Category: Social Work

The videotape shows the preliminary session with Joy, a young single mother of a six-year-old boy. She is also a full-time worker of the U.S. armed forces and a student. During the initial discussion, Joy mentioned feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities and unable to cope with the number of tasks at hand. Joy is also feeling powerless to influence her son: for instance, despite her efforts to put him to bed by eight p.m., he constantly stays up late, causing her to postpone her schoolwork. Joy is also concerned about communicating her feelings and needs to others. She mentioned that due to being the oldest one of her mother’s six children she has always seemed to be a strong and independent woman, and thus she feels that asking others for help undermines that image. From the introductory session, it has been concluded that using a seven-step generalist intervention model would be the best strategy in Joy’s case.

Engagement

The first step of the intervention, engagement, involves building a professional relationship between the social worker and the client (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2011, p. 159). This professional relationship is needed as it provides a clear purpose, ensures commitment both of the worker and the client to the change process, and determines the ethical standards applied to practice; moreover, professionalism emphasizes building a warm and empathetic relationship with the client (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2011, p. 159). All of these factors facilitate the client’s progress and aid in the counselor’s work.

Part of the engagement process, therefore, is to greet the client in a welcoming manner and to introduce the client to the agency’s confidentiality policy by stating that the information shared with the counselor will remain confidential unless there is a threat to life or wellbeing of the client, his or her family, or other people. After the introduction, it is necessary to determine whether the agency can be of any help to the client by gathering information about the client and his or her issues. This can be done both by asking the client directly (e.g. “How can I help you?”) and by looking at the overall patterns in the client’s story. For example, Joy’s situation cannot be solved solely by counseling because one of the issues that put great pressure on her is the behavior of her son: she claims that he has been “acting up” ever since the family split. Besides counseling, Joy could benefit from going to parenting therapy groups, which was suggested at the end of the meeting.

Assessment

The assessment stage is crucial in preparation for the planning process, as it helps to evaluate the primary issues and their impact on the person’s current situation. However, there are many challenges and features to the assessment process that has to be taken into account. For instance, Kirst-Ashman and Hull (2011) note that a lack of valuable information on the issues or the client’s background can lead to a false judgment, which will harm the assessment process (p. 164). Furthermore, it is important to understand that assessment is a continual process (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2011, p. 159). This means that the social worker will have to evaluate factors like the client’s mood, progress, struggles, and attitude to therapy during every session and to alter the approach accordingly.

However, one of the goals of the preliminary discussion is to identify a primary issue that brought the client to the social worker. To find out about the issue, the social worker should ask questions like “Can you explain some of the pressure you are feeling?” or “How does [the situation] make you feel?”. It is necessary to listen to the client’s responses carefully, as they might indicate a larger underlying issue that is the key to a successful change process. For instance, despite all the smaller issues Joy has talked about, there was evidence that the main problem is not her inability to cope with the pressure, as she stated at the beginning, but rather her difficulty in asking for help due to the image of a strong woman imposed on her by her mother. Helping Joy to erase this stereotype would improve the situation dramatically in all the areas of concern.

Planning

Nevertheless, before the larger issue is addressed, it is crucial to follow through with the planning process. The process aims to prioritize issues, establish the primary goals of the therapy, and to develop a plan for achieving these goals. To ensure the cooperation of the patient and to avoid tackling undesirable topics at the beginning of the treatment, it is necessary to consult the client as to which topics are the most important for him or her at the moment. For instance, when asked to outline the main concern, Joy chose to focus on her education.

She stated that to balance her schoolwork and her full-time job it is necessary for her to put her son to bed early, which does not happen because he does not see her often and therefore wants to stay up late to spend more time with his mother. The main goal of the therapy would thus be to achieve a balance between parenting, education, and work. Smaller objectives would include employing new parenting techniques to minimize the child’s anxiety and to achieve effective communication, as well as to improve time-management skills and to learn to ask for the help of other people to delegate some of the tasks to alleviate some of the pressure.

Evaluation

The next stage is not fully applicable to the present videotape, as it involves the evaluation of the effectiveness of the social work practice at the end of working with a client (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2011, p. 288). Various evaluation techniques could be used depending on the client’s issues and the focus of work. In the case with Joy, goal-attainment scaling would be used to evaluate the effect of the work. Goal-attainment scaling is applicable here as it focuses on the achievement of one clear goal (e.g. finding balance in life), which is crucial to the solution of the person’s problems.

Termination and Follow-Up

The last two stages of the generalist intervention model need to be built around the client’s progress as opposed to the theoretical models of social work. The worker should also agree with the client on the terms of termination. For example, during the preliminary session, Joy was offered a sequence of six sessions under the condition that the necessity of further sessions will be determined by her progress. Follow-up meetings were not discussed, but it would be desirable to check Joy’s progress one month after the termination of work.

Evaluation of the Session

Questions

Both open and close-ended questions were asked during the session. The open-ended questions were primarily used to find out more about Joy’s issues and feelings (e.g. “How are you and your son’s father? Does he come to visit?” and “How does that make you feel?”), whereas the closed questions, were used for clarification purposes (e.g. “So you are the oldest one of six children?” and “[Staying up late] makes you late for work in the morning?”). This strategy is effective as it avoids suggesting answers to the fundamental questions about feelings and emotions that could impact the person’s responses and thus the assessment. One of the weaknesses of the questioning strategy employed was the overuse of clarifying questions, which promoted re-statement. For instance, the question “So you are the oldest one of six children?” could have been changed to “How did it make you feel to be the oldest of six children?”. This change would allow exploring the client’s background in more detail.

Areas for Improvement

Given the short length of the preliminary meeting, few areas for improvement could be identified. For instance, it would be useful to find out more about Joy’s experience as the oldest child, as this might be the factor that had a profound effect on the issues she experiences now: being used to helping rather than to asking for help, she takes on too much responsibility and avoids delegating some of the tasks so as not to appear weak. Decreasing the amount of close-ended questions would also help to save extra time, which could be spent on exploring Joy’s story further. Moreover, there could have been more engagement of the client in the planning process. Allowing Joy to evaluate her contribution to completing the objectives could have a positive impact on the further change process.

Summarization

There was no clear summary at the end of the session that would draw together all the points of Joy’s story and direct her attention towards the various issues outlined by it. A summary of the session would be beneficial as it would help to prepare Joy for participation in the change process.

Conclusion

Overall, the introductory session provided a stable basis for further work with Joy. The application of the generalist intervention model allows splitting the change process into distinct stages, ensuring both the client’s involvement in the change process and the social worker’s ease in developing and following a plan of action. There were some minor drawbacks to the strategies used, but it is highly unlikely that they will have a significant effect on further progress. Joy’s case is not an easy one – indeed, the most challenging cases in social worker’s practice are the ones where clients experience a range of problems in various aspects of life (Boyle, Smith, Farley, Hull, & Mather, 2009, p. 6). However, with a thorough plan of change that touches all the problems, both overt and underlying, there is a great potential for progress that would enable Joy to achieve the level of balance in life that she aims to have.

References

Boyle, S. W., Smith, L. L., Farley, O. W., Hull, G. H., & Mather, J. H. (2009). Direct practice in social work. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H. (2011). Understanding generalist practice (6^th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

The video under analysis depicts the group that has come across an unexpected event. According to Toseland and Rivas (2017), communication is verbal, non-verbal, and synchronous in the group. Outside noises do not result in any barriers to communication. Pam is aggressive and uses insulting language toward Philip, while the other members express respect toward the two persons (Psychotherapy.net, 2011). It seems that group cohesion is at a decent level because member-to-member attraction and the sense of community are generally present (Toseland & Rivas, 2017). For example, Tony expresses that being a part of the group should mean something to Philip, while the other members reveal their connection to Philip and Pam. Social integration is not ideal because Rebecca tries to silence Bonnie, while Pam and Philip have a direct confrontation. Furthermore, there is no evidence to claim that the group deals with strong social influences. However, it is possible to say that the group culture is at a decent level because the conflict did not lead to direct offenses, irrespective of Pam’s “Insect,” and the group members did not interrupt one another.

It is possible to mention that this group dynamics can affect treatment differently. On the one hand, overt dynamics demonstrate that group members support and respect one another. On the other hand, both overt and covert processes reveal adverse influences, including the conflict between Pam and Philip and some tension between Rebecca and Bonnie. Consequently, a social worker should ensure that positive effects are maximized.

The second video represents the family dynamics that will be analyzed below. It is possible to mention that the family under consideration has compromised communication because poor contact is between Michelle and her parents, David and Kathleen (Psychotherapy.net, 2006). It seems that the participants do not understand what they are saying to one another. Family cohesion is also adversely affected because Michelle does not have any member-to-member attraction or a sense of unity with the parents, but cohesion between David and Kathleen can be found. According to Drumm (2006), a group should foster an understanding that a person is not alone, but Michelle does not have such a feeling in her family. Hierarchy is found in the family because Michelle listens to her parents, which made her come to the session (Psychotherapy.net, 2006). It is impossible to state that the family is under social influence because the video does not have any information regarding this issue. Group culture is also not excellent because it seems that Michelle and her parents have different values because the adults entirely focus on her two-year-old baby.

It is possible to state that this family dynamics can adversely affect any treatment interventions. The rationale behind this statement refers to the fact that there is a compromised contact among the family members, meaning that they cannot participate in productive activities. This information demonstrates that the family dynamics should be improved to enhance relationships between individual members so that any positive processes impact the Rogers before treatment begins.

It is possible to conclude that assessing dynamics in a group and a family has many similarities. The process is identical because it is necessary to witness the interaction and analyze it against four criteria. The dynamics can positively or negatively impact treatment effectiveness and implementation. If the specific group and family are under consideration, it has been found that the group dynamics have a controversial impact on treatment, implying both positive and negative influences. However, the analysis of the Rogers family demonstrated that compromised processes adversely impacted potential treatment options that could be offered to the participants. Consequently, social workers should do their best to improve group dynamics.

References

Drumm, K. (2006). The essential power of group work. Social Work with Groups, 29(2-3), 17-31. Web.

Psychotherapy.net (Producer). (2006). The legacy of unresolved loss: A family systems approach [Video file]. Web.

Psychotherapy.net (Producer). (2011). Group therapy: A live demonstration. [Video file]. Web.

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8^th ed.). Pearson.

Introduction

Social work with groups is a commendable exertion that helps people bring out their uniqueness, versatility and assist them in molding their life in a valuable way. Group workers are practicing different fields of occupation and are involved in social work practice. The concept of group work is as old as social work.

Termination in Group

A termination is an important tool of social work. If it is not handled properly it can bring negative thinking and bitter feelings with its self. Results of termination should not affect in a pessimistic manner. It is the job of a social worker to help members accept the reaction, bring out optimistic approach to it, transfer experience to help attain the goal and be ready for the upcoming challenges (Northen, Helen, Kurland, Roselle. 2001).

Termination as a Transition Stage

Termination brings a lot of psychological pressure on the entire group and also on practitioner. It directly and indirectly affects the thinking, responding, action, behavior and working habit of the group members. It converts a normal human feeling betrayed and abandoned (Miller, Geraldine A. 2004)

Transition Member

The person going through termination turmoil may react in a very unusual way. It is equally difficult from worker’s and member’s end. It mostly arouses the feeling of their earlier losses, grief and anger.

In case of a group member’s termination the transition is due to the influence made on the lives of other group members, support of social worker and a new prospect of looking at life may let him feel empty, uneasy anger and sorrowful. They certainly feel a strong change in them which will help them move forward in their life. It also enhances their communication level. If the termination is made on a positive note the transition is very encouraging (Brandler, Sondra. 1999)

Worker Departure

Worker departure can bring depression and extra workload on the group. With departure of a group member, skills and expertise attached with him also exit. The group is left with lack of resources and absence of an aid they worked with. During the departure period it’s time to exchange all the necessary information. Group should be there for each other to fight and comfort the fear of losing a member. With the news of social worker departure, group members display odd behavior. They start missing the session and decompensate (Brandler, Sondra. 1999).

Worker’s departure can also be viewed positively. To fill his shoe another member will enter the group and he might bring innovative and creative ideas with himself. Group may take and think in a new direction. A successful departure will also give them strength to mold their depression in an affirmative direction.

Group Termination

Group termination can be explained as putting an end to services provided by a group of people cooperatively. Group termination can be due to two significant reasons. One of them could be the project had come to an end and people’s services are not required anymore. Another possible reason for group termination could be excess manpower. In both cases the level of despair is equal. At times it becomes difficult to end a group especially after the commencement of a successful task (Corey, Gerald. 2005). In such situation group members and social workers should collectively fight against this feeling of desolation and support each other to get through this depression. The termination of the group should not end on a bad note.

Factors in Termination

Termination is a process that gives a lot series of emotions to a person being terminated. People go through a number of sentiments when they are going through this process. Social workers work with a range of groups to perform their tasks. They put their entire attention in helping the group member transform into a joint support. They help workers understand and experience the bond between the group members at the time of termination (Middleman and Wood, 1990).

Anxiety

Anxiety is the first stage of reaction after announcement of termination. It can be explained as an obnoxious feeling due to fear or worry. During the time of termination a person is afraid about his future prospect. He starts treating his group members as a threat. It turns a normal person into an insecure personality. This feeling should be not be discouraged. A person should be persuaded to express them (Brandler, Sondra. 1999).

Denial

Denial is the absence of acceptance. A person fails to admit that he will no longer be a part of the group he worked with. He keeps reasoning himself and pretends to be oblivious to the complete situation. Denial only makes the situation even worse.

Regression

Regression follows the state of denial. During regression a person starts to behave in a very immature manner. He uses this action to avoid the handling the situation and facing the reality. He feels weak and worthless. His ego gets hurt leaving him with a sense of failure and disappointment. He’s too scared to lose the group and acts naive to avoid separation. (Brandler, Sondra. 1999)

Fight or Flight

In such a waning condition, a person either fights the feeling or runs away from it. Both are equally dangerous. Running away is another way to being in denial while fighting with it takes you further away from the acceptance. Unless a person acknowledges the harsh reality of termination he can not be escaped from the ordeal. A social worker with his communication skills helps him understand the scenario and accept the bitter reality. Self-acceptance is the beginning of a positive change. Members accept themselves with their weaknesses and strengths (Fatout, Marian).

Recapitulation

Recapitulation is a tool to heal emotional shock. Social worker plays a great role in helping a person recovering from this distress. It helps a person regain his dignity and move on with life. It detaches a person with emotional charges that may bring uneasiness and anger when he remembers the termination episode. (Toltec-Nagua, n.d.)

Graduation Effect

After being cured a person can start all over again. He is pushed to start all over again with a feeling of confidence and sanguinity. He gets support from his group members and social worker to continue serving at different avenues. He gets a new preview of life (Bellack, Alan S., Bennett, Melanie E., S., Jean. 2006).

Evaluation

Evaluation is a tool used to assess merit and importance of a person and the work performed by him (Socialresearchmethod, n.d.). It looks into the value added by a person in the organization. Evaluation is supported by arrangement of service existing between social workers and individual group members. Evaluations are highly confidential. It helps to understand the worth of a group member and his dedicated work. A major task of termination is evaluation of accomplishment and areas of remaining work (Brandler, Sondra. 1999).

Purpose

Purpose of evaluation helps justify the reason why a person is being terminated. It is an ongoing process. The method of evaluation helps sets standards for goal attainment by groups. Individual efforts of the members are securitized. It eventually calculates the weight of work done and brings out a comparison between the status and quality of work set at the time of goal setting and finished project. Evaluation helps place people in a group according to their expertise. In other words it helps to focus on the differentiation on a group member’s behavior before and after he joined the social group (Brandler, Sondra. 1999).

Method and Instrumentation

Evaluation includes appraisals of the member upon showing the hard work. They have graded up the quality of services provided. A social worker is responsible for their performance and meeting targeting on deadline regardless of being terminated. This can be done through a form that may state and highlight points like participation of the entire group, input by social worker, level of work contribution, quality of work, time management, and it may also have open-ended questions like problems faced during the project. Continuous feedback from the supervisor is very essential (Miller, Geraldine A. 2004).

Understanding Outcomes

After the evaluation it should be accessed whether the objective and goal of the social workers were successfully achieved or not. Outcomes should be well researched since workers are liable for understanding the information gathered through analyzing the outcome (Northen, Helen, Kurland Roselle. 2001).How difficult termination of a group member made to attain the target. It’s the duty of a social worker to keep the group together. Even in transition phase, terminated member should perform with his utmost capabilities without disappointed other team members. His basic responsibility is the attainment of tasks in the given timeline. Social worker is assessed on how well this duty is completed. Problem and hurdles faced during this time and measures taken to resolve it.

Conclusion

Termination or separation from a group is never pleasant. The important objective behind this should be the experience that everyone will be carrying forward into their personal life. Sense of achievement and relationship building learned in community work is more peaceful than anything else. If a person successfully makes it through the period of separation he would also be able to get through other problems in his life. Social worker helps bring dynamism in the group member. They help a member in their termination/separation period. They do their honest evaluation so that group work is well aware of his strengths and weakness.

References

Bellack, Alan S., Bennett, Melanie E., S., Jean. 2006. Behavioral Treatment for Substance Abuse in People with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals. Published by CRC Press.

Brandler, Sondra. 1999. Group Work. Published by Haworth Press. Binghamton, New York.

Corey, Gerald. 2005. Groups: process and practice. Published by Cengage Learning.

Fatout, Marian. 1992. Models for change in social group work. Published by Aldine Transaction, Hawthorne, New York.

Middleman, R.R. and Wood, G.G. 1990. Social Group Work to Social Work With Groups. Social Work with Groups, 14(3/4), 75-86.

Miller. Geraldine A. 2004. Learning the language of addiction counseling. Published by John Wiley and Sons Northen, Helen, Kurland Roselle. 2001. Social work with groups. Published by Columbia University Press.

Toltec-Nagual. The Recapitulation. Web.

In the social work profession, a number of theories exist that inform specific methods, techniques, and approaches. They are all included in the generalist practice model that integrates individual work, group engagement, and community support, and focuses on the interaction between people and the environment. It provides social workers with an eclectic knowledge base, a broad set of skills, and a framework for assessment, intervention, and change at multiple levels, from individual to global, aimed at attaining optimal social functioning.

The generalist model is a problem-solving model that allows social workers to identify potential stressors and other disruptions at macro, mezzo, and micro levels, and develop appropriate interventions to make changes in the client’s environment. It is based on four main principles, the first of which is that “human behavior is inextricably connected to the social and physical environment” (Miley et al., 2016, p. 47). The second principle states that in order to enhance the functioning of any system, the system itself needs to be changed together with its interactions with the environment and other systems within this environment. Third, any level of a human system, from individual to society, uses similar social work processes (Miley et al., 2016). Fourth, generalist practitioners have responsibilities to work towards just social policies in their practice and academic work.

The generalist model offers a seven-stage approach to the process of problem-solving. The seven stages are engagement, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, and termination (Berg-Weger & Birkenmaier, 2017). At the engagement stage, the social worker focuses on building rapport with the client. The assessment stage includes collecting data about the client’s problems, lifestyle, and environment and determining their strengths, skills, capabilities, and resources. Planning is the development of goals and the plan of action based on the client’s needs and circumstances. The plan should include specific tasks and objectives, each team member’s responsibilities, a clear timeline for action, and the description of the expected results. Intervention is the stage where the client and the social worker mobilize resources to implement the plan, with the social worker monitoring the progress, and the client reporting all challenges and obstacles that they encounter (Berg-Weger & Birkenmaier, 2017). At the evaluation stage, both parties determine whether the goals are met and whether new goals should be set. Termination is the last stage of the intervention when the client should achieve the goal of being able to maintain progress on their own.

The generalist model developed into the operational model following the changes in modern society. As it became more complex, social workers started to require a large body of knowledge to encompass all social issues (Dziegielewski & Holliman, 2019). The generalist education emerged that provided specialists with the skills and information needed to perform a variety of tasks for different clients in a range of environments. Currently, it is the most commonly used model of social work.

The generalist model provides a number of advantages to social workers. In contrast to the specialist model, it seeks to create three levels of practice: macro, mezzo, and micro levels (Berg-Weger & Birkenmaier, 2017). The micro level refers to the systems that directly impact an individual; the mezzo level refers to small groups, such as families, and the macro level focuses on large systems, such as organizations and communities. This system allows generalist practitioners to address problems from various perspectives and at different levels, for example, linking individual problems to community issues.

Its other advantages include the involvement of different members, stimulating group functioning, and constructive feedback. Generalist practitioners incorporate diversity in their practice, advocate for human rights, adhere to ethical principles, and recognize and support the strength and resiliency of all human beings (Dziegielewski & Holliman, 2019). The generalist model uses a diverse range of methods, techniques, and approaches, and is transferable across all fields of practice, settings, and populations.

The main disadvantage of the generalist approach is the lack of specialization. The model provides social workers with a variety of skill sets and prepares them for applying it in various settings without any specialization. It can be a downside when specific knowledge and training are required for social work practice in a particular environment. Students who are training to be generalist practitioners often feel that their education does not enable them to enter the job market, and their competencies are vague (Dziegielewski & Holliman, 2019). There are constant disputes regarding the lack of clarity in the role of generalist practitioners compared to social workers with a particular specialization.

Overall, the generalist model is an effective social work model that allows specialists to look at a problem in context and find solutions with consideration to the interactions between people and the environment. It is the approach that forms the basis of more specialized models of social work and provides the body of knowledge that can be applied to any field. It is a problem-solving model that works at multiple levels and uses a range of instruments to achieve the main goal of promoting human and social well-being.

References

Berg-Weger, M., & Birkenmaier, J. (2017). The practice of generalist social work. Taylor & Francis.

Dziegielewski, S., & Holliman, D. (2019). The changing face of health care social work: Opportunities and challenges for professional practice (4^th ed.). Springer.

Miley, K. K., O’Melia, M., & DuBois, B. (2016). Generalist social work practice: An empowering approach. Pearson Education.

Termination

Termination is a crucial and inevitable part of social work. It is defined as the process of ending a social worker’s professional relationship with his or her client. This process can be triggered when the goals of the intervention have been reached, when the time allotted for the intervention is over, or when the client is no longer interested in continuing (Barker, 2013). It represents significant importance to social work because it can have a critical lasting impact on both the client and the social worker. Critical evaluation can occur as part of this process, further increasing its potential effect on its participants. Therefore, termination presents significant challenges, both personal and professional, to the social worker.

Professional and Personal Challenges in Termination

The professional challenges involved in the process of termination are generally related to the assessments and evaluations that occur during it. The nature of the first assessment is determined near the start of the working relationship between the social worker and his or her client, when the goals of the intervention are determined (Thompson, 2015). Understanding when these goals are achieved, or deciding that they are not achievable, can be challenging. Thus, the first challenge with termination is initially deciding the conditions under which it will occur, and then understanding that these conditions have been met or cannot be met. For a probation officer, an error in these decisions can mean the difference between recidivism and successful reintegration (Andersen & Wilderman, 2015). This makes them especially challenging and stressful due to the potentially significant impact they can have on the client as well as those potentially affected by their subsequent actions.

If the termination occurs for reasons other than the successful meeting of the initial intervention goals, it can be challenging to decide on an appropriate course of action to follow. If a referral to a different specialist is required, difficulties can arise from choosing one. Furthermore, if the termination occurs because of a failure to meet the initial goals, especially due to the client’s lack of cooperation, it can be difficult to communicate during the process. It can also be challenging to choose the appropriate degree of self-disclosure when explaining the reasons for termination, especially if they stem from the social worker (Kantrowitz, 2014). These factors make non-mutual termination particularly difficult for a social worker.

Termination can be personally challenging for both the social worker and the client. Since the two can build a strong rapport and a degree of social inter reliance that can go beyond a professional relationship. Even if the relationship is strictly professional, it is often be associated with feelings of loss (Weil, Katz, & Hilsenroth, 2017). While the study referenced claims that limiting the description to loss is oversimplifying it, the loss is, nonetheless, often ascribed to both the professional and the client (Weil, Katz, & Hilsenroth, 2017). Coping with this loss becomes a significant part of the social worker’s life and a potential cause of stress. Furthermore, the client can experience a similar loss, which can, in turn, worsen his or her outcome, especially if the termination occurred abruptly. This fact connects the personal and professional challenges in the process and highlights its importance in social work.

Another source of stress for a probation officer is caused by feelings of uncertainty following a termination. Since it can be difficult to determine whether the intervention succeeded and its intended effect will last, a social worker can experience doubt about the client’s outcome. Considering the significant possibility of harm should a client recidivate, this can lead one to blame him or herself for negative consequences that could have been prevented, questioning his or her competency as a social worker.

A probation officer’s contact with his or her client is intended to correct a specific issue. However, this issue can have underlying personal causes that cannot be resolved by the social worker. These can stem from the lack of a social support network, a low socioeconomic status, or any other reason that is beyond the social worker’s ability to help. Attempting to resolve these issues would mean intruding into the client’s personal life, which is not possible in a professional relationship. Nonetheless, exercising restraint in one’s response to these issues, particularly during or after termination, can be a frustrating or difficult experience.

The Importance of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness and conscious use of self are crucial skills in social work. The latter involves integrating “the skill sets taught in social work … with their authentic selves” (Kaushik, 2017, p. 21). To integrate these matters, one needs to be aware of his or her thoughts, feelings, biases, and attitudes (Kaushik, 2017). Especially in the probation department, where clients can be diverse in terms of gender, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or religion, the social workers’ attitudes and biases are likely to come in conflict with what is necessary to aid the client. Therefore, understanding and controlling these biases and attitudes is a crucial part of an effective intervention, which extends to the termination process (Fabbre, 2016; Ferguson, 2018; Jani, Osteen, & Shipe, 2016). One must avoid projecting his or her belief system, view of the world, or values onto the client and assist within those of the client, or acting on any existing prejudices.

As a working relationship between the social worker and his or her client is guided by their attitudes and worldviews, so does the process of ending this relationship. It is crucial to understand both the social worker and the client’s attitudes towards this and establish boundaries for future social contacts, especially in settings where such contacts are likely (Chenoweth, McAuliffe, 2017). As ethical concerns can arise during this phase, as well, these need to be considered within both the client and the social worker’s perspectives.

The Case of O. K.

I was temporarily assigned to O. K. as part of my work placement. This termination occurred at the end of the assignment’s allotted time. Considering the rapport and positive relationship we have developed over its course, the aforementioned feelings of loss are likely to present a challenge. I want to believe that I was successful in establishing myself as a positive influence and source of support, losing which, considering her otherwise primarily negative social contacts, can be a cause of distress and possible relapse. Although she has made progress in resolving her issue, it is far from being complete. I find it difficult to release a professional relationship that in this state, and feel anxiety over the fact that O. K. might relapse. For the agency, I foresee no significant difficulties arising from this termination.

Gender, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, age, and religion can be significant factors in developing rapport and relationships between the social worker and his or her client. While this kind of rapport is crucial to achieving a positive outcome, it can also complicate the process of termination. Shared religion and culture also increase the likelihood of being in the same community and attending the same events, making establishing boundaries for post-termination social contact crucial. Conversely, it is possible to misunderstand one another’s intentions due to limited familiarity with one another’s culture or religion. This misunderstanding can lead to miscommunication during critical parts of the termination process or disagreement as to whether intervention goals have been achieved.

Although the termination process can be short about the overall working relationship between the social worker and his or her client, many of the same social work skills are required to make this process successful. As this is a critical phase of the professional relationship, empathy, active listening, and social perceptiveness are crucial to understanding the client’s response to it and predicting any possible issues that need to be resolved. Cooperation and persuasion are also important if any questions or conflicts arise during the process. Setting boundaries is a similarly crucial part of it, especially considering that for some clients, the ending of a positive professional relationship can seem like an invitation to a personal one. As described above, self-awareness plays a critical part in understanding the social worker’s biases, prejudices, and conflicts of interest and preventing them from interfering in the process. Finally, as a stressful and potentially anxiety-inducing part of social work, termination requires a significant degree of relaxation to recover and prepare for new working relationships.

Common mistakes related to the termination process can relate to the evaluation of its conditions. It is possible to mistakenly evaluate the progress made during the relationship and decide that the goals of the interventions have been achieved. As the process requires a careful balancing of the professional and the personal, as well as setting boundaries, it can be challenging to decide on the correct approach. Behaving too professionally during termination can lead the client to believe that the relationship was unwanted, while an excessively personal presentation can interfere with the boundaries that need to be established. Both of these errors can lead to worse outcomes for the client. Furthermore, it is crucial to plan for the termination process in advance, and inform the client of it as early as possible, to allow him or her time to prepare and adjust.

O. K.’s process recording

I inform O. K. that this is our last session, as our allotted time has come to an end. She seems a little uncomfortable but responds that she remembers. I proceed to outline the progress we made during our relationship; she appears glad to hear this, but somewhat absent-minded. I assure her with this progress, she has gotten much closer to resolving her issue, and will soon be moving on to new things and achievements. She asks whether she will get a new intern assigned since she is still under probation. I explain that I am not sure, but will look into the matter and inform her once I found out. I affirm her progress and explain that whoever takes over her case, is going to continue with her progress, but I cannot continue past the assigned time, although I’d be happy to continue working with her if it was possible. We say our goodbyes, shaking hands as a closing ritual.

In this dialogue, I primarily present empathy and cooperation. Overall, I think I may have been too dry and impersonal in the process. I should have reminded her that our last session is approaching earlier to give her the time to prepare, as the news came to her as a shock — I wrongly assumed that she was keeping track of the remaining sessions. Also, I should have checked with the agency about what is planned for O. K. so I had an answer ready.

References

1. Andersen, L. H., & Wildeman, C. (2015). Measuring the effect of probation and parole officers on labor market outcomes and recidivism. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 31(4), 629-652. doi:10.1007/s10940-014-9243-4
2. Barker, R. L. (2013). The Social Work Dictionary. NASW Press.
3. Chenowith, L., & McAuliffe, D. (2017) The Road to Social Work and Service Practice. Cengage AU.
4. Fabbre, V. (2016). Queer aging: Implications for social work practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer older adults. Social Work, 62(1), 73-76. doi:10.1093/sw/sww076
5. Ferguson, H. (2018). How social workers reflect in action and when and why they don’t: the possibilities and limits to reflective practice in social work. Social Work Education, 37(4), 415-427. doi:10.1080/02615479.2017.1413083
6. Jani, J. S., Osteen, P., & Shipe, S. (2016). Cultural competence and social work education: Moving toward assessment of practice behaviors. Journal of Social Work Education, 52(3), 311-324. doi:10.1080/10437797.2016.1174634
7. Kantrotitz, J. L. (2014). Myths of Termination: What Patients Can Teach Psychoanalysts About Endings. Routledge.
8. Kaushik, A. (2017). Use of self in social work: Rhetoric or reality. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 14(1), 21-29.
9. Thompson, N. (2015). Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice (4^th ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
10. Weil, M. P., Katz, M., & Hilsenroth, M. J. (2017). Patient and therapist perspectives during the psychotherapy termination process: The role of participation and exploration. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 45(1), 23-43. doi:10.1521/pdps.2017.45.1.23

Agents of Change: Definition

Change agents are competent persons who use their dexterities to make significant differences in their respective fields (Nandan, London, & Bent-Goodley, 2015). These professionals engage others to ensure new goals are realized promptly. The roles of social workers explain why they are described as agents of change. These practitioners focus on various social challenges and issues affecting their communities (Kirst-Ashman, 2016).

They empower their followers to analyze the existing problems and offer evidence-based solutions to transform the livelihoods of more beneficiaries. The nature of the targeted challenge is what informs an agent of change to come up with the most desirable initiatives. The possession of adequate competencies allows many social workers to promote new changes by designing appropriate conditions for their respective clients. This description can be used to define what it would mean to be a successful change agent in social work.

Any individual in the field has the potential to become an agent of change. This is the case because change agents are not always leaders or persons in authority (Nandan et al., 2015). A social worker working hard to improve the outcomes of more clients will focus on the concept of change. The change agent will develop a clear vision, communicate it to the right followers, and empower them to achieve the targeted goals.

Kirst-Ashman (2016) acknowledges the fact that change cannot happen automatically. In the field of social work, change agents are persons who remain persistent and promote adequate initiatives that can deliver desirable results promptly. They go further to ask questions, implement powerful programs, and connect with their respective clients. The outlined vision becomes a powerful guiding principle whereby the agent of change leads as an example (Kirst-Ashman, 2016). Specific issues such as trust, confidentiality, support, and empowerment become critical whenever dealing with the challenges affecting the target population.

Two Social Workers

The above definition has shown conclusively that successful change agents are not always those who occupy leadership positions. The achievements of different social workers within the past two centuries have encouraged more people to act intelligently and use their dexterities to transform the experiences of more people (Nandan et al., 2015). Two social workers who managed to become change agents in their rights include Philippe Pinel and Reverend Charles Loring Brace. This discussion gives a detailed analysis of the backgrounds, biographies, and accomplishments of these change agents in the field of social work. The reasons why the individuals have been selected as change agents will also be presented.

Philippe Pinel

Many historians argue that Philippe Pinel played a significant role in transforming the field of social work. His efforts were instrumental in the establishment of evidence-based approaches for dealing with mental conditions (Huneman, 2014). The professional was born in a small town called Jonquieres in France. His father was a physician who practiced in the country. Pinel decided to study medicine to deal with the health issues affecting the population. As a teenager, the scholar wrote, edited, and translated many publications in the field of healthcare. During the infamous French Revolution of the 1780s, Pinel became a lead physician in a hospital in Paris. This role was a new opportunity for his team to come up with several treatment options for different imprisoned men.

The physician came up with scientific and practical techniques to deal with various mental conditions. He devised evidence-based therapeutic approaches to assist more psychiatric patients in the country. The relevance of personalized interventions gained much attention during the period (Huneman, 2014). He focused on patients’ histories and experiences to develop appropriate therapies for them.

Issues such as liberty and authority became important due to his work. These efforts made him a famous figure who “transformed how the society viewed mad people” (Huneman, 2014, p. 13). The physician started to view such persons as clients who needed psychiatric attention. The relevance of therapeutic approaches to treat mental illnesses gained much attention in the field of healthcare.

These efforts transformed how many mental illnesses were handled in colonial America. After the achievements of the physician became evident, the society began to place patients with mental conditions in almshouses. The 19^th century presented new improvements whereby clients began to be treated humanely. The Moral Treatment Movement (MTM) emerged to ensure such persons were handled sympathetically (Huneman, 2014). These developments would result in better approaches to deal with psychiatric conditions throughout the 20^th century.

This analysis shows conclusively that Philippe Pinel was a change agent whose efforts transformed the field of social work. He presented new concepts at a time when psychiatric patients were viewed as mad citizens. Together with his team, Pinel developed evidence-based approaches to support the health needs of more patients. He worked tirelessly to support the needs of this underserved population (Kirst-Ashman, 2016). The efforts persuaded more workers to focus on the needs of their clients. Such achievements transformed the field of mental health for the better.

Charles Loring Brace

Reverend Charles Loring Brace was born in Litchfield in the year 1826 (Goldsmith, 2013). His parents named him after one of his uncles who used to be a lawyer. Brace completed his studies in 1846 from Yale College. He later pursued theology at Union Theological Seminary (Goldsmith, 2013). After completing school, he moved to New York during the American Protestantism Movement (APM) period.

Brace wanted to pursue various humanitarian projects in an attempt to transform the lives of many homeless children in the city. This catalyzed the establishment of the Children’s Aid Society in 1853 (Goldsmith, 2013). This was a response to the increasing number of orphaned or unwanted children in almshouses. These houses were also characterized by poverty and lack of adequate medical support. His efforts led to the creation of new orphanages to take care of more children.

Brace pioneered new efforts to ensure more children were placed in homes (Goldsmith, 2013). He partnered with framers in the Midwest to accept most of the orphaned children. He also supported the idea of protecting the environment. This effort led to new policies that encouraged the government to create new societies to provide adequate aid to more children. This movement became a new beginning to promote the concept of foster care. The country would eventually embrace the idea in an attempt to deal with homelessness.

The above analysis shows conclusively that Reverend Charles Loring Brace was a change agent whose efforts transformed the lives of many ignored children. The Children’s Aid Society founded by Brace in New York became a new model for dealing with abandoned children. He used his knowledge to come up with a solution to address a problem that had been ignored by the government (Goldsmith, 2013). Brace’s leadership approach pioneered new ideas to reshape how homeless children were supported in the country.

Becoming an Agent of Change

The skills gained in class have empowered me to come up with powerful measures to address various social problems. To begin with, I have known how to identify specific challenges affecting a given population. This knowledge is embraced to bring together different persons who can collaborate and transform the targeted situation (Nandan et al., 2015). As a change agent, I have been creating powerful plans depending on the targeted outcomes. After understanding the nature of problems affecting my clients, I always bring on board competent persons and mentor them to deliver meaningful results.

Several attributes have continued to support my goals as an agent of change. For instance, I always develop a vision that can guide my agenda. The ultimate goal is to ensure that a given problem is addressed promptly to improve the lives of the targeted clients (Kirst-Ashman, 2016). The unique roles associated with a change agent define my philosophy. I have become a helper who seeks to deal with the issues affecting my people.

I act as an organizer who mobilizes persons and resources in an attempt to push for change (Nandan et al., 2015). As an advocate, I persist and liaise with different clients to deliver lasting outcomes. These practices have made it easier for me to become a change agent who transforms the lives of more people. I am also planning to acquire new concepts that can improve my philosophy as a social practitioner.

References

Goldsmith, S. (2013). The Orphan Train Movement: Examining 19^th century childhood experiences. Trinity College Digital Repository, 1(1), 1-48. Web.

Huneman, P. (2014). Writing the case – Pinel as psychiatrist. Republics of Letters: A Journal for the Study of Knowledge, Politics, and the Art, 3(2), 1-28. Web.

Kirst-Ashman, K. (2016). Empowerment series: Introduction to social work & social welfare: Critical thinking perspectives. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole.

Nandan, M., London, M., & Bent-Goodley, T. (2015). Social workers as social change agents: Social innovation, social intrapreneurship, and social entrepreneurship. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 39(1), 38-56. Web.

Undertaking any new venture is a strenuous activity because the person faces unpredicted situations they may not handle. It is even more challenging for family social workers who are waiting for their first interview with a family, as the list of potential adverse outcomes includes stress, pressure, and unsatisfied family members. This paper presents several possible situations that may occur during the first interview and ways of alleviating the adverse effects.

Situation 1

One of the common barriers that may arise between a social worker and the family is the unintentional adverse effects of family problems. Members may share their issues too actively and chaotically with the professional that it becomes almost impossible to identify the potential causes and distinct communication patterns. Failure to treat the problems is only one of the unfavorable outcomes for the social worker. The specialist may even face burnout if he or she is continuously found in such shambolic situations.

There are two possible ways this issue may be mitigated. The family social worker should develop a concrete treatment plan for each family member prior to the first meeting. Studying family files and learning about the family’s specific problem through relevant literature is beneficial, as suggested by Collins, Jordan, and Coleman (2013). The second approach to dealing with potential chaos is to take an active position from the beginning. The social worker should ask specific questions so that the interview is focused and manageable. As with the previous solution, preparation plays a crucial role because it is not easy to develop appropriate and precise questions.

Situation 2

It is natural for any individual to doubt the expertise of another person if they do not have much experience in the field. The same principle applies to family social workers that are preparing for their first interview. The family may be reluctant to share their issues because they have questions about the specialist’s level of knowledge. Some workers, when faced with mistrust and doubt on the interviewee’s behalf, may show a decrease in their performance, and some may even quit. The relevant evidence is given by Lanaj, Kim, Koopman and Matta (2018), who claim that frequent mistrust at the workplace leads to emotional exhaustion, conflicts with co-workers, and even harsh disagreements at home. These are serious consequences, and the family social workers should always be ready to tackle mistrust.

The specialists should always behave professionally and proceed with the treatment plan. Being professional also means not taking clients’ words too emotionally and personally. They should also refrain from having arguments with the family members, and instead, facilitate effective communication. The second solution is to plan well before the interview to make a favorable first impression. When a social worker evinces a high level of preparedness, clients are more likely to consider the specialist seriously.

Conclusion

First interviews have a high level of importance in terms of the probability of future success with the family and motivation for further development and growth. It is not possible to predict every situation, but general principles may help mitigate some adverse consequences. Social workers should always prepare before the interviews and obtain as much information as possible on the family before meeting them for the first time. Professionalism and a desire to commit to continuous learning are also critical. The specialists should not be too emotional about clients’ attitudes toward them and should always be objective in their decisions.

References

Collins, D., Jordan, C., & Coleman, H. (2013). An introduction to family social work (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Lanaj, K., Kim, P. H., Koopman, J., & Matta, F. K. (2018). Daily mistrust: A resource perspective and its implications for work and home. Personnel Psychology, 71(4), 545-570.

Introduction

A social worker is a professional who organizes the provision of household, material, moral, and legal assistance to vulnerable parts of the population. The obligations and objects of the social worker are associated with constant communication with people (Thompson, 2016). Their primary responsibilities include identification of families, individuals, population groups in need of social assistance and services, and providing counseling and specialized support to clients (Thompson, 2016).

Since regular verbal interaction is the central part of the job, a social worker must show professionalism throughout the whole process of communication. They must understand and be able to apply professional ethics, theory, and methodology of social work, and the basics of social assistance and welfare (Thompson, 2016). Both clients and professionals face challenges when having the first encounter and it is critical to overcoming them in order to achieve successful and effective communication.

Social Workers’ Concerns

During the first contact, a client might be reluctant to start transparent communication. It is the first concern any social worker must overcome because effective verbal interaction is the basis of social assistance (Thompson, 2016). To have a psychological effect on the client, the social worker needs to possess both verbal and non-verbal techniques (Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney, & Strom-Gottfried, 2016).

They also must observe the client, paying attention to their oral and gestural reactions to see how the client perceives them. The second concern is the negative impact the client’s problems might have on the social worker. At first encounter, the worker might experience a shock which may impede the further process. A professional must be able to avoid having negative emotional states that may arise from learning about the client’s issues. These psychological conditions may have a direct impact on the performance of social workers.

Clients’ Concerns

Clients, too, have their own reasons to be concerned about the first interaction with a social worker. They vary from one person to another, but the most common ones are related to trust: an ethical dilemma regarding confidentiality, and doubts about the competency of the worker (Thompson, 2016). At the first meeting, the client and the worker do not know each other well, so the client may feel uncomfortable about sharing their problems (Thompson, 2016). On the other hand, if the client chooses not to share, the social worker may not be able to help (Thompson, 2016). Uncertainty about the skills of the worker also may pose hindrances to effective communication (Hepworth et al., 2016). These challenges may disrupt the whole process and lead to failures.

Possible Ways to Improve the First Contact

Social workers must always be professional regarding their attitudes, communication, and ethics. They must approach clients with mild manners and clearly explain who they are and what objectives they want to accomplish. An open discussion on the worker’s behalf will facilitate the overall process and increase the client’s trust in the specialist’s skills and expertise. Professionals must also be ethical: they must not give away confidential information to third parties

Conclusion

With the growing number of risk groups and vulnerable communities, the role of a social worker in contemporary society is rising in importance. A modern social worker must not only possess the required communication skills but also must be able to apply psychological methods for the benefit of people. As the demand for such workers is rising, so are requirements. For relevant and qualified help, it is necessary to have trained professionals.

References

Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2016). Empowerment series: Direct social work practice: Theory and skills. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Thompson, N. (2016). The professional social worker: Meeting the challenge. London, UK: Palgrave.

Introduction

According to Wermeling (2013), social work is defined as a profession concerned with providing help to communities, individuals, and families within the society. Help, in this case, is viewed as suffering that affects members of the society. The society has members who experience various challenges. Such persons need support so that they survive or live a better life in the society. In most cases, individuals who need social work skills are people who are vulnerable because of certain predisposing factors such as poverty, disease, illness, childhood, and adulthood.

Social work as an occupation

Social work is critical to the well-being of the society. Social workers acquire certain skills and ability so that they can use their resources, as well as communal resources to find solutions to common problems (Fiore & Facchini, 2013). Problem-solving therefore becomes the core of social work ad a profession. Each society has challenges with poverty, diseases, illnesses, aging, domestic violence, wars, and lack of employment.

Social work as a profession has a place in the society because of the nature of challenges that current societies face. Challenges are unique to each setting. For instance, poverty may not be a problem in developed nations; however, aging and diseases may affect the quality of life thereby leading to immense challenges. The role of social work as a profession is to assist members of the society who need help to live a comfortable life.

Chiller & Crisp (2012) argue that the place of social work is also based on the need to guarantee human rights and social justice. In the current society, cases of hum rights abuse, as well as abuse of justice are common. Rape, domestic violence, child labour, and war are common in all parts of the world. Social work ensures that professionals gain skills so that they can work with individuals, families, and communities to develop common solutions to problems encountered in the society.

While working with individuals, communities, and families, social workers as professional are required to possess certain values, knowledge and skills so that relationships developed with clients does not lead to value conflicts. Values, knowledge and skills are the basis for respect while developing intervention measures that assist persons with challenges to live a better life.

Knowledge base on social work

Social work needs specialized skills. In particular, professional are required to be highly skilled to provide quality services to clients. The knowledge base on social work arises from caregivers in the society who narrate their encounters with scholars based on some frameworks as explained by social workers (Ferreira, 2010).

The idea about knowledge base is based on the fact that social work is part of social science. Knowledge in social science is reconstructed on a regular basis. Yan, Tsui, Chu, & Pak, (2012) write that knowledge base on social work is discussed regarding professionals, curriculum for training and education, as well as the identification of knowledge that can be applied by practitioners. The knowledge base also involves the need to define professional roles within social work as a profession.

One of the key issues under consideration in knowledge base involves the biases that arise because of politics as well as an examination of knowledge as used in practical settings based on the influences of stakeholders and their role in creating biases.

Gitterman (2014) asserts that challenges have been encountered when determining what constitutes knowledge base, as well as the application of knowledge to dilemmas encountered in the field while working with the client, families, groups, and communities. In most cases, knowledge base from class or theoretical underpinnings leads to a dilemma when working with clients.

Sources of social work knowledge

Spitzer, Silverman, & Allen (2015) acknowledge that sources of social work include: theory, research (facts), and practice or practical knowledge. Theories in social work have been developed as a source of knowledge. Theories are explanations of a phenomenon as it occurs in the society based on certain data or evidence collected through scientific methods. Social Learning Theory is used by social workers to explain the origin of human behaviours such as crime. Scholars in social work have developed several theories that explain the reasons behind human behaviour. For instance, theories are based on explanations concerning how human beings interact and react to stimuli. Further, knowledge base from theories describes how professionals can apply and implement the theory in particular settings within the community.

The second source of knowledge in social work is research. Researchers collect data from the real world so that they develop knowledge explaining certain behaviours based on data available (Spitzer et al., 2015). For example, knowledge of the behaviour of criminals is based on data collected from criminal or members of the society who interact with criminals. Research is empirical because it relies on certain procedures that can be verified in other settings. The methodology of conducting research has defined guidelines that enable the researcher on social work to exercise some form of objectivity about data and findings.

Practice or practical are also sources. Social workers work with human beings to develop knowledge based on certain cases unique in the society, for instance, serial killers (Randall & Kindiak, 2008). Knowledge of practice in the society can or cannot conflict with knowledge from theories and research. For instance, intervention measures when working with criminals, domestic violence victims and trauma victims depend on the proven practice that yields results. The experiences of professionals and social work practitioners are critical contributions to the knowledge base on how certain cases can be approached.

The selection of knowledge

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. The selection of knowledge is based on the subject or the subject group so that knowledge is related to the environment in the broader sense (Wermeling, 2013). In social work as a social science, knowledge is selected from the environment (clients, families, and communities). Plato came up with the idea of idealism. Idealism is based on the notion of true or real knowledge versus false knowledge (Fiore & Facchini, 2013).

Knowledge is selected through pragmatism, positivism and constructivism. These approaches to epistemology are based on the fact that knowledge can only be selected from the real world. Knowledge exists in the society. In social work, the selection of knowledge begins through research design process. The researcher develops methods and procedures for collecting the knowledge of the society. Further, knowledge can be selected when working with clients so that intervention measures that work form part of the profession.

Conclusion

Social work as a profession is relevant in the current society. The society has challenges such as poverty, crime, social injustices, and diseases that affect the life of human beings. Social work as a profession ensures that practitioners acquire values, skills, and knowledge so that they can work with clients to develop common solutions to challenges. Social work knowledge is obtained from theories that explain human behaviour, practice in the field or society, as well as empirical sources.

References

Chiller, P., & Crisp, B. R. (2012). Sticking Around: Why and How Some Social Workers Stay in the Profession. Practice, 24(4), 211–224.

Ferreira, S. B. (2010). Eco-spiritual Social Work as a Precondition for Social Development. Ethics and Social Welfare, 4(1), 3–23.

Fiore, B., & Facchini, C. (2013). Social work as a gendered issue from a generational point of view. International Review of Sociology, 23(2), 310–325.

Gitterman, A. (2014). Social Work: A Profession in Search of Its Identity. Journal of Social Work Education, 50(4), 599–607.

Randall, G. E., & Kindiak, D. H. (2008). Deprofessionalization or post professionalization? Reflections on the state of social work as a profession. Social Work in Health Care, 47(4), 341–54.

Spitzer, W., Silverman, E., & Allen, K. (2015). From organizational awareness to organizational competency in health care social work: the importance of formulating a “profession-in-environment” fit. Social Work in Health Care, 54(3), 193–211.

Wermeling, L. (2013). Why Social Workers Leave the Profession: Understanding the Profession and Workforce. Administration in Social Work, 37(4), 329–339.

Yan, M., Tsui, M., Chu, W. C. K., & Pak, C. (2012). A profession with dual foci: is social work losing the balance? China Journal of Social Work, 5(2), 163–172.

Assessment and measurement are critical processes in social work since they help to define problems, set goals, and track individuals’ progress. The present case focuses on a high school student who shot and killed his brother as a result of an accident. The student experiences social and emotional challenges that might affect his future life. Seeing a social worker could help him to address his needs and work through the situation, restoring his relationships with himself and others. The present paper seeks to discuss the critical aspects of the case and suggest assessment and measurement tools that social workers could use.

Comprehensive Case Review

Devonte, a 16-year-old student, was taken under the wings of the school social workers. Devonte is a junior at Harper High School, returning after being transferred. Devonte was transferred to another school after he accidentally shot and killed his 14-year-old brother. Now that Devonte is back, he stops into the social worker’s office 2-3 times a day to visit two social workers. Crystal and Anita work with Devonte to get him to talk about his experience and to help him with the guilt that he feels.

History

The accident that resulted in the death of Devonte’s brother occurred a year ago. The social worker reports that, before the accident, Devonte had issues with school attendance, aggression, and rude attitudes toward the school staff. One evening last February, he and his 14-year-old brother Damion found an old handgun. The brothers assumed that the firearm was not functional, but when Devonte held it, it went off, shooting Damion in the chest. He died within an hour, and his death was ruled an accident. Devonte has not received proper counseling; instead, he was temporarily transferred to a different school to avoid discussions among students and staff. Having returned to Harper School this year, he works with two school social workers.

Current Circumstances

Based on the information provided, Devonte struggles with guilt and grief following the accident. He still lives at home with his family, but his sister does not speak to him, and the parents never raise the sensitive topic, pretending as if nothing happened. Devonte has managed to improve his grades and has mostly B’s and C’s, except Music. With social workers, Devonte is making slow progress, opening up slightly, but it is still difficult for him to discuss his feelings. He also experiences trouble falling asleep at night unless he takes Nyquil.

Strengths

On the whole, the case shows evidence of Devonte’s resilience and his willingness to overcome struggles and return to normal life. For example, despite the stress, Devonte does not miss school and has managed to get good grades in most subjects. His grades are now better than they were before the accident. It is also important to note that Devonte is making progress with school social workers and takes the initiative to visit their office several times daily.

Challenges

The most crucial challenge for Devonte is healthily coping with his emotions. There are some indications that the student has not been able to develop positive strategies for processing guilt and grief. He admits sleeping in his late brother’s bed and looking at pictures and videos of him before going to bed. He also finds it challenging to talk about his emotions with social workers, which could affect his recovery and future life.

Needs

The case shows clear evidence of unfulfilled social and emotional needs. First of all, Devonte’s social circle is mostly limited to his family. The accident and the death of Devonte’s brother disrupted the family in several ways. There is an evident lack of trust between Devonte and his mother, and his sister detached from the boy entirely in the past year. Devonte has some friends outside of school, who are older than him. However, he acknowledges that being in the streets with them is unsafe. The social workers mention that one of Devonte’s friends was shot recently.

Secondly, due to Devonte’s current social situation, his emotional needs are not being met. On the one hand, his parents avoid the subject of the accident altogether, which prevents the family from restoring after a loss. Devonte lacks communication with his mother, so she is unaware of his emotional struggles. On the other hand, he does not trust anyone enough to share his emotions. This causes him to refrain from exploring his feelings with school social workers. Based on the analysis, Devonte needs communication, emotional support, and safety.

Analysis of Current Circumstances

Devonte’s current circumstances are complex, which affects his emotional well-being. It is essential to acknowledge that the entire family is suffering and that the parents lack the tools and techniques to foster supportive, open communication that all family members need. Additionally, the current circumstances affect Devonte’s safety since he often socializes with older guys in the streets. Social workers can help Devonte and his family to overcome their problems, thus meeting Devonte’s needs.

Assessment Tools and Measurement

To develop attainable and relevant goals, it is essential to assess Devonte’s current challenges. Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney, and Strom-Gottried (2017) state that assessments in social work should be focused on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors. Given Devonte’s current situation, particular attention should be paid to his affective and behavioral functioning, as well as family functioning (Hepworth et al., 2017). A mental status exam would be useful to assess Devonte’s mental health to determine if any disorders could affect his recoveries, such as depression or anxiety. The empowerment-based positive youth development (EMPYD) brief should then be used to determine Devonte’s level of well-being and set clear goals for future work. Family functioning can be assessed using the Integrative Model by Level of Need, as it allows for a comprehensive assessment and can help to set goals for the family (Hepworth et al., 2017). The three tools will help to evaluate the current situation in great depth and plan future work with Devonte.

Therapeutic Goals

Therapeutic goals help to clarify ways of fulfilling individuals’ needs and supporting their growth. Although therapeutic goals are typically based on assessment results, some goals can be set already based on the information provided in the case. First of all, it is essential to improve Devonte’s perceived level of social support. This would help to meet his need for support, thus improving his emotional well-being and social functioning after the accident. It could also address Devonte’s safety needs; if Devonte’s perceived levels of support increase, he will be less likely to make dangerous contacts and suffer from peer pressure. Secondly, it is necessary to help Devonte and his parents to implement techniques used for open, emotional communication. Thirdly, it would be beneficial to improve Devonte’s knowledge of healthy coping strategies. Achieving both of these goals is crucial to meeting his emotional needs, as well as the need for communication in the family.

Conclusion

Overall, Devonte’s current situation requires attention from social workers because failure to address his needs could influence his future life and relationships. Devonte has some important strengths, including resilience and motivation for improvement. However, he suffers from disrupted family dynamics and a lack of social support. A needs assessment shows that the three core needs to be met are social support, communication, and safety. A mental status exam, the EMPYD brief, and the Integrative Model by Level of Need should be used to evaluate the current situation and set measurable goals. The initial therapeutic goals were also defined, and they can be clarified or amended based on assessment results.

Reference

Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2017). Direct social work practice: Theory and skills (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.