SOCIAL WORKERS , UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL WOR

DIASS

1. Group 4

2. Understanding social work

3. objectives ; Understand the nature and dynamics of social work; Discuss the goals of social work; Learn about the scope of social work; Identify the core values in social work; and Understand the principles In social work .

4. What is social work? I t is concerned with the social functioning of all people. Social functioning- the “clients ability to accomplish the activities necessary for daily living and to fulfill major roles as required by a particular subculture or community” it is defined by Karls, wandrei , and the national association of social workers (1998) Also strives to prevent and solve social, relational, and interactional human problems. It engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhanced well-being. The end goal of it is to get the support of both public and private agencies in implementing welfare programs. It is both an academic discipline and a profession.

5. Social workers have an extensive background in psychology, sociology, and anthropology. They learn specialized knowledge, techniques, and communication strategies, Aside from technical and empirical knowledge, social workers also use artistics or creative abilities in their practice. Knowledge in social work is also based on practice wisdom ; a form of knowledge derived from the collective experience of several generations of social workers.

6. The philosophy -or point of view of social work states that social change can be successfully directed despite personal or social conflicts. They takes pride in being a social reformer and having an obligation to report on social conditions and bring out changes.

7. Social welfare and social work are sometimes used interchangeably; Social welfare is a broader concept that encompasses social institutions and fields of practice which do not relate to social work, such as psychiatry, urban planning, and education . Social work is more specific discipline within social welfare. The philosophies of social welfare and social work often overlap and complement each other

8. Purpose of social work According to sheafor , horejsi (1994 ) Enhance the problem solving and coping capacities of people Prevent the development of serious personal and social problems. Restore and maintain the social functioning of people Link people with systems and resources that can provide support, services and opportunities Promote the creation and development of humane and effective social policies and human services programs. Plan, develop and administer social programs and projects with social agencies. Promote the effective and humane operation and administrarion of social work organizations and human services delivery systems Protect the vulnerable and disadvantaged from destructive social influences Protect the community from people who consistently harm others Develop and teach the knowledge and skills needed to accomplish these purposes

9. Social work is especially concerned with the social functioning of two broad categories of people: Those with few capacities and opportunities to function satisfactorily Those whose action seriously limit or interfere with the social functioning of others. Concern for the second category motivates social workers to maintain control in society and establish child and adult protection services, probation and parole services, and correctional services.

10. Scope of social work The scope of social work is broad. Social workers themselves may find it difficult to answer the question: “what do we do?” Social workers are usually found In hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers where they provide emotional guidance to the client.

11. Hepworth and Larsen (1986) categorized general functions of social work into three types: prevention , restoration , and remediation . Prevention – refers to the timely intervention of the social worker before serious problems emerge. It involves the provision of financial assistanceas well as services and facilities such as marriage counselling and well-baby clinics. Restoration – involves the rehabilitation of clients whose functions have been impaired by physical or mental issues. Remediation – involves the elimination of existing problems such as drug addiction or substance abuse. To perform these functions, social workers engage in case work, group work, community organization, social research, and social action.

12. direct or indirect services the social worker meets face to face with the client, as in a counselling relationship between social worker and a runaway youth. clinical social work involves applying principles and techniques in addressing pyschological problems including mental and emotional disorders. it aims to improve interaction among people, manage life support mechanisms, and deal with conflicts. indirect practice social worker acts on behalf of a group to address a specific problems.

13. an additional way of describing social work practice may be based on the size of the client system that the social worker serves. micro-level practice focuses on intereaction at the most intimate level. the terms interpersonal helping, direct practice, and clinical practice are often used interchangeably with micro level practice. macro-level practice may involve work with an organization, community, or even to society. the social worker is frequently involved administrative activities with a social work agency, fundraising, testimonial creation for proposed legislation, policy analysis, class advocasy, and social resource development. between the micro and macro-levels is the mezzo-level practice deals with interpersonal relations that are somewhat less intimate than the family but more personally meaningful than instituitional and organizational-level relationships.

14. values in social work values refer to strongly held beliefs about people, preferred goals and the means of achieving them, and desired conditions of life. it can also be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action. it represents selectied ideals as to how the world should be and how people should act and reflect a person’s sense of right and wrong or what “ought” to be. social work observes core values which are found in it code of ethics.

15. code of ethics service social injustice integrity importance of human relationships dignity and worth of the person competence

16. service social workers are expected to provide assistance to people and respond to social issues. they are expected to uphold service to others above self interest. social workers are also encouraged to serve without expected to be paid high fees. this is also referred to as pro bono service.

17. social justice social workers aim to create changes in society to address the plight of the vulnerable and the oppressed. they work to adress issues such as poverty and inequality, and help people find resources, services, and information that will help then satisfy their needs. they also aim to encourage their clients to decide wisely on their own.

18. integrity social workers demonstrate trustworthiness, truthfulness, and responsibility. they also ensure that their practices are ethical and create a positive image for the organizations they represent.

19. importance of human relationships social workers know that large-scale changes in communities can only take place when people trust one another. establish connections among their clients and other people, and in the process, improve the well-being of individuals and groups in a community

20. dignity and worth of the person social workers treat everyone with concern and respect. they are qalso sensitive toward cultural and ethnic differences among individuals.

21. competence social workers constantly develop their skills and knwoledge to apply then in professional practice. they must also contribute to the body of knowledge in their discipline.

22. according to hepworth and larsen ( 1986), the values of social work are founded on the following ideas: people need to gain resournces and oppurtunities that will help them meet the demands of living and reach their fullest potential. when interacting with others, an individual must respect the other person’s individuality and uphold his or her dignity as a way of valuing everyone’s uniqueness and worth. a person must avoid stepping on the rights of others and seek self-determination and independence. both individuals and society must carry out the vales of social work. individuals must strive to participate in the exercise of democracy, and society must proveide them ways to do so.

23. principles in social work a number of principles are valued in social work. these principles apply in all practice situations, regardless of client characteristics, settings, roles assumed by the social worker, and the theories, models, and techniques being used. siporin (1975) explained that while social workers need to adhere to these principles as much as possible, there are still exceptions based on their own discretion. following are the general principles that from foundation of social work practice ( hepworth and larsen, 1986):

24. people can choose and decide by themselves. as helping persons, social workers aid others in achieving independence. as helping persons, social workers need to alter external factors that have negative effects on their client. humans perform actions according to their purposes and goals. people can acquire new behavior. individuals can address challenges by concentrating on the current alternatives available, utilizing their hidden strengths, and practicing coping mechanisims. people experience problems in their lives because they know little about them or because they have inadequate coping mechanisms to adapt to them. the problems that can people face are often shared with one another and not merely their own.

25. while it is inevitabke for humans to face adversities, humans also become stronger as they encounter more challenges in their lives. self-esteem is more important for human beings. people grow through establishing relationships with open and authentic people. human growth also entails realizing, being sensitive to, and acting on the needs of one’s significant others and the people around them. people can only reach their highest potentials when they learn to live in the moment. people need to consider not only the goals they aim for but also the means they will use to achieve them. social workers need to practice self awareness to become sensitive and wise in understanding others. a social workers self-awareness, in turn, will help clients further understand themselves. people must respect the values and beliefs of one another.

26. principles focused on the social worker as a professional sheafor, horejsi, and horejsi (1994) provided a list of principles that relate to the professional and self development of the social worker. the social worker’s practice must be bound by the conventions in the profession. the social worker must practice consciousness of self. the social worker should be objective when dealing with people. the social worker should respect human diversity. the social worker must continually develop personally and professionally.

27. principles that guide social work activities the social worker should engage in knowledge- and value-guided practice. the social worker must care about the client in his/her entirety. the social worker must uphold the client’s dignity. the social worker should consider the client’s individual characteristics. the social worker should help the client look into the future. the social worker must help clients build their strengths. the social worker should not only help the clients but also engage with them. the social worker should encourage his/her clients to practice self determination. the social worker should help the client learn self-directed problem solving skills. the social worker needs to protect the client’s confidential information. the social worker should observe normalization. the social worker should continuously asses his/her work with the clients. the social worker should be accountable to the client, his/her agency, the community, and the social work profession

28. summary social work focuses on improving the social functioning of people. it involves the use of artistic abilities, empirical knowledge, and ideas from various disciplines, and interactions with different people. at its core, social work aims to help people function satisfactorily in society and reach their fullest potential. social workers strive to help others develop problem-solving and coping capacities, administer and operate service delivery systeems, and link people to organizations and groups that can provide them the oppurtunities and resources they need. social work involves prevention, restoration, and remediation. it also involves providing both direct and indirect services to others. direct services or interventions involve meeting clients face to face, while indirect services involve acting on behalf of a specific social work group. social work can be also described in the micro, macro, and mezzo-levels. micro -levels practices involve the most intimate relationships; macro-level practices engage whole communities and organizations; and mezzo level practices involve relationships in self-help and therapy groups.

29. the values practiced in social work focus both on society and the social workers themselves. these values include service, social justice, integrity, the importance of human relationships, dignity and worth of the person, and competence. social work places importance on principles such as objectivity, knowledge, and awareness of the self, and respect for human diversity. in actual interventions, social workers are expected to uphold the dignity of their clients, have concern for the person in various aspects, protect confidential information, and uphold accountability at all times