agent acts in a coordinated manner to achieve
planned change at multiple levels that helps to shift the focus of
institutional resources to meet identified goals.
A. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
COUNSELOR:
The role of the professional counselor focuses on improving social
functioning. In the role of counselor, the social worker helps client
systems articulate their needs, clarify their problems, explore resolution
strategies, and applies intervention strategies to develop and expand
the capacities of client systems to deal with their problems more
effectively.
A key function of this role is to empower people by affirming their
personal strengths and their capacities to deal with their problems more
effectively.
A. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
MEDIATOR:
When dispute resolution is needed in order to accomplish
goals, the professional social worker will carry out the role of
mediator.
In the mediator role, the social worker intervenes in disputes
between parties to help them find compromises, reconcile
differences, and reach mutually satisfying agreements. The
mediator takes a neutral stance among the involved parties.
A. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
RESEARCHER:
In the researcher role, a social worker evaluates practice
interventions and with others evaluates program outcomes.
The researcher seeks to critically analyze the literature on
relevant topics of interest and uses this information to inform
practice.
A researcher extends and disseminates knowledge, and
seeks to enhance the effectiveness of social work practice.
B. COMPETENCIES OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
COMPETENCIES
Competencies are measurable practice behaviors
that are comprised of knowledge, values, and skills.
Thegoal of the outcome approach is to demonstrate
the integration and application of the competencies
in practice with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities.
The following are the Educational
Policies and Accreditation
Standards approved by the
Council on Social Work
Education, Inc., published in 2008
and 2012:
1. IDENTIFY AS A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER
AND CONDUCT ONE SELF ACCORDINGLY.
Social workers serve as representatives of the
profession, its mission, and its core values. They
know the profession’s history.
Social workers commit themselves to the
profession’s enhancement and to their own
professional conduct and growth.
UNIT II: SOCIAL WORK
LESSON 3: CLIENTELE AND
AUDIENCES IN SOCIAL
WORK
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The learners are expected to:
1. Demonstrate understanding about clientele
and audiences in social work; and
2. Distinguish the needs of individuals, groups,
organizations and communities
social worker
A social worker helps people cope with
challenges in every stage of their lives. They
help with a wide range of situations, such as
adopting a child or being diagnosed with a
terminal illness. Social workers work with many
populations, including children, people with
disabilities, and people with addictions.
DIRECT-SERVICE SOCIAL WORKERS
typically do the following:
Identify people who need help
Assess clients’ needs, situations, strengths, and support
networks to determine their goals
Develop plans to improve their clients’ well-being
Help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their
lives, such as illness, divorce, or unemployment
Research and refer clients to community resources,
such as food stamps, child care, and healthcare
DIRECT-SERVICE SOCIAL WORKERS typically
do the following:
Help clients work with government agencies to apply for
and receive benefits such as Medicare
Respond to crisis situations, such as natural disasters or
child abuse
Advocate for and help clients get resources that would
improve their well-being
Follow up with clients to ensure that their situations have
improved
Evaluate services provided to ensure that they are
effective
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS
typically do the following:
Diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional
disorders, including anxiety and depression
Provide individual, group, family, and couples therapy
Assessclients’ histories, backgrounds, and situations to
understand their needs, as well as their strengths and
weaknesses
Develop a treatment plan with the client, doctors, and
other healthcare professionals
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS
typically do the following:
Encourage clients to discuss their emotions and experiences to
develop a better understanding of themselves and their
relationships
Help clients adjust to changes in their life, such as a divorce or
being laid-off
Work with clients to develop strategies to change behavior or
cope with difficult situations
Refer clients to other resources or services, such as support
groups or other mental health professionals
Evaluate their clients’ progress and, if necessary, adjust the
treatment plan
WHAT IS THE WORKPLACE OF A SOCIAL
WORKER LIKE?
Hospitals and clinics Schools
Nursing homes Colleges and
Community mental universities
health clinics Substance abuse
Private practices clinics
State and local Military bases and
governments hospitals
Although most social workers work in an office,
they may spend a lot of time away from the
office visiting clients.
School social workers may be assigned to
multiple schools and travel around the school
district to see students. Understaffing and large
caseloads may make the work stressful.
UNIT II: SOCIAL WORK
LESSON 4:
SETTINGS, PROCESSES,
METHODS, AND TOOLS IN
SOCIAL WORK
LEARING OUTCOMES:
The learners are expected to:
Demonstrate understanding about settings,
processes, methods, and tools in social work;
and
Illustrate the different processes and methods
involved in undertaking social work.
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
1. IN HOSPITALS:
…where social workers
work with patients and
their families to address
issues such as housing and
welfare entitlements, and
grief and loss.
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
2. IN COMMUNITY PROJECTS
…where social
workers work with
people to address
issues of common
concern
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
3. IN THE PROBATION AND
WELFARE SERVICE
…where their role can
include providing reports
to the court and supporting
offenders through
counseling, advocacy,
and referral to other
support services
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
4. IN FAMILY SUPPORT
…working with children
and their families in
different settings including
family centers and child
welfare and protection
services
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
5. IN MENTAL HEALTH
CARE SETTINGS
…working with service-
users and their families of
mentally-challenged
individuals
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
6. IN DISABILITY
SERVICES
…working to
support the needs
of disabled
people
SETTINGS OF SOCIAL WORK
7. IN FOSTERING AND
ADOPTION
…providing
support to
children in the
care of DSWD
PROCESSES OF SOCIAL WORK
The social work process comprises a sequence of
actions or tasks that draw on all of the components of
practice discussed so far.
Although its process is presented sequentially, it rarely
follows a clear linear route and is more often a fluid,
circular cycle whereby workers move from assessment
through to implementation and evaluation and back
to assessment again.
PROCESSES OF SOCIAL WORK
Despitethis fluidity, some parts of the process, such as
assessment, have clearly defined procedures guided
by local or national policy.
Some tasks may be fairly short and discrete, but many
are longer term and more complex, such as
assessments. You will also find that tasks often overlap
and are revisited over a period of involvement with a
service user.
The tasks or stages of the social work process are
shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: The Social Work Process
SOCIAL WORK PROCESS
Developing an understanding and awareness of the social work
process is one of the prerequisites for becoming a ‘reflective’
practitioner. Reflection refers to the ability to work in a thoughtful and
systematic way.
Practitioners need to be aware (and inform service users) of why they
are engaged in particular tasks and to be able to justify their methods
of working. Interventions should be meaningful and fit within an overall
plan or strategy.
Awareness of the different stages of the social work process can assist
social workers to prepare for, carry out and evaluate their interventions
in order to both be accountable for, and reflect upon, their actions.
METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK
Socialwork method is a comprehensive process.
Generally social work method means the scientific
process that is applied for the welfare of the society.
So, social work method is the orderly application of
social work knowledge, philosophy, ethics and values
for solving social problems and overall welfare of the
society. Through this social workers can apply their
professional knowledge.
METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK
The six methods that are applied in social work are the following:
1. Social Case Work
2. Social Group Work
3. Community Organization and Community Development
4. Social Welfare Administration
5. Social Action
6. Social Work Research
SOCIAL CASE WORK
Characteristics: 4.It helps in the
1.It is a helping method. development of talents
and resources
2. It is based on scientific mobilization.
knowledge, mutual
understanding and special 5.It considers individuals
skills and techniques. and the environment.
3.It is a scientific way of 6.It has an individual
solving problems. identify.
PRINCIPLES
The principles of social 4.Principles of Self-
casework are: Determination
1.Principles of 5.Principles of
Acceptance Confidentiality
2.Principles of 6.Principles of
Communication Individualization
3.Principles of 7.Principles of Self-
Participation awareness
TOOLS
OF SOCIAL
WORKERS
1. CODE OF ETHICS
The principles of social 4.Principles of Self-
casework are: Determination
1.Principles of 5.Principles of
Acceptance Confidentiality
2.Principles of 6.Principles of
Communication Individualization
3.Principles of 7.Principles of Self-
Participation awareness
2. PROFESSIONALISM
Promote the profession by being a
consummate expert in the field.
Be a respectful and responsible
social worker, someone others can
rely on.
3. PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
Many people who progress the most in
their careers over time were able to do
so by being well connected
professionally in mutually beneficial
ways.
In other words, they maintain their
networks.
4. CONTINUING EDUCATION AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Regardless of licensure status, social
workers should never stop learning,
growing, and becoming more
knowledgeable about their profession,
their client populations, and laws and
standards that affect their practice.
5. LICENSURE/CREDENTIALS/CERTIFICATIONS
Becoming licensed in the country a social
worker works is essential. Every state is different
and has a different set of licenses and
licensure laws that can be hard to navigate.
Credentials or certificates are likewise
significant. A certificate will make one a more
knowledgeable professional and more
marketable.
6. SUPERVISION
Supervision is an essential and integral part of the
training and continuing education required for the
skillful development of professional social workers.
Regardless of the licensure status or area of
practice, seeking and receiving good supervision
is an incredibly important tool in a social worker’s
arsenal of resources to enable him to become a
competent professional social worker.
