social work chpt 1

• Si gadis chameleon is an individual who can change their personality to fit the situation
• Social Work


  A professional activity to help individuals, groups or communities to enhance or restore their ability to achieve social functionality
• Social Work


  The profession's focus on individual well-being in a social context and the wellbeing of society
• Aims of Social Work

  To enhance individual social functions whether as individual or in groups
• Social Work (MASW definition)

  A profession guided by a body of knowledge, values and skills, utilizing a bio-psycho-social approach, to facilitate optimal social functioning of individuals, families, groups and communities
• Social Work (MASW definition)


  Social workers uphold a code of ethics and contribute towards social development and social change through the enhancement of social policies
• Social Work (Payne 1997)

  Socially constructed through interaction with clients, because they themselves become defined as clients by social processes, through its formation as an occupation among a network of related occupations, and through the social forces which define it through its organizational, agency and social context
• 3 main functions of Social Work activities

  • Restoration of impaired capacity
  • Provision of individual and social resources
  • Prevention of social dysfunction
• Restoration of impaired capacity - Curative


  Reducing the factors that cause dysfunction
• Restoration of impaired capacity - Rehabilitative

  Organizing and improve individual interaction patterns
• Provision of individual and social resources - Developmental


  Use of existing social resources to create more effective social interactions
• Provision of individual and social resources - Educational


  To educate individuals, groups or communities
• Prevention of social dysfunction - Prevention of problem

  Prevent the occurrence of problems
• Prevention of social dysfunction - Prevention of social ills

  Preventing social illnesses
• Generalist Social Work Practice


  The traditional perception of the social worker - practice as a caseworker, group worker or community organizer
• Generalist Social Work Practice

  Practicing social workers know that their roles are more complex than that; every social worker is involved as a change agent (someone who assists in promoting positive changes) in working with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and the larger community
• The amount of time spent at these levels varies from worker to worker
• Every worker will, at times, be assigned and expected to function effectively at all these levels and therefore needs training in all of them
• The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires all bachelor's and master's programs to train their students in generalist social work practice
• Characteristics of generic social work practice (Anderson 1981)

  • The social worker is the first person to receive a client before it is referred to any other part or specialist
  • The social worker needs to be competent in evaluating the client's needs
  • Use the various social work skills while serving the client
• Generalist social workers (Brieland, Costin and Atherton 1985)


  • Can be compared to medical doctors or "general practitioners" where it requires a variety of skills and knowledge
  • Need to understand system theory to enable it to function more effectively
• Generalist social work practice (Brieland, Costin and Atherton)


  • The generalist social worker is equivalent to the general practitioners in medicine, is characterize by a wide of skill to deal with basic conditions, backed up by specialist to whom referrals are made. This role is a fitting for the entry-level social worker
  • The generalist model involves identifying and analysing the interventive behaviours appropriate to social work. The worker must perform a wide range of tasks related to the provision and management of direct service, the development of social policy and the facilitation of social change
  • The generalist should be well grounded in systems theory that emphasizes interaction and independence. The major system that will be used is the local network of services
• Generalist practice (G. Hull)

  • The basic principle is that baccalaureate social workers are able to utilize the problem solving process, intervene with various size systems including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
  • The generalist operates within a systems and person-in-the-environment framework (sometimes referred as an ecological model)
  • The generalist expects that many problems will require intervention with more than one system and that single explanations of problem situations are frequently unhelpful
  • The generalist may play several roles depending upon the needs of the client e.g. Facilitator, advocate, educator, broker, enabler, case manager or mediator
• The change process in social work

  • Involve dynamic and interactive process of engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation
  • Social workers have the knowledge and skill to practice with individuals, groups, families, organisations and communities
  • Practice knowledge includes identifying, analyzing, and implementing evidence base intervention designed to achieve client goals, using research and advance technology, evaluating program outcomes and practice effectiveness, developing, analyzing, advocating, and providing leadership for policies and services promoting social and economic justice
• CSWE educational policy 2.1.10 - Skills needed by social work practitioners


  • Engaging clients in an appropriate working relationship
  • Identifying issues, problem, needs, resources and assets
  • Collecting and assessing information
  • Planning for service delivery
  • Using communication skill, supervision, and consultation
  • Identifying, analyzing and implementing empirically based intervention designed to achieve client goals
  • Applying empirical knowledge and technological advances
  • Evaluating program outcome and practice effectiveness