Category: Social Work

Being a social worker is essentially draining work, but acknowledging that and still having unfettered love for the profession helps one attend to their clients in most ways, which indeed leads to a significant improvement for the clients. Burnout is mainly brought forth by the draining experience of concurrent clients who the social worker is expected to help through their trauma (Jimenez et al., 2021). One should try these coping mechanisms to lessen the hazards if they believe they may be experiencing vicarious trauma. Increased self-observation enables people to identify and track stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout symptoms.

The essential thing that helps, especially if one feels overwhelmed, is to get supervision. To avoid being duped by individuals who do not practice self-care, social workers must be supervised by someone with whom they share high-quality working methods. Taking care of ones emotional needs is essential through nurturing self-care, relaxing, and self-soothing activities. In social work, taking care of ones physical and mental health can assist reduce stress.

Engaging in extracurricular activities, such as reading captivating novels, listening to music, and doing yoga, promotes a healthy work-life balance. Having realistic expectations for ones potential in social work is very important. The best course of action is to steer clear of wishful thinking and keep a safe distance from anyone in their industry who chooses not to be practical. Creating time and a safe space for oneself helps most social workers be in a stress-free mode, as they can get to focus on things that would help them feel better. The bravery of social workers admitting they need help assists them in facing their clients with more empathy and helps them shape their practice.

Reference

Jimenez, R. R., Andersen, S., Song, H., & Townsend, C. (2021). Vicarious trauma in mental health care providers. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 24, 100451. Web.

The child labor is among the most terrible life issues that children face today around the world. According to the International Labor Organization Statistics, 211 million children between five and fourteen years old work globally. 120 million children work full time while others work part-time to support their families (Staff, 2009). In addition, some children are coerced to work despite their young age. An example is child bonded labor in which parents use children to pay debts or as collaterals.

They are taken away from their families and put in brothels or sweatshops. Furthermore, some children work secretly in domestic service and are given out to provide labor force for other families. The children acquire little or no employment despite working for an extended period of time. The working environment is unacceptable and puts their safety, health, and development in danger. In addition, their freedom of movement and suppression are stifled. Young children are vulnerable to physical and verbal abuse.

Relation of the Issue to the Course Content

Child labor is mostly linked to poverty which is a life cycle pressure where poor families and children rely on child labor as a means of meeting their daily needs. UN statistics shows that more than a quarter of the world population is destitute hence promoting child labor (University of Lowa Labor Centre, 2015). The second point of the link is environmental pressure related to institutional and legal weakness.

Some of the industries that use child labor have complexities that make it hard to control child labor. Corruption in relevant officers is a major issue of child labor practices. The anti-child labor legislation in some of the countries also has exemptions thus promoting the vice. Such laws include Nepals laws that exempt brick kilns and plantations and Bangladeshs laws that exempt agricultural and domestic works.

Social Worker Intervention

The role of a social worker when it comes to child labor includes conducting research on the subject and supporting the victims. Research helps social workers to get a good understanding of the child labor in the area. The social worker supportive role entails psychological and material support. In addition, they also can serve as counselors and educators to the affected individuals. As counselors, they offer psychological support and advice to the victims. Besides, they take part in rehabilitating the victims and planning projects that can save their lives (Collins et al, 2013).

Social Workers Professional Boundary

Codes of Ethics govern the practices of social workers and determine the way they interact with the victims. It is not advisable for social workers to counsel a friend, but they can refer him or her to another counselor. In addition, they are not to develop relationships with the clients or participate in the same advocacy group. They also should not borrow or lend money to their customers (Collins et al, 2013).

Cultural Issues

Issues related to gender will be a more important factor when dealing with Islamic community. For instance, male social workers may be given more consideration in Islamic community compared to females. Another issue of concern, specifically for the Islamic community, is that a social worker from a different religion would not bind in. Social workers might find it hard to conduct their activities in Muslim states if not a Muslim, because Muslims underestimate other religions (Collins et al, 2013).

References

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

Staff, L. (2009). Top 10 Terrible Issues Facing Children Worldwide. Web.

University of Lowa Labor Centre (2015). Child Labor Public Education Project. Web.

Career Path

In their life, people have many career paths from which they can choose. Some of them prefer to work with machines, others with numbers. Personally, I have always wanted to work and interact with people. The basis of social work is caring about others  without a desire to help, one cannot fully understand the idea of this job. Throughout my life, I have seen many difficulties that plague society  poverty, addiction, abuse, trauma, and unemployment.

For most persons with mental illnesses and disabilities, the problems are not limited to the doctors office. All of these issues affect people in the long-term, permeating all spheres of their existence. I believe that with social work, I can make a difference and lift a small amount of these burdens, helping people to adjust or return to a less encumbered life. Here, the compassion that lies at the basis of this profession appealed to me when I was choosing my career path.

Another aspect of social work that interests me is the system-wide approach that the service chooses. While other helping professions focus on one side of living, such as health or education, social workers look at all elements of ones environment. Ones relationships with family and friends, school and work experiences, mental and physical health affect people in different ways. Moreover, an individuals community and place of residence also have an impact on their life. A social worker should pay attention to all mentioned above factors and more to provide assistance. Such a deep understanding of the connections between different areas is what makes social work not only useful but also exciting.

I have a strong desire to work with older adults and to advocate for them, especially in the field of better access to healthcare. Older people experience many hardships, just like other adults  they may live in poverty or experience violence. However, they also do not always have reliable support systems, and their fragility may influence their interaction with the outside world. As a result, they are a vulnerable group that needs professional help.

Apart from that, the elderly with limited resources also face pressure from their families, economic issues, and a level of expectations that puts more burden on them than they can handle. In such cases, I see social work as a necessity and a framework to mitigate the effects of these circumstances. All people in a vulnerable position deserve help, but older populations unique health needs and age-related problems require attention.

To explain why I am drawn to advocating for better healthcare for the elderly, I can recall my personal experience caring for my grandmother. When I was young, she was one of the most important people in my life. I saw firsthand what human interaction, attention, and support could do for improving ones wellbeing. This experience has demonstrated to me the vital role of compassion and led me to this profession  by caring for my grandmother, I learned to work with people and understand their needs. Now, I see that social work is essential in improving older peoples living. The multi-faceted approach of this profession and the foundational belief in social support lead to strategies and changes that help people rather than any other entities to thrive.

Skills and Experiences

To become a social worker and make a meaningful contribution to any agency, a person should have soft skills as well as professional knowledge and experience. First of all, the basis of the profession is service orientation. As expressed above, I possess a strong desire to help people, acting as a source of support and advocacy. This implies that I want to examine clients problems and try my best to resolve them while also taking action to change any policies or environments that lower peoples quality of life. I also have developed interpersonal skills  I like talking to people and listening to them.

My life experience, as well as my education, allowed me to perfect active listening, and I am prepared to give my undivided attention to my clients. I also aim to talk to people in a simple way, avoiding vagueness and complexity. In many cases, the relationship between a social worker and a client is built on mutual understanding, which cannot be reached if the specialist is using scientific language.

Apart from that, I also pay much attention to self-organization and time-management. Social work is a time-consuming and challenging job that requires one to follow a schedule and be attentive to details. Thus, during my training, I studied time-management practices and ways to stay organized in papers, plans, and ideas. As a result, I believe that I will be able to take on the responsibility at my future place of work and not be as overwhelmed with the caseload as I would be without the preparation. Lastly, my critical and creative thinking complement one another and allow me to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of various strategies.

Social work relies on the individual approach to each case -while many problems can be categorized, their combination and peoples personal experiences make each scenario unique. Therefore, creative thinking is vital for establishing relationships and coming up with practical solutions.

As for the professional qualities and experiences, I have gathered much knowledge during my education and practice. The theoretical foundation of social work theories and ideas from adjacent disciplines gives me an opportunity to find the roots of clients problems and see which actions and thoughts drive peoples behavior. Moreover, the information from the existing scholarship offers formulaic approaches that are necessary to start examining any social work case. I have also looked into other spheres of research, including organizational development and culture. This furthered my understanding of the systems that surround peoples everyday lives.

Finally, I gained experience while advocating for communities and reviewing case studies. I learned about proper documentation, reporting, communication, ways to approach clients problems, and other skills necessary for the job. Thus, such actions as case formulation or filling the required reports will not be new to me during my employment. I already possess some experience interacting with clients as well as colleagues who supervised my activity or consulted me. The combination of my soft skills, theoretical knowledge, and practical base will make a positive contribution to any social work agency.

Personal and Professional Growth

In the upcoming year, I aim to deepen my knowledge of the problems that older adults face in their surrounding environments. This, together with other theoretical information, will help me in my future career. Moreover, I want to improve my computer skills  information technology can benefit social work in many ways, including digitization of documents and client data, access to research, and communication. Lastly, I aim to improve my resilience to stressful situations that may drain me emotionally, mentally, and even physically. I will study various stress-coping mechanisms and techniques to achieve this goal.

Adults belong to the category of the so-called group of the limited mobility and are the most socially vulnerable part of society. It happens primarily due to the disabilities of their physical or psychological condition caused by diseases resulting in disability, as well as to the existing complex of concomitant somatic pathology and reduced physical activity. In addition, a considerable degree of social vulnerability of this population is connected with the psychological factor shaping their attitudes to society and impeding an adequate contact with them. This paper reveals my personal experience in the framework of role play exercise as a social worker interviewing the patient (client), its analysis, and the article critique concerning my patients peculiarities.

I interviewed Sanyambe Kassembe. In the interview, I introduced myself as Jackie Smith (I did not shake hands, because the professor said it could cause discomfort in some cases depending on clients religion or medical condition, etc.). I went over the confidential policy explaining that everything we spoke about today or any other time would remain confidential unless she indicated she was going to hurt herself or another person.

I asked her to sign a form. She hesitated and said for what, I was a stranger, and she complained her hand hunted and she could not move it. She also mentioned that she could not see clearly. I told her that I could see in my records that she was in lots of pain, so the doctor has suggested that she stayed with us a bit longer, and once she felt better, we would transfer her to a nursing facility. She quickly interrupted me with redness and said no, she wanted to go home. I told her I understood what she was saying, but I wanted to follow up with her in a couple of days, meanwhile, I wanted her to settle in, and if she had any questions that she could not think of at the moment, there are social workers 24/7 in the hospital that can assist her. I am also available 8-5 PM from Monday till Friday.

She agreed to see me again in two days at 2 PM. I asked her if she understood what social worker job is at the facility. She answered no. I then explained that in her case my objective is to get her help relieving her pain, give her medication, and get her assistance with getting around filling doctors papers and looking for results for the aftermath. She seemed content. I gave her a quick summary of all the things we talked about and what we would talk about during our next session.

In my opinion, the interview with Sanyambe Kassembe took place in a positive way. I clearly explained the client her rights in detail and tried to persuade her to stay in the hospital during the necessary treatment. However, it seemed that she was very annoyed and even did not want to talk to me. I felt her negative mood to the hospital, as she had to stay there for some weeks. For example, she called me stranger, interrupted my speech, and complained of pain. I understood that she felt like petitioner, she was very sensitive. It was important to help her to communicate: encourage, support, provide her with initiative, and the ability to express herself. Consequently, explaining the situation correctly, I gave her time to consider the advantages of staying in the hospital including 24/7 care and appropriate treatment. At the end of our conversation, she looked satisfied; therefore, I was complacent, too.

In order to understand clients needs, it seems appropriate to learn more about her trauma. Therefore, I read and analyzed the article investigating the required topic. The article Depressive symptoms post hip fracture in older adults are associated with phenotypic and functional alterations in T cells by Duggal et al. provides the reader with the information on adults hip fracture influence on immunesenescence, in other words, reduced immunity.

Authors describe the background of the research substantiating their choice of the theme. The rapid aging of the world population is associated with an increase in pathology among older age groups, in particular, hip fractures. The targeted number of adults was101 participants (37 male) from five hospitals in Birmingham, UK between 2010 and 2012 (Duggal et al., 2014). All the participants were aged 60 years and over and sustained a hip fracture 46 weeks beforehand but they have no chronic disorders connected with immune system such as diabetes or cancer (Duggal et al., 2014).

The study included three groups consisted of healthy patients, hip fracture patients with or without depressive symptoms. Findings of the study are based on blood samples. The purpose of the study was to determine the connection between hip fracture and changes in the immune system of older people. As a result, authors ascertained that hip fracture depression could cause a phenotypic modification in T cells and cytokine production. In its turn, it might be a reason of immune system deregulation.

The study is based on quantitative research method, as it comprises the use of a numerical estimate of the issue and the reaction of respondents towards it. Authors present a systematic description of what actually is happening to the immune system of adults under the influence of physical and psychological disorders by means of credible tables and statistics. Speaking of the procedural design advantages, the thing worth turning ones attention to is the presence of illustrative material such as tables, diagrams, and drawings. It is a convincing argument that the article comprises some proved data or statistics organized in graphs.

The analysis of the data that was made by authors can be proved. It could not be easily argued and denied, as there is evidence of it being taken from credible sources. Therefore, the information presented in the article appears to be accurate and trustworthy.

Thus, it should be noted that authors pointed out the main trends and changes that are connected to adults physical and psychological state. Consequently, one may conclude that the goal desired by the authors was achieved because they provided a reader with the useful and comprehensible information. In my opinion, the article might be helpful for both clients and social workers in order to understand the disease better and handle it.

Precisely speaking, reading this article, I believe I can communicate with my client Sanyambe Kassembe in more effective way explaining her consequences of her trauma and necessity of staying in the hospital for the required period of time. It became obvious that I should have more detailed conversation with my patient as it is of a great importance for her health to recover by means of receiving prescribed treatment in the hospital.

Taking a broader look, I consider that the article is significant for the future investigations as well. For instance, authors did not pay their attention to the group of people with chronic diseases such as diabetes or they did not regard men and women separately according to their peculiarities. In spite of the fact that those questions remain unanswered, it is a good basis for the future studies.

The following part is a critique and discussion of my actions when I was the social worker. Older people of every country are the subject of concern for the state. The primary concern of the state in relation to the elderly people is its material support (pensions, allowances, benefits, etc.). However, some adults need not only the material support. An important role is played by providing them with effective physical, psychological, organizational, and other kinds of assistance. Proper understanding of the impact of the disease is of fundamental importance for understanding the essence of medical and physical rehabilitation.

Therefore, I believe that this experience was very significant for my future career. First of all, I provided a clear statement of the purpose of the interview for my client. I stated that it is very important to her to stay in the hospital rather than come back home where nobody could control her health as carefully as required and Medicare along with medical assistance would not pay for it. Speaking of the differences between my client and me, perhaps, religious peculiarities should be mentioned.

In this regard, I did not shake hands in order to prevent misunderstanding. Trying to put the client at ease, I spoke with her confidently and earnestly. Moreover, I gave her some time to speculate the situation and ask me any questions. It seemed that she was satisfied by my visit and our conversation. My clients verbal and non-verbal behaviours showed that she was strained and excited at the beginning of our interview, but after my explanations and suggestion to meet one more, she became content.

During our conversation, I applied three ethical principles. To begin with, privacy principle was applied as it is the basic principle of social work and the professional ethics of social worker (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2014). When the need for cooperation in order to resolve the problem appears, any communication or decisions are possible only with the consent of the client. All participants should be aware of the need for confidentiality. Moreover, the principle of benevolence was used.

Benevolence is the basis of moral culture of a social worker, a reflection and manifestation of love for the people (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2014). This principle allowed me tactfully and correctly point mistakes and shortcomings of the client and direct her to the right solution. Finally, respect for the clients right to make independent decisions at any stage of the joint action is a manifestation of respect for human rights (Hessenauer & Zastrow, 2013). On this basis, it was necessary to find out clients needs and vision of her problems. All my actions were well justified and argued. However, the client was aware that she has the right to abandon her decision at any time if her views have changed.

The last part of the paper is devoted to the role of the client using my tune in skill. If I were the client, I would be extremely frightened by my situation. I am 75-year-old adult, and my hip fracture is broken. Except the fact that now I am immobilized and feel pain, Medicare does not want me to be at my home. I would feel stress and incomprehension. However, it is likely that the social workers visit gave me hope.

He explained to me that it is necessary to remain in the hospital for my recovery. The social worker was friendly and explained at the outset, that the conversation is completely confidential. I suppose he really wanted to help me with my problem. I needed this conversation because it was important to me to understand that the decision of the doctor is concise and measured. When the social worker suggested pondering over the situation and meeting again, I agreed.

It shows that he did not want to put pressure on me but wanted to help to make the right decision. The tuning in skill allowed me to feel like the client, in particular, to feel her emotions and fear. In addition, it contributed to the effective and kind communication with the client when we spoke not like the social worker and the client, but like friends.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that I have learned the key psychological and ethical issues of the social worker as well as some difficulties that might face me. The exercise described and analyzed above is of a great importance as it would undoubtedly be helpful for my future career and, perhaps, for the prospect investigations.

References

Duggal, N. A., Upton, J., Phillips, A. C., Hampson, P., & Lord, J. M. (2014). Depressive symptoms post hip fracture in older adults are associated with phenotypic and functional alterations in T cells. Immunity & Ageing, 11(1), 1-16.

Hessenauer, S., & Zastrow, C. (2013). Becoming a Social Worker: BSW Social Workers Educational Experiences. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 18(2), 19-35.

Sheafor, B. W., & Horejsi, C. R. (2014). Techniques and guidelines for social work practice (10th ed.). New York: Pearson Education.

The primary task of the social work profession is to promote human well-being and help meet the fundamental human needs of all people, with particular attention to the requirements and empowerment of people who are at risk, oppressed, and living in conditions of poverty [Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW, 2005)].

A notable and defining attribute of social work is the professions focus on individual welfare in a social context and the welfare of society. It is imperative in social work that attention is paid to the environmental forces that cause, add to, and address problems encountered in living. In achieving this, the following six values are used to guide social workers, Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons; Pursuit of Social Justice; Service to Humanity; Integrity of Professional Practice; Confidentiality in Professional Practice, and Competence in Professional Practice. Social workers in Canada abide by these values in accordance with Canadian law and the international conventions on human rights of the United Nations (CASW, 2005).

The first value, Respect for the Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons is based on the premise that social work is established on a long-term dedication to respecting the intrinsic self-esteem and worth of all individuals (CASW, 2005). Social workers must therefore recognize the respect and diversity of society. This must put into consideration all aspects of the individuals, their families, groups, and all communities. In addition, social workers must ensure that they respect their clients right of choice and ensure they protect anyone from all forms of violence (CASW, 2005).

The second value, Pursuit of Social Justice requires social workers to believe in the dedication to the people they serve, whether individually or collectively. Social workers have to provide incentives and opportunities for the overall benefit of humanity, without any form of discrimination (CASW, 2005).

Social workers also have to observe the third value, Service to Humanity, which requires them to be diligent in the provision of service to others (CASW, 2005). The workers have to balance individual needs and the freedoms and rights of the humanity that they serve.

Members of social work teams also have to uphold the fourth value, Integrity in Professional Practice, which entails the demonstration of respect for the professions other values as mentioned above. In this context, social workers have to achieve impartiality in delivering their services (CASW, 2005).

The success of social work lies in the ability to keep ideas confidential to avoid conflict. This is the essence of the fifth value, Confidentiality in Professional practice.

The sixth value, Competence in Professional Practice entails the social workers respect for clients right to competent service. Hence, the workers have to ensure that they work diligently and provide the best services to their clients CASW, 2005).

Social workers are generally guided by self-determination and respect for all people that they serve (Compton and Burt, 1994). Self-determination is a prerequisite since the social worker handles people with different needs and wants. Hence, social workers must respect their clients, whether they are vulnerable or privileged. In addition, confidentiality is a vital guiding approach. Social workers have to ensure that they keep secretly any information from one client and ensure that there is no opportunity for such information to reach another client or unrecognized authorities. While delivering their services, the social workers are also guided by the approach that they must promote societys welfare. This is achieved by appreciating the diversity of different societies and the needs of the different people that form these societies (Compton and Burt, 1994).

Social work is all about meeting people. Hence, the workers must be well equipped in research skills such as interviewing clients, assessment of situations and information collected, and be able to plan for such events adequately. Good interviewing skills entail being courteous, turning up on time for the interview, and speaking directly with the clients, not their carers or assistants (Compton and Burt, 1994). In addition, the social worker should not use technical jargon during the interviewing process. The social worker should also be able to pay full attention to what their clients say irrespective of the difficulties that the clients might have in expressing themselves. If the social workers have to provide anything to their client, they have to quote it s it is without overstating (Compton and Burt, 1994).

In the interview process, the social workers must ensure that they observe dignity and respond kindly to the clients. They should also understand the importance of privacy of both the clients and the issues discussed. In order to ensure that there is good communication between the social worker and the client, the social worker must ensure that that all points are clarified before proceeding to the next step (Compton and Burt, 1994).

Social workers are usually trained to gain the necessary assessment and evaluation skills in order to be able to determine the necessary steps to be taken in handling any kind of problem. The workers can thus assess emergency cases, humanitarian cases, and so on in order to come up with the best mechanisms to solve them and help the people involved (Compton and Burt, 1994).

From the evaluation plan, the best approaches to solving particular problems can be derived. For instance, they can suggest counseling for people affected with AIDS or propose to provide food aid to victims of war or floods. The planning process is done in collaboration with relevant authorities such as the central government of state governments (Compton and Burt, 1994).

Social workers form relationships with their clients and also act as advisors, advocates, or counselors. They listen to clients and help to motivate their clients to live successfully within their communities by helping them to find solutions to their problems. Social workers work closely with institutions and organizations such as schools, police, and probation services to ensure that all people are treated with dignity (Compton and Burt, 1994). Hence, they can help a great deal in restoring the functionality of prisoners at the end of their jail terms and ensuring that the prisoners are treated in a humanitarian manner while in prison cells. Professional social workers also provide psychosocial assistance to victims of various disasters such as war, floods, famine, and so on (Compton and Burt, 1994).

In summary, social workers provide important services to the people while maintaining a valuable code of ethics regarding service delivery. Social workers encourage social impartiality and social revolution with and on behalf of clients. Social workers are responsive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end prejudice, coercion, poverty, and other forms of social injustice.

Social workers also promote fairness in society by the organization, supervision, consultation, and administration of policies that protect the vulnerable people in society. By ensuring fairness in the distribution of resources, social workers ensure the prosperity of all humanity.

References

1. Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) Code of Ethics 2005.
2. Compton, Beulah Roberts, and Galaway Burt. Social Work Processes. New York: Brooks/Cole, 1994

Reflective practice

Reflective practice is a continuous process by which an individual particularly a learner considers thoughtfully those things that they have gone through in their life applying the knowledge they have gained in addition to being taught by professionals. It is a self-regulated process that is mainly applied in education and health professionals but not limited to these professions. In broad terms, it is the process by which one analyses their working practices daily to be more competent and develop professionalism (Higham, 2005).

A reflective process is important as it ensures continuity in learning and when individuals use this process they are in a better position of developing themselves. Moreover, mistakes that have been made can be corrected and improved upon regarding performance (Schon, 1983). Reflective practice has both strengths and weaknesses. Some of the strengths include professional growth as one becomes aware of themselves; acquiring new knowledge about professional practices and problems associated with the profession. According to Schon, the practice is time-consuming as it requires one to experience puzzlement, confusion or surprise in a situation that is unique or confusing to him/her. Moreover, one reflects on the situation before him which also impacts his viewpoint in trying to experiment and come up with a new understanding of the current situation (Schon 1983). In addition, if the person reflecting is not aware of what is involved, they may end up repeating the same mistakes.

Need Assessment

In their article, Rouda & Kusy (1993) state that this is a process in which individuals or organizations study the current state of the situation and what it ought to be. Needs assessment involves carrying out a gap analysis where the current situation is checked and compared with the required situation (Rouda & Kusy, 1993). For instance in this case study, Tracey was addicted to heroin despite being pregnant and therefore there is a need to help her off the drug dependency so that she can take care of and raise her child. After carrying out a gap analysis, the most important needs should then be addressed. Secondly, one needs to identify the causes of the problems that one is going through. A needs assessment can be carried out through direct observation of the situation, interviewing the subjects, and consulting with the right people who may have specific information (Rouda & Kusy, 1993). In the case study, Tracey said she was introduced to heroin and therefore there is a high possibility that she could stop with help.

Identifying key needs of individuals by a social worker

In his book, Barker (1995) defines a social worker as a person that assists vulnerable groups or individuals in society. The vulnerable groups may include elderly, drug addicts, homeless, and the poor among others. A social worker helps in managing the cases by linking clients to the relevant agencies, counseling, social research as well as others. Furthermore, a social worker could help their clients cope with the situations being experienced by giving victims hope for a more positive outlook and hence enabling them to open up and talk about the problem at hand. Additionally, social work helps clients identify their personal strengths and the social assets they possess. Lastly, a social worker breaks down the problems into parts that can be solved easily and remain focused on the goals of their project (Barker, 1995).

Rouda & Kusy (1993) identified many methods that a social worker can use in discovering an individuals needs. Firstly, one can use questionnaires in identifying these problems. Secondly, consult people who have some specific knowledge concerning the area of study before concluding. Thirdly, you can review materials that are written concerning the problems regarding the individuals problems. Other methods that can be used include interviewing the individuals, carrying out various tests, using focus groups and studying the records and reports that may have been given by other experts like doctors for example, (Rouda &Kusy, 1993).

Traceys addiction to heroin is a key problem in this case. Though she has gone through rehabilitation, there is a need to ensure that she is completely rehabilitated. This can be done by asking her to disclose the last time she took heroine and how she felt once she stopped. Also, Tracey suggested that she became pregnant while in prison; and therefore is important to know whether this is true. This can be done by interviewing those people in prison to ascertain the likelihood that she could have gotten pregnant while being there than just accepting her story. Now that Tracey is staying with her family and needs their support to help raise the child, there is a need to work with the family in giving the right support. Additionally, now that Tracey is no longer attending the assessment session, there is a need to find out if she has gone to stay with her partner now that he is out of prison. There is also a need to find out whether the report given by the person from the GP surgery is correct. This can be done by interviewing the person and then analyzing the information (Dominelli & Payne, 1998).

Priority needs of Tracey in the case study

After studying what happened to Tracey it appears that one problem follows another, for example, her being addicted to drugs and after going prison to she became pregnant. She also was on a rehabilitation program and was referred to a social worker for the needs assessment. It was found that she did not attend all the needs assessment sessions as reported by the person from the GP; it is possible that she went back on heroin. It is also thought that she is back with her partner.

One of the main proposed actions that could be taken to solve these problems that Tracey faced is to interview her and those concerned to ascertain whether the information can be trusted. The interview would most likely get relevant information from her that can be used to analyze and hence help in solving her problems. According to Dominelli and Payne (1998), this interview forms an integral part of ascertaining the problem and its mitigation measures, which is quite essential in this stage of the process. Relevant questions should therefore be prepared by the interviewers, by the problem to be solved.

The social worker could ask Tracey to give a history of her life and that of her family, as well as any factors that she may think contributed to her problem. The social worker should also try inquiring whether Tracey has been completely rehabilitated in order to take care of her child. After information is gathered, the social worker must critically analyze the information and work together with the client to change the problems. The technique of interviewing where a social worker uses questionnaires is a good method provided the questions are not biased (Sundene, 2008).

The proposed action is effective as it seeks to address the specific needs of the clients. For example, Traceys addiction to heroin, the person responsible for her pregnancy, and how her family can help with upbringing the child. Similarly, the interview helps the client to be in a better position to open up and freely give information about her life as this is essential in providing a solution to the clients problems. Thus, the use of questionnaires and other documentation allows the social worker to break into segments the issues to be solved for quicker analyses. For example, the answers given could be broken into three parts such as addiction to heroin, pregnancy and support for the child.

Conclusion

The report above has identified the key needs of Tracey and what ought to be done to help her solve the problems that she is going through.

Reference List

1. Barker, R, l. 1995.The Social Work dictionary.3^rd ed.Washington, DC: NASW Press.
2. Dominelli, Adams and Payne.1998.Social Work Themes, Issues and Critical Debates. London: Macmillan.
3. Rouda, R. & Kusy, M, Jr. 1993.Needs assessment-the first step.5^thed. WestCountry UK: West publishers.
4. Schon, D. 1983.The reflective practitioner. Basic Books: New York
5. Sundene N. 2008. An interview with a Heroin Addict turned Psychologist. Kitchen TableMedicine,LLC.

Competing Values, Social Work

Competing values and the dilemma they often create are common in all professional fields. Social work is the one where decisions regarding ethics have the most significant impact. It is due to the specific nature of social work. Experts note that a historic and defining feature of social work is the professions dual focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society (Read the code of ethics, 2017, para. 2). Being a competent social worker requires strong ethical reasoning and consistent ethical decision-making. Discussion helps to develop both of these essential professional qualities. The primary objective of this paper is to discuss competing values and the subsequent tension in Marias case.

Competing Core Values Dilemma

Social workers and caseworkers in the United States follow the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Like any other ethical code, it serves both as a guideline for professional practice for social workers and as a theoretical basis for ethical reasoning (Read the code of ethics, 2017). It also establishes core values that every social work specialist must adhere to. By following it, they let their light so shine before men (King James Bible, 1769/2021, Matthew 5:16). The problem is that values tend to compete. It is not only because of the feature of the profession mentioned above but also due to human nature.

First Option Analysis

Marias case demonstrates the conflict of such core values as Integrity Dignity, and Worth of the Person versus the Importance of Human Relationships. According to the NASW Code of Ethics, social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person (Read the code of ethics, 2017, para. 20). Handing over information about Maria to the school principal can ensure a safe school space and a healthy relationship within the pupils community. However, without her informed consent, it would be an act of disrespect to the client. Telling the principal that her behavior is due to her parents divorce without asking Marias opinion is an act of dishonesty, which contradicts the core values of social workers. It is necessary to note that social workers act honestly and responsibly (Read the code of ethics, 2017, para. 22). Moreover, as indicated in the scenario, this option is associated with a potential leak of Marias story and further bullying by classmates.

Second Option Analysis

Not sharing Marias story with the school principal or not effectively supporting the client in her struggle with her anger issues may result in a hostile school environment and a backlash from classmates in the form of bullying. The school principal may perceive this decision as disrespect toward the working relationship. One of the duties of social workers is to strengthen relationships among people, not to weaken or undermine them (Read the code of ethics, 2017, para. 21). As one can see, both options can lead to bullying. It is the tension that competing values create. The path to an efficient solution begins with Marias informed consent.

Conclusion

This paper explores the competing value dilemma in the case of Maria. This dilemma has been identified as Integrity and Dignity and Worth of the Person versus the Importance of Human Relationships. An explanation was given of how these conflicting core values create tension. This work also offers one of the possible directions for a positive solution to the scenario, which is the informed consent of the client.

References

King James Bible. (1769/2021). King James Bible Online. Web.

Read the code of ethics. (2021). National Association of Social Workers. Web.

Introduction

Psychological analyses indicate that children who have undergone molestation are likely to experience anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, physical injury and may be susceptible to more abuse in the future. When a child has been molested by a family member then this is likely to lead to even more severe emotional and psychological problems. In fact, studies indicate that approximately thirty percent of all child molestation cases are committed by family members. This essay shall look at how to approach the matter from a social work perspective and possible interventions for a child who has undergone such a traumatic experience.

A social work theory that can be used for a child who has been molested by a family member

The theory chosen for this particular case is the systems theory. The major principle governing this theory is that a given state within a system is always in interaction with its environment and is consequently a function of its surrounding. Additionally, the systems theory postulates that conflict or change in any system can always be manifested. Therefore, people are affected by their surroundings and they also possess the capacity to change their environments. It is generally accepted that every human being belongs to a family. All members in the family must interact with one another and it is these interactions that bring the family to life. In the family, members are governed by values, norms and traditions that make them distinct from other family members and they are surrounded by boundaries. (Zastrow, 1991) However those units that have the most flexible boundaries tend to be the most successful or the healthiest. Each family also has roles that are assigned to members and status is accorded to certain positions. Those who have rigid roles, norms, goals, relationships and rules are the ones who tend to be unhealthy. Also, any system possesses subsystems; in unhealthy families, members in higher hierarchies like fathers or providers work towards diminishing the significance of members in lower hierarchies. Systems also possess feedback mechanisms that assist in keeping the whole process intact. Therefore, families that adopt a negative feedback mechanism are likely to remain unchanging and this eventually destroys the home.

When applied to the case under consideration i.e. a child who has been molested by a family member, it is necessary to first establish some of the preconditions needed to make this theory applicable in the latter scenario. First of all, the method yields adequate results for children between the ages of six and twelve. There for this case, it was quite plausible that the child being treated is seven years old. Secondly, one must look into the circumstances at the time the client has been presented for treatment. In this case, a range of family issues were to be discussed. Also, co morbid conditions that the child was experiencing will also form an essential part of this strategy. (Meezan, 1998) However, it should be noted that the underlying goal in this kind of therapy is not merely to treat current or symptomatic health conditions (although this will form a central part of the intervention) but it is also to prevent the occurrence of any other problems in the future. Since this treatment is for a young child, then strong parental involvement was essential in success of the method. However, if it happens that the family member who perpetrated the abuse was a parent, then he or she would not have been involved in the therapeutic process as a different authority would be responsible for dealing with the molester. There are some critical issues that can affect the success of such an intervention and they include: the frequency with which this molestation took place. Usually, stronger techniques are necessary in cases where the abuse has been going on for a very long time. Additionally, the nature of the family origin should be examined as the child may not have been brought up by one family from their infancy. Also, the severity of the molestation will also be taken into consideration (Meezan, 1998). For this case, it was noted that the child was abused by a father severally; i.e. once in two months for one year. Other important factors for this case were: the child grew up with the same family all her life and the child was sexually abused i.e. caused to engage in intercourse with her (it will also be assumed that she is female) father.

Type of intervention that I am using with this young child

In treatment, as a social worker I attempted to find out whether triangulation had occurred in the concerned family. The latter term refers to family violence transmission from adults to children. Here, the therapy sought to establish whether role reversal took place as a result of family tensions in the home. Questions like whether the child was forced to wear the shoes of her mother in the incestuous molestation were to be determined. The child was asked whether her father is very authoritarian, whether her parents seem like a happy couple, whether her father has ever physically abused other members of the family or whether her father is chemically dependant on drugs or alcohol. To this end, the mother to the molested child was also involved in this therapeutic process. She was required to divulge some information about her role as mother and whether she may have been unable or unwilling to carry them out. She was assessed for depression or some sort of subservience to indicate if that played a contributory role in causing the current dilemma. Also a lot of attention was given to the nature of the father to daughter and mother to child relationship. Here, it was necessary to examine if the child feels isolated by either her mother or father and what could have caused the mother not to protect her against an abusive father. (Zastrow, 1991)

It is likely that denial and dissociation could have been a key aspect in this home. Therefore, in the intervention process, it was essential to find out whether these two elements were prevalent and effective methods were curved out to avoid them. It should be noted that as the perpetrator of the abuse, it was assumed that the father of this child was already in confinement. However, if this had not been the case, then removal of the child from such an environment would be the first step as precedence we given to her well being rather than family intactness. Through family messages and a number of unconscious rules, it is likely that this seven year old girl was in denial. Therefore, as a social worker, it was necessary to attempt to eliminate any feelings of denial so that the client can some to terms with her experience by feeling it, thinking about and hence questioning it. The therapeutic process focused on making her accept the reality of what actually happened to her. Issues of trust were critical here and therefore the victim was assisted on how she can learn how to trust herself or to trust others. Therefore, some issues such as family protection and keeping secrets were to be thrown out of the window because these are what led to the perpetual occurrence. The victims needs were prioritized and she was taught how to be a child again. In the future, she will be taught that it is okay to make mistakes and it is okay to play or to be as responsible as a seven year old should be and not an adult. The child will be made to understand that it was not her fault and that the situation which she has found herself in was not necessarily something inevitable or normal for that matter. The mother involved in this therapeutic process will also play a part in trying to normalize the childs environment as there were some unconscious messages that she was sending to her daughter. (Goering, Sheldon & Levitan, 2003) As a social worker, I will explain to her that she should let her child behave as one; this means asking for help, analyzing or questioning situations and requesting for help. She needs to make herself approachable and trustworthy again by accepting her role as a mother and successfully carrying it out. On top of the latter, she must work on creating a feeling of safety in the home by relaxing the rigidity in the home and by protecting her children. Some of the strategies that will be essential in making the clients mother see this point of view include eco maps where patterns in the relationship that have problems will be identified. Also, instances of social isolation or interaction patterns will also be found. After telling the mother that she should be courageous and bold enough to take actions, it will be critical to also take her side and see things from her perspective s as to eradicate the impediments to her actions.

Type methods to evaluate/ monitor treatment effectiveness

In order to assess whether the intervention has worked, four major issues within the child will be analyzed: whether any other subsequent abuse has taken place. As stated earlier, one of the primary goals of this treatment was to ensure that no more molestation takes place in the future. If this is the case, then the intervention was effective. Thereafter, the client will be analyzed for denial i.e. has she come to terms with what happened to her and has she internalized this well?. Repression of any memories of the incident will be another crucial assessment tool. Lastly, the childs ability to associate with other members of her family or her peers will be another important assessment idea.

Conclusion

The systems theory tends to work very well with clients below the age of twelve thus making it an ideal treatment method. The goal of the process is to get the child to come to terms with her molestation and also to prevent subsequent abuse. The social worker must therefore work with the non molesting parent so as to identify and hence prevent possible areas that led to the abuse.

References

Goering, P., Sheldon, T. & Levitan, R. (2003). Childhood adversities linked with anxiety disorders. Journal of depression and anxiety 17(3): 35

Meezan, W. (1998). Effectiveness of group therapy in child abuse. Social work practice research journal 8(3): 330

Zastrow, C. (1991). An introduction to social welfare. Belmont: Wadsworth publishers

Spirituality is a core concept of Christianity and is enshrined in our core belief as Christians. The bible teaches us to be accepting of others no matter their beliefs. Today, social work is enshrined in the belief of Christianity, where we are taught to help people who are in need. However, religion and moral convictions do not always agree. Hence the need to be accommodating of others peoples view on religion. In the reviewed article, Jon Black is brought up in a Christian family growing to be a very conservative Christian. In the article, it is observed how he searched for a career that would best suit his belief in serving God. It is in this pursuit where Jon finds social work as the best career path. While in college, he realized he was gay, a realization that challenged his worldview. During his social work classes, he came to understand that some believe homosexuality and Christianity are mutually exclusive.

Based on analyzed texts, social work and religion, especially in areas of diversity, are mutually exclusive. Thus, when working with people with contravening religious beliefs, one should be open to others views and accept them. To achieve such acceptance, one has to be humble to others. Humility allows us to accept that we have something new to learn, especially when our religious beliefs contradict (Canda et al., 2019). Whatever our beliefs may be, we must leave room for new possibilities. Only in such instances can we serve and work better with other people regardless of their beliefs or moral values.

Embracing dialogue can create an avenue to reflect on social identities in areas where there are contradicting views. Through an open dialogue, we can understand others opinions on certain aspects and how they relate to our own. In a workplace, an open dialogue creates a conducive atmosphere where workers can understand each other. Also, an open dialogue between a social worker and a client can help them come to terms with their beliefs. Dialogue is essential for social workers working with children who are distraught with their Christianity beliefs and their sexuality. In the reviewed article, Jon came to terms with his sexual orientation and Christianity beliefs through open conversations in social work classes. Embracing dialogue does not only help clients but also helps co-workers understand each others beliefs.

Finding a balance between religious beliefs is vital in serving clients and working with others. People find it hard to change their moral standing, which can create hurdles among co-workers and clients. In social work, finding balance is significant as one can accept the diversity and differences in our own beliefs (Beckett et al., 2017). Although Christianity influences social work, not all social workers have the same belief as those in the bible but desire to do well to others. Thus, in creating a balance between our religious beliefs and others, we can create a harmonious work environment.

Contradicting views on certain aspects of life can create a very challenging environment. In some instances, some people find it very hard to accept others beliefs and morals, resulting in a toxic work environment. If one cannot find it in their moral belief to accept others, respecting their beliefs can help in creating a conducive working environment. By respecting others beliefs, we develop a sense of professionalism.

References

Beckett, C., Maynard, A., & Jordan, P. (2017). Values and ethics in social work. Sage.

Canda, E. R., Furman, L. D., & Canda, H. J. (2019). Spiritual diversity in social work practice: The heart of helping. Oxford University Press, USA.

Mental status examination and biopsychosocial history are among the most critical aspects of learning during conversations between a social worker and a client. It is recommended to start the interview with generally accepted questions about well-being, which will help establish a trusting relationship with the client. In a conversation, the employee must be polite, be ready to show empathy, avoid irony and ridicule, even in the case of the apparent absurdity of the clients statements (Kotera et al., 2019). Against the background of the dialogue, the social worker must identify the mental status of the client in order to find the most comfortable approach to the conversation, offers of help, and more.

With the help of questions about the subject and the need for social assistance, the current clients mood and problems can be found out, from which it is necessary to build on the conversation. Some topics may be inconvenient for the client; for some, it is necessary to give an impetus for the client to share. The clients complex emotional state can betray detachment, disorientation, and incoherent thinking, which should be alerted by questions about the environment or how the clients day went (OHare, 2019). Also, to establish the psychological status, the worker needs to assess the appearance, postures, and movements, as well as the motor skills of the client for mood and disorders.

The biopsychosocial model is a systematization of a similar approach to determining the psychological status with differentiation of human health in three aspects. A social worker is often not a highly qualified doctor, making it almost impossible to determine biological aspects or abnormalities without special equipment and experience. In this regard, the assessment of mental status described above in this model is complemented by social aspects that affect the clients health (Kotera et al., 2019). In addition, perhaps an implicit assessment of family relationships, possible traumas that lie in the plane of the intersection of social and mental aspects are essential. However, questions on the topic of family, work, and the clients relationship with other people should be asked after establishing a trusting contact between the employee and the client.

Finally, the last critical factor in understanding a person by a social worker is the spiritual views of the client. A person experiences a spiritual need to have a holistic view of the world; in this regard, many people pay great attention to the spiritual views of the client since they often determine the values of a person (Vetvik et al., 2018). Undoubtedly, the spiritual component of social work plays a significant role, but to reduce social work only to spirituality means to deprive it of an essential part of its content and almost identify it with psychology. The mental status of a person, social activity is often determined not only by specific biological prerequisites but also by the values that shape behavior. Spiritual views can be formed from the moment of upbringing and, in essence, are the focus and intersection of social, mental, and biological factors. They reflect social behavior, mental perception, and biological aspects influenced by these factors.

Questions about the spiritual views of the client should also be asked only after establishing a confidential contact since, for many, this is a rather personal topic. Discussion questions can be imprecise without a single correct answer, as are many questions in the spiritual realm. From the point of view of Christianity, a person can get answers to questions about the meaning of life, the correctness of life, the source of the formation of spiritual values (Vetvik et al., 2018). The social workers task is to understand in these discussions: how much a person adheres to a particular religion as a guide, and what other aspects form the spiritual views of the client (Vetvik et al., 2018). Determining these factors can provide clues to understanding social behaviors or problems, mental status, and many other aspects of a clients mental and physical health.

References

Kotera, Y., Green, P., & Sheffield, D. (2019). Mental health attitudes, self-criticism, compassion and role identity among UK social work students. The British Journal of Social Work, 49(2), 351-370. Web.

OHare, T. (2019). Essential skills of social work practice: Assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Oxford University Press.

Vetvik, E., Danbolt, T., Furman, L. D., Benson, P. W., & Canda, E. R. (2018). A comparative analysis of Norwegian and American social workers views about inclusion of religion and spirituality in social work. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 37(2), 105-127. Web.