Social Work Principles dignity and personal worth.

consequences, and make his

(Biestek 1957) own decisions.
What is a PRINCIPLE?  "There is so much good in the  “The principle of self-
 Rules of action for the worst of us and so much bad determination is the practical
practitioners in the best of us, that it ill recognition of the right and
 It influences, guides, and behooves any of us, to find need of clients to freedom in
directs the worker toward a fault with the rest of us." – making their own choices and
purposive and professional unknown decisions in the helping
relationship with the client.  The objective of acceptance is process. Workers have a duty
not "the good but the real. to respect that right, recognize
1. Acceptance of People as  "Acceptance does not mean that need, and stimulate and
they are concurrence with or approval help activate that potential for
 The nucleus of basic of the client’s behavior. self-direction by helping the
principles. client see and use the
 This leads the worker to 2. Participation of the client available and appropriate
understand the meaning and in problem- solving resources of the community
causes of the client's behavior  Already a given but often and his/her personality. The
but also to the mode of misunderstood/applied client’s right to self-
meeting and interacting with incorrectly; determination is, however,
the client- i.e., non-  The worker does not take over limited by the client’s capacity
judgmentally. in a helping relationship. for positive and constructive
 The worker manifests a  The client is there and has a decision making, by the
genuinely warm interest and part in the entire problem- framework of the civil and
concern in the client and his solving process. moral law, and by the function
situation, in the causes of the  Have the client understand of the agency”. -Biestek
difficulty or problem, and in from the beginning that his (1957)
what can be done about it. participation is expected.
 “Principle of acceptance is a 4. Individualization of Clients
principle where the 3. Self-determination as a  The recognition and
caseworker perceives and right of the client understanding of each client's
deals with the client as he/she  The client has the right to unique qualities and the
is, including strengths and determine what his needs are differential use of principles
weaknesses, congenial and and how they should be met; and methods to assist each
uncongenial qualities, positive  The client is capable of self- toward a better adjustment.
and negative feelings, help;  Individualization is based upon
constructive and  Provide the client the the right of human beings to
deconstructive attitudes and guidance, choices, alternatives be ‘individuals’ and to be
behavior, while maintaining a (objectively evaluate these treated not just as human
sense of the client’s innate alternatives) and its beings but as human beings
implications and
 with his/her personal development rather than her philosophy, values, and
differences (Biestek1957). own. guiding principles of that
 No two persons (not even  No one is entirely free of profession.
identical twins) are exactly biases (awareness and  Two aspects: Code of Ethics- a
alike control) written expression of some of
 Self-discipline these principles and rules of
5. Confidentiality  The conscious use of one's self conduct for the guidance of
 To provide the client the professional group
protection, within the limits of 7. Client-worker relationship Unwritten principles and rules
the law, from harm that might  Social work problem-solving of conduct which usually have
result from his divulging takes place within a the same force as the code
information to the worker. meaningful worker- client
 Trust is an essential element relationship; Ethical Dilemmas
in a client-worker relationship;  Controlled and purposive 1. Manipulation
 “Confidentiality is the  Purpose guides the content of 2. Advocacy
preservation of secret every interview, every group 3. Conflicting Loyalties
information concerning the session, and every community 4. Cultural and other realities
client which is disclosed in the meeting.
professional relationship.  A purposive worker-client Introduction to Social Work
Confidentiality is based upon a relationship allows for some Practice
basic right of the client; it is an degree of subjective feelings
ethical obligation of the that cannot be entirely What is Social Functioning?
caseworker and is necessary removed in any relationship.  Social Functioning- the
for effective casework service.  Controlled emotional interaction between the
The client’s right, however, is involvement individual and his situation or
not absolute. Moreover, the  Ambivalence environment.
client’s secret is often shared  Transference  Social Environment- a network
with other professional  Counter-transference of overlapping social systems
persons within the agency; the  WORKER-CLIENT and social situations, including
obligation then binds all RELATIONSHIPS ARE NOT ecological systems, cultures,
equally” - (Biestek 1957) MEANT TO LAST FOREVER. and institutions.
 Social Situation- an impinging
6. Worker Self-awareness Professional Ethics segment of the social
 The social worker is always environment-- smaller, more
conscious that her role is to What is a PROFESSIONAL ETHICS? immediate environment that
use her professional  The system of ethical has meaning for the
relationship with her client in a principles and rules of conduct individual, and that is uniquely
way that will primarily is generally accepted by the perceived and interpreted by
enhance the client's members of a professional him, in which he has one or
group, based on the more status- roles and
 identities, is a group member
and a role performer.
 Dual Focus- how people cope
with their life tasks and the
demands made by situations
or environments on people.
 Social Role- defined as the
socially recognized pattern of
behaviors and activities
expected from an individual
occupying a particular position
in society

WAYS TO ENHANCE/IMPROVE SF:

1. Change strategies directed
toward the individual
2. Change strategies directed
toward the environment;
3. Change strategies directed
toward both the individual and
the environment.

The Essential Elements in SW

Practice
 Client (Person)
 Problem
 Place/Agency (Worker)
 Process

The Essential Elements in SW Practice