Definition of Social Work.

…“The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships
and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of
human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people
interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental
to social work… “

Statement of Ethical Principles

Ethical awareness is a fundamental part of the professional practice of social workers. Their
ability and commitment to act ethically is an essential aspect of the quality of the service
offered to those who use social work services. The purpose of the work of IASSW and IFSW on
ethics is to promote ethical debate and reflection in the member organizations, among the
providers of social work in member countries, as well as in the schools of social work and
among social work students. Some ethical challenges and problems facing social workers are
specific to particular countries; others are common. By staying at the level of general principles,
the joint IASSW and IFSW statement aims to encourage social workers across the world to
reflect on the challenges and dilemmas that face them and make ethically informed decisions
about how to act in each particular case. Some of these problem areas include:

The fact that the loyalty of social workers is often in the middle of conflicting interests.

The fact that social workers function as both helpers and controllers. •

The conflicts between the duty of social workers to protect the interests of the people. with
whom they work and societal demands for efficiency and utility.

The fact that resources in society are limited. This document takes as its starting point the
definition of social work adopted separately by the IFSW and IASSW at their respective General
Meetings in Montreal, Canada in July 2000 and then agreed jointly in Copenhagen in May 2001
(section 2).

2. International Conventions International human rights declarations and conventions form

common standards of achievement, and recognize rights that are accepted by the global
community. Documents particularly relevant to social work practice and action are:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

The International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights

The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

The Convention on the Rights of the Child

Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (ILO convention 169) 4. Principles 4.1. Human Rights
and Human Dignity

Principles

Human Rights and Human Dignity

Social work is based on respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people, and the rights
that follow from this. Social workers should uphold and defend each person’s physical,
psychological, emotional and spiritual integrity and well-being. This means:

Respecting the right to self-determination – Social workers should respect and promote
people’s right to make their own choices and decisions, irrespective of their values and life
choices, provided this does not threaten the rights and legitimate interests of others.

Promoting the right to participation – Social workers should promote the full involvement and
participation of people using their services in ways that enable them to be empowered in all
aspects of decisions and actions affecting their lives.

Treating each person as a whole – Social workers should be concerned with the whole person,
within the family, community, societal and natural environments, and should seek to recognise
all aspects of a person’s life.

Identifying and developing strengths – Social workers should focus on the strengths of all
individuals, groups and communities and thus promote their empowerment.

Social Justice

Social workers have a responsibility to promote social justice, in relation to society generally,
and in relation to the people with whom they work. This means: 1. Challenging negative
discrimination* – Social workers have a responsibility to challenge negative discrimination on
the basis of characteristics such as ability, age, culture, gender or sex, marital status, socio-
economic status, political opinions, skin colour, racial or other physical characteristics, sexual
orientation, or spiritual beliefs.*In some countries the term “discrimination” would be used
instead of “negative discrimination”. The word negative is used here because in some countries
the term “positive discrimination” is also used. Positive discrimination is also known as
“affirmative action”. Positive discrimination or affirmative action means positive steps taken to
redress the effects of historical discrimination against the groups named in clause 4.2.1 above.
2. Recognising diversity – Social workers should recognise and respect the ethnic and cultural
diversity of the societies in which they practise, taking account of individual, family, group and
community differences. 3. Distributing resources equitably – Social workers should ensure that
resources at their disposal are distributed fairly, according to need. 4. Challenging unjust
policies and practices – Social workers have a duty to bring to the attention of their employers,
policy makers, politicians and the general public situations where resources are inadequate or
where distribution of resources, policies and practices are oppressive, unfair or harmful. 5.
Working in solidarity – Social workers have an obligation to challenge social conditions that
contribute to social exclusion, stigmatisation or subjugation, and to work towards an inclusive
society.

Professional conduct.

It is the responsibility of the national organisations in membership of IFSW and IASSW to

develop and regularly update their own codes of ethics or ethical guidelines, to be consistent
with the IFSW/ IASSW statement. It is also the responsibility of national organisations to inform
social workers and schools of social work about these codes or guidelines. Social workers
should act in accordance with the ethical code or guidelines current in their country. These will
generally include more detailed guidance in ethical practice specific to the national context. The
following general guidelines on professional conduct apply:

1. Social workers are expected to develop and maintain the required skills and competence to
do their job. 2. Social workers should not allow their skills to be used for inhumane purposes,
such as torture or terrorism. 3. Social workers should act with integrity. This includes not
abusing the relationship of trust with the people using their services, recognising the
boundaries between personal and professional life, and not abusing their position for personal
benefit or gain.

Social workers should act in relation to the people using their services with compassion,
empathy and care.
Social workers should not subordinate the needs or interests of people who use their services
to their own needs or interests.

Social workers have a duty to take necessary steps to care for themselves professionally and
personally in the workplace and in society, in order to ensure that they are able to provide
appropriate services.

Social workers should maintain confidentiality regarding information about people who use
their services.

Exceptions to this may only be justified on the basis of a greater ethical requirement (such as
the preservation of life).

Social workers need to acknowledge that they are accountable for their actions to the users of
their services, the people they work with, their colleagues, their employers, the professional
association and to the law, and that these accountabilities may conflict.

Social workers should be willing to collaborate with the schools of social work in order to
support social work students to get practical training of good quality and up to date practical
knowledge

Social workers should foster and engage in ethical debate with their colleagues and employers
and take responsibility for making ethically informed decisions.

Social workers should be prepared to state the reasons for their decisions based on ethical
considerations, and be accountable for their choices and actions.

Social workers should work to create conditions in employing agencies and in their countries
where the principles of this statement and those of their own national code (if applicable) are
discussed, evaluated and upheld. The document “Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles”
was approved at the General Meetings of the International Federation of Social Workers and
the International Association of Schools of Social Work in Adelaide, Australia, October 2004.
Social Work Profession Attributes

Republic Act 4373 promulgated in 1965, gave social work formal recognition as a profession.
What, then, constitutes a profession? Ernest Greenwood was able to distill the following five
elements as constituting the distinguishing attributes of a profession.

Systematic Body of Theory. The skills that characterize a profession flow from and are
supported by a fund of knowledge that has been organized into an internally consistent system
called of a body

of theory. Theory serves as a base in terms of which the professional rationalizes his operations
in concrete situations. The reliance on a systematic body of theory or knowledge is a very
crucial characteristic of a profession that is why preparation for a profession, unlike preparation
for nonprofessional occupations, requires formal education in an academic setting.

Social Work, like all other professions, derives knowledge from any different sources, and in
addition, builds its own body of knowledge from practice. There are three types of knowledge
which social work uses: tested knowledge, hypothetical knowledge and assumptive knowledge.
Tested Knowledge is knowledge that has been established through scientific study (research). In
social work, tested knowledge comes in the form of borrowed knowledge from different
professions and disciplines, as well as from that which has been developed through social work
research. Thus, in practice, social workers apply learning from economics, public administration,
psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, law, medicine, etc. which are generally
obtained in the course of their formal education. As for social work practice theory, social
workers in the country still greatly depend on the research studies and practice literature from
other countries, particularly in the United States. Hypothetical knowledge still has to undergo
transformation into tested knowledge, even if tentatively such knowledge may be accepted to
explain certain facts (e.g., the hypothesis that the nature and extent of people’s participation is
crucial to effective community problem solving, or that ignorance more than religion is the
reason for the lo acceptance of family planning among Filipino couples). We do use a great deal
of such “unproved theory” in the field of social work, and many analytic and evaluative studies
which have been undertaken require further investigation as to come close to being established
theory. Assumptive knowledge or practice wisdom, of course abound in social work, we can
perhaps say that the more experience one has had in practice, the more assumptions or
suppositions he tends to make to his work (e.g., “Client value service more when it is not given
entirely free”, or “a slightly authoritarian social worker is a more effective helping person in the
context of Philippine culture “, or the “ Western concept of professionalism where a social
worker is expected to be business-like and impersonal cannot work in our setting”)
Professional Authority. Extensive education in the systematic theory of her discipline provides
the professional with a type of knowledge which the layman does not have. This authority
ascribed to the professional by reason of her educational background gives the client a sense of
security that the professional has the capacity to help him with his problem. The exercise of
professional authority is not without limits, however.

Community Sanction. Recognition of professional authority is expected not only in the

clientprofessional relationship but also in the professional-community relationship. The
community sanctions a profession’s authority by way of giving it certain powers and privileges.
Among these powers and privileges are the profession’s control over its (a) training centers, (b)
admission into the profession and (c) standards for professional performance.

Regular Code of Ethics. Every profession has a built-in regulative code, partly formal or partly
informal, which compels ethical behavior on the parts of its members. This code serves to check
possible abuses which arise out of a profession’s exercise of authority, and its accompanying
powers and privileges.

Professional Culture. Formal and informal groupings characterize all occupations, including the
professions. For social work, the network of formal and informal groups within which it
operates includes the organizations that benefit from a profession’s services (schools, courts,
social agency, hospital, etc.); the educational institutions which produce and replenish
manpower; and the professional association which promotes professional interests and aims.
The “interactions of social rules required by the formal and informal groups generate a social
configuration unique to the profession, vi., a professional culture.” The culture of a profession
consists of its value, norms and symbols.

Social Value refers to the basic and fundamental beliefs of a professional group, practically the
reason for its existence.

In social work, we believe that the individual is the primary concern of society, and the society
has a responsibility to help the individual realize his potentials by removing the obstacles which
prevent his self-fulfillment, among other things.

Professional norms are the accepted standards of behavior of doing things, which guide the
professional in various situations such as how to handle consultations, how to relate to
superiors, colleagues and subordinates, how to treat clients, how to challenge an outmoded
theory, how to present a new idea, and so.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL WORK

The philosophy of social work is derived from the society of which it is a part. Social work based
on the belief that man has worth and dignity. This belief is generally associated with democratic
theory which views a man as having worth because he is capable of reason, of rational analysis,
and choice. Howard

Mumford Jones, an outstanding humanist, writes- “Humanism implies an assumption about

man. It implies that every human being by the mere fact of his existence has dignity, that this
dignity begins at birth, that the possession of this dignity, even if dimly realized by the
possessor, is, or ought to be, the continuum of his life, and that to strip him of this dignity, is to
degrade him in so outrageous a way that we call the degradation inhumane”…

In our society, being predominantly Christian, many would further explain human worth and
dignity in terms of man’s having been created in the image of God (and having a soul, some
would even add). At any rate, whether we accept only the first explanation for man’s worth and
dignity, or both, this basic philosophy gives us the explanation for the values held by social
work.

THE VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK AND ITS IMPLIED CONCEPTS

The concept of human potentials and capacities. The man can fulfil himself is premised on the
belief that he is inherently endowed with potentials and capacities.

The concept of social responsibility. That the individual has the obligation to contribute to the
common good, and society, on its part, has the responsibility to facilitate the development of
its member, gives a dual meaning to this concept.

The concept of equal opportunities. This concept is premised on the ideal of social justice, two
elements of which are fairness and equality.

The concept of social provision. This concept is based on the premise that there will always be
people everywhere, at all times, with unmet needs or problems which are beyond their own
capacity to solve. Thus, social provision refers to the desirability of providing social resources
for the satisfaction of human needs for the goal of human welfare.
DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT MAN

Natural VS. Transcendental View. In the naturalistic view, man is part of nature. He can be
studied and understood scientifically as we do the rest of nature, so that if we know all that
science could teach us we could finally account man and his behavior. The transcendental view,
on the other hand, holds that science can never fully explain man, partly due to our ignorance,
and partly because man has a potential to transcend the natural order of things, to choose, to
create, and to be rational.

Man as Social, Asocial, or Anti-Social. Being social, men aspire to live on good terms with
others, to be part of and to contribute to group life, making personal goals subservient to group
goals. As asocial beings, they are discreet individuals who come together to from groups for
their mutual protection and safety. As anti-social beings, men are viewed as inherently self-
seeking, egotistical, out to extend personal gain at the expense of others.

Democracy’s view of man. Man as viewed as capable of reason, of rational analysis and choice.
It believes that social, biological, cultural and psychological influences are powerful in
determining behavior, but that man can overcome these influences and exercise choice.

SOCIAL WORK PRINCIPLES

Endowed with a fundamental philosophy and professional values, the practice of social work is
guided by certain basic principles or rules of action for the practitioner (emanating from such
values, as different from “principles” of action built on tested knowledge or generated truths).

Acceptance of people as they are. The social worker brings into the relationship with the client
her professional education and experience, and the agency’s support of helping role in keeping
with its societal prescribed goals. These form the basis for respecting the client (individual,
group or community) under any circumstances, an approach which is “an expression of a
compound of attitudes that are based on scientific assumptions based about human behavior”.
This leads the worker not only to an understanding of meaning and causes of the client’s
behavior, but also to a mode of meeting and causes of the client’s behavior, but also to a mode
of meeting and interacting with the client, i.e., non-judgmentally.

The principles of acceptance, does not mean approval of deviant attitudes or behavior. “The
object of acceptance is not the good but the real”, which means dealing with the client as he is
in reality. Acceptance also means that we recognize that people have strengths and
weaknesses, and capacities and limitations.
Participation of the client in problem-solving. One can almost say that the principle of
participation is already given, for indeed, how can there be a “helping relationship” without the
client’s participation? Just the same, there is need to stress the point that the worker does not
take over in a helping relationship. The client is there, and has a pa rt in the entire problem-
solving process.

Self-determination as a right of the client. The main idea in this principle is that the individual
(or group or community) who is in economic, personal, or social need, has the right to
determine what his needs are and how they should be met. The worker does not do everything
for the client is capable of “self-help”. She will not manipulate his affairs, but will guide him so
that he is able to look at his problem objectively, understand what choices or alternatives are
open to him, their implications and consequences, and then make his own decisions. A client
develops or regains her self-respect and self-confidence when he realizes that he is able to
solve his own problems.

Individualization of clients. The principle of individualization involves the “the recognition and
understanding of each client’s unique qualities and the differential use of principles and
methods in assisting each toward a better adjustment,,.. based upon the right of human beings
to be individuals and to be treated not just a human being but as thin this human being with his
personal differences”. This principle means that the worker recognizes that while human beings
have many things in common, there are also important individual differences which must be
accepted.

This principle tells us to appreciate the fact that no two persons (not even identical twins) are
exactly alike. Thus, social workers should relate to each client as an individual in a situation,
which involves the interaction of different factors – physical, social, psychological, etc. The
impact of the interplay of these factors on one individual and his consequent reactions would
not be the same in the case of another individual.

Confidentiality. The idea behind this principle is to provide the client protection, within the
limits of the law, from harm that might result from his divulging information of the worker.
Trust is an important element in client-worker relationship. If a client is to participate fully in
the process of solving his problem, if he is to freely express his feelings about himself and about
others in his situation, and if he is to put down his “defenses” and just be himself with the
worker, then there must be assurance that what he tells the worker will be kept in confidence.
Worker sel-awareness. In its broad sense, this principle means that the social worker is always
conscious that her role is to make use of her professional relationship with her client in a way
that will enhance primarily the client’s development rather than her own. Self-discipline is
crucial to the principle of worker self-awareness. Her very position provides her countless
opportunities to manipulate people and their affairs, and to use her relationship with them to
meet personal ends.

Client-worker relationship. The relationship between the worker and the client, is the means for
carrying out the social worker’s function. The phrase the “social work problem – solving takes
place within a meaningful worker-client relationship” puts the emphasis on “relationship”. The
purpose of client-worker relationship is to help the client in some area of his social functioning
on which in the present time he is experiencing some difficulty, and where, the worker. Usually
presenting a social agency, is in some position to offer help. A purposive client-worker
relationship allows for some degree of subjective feelings which cannot be entirely removed in
any relationship.

Ambivalence, introduced into psychiatry by the noted psychiatrist, Bleuler, is based on the
proposition that the human mind functions in a dualistic way and that conflict between its
opposing tendencies, often results.

Transference – is a concept from Freudian psycho-therapy. It is believed to take place when the
client unconsciously transfers to the social worker attributes or characteristics of some
important or powerful persons in his early life. This may result to positive or negative attitudes
toward the worker, but being aware of the transference, the latter knows these attitudes are
not directed toward her personally. A worker can usually tell that some transference is
beginning to take place with remarks liked “you talk just like my mother”. A skilled social
worker will not encourage a prolonged transference, even if it as positive, as this can encourage
emotional dependency on the part of the client.

Counter-transference is the worker’s unconscious response to the client unconscious

transference. Generally, it affects the worker’s picture of a situation and can consequently twist
her diagnosis of the client’s problem.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Ethics is the science that treats of morals and right conduct. Professional ethics is the system of
ethical principles and rules of conduct generally accepted by the members of a professional
group, based on the philosophy, values and guiding principles of that profession. It has two
aspects: the profession’s Code of Ethics which is the written expression of some of these
principles and rules of conduct fort the guidance of the professional group (drawn and adopted
by its own members), and the unwritten principles and rules of conduct which usually have the
same force as the Code. Together, they serve as a compass which helps guide the practitioner
in her professional relationship – with her client, with her colleagues and her profession, and
with her agency, and with the public. The following is the Philippine Association of Social
Worker’s Code of Ethics as revised in 1998; the original/first code was adopted in 1964, then
revised in 1972.

CODE OF ETHICS

We, the members of the Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. believing:

In the inherent worth and dignity of all persons emanating from Supreme Being who directs our
actions of love for one another;

That every human being has natural and social rights, capacities and responsibilities to develop
his full potential as a human being;

In the human being’s capacity to change and recognize the value of unity in diversity, individual
differences and pluralism in society;

In free men and women living freely in a free society where poverty, in all its forms, is neither a
fate nor a punishment but is a condition that can and must be changed;

In the family as the basic unit of the society and its vital role in the growth and development of
the individual, the family system, and the community;

That the government, the private sector and the public have a joint responsibility to promote
social justice and to ensure the political, economic and social well-being of all people’

In the role of social workers as agents of change and in the promotion of professionalism,
responsibility and accountability; and,

That our professional practice is deeply rooted in our cultural values.

DO HEREBY DECLARE that we will abide by these standards of ethical conduct:

Relative to Self and the Profession

To conduct myself in a manner consistent with the philosophy, principles, values and beliefs of
the social work profession;

To act at all times with honesty, openness, and transparency in all my professional transactions;
To constantly work towards my own professional advancement so as to contribute to the
promotion of social work practice;

To contribute time and professional expertise to activities that promote respect for the integrity
and competence of social workers;

To share research knowledge and practice wisdom to colleagues and other professionals;

To be vigilant and act to prevent the unauthorized and unqualified practice of social work;

To support the professional association duly organized and constituted for the professional
welfare of all social workers;

To respond and volunteer my professional services in times of emergency;

To uphold and protect the dignity of the profession;

To promote cultural values that will enhance the practice of the social work profession;

Relative to Client

To uphold the basic human rights of clients and serve them without discrimination;

To accept primary responsibility and accountability to clients, respecting their right to

selfdetermination, and observe confidentiality in all my dealing with them;

To seek out the marginalized and ensure equal access to the resources, services and
opportunities required to meet basic needs; and

To expand choice and opportunity to all persons, with special regard for disadvantaged or
oppressed groups or persons.

Relative to Colleagues

To acknowledge and respect the professional expertise of other disciplines, extending all
necessary cooperation that will enhance effective services;

To bring any violation of professional ethics and standards to the attention of the appropriate
bodies inside and outside the profession and ensure that relevant clients are properly involved;
and

To advocate with legislative and policy bodies for the welfare of all colleagues.
In addition of the foregoing Code of Oath there are unwritten duties and obligations that are
expected of a professional social worker. The following are some of these:

1. Duties towards clients

A professional deals with clients openly and frankly

A professional is patient, tolerant, and considerate of the client’ point of view

A professional never uses threat or deceit

A professional is punctual in keeping appointments, and makes no compromises she cannot

stop keep

A professional is careful and thorough in dealing with client problems

A professional never discriminates against any client, giving so-called “hopeless” cases as much
attention as promising ones

A professional will act in relation to a problem only on the basis of adequate

Duties toward colleagues and the profession

A professional is courteous and fair in dealing with co-workers

A professional cooperates with co-workers in the pursuit of common goals

A professional should maintain high standards of honor, integrity and morality

A professional makes only constructive criticisms of co-workers and of the profession

A professional does not exploit her professional membership, and distinguishes between
activities she does as a private citizen and as a member of the profession

Duties toward agency/organization

A professional is loyal to her agency

A professional cooperates in the achievement of her agency’s goals

A professional seeks opportunities to participate in the formulation of policies thereby

contributing to the improvement of agency services

A professional does not just oppose agency policies with first discussing the matter with the
appropriate persons
A professional observes established agency rules, channels, and procedures and advocates for
their change or modification if these are not satisfactory

Duties toward the community/public

A professional responds promptly to request for assistance

A professional makes use of appropriate opportunities to interpret her work to the community

A professional helps bring about a second and constructive public opinion in matters of social
concern

The preceding obligations are given, understood as being practice by professionals and
therefore do not have to be stated explicitly in the code.

Why is there a need for a system of professional ethics, particularly a formal, written code? The
following are among the purposes served by a profession’s Code of Ethics:

It helps check abuses which can which can result from the powers and privileges accompanying
the monopoly enjoyed by a profession (for example, social workers enjoyed a monopoly in the
preparation of client case histories in agencies dealing with child adoption, as well as in family
courts which decide action on youth offenders);

It provides the community some protection against abuses by members of the profession (e.g.,
the community is made aware of professional standards in light of which the conduct of
members may be evaluated and, if need be, censured);

It sets forth basic principles which serves as guidelines to members of the profession, and which
are helpful in the socialization of future professionals;

It sets guidelines for relationships, if not specific duties of members of each other, to their
clients, and to other groups;

It is a useful resource for the enrichment or improvement of the professional curriculum

The observance of a profession’s system of ethics is not free of problems. At the present time,
for example, social workers face many ethical dilemmas, a few of which are in the following
areas:

Manipulation. In our setting, manipulation comes in many forms, such as in the matter of
influencing clients to act in the way a worker wants them to act in response to a given situation,
or manipulating agency reports to justify budgetary requests.
Advocacy. We realize the need for social workers to engage in advocacy that will bring about
social reforms which will benefit large segments of our population. However, we must with
ethical problems that often go with advocacy. For example, in the cause of advocacy, some
promote unnecessary conflict situations, resorting to various machinations, including the use of
insult, embarrassment, distortion of the truth, disruption and violence.

Conflicting loyalties. We listed loyalty to one’s agency as among the professional’s duties to her
agency or organization.

Cultural and the realities. Our culture presents certain ethical dilemmas to the social worker.
For example, the social worker is expected to follow the established rules and procedures of an
agency. However, our workers know that our personalistic culture often calls for the use of
personal “connections” to facilitate action on a client’s request.

FUNCTION OF SOCIAL WORK

Restorative. This function aims at rehabilitating client whose functioning has been impaired by
physical, mental, or social difficulties. It implies a temporary breakdown of normal functioning.
It has two aspects:

Curative – identifies, control or eliminate the factors in the interactional process that have
caused the breakdown or impairment of social function.

Rehabilitative – to reconstruct or organized the pattern of interaction that has been broken
down, been changed or build new ones.

Preventive. It goes through the early discovery, control or elimination of those condition which
may impair psychosocial functioning. Examples of preventive program are recreational
character building activities for children and youth, supplementary feeding, nurseries and pre-
school for very young, counselling and other services.

Developmental. This refers to the assistance of services which will lead to the optimum
development and fulfillment of the client’s potential. It is concerned with building of strengths
and selfrealization, self-fulfillment and self-actualization. It is applied to client’s whose social
functioning is more or less normal or impairment has been restored.

4 BASIC COMPONENTS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

(De Guzman) 4 P’s (Helen Perlman)

Person Person

Problem Problem
Agency Place

Helping Process Process

Person/client

It refers to an individual (man, woman, or child), a family, small group or community who finds
himself or themselves is found to be in need of help in some aspects of his economic, social and
emotional living. It also refers to “one for whom professional services are rendered” or the
“one dependent on the patronage(protection) of other. “Case” is another term refers not only
to the person or persons involved but includes the state of affairs or the situation in which they
are the principal characters.

Types of clients:

Walk-in. This refers to an individual, a couple, or representatives of an organization or

community who, on their own, seek the help of an agency/social worker about a concern or
problem. The client initiates the contact.

Referred. The client is referred to the worker or agency by some interested or concerned party-
a relative, neighbour, teacher, etc. Examples are the mentally disturbed and severely
handicapped persons. This term is also applicable to those who are referred by others merely
forced to secure help- involuntary clients. Examples are drug users and juvenile delinquents.

Reach-out. These are the subjects for the “outreach” efforts of the agencies. They are
aware of the existing community agencies and the services they offer yet are too shy or are not
adequately motivated to seek help, especially on a personal or family problem.

“Person-in-situation” approach/”total person in-situation” approach is the approach of

studying the person/client not only by himself but the person in his element as a
biopsychosocial being.

Client system refers to all entities, person, family, group, organization or community that
receive or command the attention of the social worker.

System implies that the entities are acting like units of one collective entity and are interacting
in an interrelated and interdependent manner with each other.
Problem

It is a question or situation that presents uncertainty, perplexity or difficulty. The following are
the problems that are most often presented to social workers in the Philippines.

Economic problem:

Lack of economic and social resources

Lack of educational skills, knowledge and experience

Emotional problem:

Lack of love, care and protection

Illness and disability

Lack of opportunities or access to resources

Psychosocial problems:

Emotional reaction to stress

Loss of relationship

Internal conflict

Culture conflict

Maladaptive group Functioning

Agency

It is a human service instrumentally which has been set up to help human beings who are
experiencing some difficulty in the management of their own affairs either as individuals,
families, groups and communities. In simpler terms, it is known as the “provider of resources”.

Social welfare agency is the structured framework within which the administrative tasks are
carried out. It is the operational translation of social policy which has been set up by the
founders and/or organizers, or by the government itself.
 Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the government’s primary
welfare agency.

Type of agencies (based on funding):

 Governmental (Public): DSWD

Non-governmental (Private): Christian Children’s Fund, Foster Parents Plan Inc., CARITAS Inc.,
Education and Research Development Agency (ERDA), Huspicio de San Jose (operated by the
Daughters of Charity)

Semiprivate: Philippine National Red Cross

Research for the programs of DSWD

Self-employment assistance program

Practical training skills and job placement

Emergency assistance

Day Care and Supplemental feeding (devoted to the Brgy. (R.A 7160-1991))

Responsible parenthood

Special social services

Alternative education

Helping Process

The last and most important component of social work practice it is the helping process, it is
means through which an agency purpose is achieved.

It is the phase through which treatment is applied to attain a change in behavior or in the
environment, or a problem is alleviated or resolved.

The goals are: (1) to help individuals, families, groups and communities cope with problems
they find difficulty in solving or in meeting their basic needs in such a way that they will make
use of their conscious, efforts, choices, and competencies; and (2) engage the client in ways of
coping that may be of use to him in dealing with new or other problems that he may encounter
now and then as long as he lives, It has basically three major phases (Hepworth and Larsen,
1986):

PHASE I – Exploration, assessment and planning (Beginning)

PHASE II – Implementation and goal attainment (Middle)

PHASE III – Termination and evaluation (Ending)

The following are the two presentation of the simplified steps in the helping process:

(De Guzman) (Mendoza)

Identification of the presenting problem 1. Assessment

Data-fathering 2. Planning

Diagnostic assessment 3. Implementation/Intervention

Planning the intervention 4. Evaluation

Implementation/Intervention 5. Continuation or Termination 6.

Evaluation

7. Continuation or Termination

THE HELPING PROCESS

A) Identification of the presenting problem

Intake is the process by which a potential client achieves the status of a client. It is first contact
of the client with a social agency through its representative, the social worker. Intake interview
is the specific step upon which the worker records on the intake sheet the identifying data
about the clients. Initial engagement occurs when the client commits a client status and the
worker commits the agency to provide services.

Purpose:

Record identifying data about the client such as name, age, civil status, address, family
composition, etc., and the nature of his request. Every agency has an intake sheet or a
prescribed form of its purpose.

Identify the presenting problem – that which is causing the most difficulty, so much so that the
client was impelled to ask for help or has been referred.

Process:

Intake – on the client’s part, this involves the presentation of the self and the problem or need
as he or she is experiencing it.
On the part of the social worker, this involves some assessment of the client and the problem
and whether or not the agency is in a position to help.

A good intake interviewer should provide the client with adequate understanding of the agency
and its policy and program in relation to the need or problem, as well as the responsibilities or
obligation for both the client and worker.

The intake process may end either with the worker or client deciding not to proceed or the
client committing to have client status.

Initial engagement said to have taken place

= There must be an agreement before the client and the worker as to the problem to be
worked in, or simply, the problem for work.

A. Identification of the Presenting Problem

Is elicited (to get, draw out) at the very start because this is where data gathering begins.

The worker use the problem as the starting point of his search for vital information to guide the
subsequent steps he will take.

Sometimes the presenting problem may just be an immediate or precipitating causing the
present difficulty and a deeper or underlying problem may engage later (precipitating – to
cause to happen, result or outcome of source process or action, aftermath, consequence,
effect)

3. Determine the client’s presumptive eligibility and motivation to use a service. If his need
cannot be met then he’s referred or redirected to another agency which can help him.

B. Data-Gathering

This entails the gathering of comprehensive information about all the dimension of a problem
so that the interaction of its components can be understood. Its purpose is to understand and
determine the nature of the problem and what resources will be required for it.

The following are the source of information.

Primary Source. The client himself is the primary source of information.

 Secondary Source. This is the “significant others” in the life of the client which refers to those
with whom he has personal relationships like parents, siblings, relatives and friends. This can
extend to whom he relates, like people in his school, employment, church, and organization.

Existing Data. These are information previously collected by others such as records and reports
from other professionals (physicians, teachers, etc.) and social workers of other agencies,
studies (e.g. census data) and evaluations.

Worker’s own observations. These are the information which the worker obtains from
observing the individual client alone or in interaction with others.

Principles in data-gathering.

The client should be the main source of information although, when appropriate and available,
other sources should be used.

Data to be gathered should directly relate to the identified problems.

The client should be informed about the source being used for data collection. In certain cases,
his permission should be sought before certain kinds of information are obtained.

Data collection is a continuous process but it is the collection, organization and synthesis of
such data that is especially critical to the definition of the problem and setting goals.

The kind of client and the general nature of the problem can guide the worker on the type of
data that should be collected and how much.

C. Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnosis is the worker’s professional opinion to the nature of the need or problem which the
client presents. The purpose of assessment is to evaluate the individual’s capacity and
motivation to use help and his relationship to his family and its environment or to understand a
family or other small group in its social context.

It takes into account the nature of problem, factors that precipitated it, client’s capacities,
extent of his motivation and his strength to work on the problem.

Immediate Problem – the one causing the present difficulty.

Underlying Problem – the overall situation which tends to perpetuate the immediate problem.

Perpetuate – occurring repeatedly over a long time, to cause something that should be
stopped.
Precipitate – bottom, cause.

Working Problem – composed of those contributory factors that stand in the way of both
remedy and prevention which must be dealt with if change is to take place.

D. Planning the Intervention

Planning is the link between the assessment (identification of the presenting problem, data-
gathering and diagnostic assessment) and Intervention (it is also considered part of the
assessment process). It involves goal and objective setting and the determination of strategies
to be used.

Goal Setting is the first step in the planning of the problem solution. Goals are ends. They are
the desired or expected outcomes of an endeavor. Goals must be problem-related, stated
clearly and precisely. Specific objectives or intermediate goals are the sub-goals which facilitate
the achievement of the long term or overall goals. These objectives must be accomplished in
order to achieve or reach the goal.

Characteristics of goals:

Specific, concrete and measurable. Goals that are stated in too broad or general terms are
difficult to measure. This makes it difficult for the worker to know if they have been
accomplished, thus making it difficult also to hold her accountable for her professional
activities.

Feasible. Goals should be realistic and attainable.

Goal should always relate to a client’s problem or situation:

Strategy is defined as “an overall approach to change a situation”. It implies orchestrated

action that involves different entities, each having a role to play in order to achieve the define
goals. In social work, we now find a variety of approaches to practice called theories of practice
or models of practice. These conceptualizations (e.g. Crisis Intervention Approach, Mediating
Model, and Locality Development) provide an overall approach to practice and therefore may
be considered as strategies.

Criteria for the selection of strategies and approaches (Brill):

Maximum Feasibility. The strategy or approach possesses the greatest chance of producing the
desired result.
Availability or resources. The external resources needed are available and accessible; the family
is willing to try this out.

Workability. The plan will work.

Feasibility – possible to do; capable of being done, achievable, attainable.

Enable – to make something possible or easy.

To provide with the means or opportunity like training that enables people to earn a living.

Advocate – a person who argues for the cause of another person in a court of law.

One that supports or promotes the interests of another.

Contract is the agreement (verbal or written) between the worker and the client on what needs
to be done and who should do it. A contract with the client is simplified version of the plan of
action. It includes a problem statement, goals and objectives, a specification of tasks to be
carried out by the worker and the client and the time frame required. Contracts facilitate
evaluation and provide tools for accountability.

E. Plan Implementation or Intervention

Intervention is also termed as action or treatment. This phase is concerned with the action that
would solve the client’s problem. This is the translation into action of the plans that has been
agreed upon in the first phase of the helping relationship. This refers to the actual undertaking
of the tasks and activities that the client and worker have planned, working together for the
realization of the specific objectives and thus working towards the attainment of the end goal.

Interventive roles refer to the composite activities or tasks that she is expected to undertake in
order to accomplish the goals agreed upon with the client.

Interventive roles in direct practice:

Resource Provider. This role engages the worker in the direct provision of material aid and
other concrete resources that will be useful in eliminating or reducing situational deficiencies.
Concrete resources are mobilized, created and directly provided to the client who is assisted in
making optimal use of them.

Social Broker. This involves the process of negotiating the “the service jungle” for clients,
whether singly or in groups. The worker links or connects the client to needed services in the
community. She often has to perform a variety of activities-helper, interpreter, facilitator,
expediter, negotiator- to ensure paid service delivery. Referral is considered a basic activity in
this interventive role. A related term is networking which refers to the worker’s efforts at
establishing and maintaining relationship with the other community entities which have
resources that can support and implement her own agency’s resources.

Mediator. Mediator is a person who acts as an intermediary or reconcile, harmonize, or

conciliator to resolve disputes between client system and other parties. To make someone less
angry.

Advocate. The term advocacy comes from the legal profession. The advocate will argue,
debate, bargain, negotiate, and manipulate the environment on behalf of the client.

Enabler. This role involve the social worker in inetrventive activities that will help clients find
the coping strengths and resources within themselves to solve problems they are experiencing.
The client serves as the primary resource, and change comes about mainly through the client’s
efforts. The worker’s responsibility is to perform a supporting and empowering function so as to
enable the client’s accomplishment of a defined change.

Counselor/Therapist. The goal of this role is the restoration, maintenance, or enhancement of

the client’s capacity to adapt or adjust to his current reality. Specific techniques used by the
worker include purposive listening, reassurance, persuasion, direct advice, teaching, guidance,
suggestion, logical suggestion, and exercise of professional and/or legal authority. Interventive
roles beyond direct practice.

Mobilizer of community Elite. This intervention involves the worker in activities aimed at
performing and interpreting to certain sectors of the community, welfare programs and
services, as well as needs and problems, with the objective of enlisting their support and/or
involvement in them. This sector of the community called “elite” is comprised of individuals and
groups, who are usually in a position to provide, in one way or another, the resources the
worker needs in her work with clients. They include the professionals, politicians, and policy-
makers, leaders of communities, the rich and the volunteers.

Documenter/Social Critique. In this interventive role, the worker documents the need for more
adequate social welfare policies and programs based on her knowledge (gained from actual
experience) about the inadequacies or deficiencies in these existing welfare policies and
programs, as well as on her beliefs as to how they ought to be, in the light of professional
values and goals.

Policy/Program change Advocate. The worker in this role, different with in the direct practice, is
involved in efforts to change policies and programs on behalf of particular sectors of the
population based on the values and profession.
Limitations on worker activity:

Time. The worker may not give the client unlimited time; however. She has a commitment to
do certain activities within a span of time, she should keep that commitment. When facing
constraints in work like “emergencies”, heavy case loads, etc. which prevent the worker from
honoring the commitments to clients, she should inform her clients ahead of time and not
make promises she is not sure she can fulfill. She should also have the ability to use her time
economically. More often than not, the problem is not lack of time but management of time.

Skill. The worker should watch out for the activities that are within her competence. This
requires her to be aware not only her strengths but more importantly, her limitations. Resource
persons and consultants should be utilized when appropriate or necessary. Part of the worker’s
professionalism is the ability to recognize her limitations and to acknowledge the need for the
expertise of others.

Ethics. The worker should watch out for activities that might commit her to unethical
behavior.

Some examples of these in our setting are arrangements with clients to receive “commissions”
upon approval of a client’s request for material assistance or benefits, doing business out of
material and intended for needy clients, and allowing her position to be used for political
purposes.

Agency Function. The worker must be sure that she understands and interprets agency
function properly. Some agency functions are stated broadly enough as to allow her much
leeway in serving clients. However, it does happen that the agency function will place
limitations on the agreements between her and the client, and both of them have to accept
this. A worker who is convinced about the need to modify or change agency function to make it
more responsive to the needs of the clients should advocate within the agency for such desired
change, but the worker should have realistic expectations and observe ethical behavior in
relation to this.

The worker monitors progress by:

Evaluating the effectiveness of change strategies and intervention.

Guiding the clients’ efforts toward goals attainment.

Keeping abreast of clients’ reactions to progress or lack of it.

Enhancing clients’ motivation and confidence in the helping process.

Case management never involves direct treatment responsibilities unlike what social workers
primarily do, rather it refers only to the linking of the client to the maze of direct service
providers. To manage a case is to see that what needs to be done is actually done. The
following are the requirements for a case manager to be effective:

Knowledge of the available resources

Skill in utilizing these resources (in modification or establishing new ones)

Systematic use of support system needed to render a high quality of service.

The Helping Relationship

The Helping Relationship is an integral part of the helping process. It is the bridge, the channel
through which help is extended to the client. It is the anchor which holds the helping process in
place.

Perlman defines relationship as a condition in which two persons with some common interest
between them, long term or temporary, interact with feeling.

It is said to exist when there is an emotional charged interaction between two people.

The professional purpose of the helping relationship in social work is to help person using one’s
professional knowledge, values and skills.

When does such a relationship start or when can it be said that it exists? Hamilton once wrote
that it only exists when a rapport is created for a professional purpose that it may be said that
the person asking for help is a client. In social work, rapport is said to exist when there is a
comfortable, warm, close relationship between the helpee and the helper ensuring their
working together to solve or alleviate the latter’s difficulty. In a helping relationship, when does
rapport exist in a social work helping process?

Characteristics of a Good Relationship

 Accepting. It is accepting when the worker accepts the individual or client by recognizing his
rights to existence, importance and value.

Dynamic. It is dynamic when it is forceful and energetic, in constant motion, advancing the
movement to change.

Emotional. It is more emotional than intellectual.

Purposeful, Time Limit, Unequal. Purposeful because it has purpose; it is directed towards
achieving a goal which is to help the client achieve an improved degree in his psychosocial
functioning. Time limited because once the goal has been reached the case is closed and
relationship is terminated. Unequal because the participants (the client and the worker)
assume unequal roles.

Honest, Realistic and Responsible. This means that the worker must have honor, integrity and
probity. He is realistic because he knows himself for what he really is with his own unique
combination of personality characteristics and is guided by this knowledge in his professional
actuations. He must be responsible i.e. legally and ethically accountable for his actions.

Exercising Judgment. Any professional judgment that the worker makes should be based on
reality. There are two sides of reality: (a) reality as it is; and (b) reality as the client sees it to be.
The two other perspective of reality are narrow side and broad side.

Phases of the Helping Relationship

The Beginning. It is the period when the client and woker start to know, to “size up” each
other. The Middle. It is the working period when the worker and the client pay their respective
roles and perform their tasks to solve or alleviate the problem.

The Ending. It is the termination phase of the relationship.

Social Work Roles

General roles:
Catalyst or Catalyzer. He was expected to enhance the client’s psychosocial functioning by
inducing or facilitating some changes in his environment or both.

Enabler. He supplies, provides, or links the client with the means, the knowledge or opportunity
to be or to do something.

Change Agent. The worker becomes the instrument of some transformation has been planned
at a higher or national level.

Specific roles (those that touch the client directly or those which require the performance of
specific tasks): Direct Provider of Resources. The worker provides the tangible aid that may be
needed by the client to eliminate or reduce situational deficiencies.

Case Manager. The worker is responsible for overseeing the delivery of social services such as
linking the client with the provider of the resources that he need.

Mediator/Broker/Intercessor. The worker acts in behalf of the client scouting for the resources
that he needs, procuring this for him, and interceding for him if need be.

Facilitator. The worker helps removing the obstacles to exercise of rational thinking or learning
by the use of non-formal adult teaching and methodologies.

Therapist. The worker is concerned with the treatment of client illness, disability, or some
disorders, usually a pathological conditional.

Clinician. The worker is the worker who seeks to restore, maintain, or enhance the clients’
adaptive capacity and facilitates his optional adjustment to current social reality.

Mobilizer. The worker assembles and energizes existing groups, organizations and resources or
create new ones as to bring them to bear on a current or incipient problem.

Advocate. The worker seeks some change in policy or program for the benefits of his clients.
Role Model. The worker is often overlooked, perhaps not recognized or taken for granted

PLANNED CHANGE

Planned Change is defined as a change originating from a decision to make a deliberate effort
to improve the system and to obtain the help of an outside agent in making this improvement.
 The Decision is to make a change may be made by the system itself, after experiencing pain
(malfunctioning), or discovering the possibly of improvement, or by an outside change agent
who observes the need for change in a particular system and takes the initiative in establishing
relationship with that system.

The specific system that is being helped is called “Client System” which can mean any of the
following:

The personality system which consists of related sub-parts; the conscious, unconscious, the
mind and the body.

The group, families, committee, staffs, clubs and other smaller social units.

The organization, any of the larger system which comprise the community; business
organization, welfare agencies, educational institutions, political parties, religious associations.

The community made up of variety of interacting sub-parts, e.g. individual citizens, informal
interest groups, organized occupational or political sub-groups, economic and social strata
geographical units, etc.

Outside Agent, in planned change, is called a professional change agent.

Hence; there is the psychiatrist who usually works with personality systems, marriage
counselors and leadership trainers who work with the organizations, and adult educators who
work with communities.

The process or the development of the relationship is defined as consisting of the following:

Phases of Planned Change:

Phase 1: The client system discovers the need for help, sometimes with stimulations by
the change agent.
 Phase 2: The helping relationship is established and defined.

Phase 3: The change problem is identified and clarified.

Phase 4: Alternative possibilities for change are examined; change goals or intentions are
established.

Phase 5: Change efforts in the reality situation” are attempted. Phase 6: Change is
generalized and stabilized.

Phase 7: The helping relationship ends or a different type of continuing relationship is

defined.

Two Concepts of Planned Change:

Change Force – the situation which increases the willingness of the client system to
make a proposed change.

Resistance Force – the situation which reduces the willingness of the client system to
change.

First of all, social work is planned change since all social work activities in relation to given
problem or situation are part of a conscious and deliberate effort to effect change whatever
this change is deemed necessary or appropriate.

SOCIAL WORK METHODS OF INTERVENTION

The Social work method of intervention refers to the application helping repertoire of the
methods and processes of differential, influential, planned action taken by a Social Worker to
sustain selected helping purposes. These are change-inducing and resource-providing actions.

Two Classification of Methods:

Primary method/direct method  Social Casework

Social Groupwork
Social Community Organizing/Work

Secondary method/indirect method

Administration

Research

Primary or Direct Method. In this method, the worker is engaged in direct work with individuals
and groups which is popularly known as “direct practice” or “micro social work practice”.

Social Casework is an individualization form of helping people cope with personal problems,
usually involving an impairment or breakdown of social functioning. Richmond’s concept of
casework treatment involved the use of resources to facilitate the individual’s adjustment to
social living, to assist clients to understand their needs and possibilities, and to help them work
out their own programs.

3 Fundamental Characteristics of Casework:

Individualization. This is the recognition that each person is unique, separate and
distinct from others.

Client-Worker relationship (also called the helping relationship). This refers to the dynamic
interaction between two during which the worker helps the client to learn and solve his
problems. Social Treatment. It is the sum of all activities and services directed towards helping
an individual with a problem.

Social Group Work is a method through which individuals and groups are helped by a social
worker to relate themselves to people and experience growth opportunities in accordance with
their needs and capacities.

Therapeutic Group Work is used mainly in medical and psychiatric settings, guidance clinics and
correctional work, and with disabled person such as substance abusers.

Local Social Group Workis concerned with preventive and developent goals, work with street
children, out of school youth and etc.
Community Organizing/work. Arthur Dunham defined this method as the process of bringing
about and maintaining adjustment between social welfare resources and social welfare needs
within the geographic area or specific field of service.

Secondary or Indirect Method. Are those applied in “direct practice” or “macro practice” they
do not deal directly with clients.

Administration is accepted as one of the important methods of social work practice because
what it does,

the policies it enunciates, the plans it develops, the project it undertakes ultimately affect the
client’s welfare. Management, from the administrator’s point of view is overseeing the use of
agency resources. It includes responsibility for social attainment of organizational maintenance
activities in social welfare.

Research. refers to a systematic investigation inquiry and the study of a problem for the
purpose of adding more knowledge of verifiable matters. The main strategy of social work
research is the study of phenomena by naturalistic methods, that is, without experimental
manipulation.

3 Functions of Research in Social Work

The perspectives and methods of science can provide a framework for practice activities.

Research helps build knowledge for practice.

Research serves the practical function of providing situation.

PRACTICE APPROACHES

Generalist Approach. This requires the social worker to study the client or the client system and
the environment so that he can determine the appropriate methods of intervention to be used.

Specialization. It is social work practice in a certain area or field which requires expert
knowledge and skills.

Clinical Social Work. In this approach, the worker uses a variety of techniques in order to
diagnose the cause of the disorder so as to be able to plan treatment.

Total Family Approach. This refers to the discovery and utilization of the strengths within the
family, that is, among its individual members to solve individual and family problems.
Baranganic Approach. This refers to the application of the community organizing method using
the barangay council or a similar structure as a point entry to gain access to or come closer to
the community

Community Outreach. This refers to the efforts of an agency, organization, or situation to make
available social services to a target population in the community who it believes can use some
assistance instead of waiting for the people to come to the agency to ask for help.

Integrated Approach. In social work, it incorporates what is common or generic in all three
primary methods of social work intervention towards creating a better environment and
maximizing opportunities for developing individual material.

TOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

Tool is defined as “anything regarded as necessary in the carrying out of one’s occupation or
professions”. Is a social work direct intervention, the tools used are interviewing, discussion and
referral. The tools used in all types of client systems are the interview, social work records,
communication, community resources and program and activities.

INTERVIEWING is the main tool used in social work practice. It is a face-to-face meeting
between two or more persons, directed towards a purpose, such as to obtain information, to
give instructions and to help. It is both an art and technique which requires knowledge and skill.
It is an art because while interviewers may follow the same principles, it allows for the
expression of one’s personality.

The following are the skills needed for an effective interview:

Skill in relating with the interviewee

Skill in observing the interviewee

Skill in listening

Skill in asking questions

Skill in answering personal questions

Interpreting the client’s response Conducting the interview:

Prepare for the interview

Always start by making the client feel comfortable

Use your intuition or “sixth sense”

Exercise care in the use of interview instruments like intake and survey forms  Be conscious of
time

Do not rush into direct action or help without fully understanding the client’s situation  The
interviewer should have proper deportment

DISCUSSION is a type of verbal interaction, of informal conversation among a group of people.

In social work, it is a form of communication in which each individual in the group contributes
his thinking and participates in the making of a decision which is arrived at through a
consensus. Purpose, leadership and dynamics are aspects of group discussion and group work
that the worker needs to keep in mind in order to be an effective group worker.

Opportunities for group discussion

Contribution from different viewpoints

Participation in decision-making and hopefully, in plan implementation

Developing creative potential for group members

Learning

Growth and change

REFERRAL is the process by which a client is helped to move on to another resource for service.
It is a necessary tool because no single institution or agency can serve all the needs of man in a
complex society. In order to make a good referral, i.e. to enable the client to go directly to the
resource he needs instead of being bounced from one agency to another, the worker must
possess a good working knowledge of the resources available.

SOCIAL WORK RECORDS/CASE RECORDING is an account in writing of the progress of a client in

a case as it moves from the beginning of the problem-solving phase towards its eventual
solution and finally to its ending or termination. It is an account of how the worker handled a
case from the beginning to the end; whether the client is an individual, a family, a group, or
even a small community. The casework pioneers who conceptualized social work practice
divided it into three points: study, diagnosis and treatment.
 It would be more accurate to say that the first part of the case recording is the case study. Case
recording can be considered as an indirect tool of social work intervention because it enables
the worker to see for himself how a case is progressing so that he can make such modification
or changes as may be necessary to reach the goal or purpose of the helping process.

Purpose of agency recording:

Tools that guide the worker as he and client proceed with the task of problem-solving.

Useful in evaluation

Improve knowledge and skills in helping people.

Records provide an account of what have taken place, which is needed when one worker must
replace another.

Provides important information to the agency. 6. Records are supervisory tools

Educational purpose.

Source of statistical information about agency operations.

Three major types of case recording:

Narrative. The narrative style is actually concerned with the reporting of facts. It may be
condensed or process.

The narrative condensed recording is an abridged, compact version which may have been
reduced from its former voluminous size. It is generally useful for all types of cases, of clients,
whether individual, family, group or community, and is used practically in all types of social
welfare agencies. It is used for reporting acts of practical helpfulness events and most collateral
visits or case conferences. It may be used to show the contents of the interview of the family or
small group discussion in all instances except when the process itself and the use of relationship
have special significance.

The process recording is a written description of the dynamic interaction that has taken place
in an interview. It should contain the purpose of the interview, worker’s observations, and
description of the intention, impression, worker’s roles and plan. It is used to show group the
process or to show group interaction. It may be a step-by-step account of the proceedings. It is
very appropriate when attention is depicted to attitudes, behavior and motivation. It is often
used for intake and the first interviews when the client’s feelings regarding his situation and
what he wants are likely to be particularly apparent.

Summary recording. A summary is a review or a recapitulation of material which has already

appeared in the case record. It is a good device for organizing and analyzing facts. Routing
services such as arrangement for the use of a social resource or an eventful period during
treatment can be summarized. There are four general types of summaries.

Social histories. These are two types: socio-economic history which is often used when many of
the welfare client presenting the problems usually involve the problem of economic survival;
and psychosocial/psychogenetic history which is generally used with clients presenting an
impairment of the psychosocial functioning.

Periodic summaries. These are made to cover a certain period of time during which the case is
under the care of or is being handled by the worker. This is applicable to long-term case work,
group work which formed groups, and with community work. In the Philippines, the latter may
take years to realize the goal of building self-reliant communities.

Transfer summary. It refers to the summary made when the case is to be transferred to another
worker or is being referred to another agency. it may contain a brief statement of the problem,
the treatment plan and what has been accomplished so far.

Closing entry or summary. This focuses on the causes and results of the treatment or
intervention. It covers the situation at intake and the reasons involved the problem that
emerged, the treatment given, services extended, or intervention, made the progress
movement or chance achieved, and the results or status of the case.

3. Interpretative, Diagnostic and Evaluate. This type of recording is directed to pointing out the
meaning of facts. Its significance lies in the social interpretation of the case by the worker. It
carries in fact, his own opinion.

Other types of records:

Intake forms – also called Face sheet, Admission Form, Application Form.

Survey report – contains findings about the community situation, indicating date, place and
source of data.
Summary Process Recording – the summaries of the process taking place in relation to problem
solving, whether with an individual, group, community, with the worker exercising judgment in
recording those which she thinks important.

Periodic Evaluate Summaries – including a statement about the major developments that have
occurred.

Final Evaluate Statement – focusing on the extent to which/objectives spelled out in the Case
Study have been accomplished/ not accomplished and why; recommendations for termination
or continuation of service.

Communication is a term derived from the Latin word communis which means to make
common, and the word communi-care, which means to share or to impart. It is the sharing or
the exchange of thoughts between two or more persons. It is a two way process (which start
with the source initiating the communication and the receiver responding) and method (a way
of helping people learn, through varied forms) by which a source purposively shares messages
with a receiver directly or via a channel and both learn from each other. it is the basic
ingredient in helping people.

Elements of the Communication Process

Source. The communication may originate from an individual, a group or an institution.

Message. The message of a communication could be a knowledge, an attitude, and/or behavior

which the source wishes to convey to the receiver. This message can be conveyed in various
ways: verbally, non-verbally and through symbols. The verbal communication involves the use
of words, whether spoken or written. Morales and Sheafer point out three fundamental task in
interviewing:

Listening which is the worker’s being sincerely interested in, and concentrating on what is being
said;

Interpretation which refers to the worker’s ability to interpret constantly the meanings
(conscious and unconscious) of the client’s words and behavior; and

Questioning which needs good timing, appropriateness and a good relationship with the client.
The non-verbal communication is a communication without words and only conveyed through
the person’s physical appearance dress, facial expression, behavior, gestures, sounds, silence,
ouch, eye contact and so on. Symbols are essentially a non-verbal form of communication with
unique characteristics of their own. They come in the form of pictures, diagrams, posters, logos
etc. and can stand by themselves, or with words. Symbols are chosen for different reasons – to
appeal to the intellect and/or to create dissatisfaction and to foster unity.

Channel. This refers to the proper course or “channel” of transmission of communication, that
is either interpersonal communication which involves face-to-face with people, or mass media
which comes in two forms – printed materials such as leaflets, pamphlets, posters, flip charts,
comics, magazines, newspaper etc. and electronics like radio, television and films; or both.

Receiver. The person, group, population segment/total population that is the intended
audience of a communication is called “receiver”

Communication resources. Refer to the programs and services offered by a variety of agencies
and organizations. These come in the form of funds, supplies and equipment, training,
consultancy services, material assistance and counseling. Their scopes also differ, so that we
find agencies providing skills training only for youth, or only educational loans for ethnic
minorities, or emergency material assistance, resettlement, as well as rehabilitation services for
urban squatters. Community resources may be offered under public, semi public, or private
sponsorship. They may be available on a local, national or international level.

Program/Program Activities are used to “denote a general class of activities, each of which
consists of an interconnected series of social behaviors that usually is infused with meanings
and guided by performance standards from the larger culture.

Purpose of program activities:

To establish positive relationship

To promote/improve communication between client and worker or among themselves.

To serve as a diagnostic tool.

To provide channels or outlets of otherwise the destructive energies 5. To serve as educational

tools.

To serve the need for socialization.

To provide catharsis

To influence people to behave in a certain way

To develop a sense of accomplishment

To help bring about community change and develop by the way of the participative process.

To develop an awareness of one’s social reality.

THE USE OF TECHNIQUES IN SOCIAL WORK

Technique is the systematic procedure by which a complex scientific tasks is accomplished. In

social work, it refers to the procedures by which a skill is implemented. The following are the
techniques often used by direct practice workers bearing in mind our peoples socio-cultural
characteristics.

Small talk. This refers to inconsequential conversation. It is used in almost all contacts between
the worker and the client. It is used by the social worker at the beginning of a contact, that is,
the first interview of the first home visit to put worker and the client especially the latter, at
ease.

Support. To support another person is to encourage, to uphold to sustain some aspect of the
client’s functioning – his strength, his attitude, his eagerness to do something about his
problem. It means to sustain or keep steady, to give courage, to express faith and confidence
and to give realistic approval to an individual or group.

Ventilation. It involves bringing to the surface the feelings and attitudes that need to be
brought out because these are affecting the psychological functioning of the person harboring
them – the client. It is to clear any emotional underbrush that may be obstructing a positive
movement.

Reassurance. It is an indirect support to client. It involves assuring the client that the situation
with which he is struggling has an attainable solution and that he has the capacity to deal with
his own problem.

Installation of hope. It is given when the worker demonstrates interest in client’s efforts and
progress, encouraging his efforts, offering realistic assurance and expressing hope that things
will be better.

Exploration. It is used to elicit necessary information; to bring out details about experiences and
relationships as the client perceives them; and to examine the feelings connected to the
relationships and experiences.

Clarification. It is to make understandable a point or two. As a technique, it is often used in

connection with exploration.
Education and Advice. It was formerly known as advice-giving and counseling. In social work, it
refers to the provision of ideas, opinions and suggestions based or drawn from the worker’s
professional knowledge. According to Schwartz, one of the major tasks of the social worker is to
contribute data, ideas, facts and value concepts which are not available to the client and which
may prove useful to him in attempting to cope with that part of social reality which is involved
in the problem with which he is working.

Universalization. It is the utilization of human experiences and the strengths of other to cope
with situations similar to thos which are troubling the client. To pick up or choose a certain trait
or pattern of behavior characteristics of all members of a particular culture or of all human
beings.

Reward and Punishment. One gets rewards for good behavior or is punished for misbehavior. It
is used when there is better understanding of the causes and greater ability to anticipate and
control the consequences.

Role rehearsal and Demonstration. This may be used extensively when learning new ways of
behavior is required. It is done by discussion or actual setting up of role play situations or by
demonstration.

Confrontation. It is come to face to face with the hard facts of the situation with reality, to bring
a person face to face with something.

Conflict. Is a type of stress produced when a person is motivated by two or more needs in such
a manner that the situation of one need my mean the dissatisfaction of another one.

Manipulation. It means skillful management of events. The workers as a manipulator must bear
in mind three things: (1) the client’s right and need to be involved both in deciding and doing,
(2) the client’s ability to participate; (3) the distinction between those activities that are
appropriate for the workers and those that are appropriate for the client.

Andragogy. According to Malcolm Knowles, andragogy is the art and science of helping adults
to learn.

Consciousness – raising. It means the arousing of man’s positive self-concept in relation to the
environment and society through a liberating education which treats learners as active agents
rather than passive recipient of learning.