The profession of social work: definition, practice, and engagement

Social

What is Social Work

Social Work

What is Social Work?

In essence, social work can be understood as a discipline that has the care of others at the centre of its theory and praxis. Social work has a long history with the roots of its development in voluntary philanthropy and social reform. As one study notes, "These roots are deeply linked to ancient values and concepts of charity, equality and compassion toward others in times of need"( CASW NATIONAL SCOPE OF PRACTICE STATEMENT, 2000).

The field of social work often has to deal with complex social issues and problems. As a result the social worker is required to understand and cope with various social and cultural issues; for example, issues such as social prejudice and discrimination and various inequalities that may result in a variety of social situations.

A definition of social work is as follows: "Social Work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal" (DEFINITION OF SOCIAL WORK). More specifically, in practice social work 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 processes.

(NASW Practice Standards)

The social worker intends to improve social conditions and alleviate suffering on many levels. As many studies emphasize, the social worker has to deal with a variety of problems and issues that can be found in the microsystem and mascrosystem of contemporary society.

It is also a discipline that has developed and changed in relation to various psychological theories and perceptions about human behavior and society. As such it is intimately connected to theories and views from psychology and sociology as well as developments in the field of healthcare. In terms of its social function, besides the purpose of enhancing the social functioning of the individual the family and the group, social work is also concerned with issues relating to social injustice and to areas of society where marginalization, prejudiced and social bias are experienced. It follows that the "The practice of Social Work requires knowledge of human development and behavior; of social, economic, and cultural institutions; and of the interactions of all these factors"(NASW Practice Standards).

Part B

Engagement or contact with the client is the initial phase in the practice of social work. The central aim in the process of engagement is to, "... foster a collaborative respectful partnership between practitioner and service user, where the development of a sound relationship will form the foundation for the current and any future work" (Study guide: Topic 2: Engagement, p.1). These first encounters are important as they often set the tone for future interaction.

However, there are a number of aspects that need to be considered prior to the process of engagement. In theoretical terms one of these important aspects is known as the 'use of self'. This term refers to "...how we as workers filter our interaction with clients and agencies, decision making processes and work practices through our own personal lens"( Study Guide, p.4). In other words, the social worker also has to be cognizant of the way they his or her personal experiences and cultural background, as well as various assumptions and views, affect the engagement and interaction with the client.

In relation to the above, one must also mention the importance of aspects such as attentive listening. Fruitful engagement with the client cannot take place without attentive listening and certain sensitivity to what the client is saying. This also refers to nonverbal cues that are used to convey subtle shifts in meaning and of which the social worker should be cognizant. This is also refers to active or reflective listening.

Reflective listening is linked to the field of counseling and psychotherapy and to the theories of Carl Rogers. In essence, reflective listening is used in situations "...where you are trying to help the speaker deal with something." In this form of listening the focus of the listener is on "How does this person see themselves and their situation?" (Fisher).

In essence, active listening refers to listening that involves the attempt to understand the verbal and nonverbal substance of the service user's message. There is a certain amount of interpretation involved in this process, which includes context as part of the interpretive process (Study Guide, p 5-6).

Assessment is also an essential part of the social work process. It "...lays the foundation for decision making and planning for future action with the service user" (Study Guide: Topic 4, p. 1). The engagement process initiates the data gathering process which leads to the assessment. The data is "…organized and prioritized in terms of service user goal setting around priorities and needs"(Study Guide: Topic 4, p. 1).

Intervention is described as a process whereby the social worker and the client works towards "... achieving targeted change in a deliberate, planned and purposeful way" ( Study guide: Topic 6, p.2). More specifically intervention is described as a process where social workers assist individuals, families and groups with their needs and issues ( Humphrey). Interventions are also intended to assist in dealing with various problematic issues that may be encountered. One should also note that interventions can take place at a micro or macro social level. In other words it can focus on individual and small groups or deal with larger social issues such as prejudice.

Group work is an extremely important part of the social work process. This often takes place in collaboration with experts from other fields and disciplines in order to provide a comprehensive and holistic service to the client. This usually takes the form of multidisciplinary teams, with input from a number of disciplines.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as the above discussion shows, answering the question what is social work involves a wide and interrelated range of issues, problems and theoretical methods and perspectives. Social work is essentially about upliftment, protection and care, but it also includes a variety of social issues and situations that impact the lives of the individual in society. These can include social issues such as race and gender prejudice as well as inbuilt biases and prejudices within the society. The social worker also has to take cognisance of a variety of theoretical sources and perspectives in order to deal with these issues and situations.