SOCIAL WORK

“Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes

social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation
of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect
for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social
sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledges, social work engages people and
structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing." -[5] International
Federation of Social Workers

Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values,
principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain
tangible services; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups;
helping communities or groups provide or improve social and health services; and
participating in legislative processes. The practice of social work requires knowledge of
human development and behavior; of social and economic, and cultural institutions; and
of the interaction of all these factors."-[7] National Association of Social Workers

"Social work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and
communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. It aims to help people develop
their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve
problems. Social work is concerned with individual and personal problems but also with broader
social issues such as poverty, unemployment and domestic violence." -[6] Canadian Association
of Social Workers

Goals of Social Work

Goal 1:
Have a broad knowledge base and skills that are grounded in systems theory and operate within a
person-in-environment framework that is requisite to practice with diverse client systems of various
levels and sizes;
Goal 2:
Practice and behave in a manner that is consistent with the principles, values, and ethics of the
profession of social work;
Goal 3:
Demonstrate a commitment to social and economic justice and full inclusion of diverse segments of the
U.S. and global society with a special emphasis on empowering and improving the quality of life of
groups traditionally excluded from full participation;
Goal 4:
Participate in lifelong learning, professional development and the professional community of social
work; effectively utilize professional supervision and consultation;
Goal 5:
Enhance the quality of human service delivery by engaging in multiple methods of inquiry, analysis,
evaluation and critical thinking skills; and
Goal 6:
Demonstrate the ability to perform the following generalist social work roles: broker, mediator,
advocate, counselor, research, and community change agent.
Scope of Social Work

Social Work as Primary Discipline

a. Adoption and services to unmarried parents

 Difficult decision to keep the baby or place it for adoption

 Applies both individual and group counseling to assist women in making
decision
b. Foster Care
 Removing children from homes and placing them to foster homes
temporarily
 Works with the parent, child and court to administer court decisions to
remove a child due to detrimental situations
c. Residential Care

 Group care home or a residential treatment center

 These are for children exhibiting anti-social behaviors that require intensive
treatment
d. Support in own home
 Support services to keep children in their own homes
 Counseling, family consultations, clients with appropriate institutions such as day
care centers and home maker services.

e. Protective Services

 Seeks to protect the child without infringing the rights of parents

 protecting the child from abuse, maltreatment, exploitation by parents.

f. Family Services

 Family counseling involves family case work, family group work and family
therapy
 Family life education strengthens family relationships through educational
activities to prevent family breakdown
 Family planning involves planning the number, spacing and timing of child births
to fit with their needs.
 Make decisions about the patterns of reproduction towards enhancing quality of
life.
g. Income Maintenance

 It includes cash grants, food stamps, general assistance such as hospital and medical care, and
supplemental security income.Public assistance – financial aid to the poor.
 Social Insurance – social provisions that are funded by employers and employees through
contributions to a specific program.
 Other forms - Cash in kind benefits, emergency support funds, and other resources that can be used
by the poor for food and shelter.

Social Work as an Equal Partner

a. Support for people in their own homes program

Helping older people remain in their homes and linking them with community programs such as health
care, meals and home care services.

b. Support for people in the long term care facilities

Refers to nursing homes or other group living facilities.

c. Community Services

Community organization activities – gathering and analysis of data, matching delivery of services to the
population distribution, securing funds, coordination with existing agencies and educating the general
public about the services.

Community planning – involvement of social workers with the physical, economic and health planners in
the long range planning of communities.

Social Work as a Secondary Discipline

a. Correctional Facilities – provide counseling and link them to the outside world, provide support upon
release.

b. Industry – Support to both managers and employees. Serves as basis for development

c. Medical and Health care – attend to the social and psychological factors contributing to the medical
condition of the patients.

d. Schools Facilitate the provision of direct educational and social services and provide direct social case
work and group work to selected students.

 act as pupil advocate focusing on the urgent needs of the selected students
 Consult with school administrators major problems toward a planned service approach
 Use of peers to help a troubled child
 Consult with teachers about techniques for creating a free and motivating climate for children
by interpreting social and cultural influences
  Develop and maintain liaison between the school and social workOrganize parent and
community groups to channel concerns
 Provide leadership in coordination of student services in guidance, clinic staff, psychologists and
attendants

Core Values of Social Work

Council on Social Work Education

1. Right to Self- Fulfillment

2. Responsibility to Common Good

3. Responsibility of the Society

4. Right to Satisfy Basic Needs

5. Social Organizations required to facilitate individual’s effort at self- realization 6. Self-realization and
contribution to society

Concepts Implied in Values of Social Work Concept of Human Potentials and Capacities Concept of
Equal Opportunities Concept of Social Provision Concept of Social Responsibility

Principles of Social Work

1. Acceptance Respecting clients under different circumstances

Understanding the meaning and causes of clients behavior

Recognizing people’s strength and potentials, weakness and limitation.

2. Client’s participation in Problem Solving

Client is expected to participate in the process.

Participates in planning ways in resolving problem

Identifying resources to solve

3. Self-determination Individual, groups and communities who are in need have the right to determine
their needs and how they should be met.

4. Individualization Understanding client’s unique characteristics and different methods each client.

5. Confidentiality Client should be accorded with appropriate projection, within the limits of the law,
with no any harm that might result from the information given to the social worker.

6. Worker self-awareness Social worker consciously examines her feelings, judgments, biases, responses
whether it is professionally motivated.
7. Client Worker Relationship The client is in need of help in social functioning and the worker is in the
position to help.