8 Principles of social case work
Social work is a hands-on profession that strives
to help people and families deal with their different problems. The exact
work that social workers perform depends on their specific field. For example,
a Child Welfare social worker, or case worker, will spend every day dealing
with foster children, bio-parents and the juvenile courts. Specifically, Child
Protective Service (CPS) case workers are empowered to remove children from
unsafe homes and place them in state custody. They do this because of
observable neglect, abuse, threat of harm and safety issues. Many of their
clients come from lower socio-economic levels and struggle with poverty,
homelessness and substance abuse. On the other hand, Permanency case workers
deal with children and teens in permanent foster care. They work to find
long-term care providers or people to adopt their client's children.
Objective of social case
work
The basic purpose of
social work is to enable the client to enjoy with some degree of permanency,
more satisfying, effective and acceptable experiences in the social situations
in which he find himself. To achieve this goal efforts are made to bring
effective changes in the client’s environment or social living situations.
According to Witmer, the chief aim of social case work is that of helping
people to mobilize their capacities for the solution of the problems that
brought them to the attention of social agencies. Most of the writers of social
work like Moffet and Hollis have emphasized that one of the main objective of
social case work is to bring about an adjustment between the individual client
and his situation or environment. Bowers mentioned two objectives: better
adjustment in the social relationships of the individual and the development of
individual personality. According to Perlman, within the boundaries of what the
client wants, his capacities and the resources of skills and materials means of
the agency and community, the specific goal is to help him achieve his previous
level of functioning of which he is capable of this time.
The purpose of social
case work is to help an individual client to solve his psycho social problems
in such a way so that he find himself capable of dealings with these problems
at present and also may solve in future if such problems arise. Thus social case
work has the following objectives as mentioned by P.D.Mishra; To understand and
solve the internal problems of the individuals v To strengthen his
ego power v
Remediation of problems in social functioning v Prevention of
problems in social functioning v Development of resources to enhance
social functioning.
Principles
of social case work
1-Principle
of Acceptance Social caseworker accepts the client as
he is and with all his/her limitations. He/she believes that acceptance is the
crux of all help. It embraces two basic ideas --- one negative and one
positive. He/she does not condemn or feel hostile towards a client because
his/her behaviour differs from the approved one. Later on, he/ she tries to
modify his/her behaviour step by step. Acceptance implies liking the client
irrespective of his negative qualities and conduct. It is an expression of good
will towards the client and criticisms if any are done out of goodwill. It is
conveying deep concern and active understanding to the client who is liked by the
worker in spite of his problem—behavior for which he is hated or punished by
the society. No effective relationship is possible without accepting the
client.
2-
Principle of Confidentiality Confidentiality is based
upon the basic right of the client; it is an ethical obligation of case worker
and is necessary for effective case work service. Everyone prefers to keep his
things to himself and saves it from leaking out unless It’s divulge is more
beneficial to the person. Once the worker imbibes the value of worth and
dignity of an individual, he will refrain from encroaching upon the client’s
privacy and maintain the confidence repose in him. Once the client loses
confidence in him, he will not believe the worker and the while process of
communication will break down, and impossible will be the task to assist the
helpee in his problems or in fulfillment of his needs
3.-
Principle of relationship is the basis of all help. The
relationship should develop around the act of helping the client. Helping the
client is the purpose for which interaction takes place between the worker and
client which is affected by their experiences of relating with people in the
past, their expectations from each other and anxieties about the situation,
values that governing their lives, norms of behavior , knowledge and experience
about the subject matter of interaction. Necessary to develop relationship is
the worker’s training in and mastery of inter personal skills like active
awareness, building trust, communicating, listening and expression of feelings
etc
4.
Principle of Resource utilization Services are provided to
the individual in recognition of his contributions to the society. It is only
because of this that the government takes care of those who are not cared by
any one. Example: orphans, destitute, handicapped etc.
5.
Principle of individualization No two persons are alike
in all qualities and traits. Their problems may be the same but the cause of
the problem, the perception towards the problem and ego strength differs in
every individual. Therefore, each individual client should be treated as a
separate entity and complete information is required to establish close
relations in order to solve his/her problem from root.
6.
Purposeful expression of feelings. Purposeful expression of
feelings is the recognition of the client’s need to express his/her feelings
freely, especially his/her negative feelings. The caseworker listens
purposefully, neither discouraging nor condemning the expression of those
feelings.
7.
Principle of controlled emotional involvement The case worker
must not be emotionally involved with the client during the case work process,
when the client communicates his/ her feelings or problems with the case
worker. The case worker has to respond to all feelings of the client with his
knowledge and understanding. The social caseworker tries to understand the
client’s feelings and emotions but he/she himself/herself does not involve
emotionally in his/her problems
8. Principle of self determination It is the practical recognition
of the rights and need of the client to have freedom in making his own choice
and decision in the case work process. Social responsibility, emotional
adjustment and personality development are possible only when the person
exercise his freedom and choice and decision. Case workers have to give this
right to the client so that he can decide and take best possible action in his
self interest.