Quarter 1 – Module 7

The Professionals and

Practitioners of Social Work
 Quarter 1 – Module 7
The Professionals and
Practitioners of Social Work
Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Sciences – Senior High School
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 7: The Professionals and Practitioners of Social Work
First Edition, 2020

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 INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE

Module Name: The Professionals and Practitioners in Social Work

This module on “The Professionals and Practitioners of Social Work” deals with activities
that could help the learners have a high level of understanding of the basic concepts of social
work through discussions about professionals and practitioners of social work, their roles and
functions in assisting individuals, groups, or communities and society as a whole.

To the teacher:

In this part of the lesson, the author presented facts supported by images of social workers and
their lives as professionals and practitioners of social work in order to aid the student in an
understanding of who the social worker is, what they do and where they work. The last topic
though will be delved into much further in the next modules.

The primary goal of this module is to help learners engaged in some interesting and practical
activities in order to deeply understand the roles and function of a social worker and later
undertake participant observation of a life of a social worker adequately document and critique
their roles, functions, and competencies.

To the Learners:

The objectives of this module are best achieved if the learners fully understand the important
roles and functions of social work professionals and practitioners. Additionally, learners are
required to:

1. Read and understand the instructions properly.

2. Write the answers in your notebook.
3. Answer the pretest prior to the lesson proper.
4. Take note of the terminologies (mark and labeled as bold) cited relevant to the study of
Social Sciences.
5. Self–check and compare your answers against the key answer found at the end of this
module.
6. Perform critically the activities instructed in this module.
7. Answer the given assessment test after thorough study of the lessons.

Authors
 Every part of this module contains activities that will help you in developing your
cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills.
In this module, you are expected to:
1. explain the roles and functions of social workers (HUMSS_DIASS12-If-19)

Mark a check (  ) if the statement corresponds to whether T (True) or F (False).

1. Social work has the dual aims of helping individuals fit better into T F
their environments, typically known as micro practice, and changing
the environment so that it works better for individuals as the macro
practice.
2. A social worker is someone who should be registered and licensed
by a legitimate state and has specialized training to be one.
3. One of the roles of a social worker is to assess people’s needs,
strengths and wishes, working with individuals and families and
organizations.
4. One of the functions of social work is
5. A social worker can have several roles.
6. A social worker cannot be a counsellor.
7. Social work does not aim to change the environment, just people.
8. Social workers cannot be educators.
9. Social workers only work with people with financial problems and
give aid.
10. A social worker administers a short range of services.
11. One of the skills of a social worker is critical thinking.
12. A social worker needs to be able to resolve conflict.
13. A social worker
14. One of the key skills for a social worker is building relationships.
15. A social worker should be able to facilitate mediation among
parties especially if one party is socially disadvantaged.

LESSON PROPER
 In the previous chapters, you have developed an understanding as to what social work is,
the context and the basic concepts of social work, the goals and scope of the field, principles and
core values.
Social work as a profession has evolved over time but its enduring feature as a helping
profession is “the dual aims of helping individuals fit better into their environments, typically
known as micro practice, and changing the environment so that it works better for individuals,
referred to as the macro practice” (Segal, Gerdes, & Steiner 2005).

In this chapter, you will learn about the roles and functions and the competencies of
professionals and the practitioners in the discipline of social work.

(ACTIVITY 1)
Who do you think are the professionals and the practitioners in the discipline of social work?
Write your answer in the space provided below. Read out your answers to the class.

Defining the Roles, Functions and Competencies of Social Work

https://www.facebook.com/phredcross/photos/a.222265931132157/3361542020537850/?
type=3&theater
What is a Social Worker?
Cambridge Dictionary defines a social worker as a person who works for the social services or for
a private organization providing help and support for people who need it. But what or better yet
who is really a social worker.
The social work professionals and practitioners are aware that their profession is based on the
principles of human rights and social justice that serve to empower individual, groups and
communities to develop their full potential and well-being. The focus of intervention in social
work is the relationship between the individual and their immediate and wider social
environment. Particular emphasis is placed on meeting the needs of vulnerable and marginalized
individuals and groups (Social Workers Registration Board).
There are two main types of social workers: direct-service social workers, who help people solve
and cope with problems in their everyday lives, and clinical social workers, who diagnose and
treat mental, behavioural, and emotional issues. A social worker can work in a variety of
settings, including mental health clinics, schools, hospitals, and private practices.

A social worker working for the

government at Ground Zero,
Marawi City, Lanao del Norte, Phils.

DSWD social workers giving aid in Davao

(above). A social worker during inmate
counseling (below). - www.dswd.gov.ph

The Role of the Social Worker

Social workers work with a number of people at any one time. This is often referred to as a
caseload. Day-to-day work involves assessing people’s needs, strengths and wishes, working with
individuals and families directly to help them make changes and solve problems, organising
support, making recommendations or referrals to other services and agencies, and keeping
detailed records.
The problems social workers deal with are often rooted in social or emotional disadvantage,
discrimination, poverty or trauma. Social workers recognize the bigger picture affecting people’s
lives and work for a more equal and just society where human rights are respected and
protected.
In all roles, they are trained and skilled to bring about change. They are skilled in using relevant
legal powers to protect people’s rights and sometime balance the rights of everyone involved. This
combination of skills is unique to the social work profession.

The Functions of a Social Worker

These speak of main activities professionally performed by social workers:
1. Counsel with individuals, facilitate groups, work with families, refine agency procedures,
initiate new programs, lobby for legislative changes, organize community action, educate the
public, conduct needs assessments and evaluate practice and programs at various system levels
and targets of change or social transformation (counselor, initiator, facilitator, researcher,
speaker)
2. Enhance social functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
(enabler)
3. Link clients systems with needed resources (broker)
4. Improve the operations of the social service delivery network (initiator/facilitator)
5. Promote social justice through development of social policy (advocate)
Competencies of Social Work
1. Handle case management with various clients and population groups
2. Perform direct practice depending on the needs of the client and the environment in which the
social worker operate
3. Conduct mediations among parties especially where one party is socially disadvantaged.
4. Make referrals to appropriate agencies and service sectors needed by the client.
5. In gerontological context, perform program planning and administration in numerous
settings. Gerontology is the scientific study of old age, the process of aging, and the particular
problems of old people.
6. In mental health setting, function as case managers, advocates, administrators, therapists
and to use research as basis for problem-solving and choice of intervention in empirically based
practice.
7. In school system, analyze the transactions between students, teachers, parents and the
school system.
8. In the judicial system, make the system more fair and beneficial to the convicted criminals
and their victims.
9. Pursue social change on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals, eliminating economic
inequality and poverty.
Skills and personality qualities needed by social workers to perform their various roles:
1. Think critically
2. Build and sustain relationships
3. Execute empowering processes
4. Use practical methods
5. Analyze policies
6. Communicate effectively
7. Strong cultural and intercultural competence
8. Good computer literacy
9. Conduct research
10. Do social planning
11. Perform crisis intervention
12. Sound time management

Think-Pair-Share
What new learning did you develop about the professionals and practitioners in the discipline of
social work? Pair up with a classmate. Take turns in sharing your insights. Record your
discussion by taking a video.

Test your knowledge.

In three sentences, give the difference between the roles and the functions of social workers.

List down the skills and competencies that a social worker needs to have in order to perform his
or her duties and responsibilities. You may shorten them into words or phrases to fit the spaces
below.
 Skills

Competencies

MULTIPLE CHOICE:
Choose the best answer to the following questions. Encircle the letter of your answer.
1. In the dual aims of social work, this is the practice which involves changing the environment
so that it works better for individuals.
a. Macro practice c. Social work
b. Micro practice d. Social worker
2. In the dual aims of social work, this is the practice which involves helping individuals fit
better into their environments.
a. Macro practice c. Social work
b. Micro practice d. Social worker
3. This is a person who works for the social services or for a private organization providing help
and support for people who need it.
a. Macro practice c. Social work
b. Micro practice d. Social worker
4. This professional’s role includes being enabler – enhance social functioning of individuals,
families, groups and organization and communities.
a. Macro practice c. Social work
 b. Micro practice d. Social worker
5. This person performs several roles and functions in his profession in social work.
a. Macro practice c. Social work
b. Micro practice d. Social worker
6. Being a counsellor – able to counsel individuals and groups, work families and organizations
and assisting them to make better decisions – is one of the ____ of a social worker.
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency
7. Being an enabler – enhance social functioning of individuals, families, groups and
organization and communities – is one of the ____ of a social worker.
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency
8. Being a broker to link clients systems with needed resources is one of the ____ of a social
worker.
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency

9. Being an initiator and coordinator to improve the operations of the social service delivery
network is one of the ____ of a social worker.
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency
10. Being able to think critically is one of the ____ of a social worker.
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency
11. Being able to build and sustain relationships is one of the ____ of a social worker.
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency
12. Being able to communicate effectively is one of the ____ of a social worker
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency
13. Being able to handle case management with various clients is one of the ____ of a social
worker
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency

14. Being able to conduct mediation among parties is one of the ____ of a social worker
a. Role c. Skills
 b. Function d. Competency

15. Being able to perform program planning and administration for management of old people’s
needs is one of the ____ of a social worker
a. Role c. Skills
b. Function d. Competency

Go online and research on people who are professionals and practitioners in the discipline of
social work. Give some details regarding their person and profession. Collect some pictures
showing them performing their roles and functions.

ANSWER KEY
What I Know
1. T 6. F 11. T
2. T 7. F 12. T
3. T 8. F 13. T
4. T 9. F 14. T
5. T 10. F 15. T

What’s New
ACTIVITY 1
Answers may vary

What’s More
Answers may vary

What I Have Learned

Answers may vary

What Can I Do
Answers may vary

Assessment
1. a 6. a 11. c
2. b 7. a 12. c
3. d 8. a 13. d
4. d 9. a 14. d
5. d 10. c 15. d

REFERENCES

BOOKS
Sampa, Elias M., Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences: First Edition, Rex
Bookstore Inc.
Passer, Michael W.; Smith, Ronald E., Psychology: Frontiers and Applications, McGraw-Hill
Companies

WEBSITE
https://staging1.soc.yu.es501.com/blog/the-roles-of-social-workers
https://salisbury.instructure.com/courses/26324/pages/introduction-to-social-work-roles
https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/social-worker/
https://www.basw.co.uk/resources/become-social-worker/what-do-social-workers-do
https://mswonlineprograms.org/job-duties-and-responsibilities-of-social-workers/
https://www.socialworker.com/extras/social-work-month-2015/what-social-work-means-to-
me/
http://confessionsofabanshee.com/what-it-really-means-to-be-a-social-worker/
https://www.dswd.gov.ph/
https://www.academia.edu/37131995/DISCIPLINES_AND_IDEAS_IN_THE_APPLIED_SOCIAL_S
CIENCES
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03069885.2015.1063111?
src=recsys&journalCode=cbjg20
https://www.scribd.com/document/389174203/Discipline-and-Ideas-in-Applied-Social-
Sciences-docx
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284446194_Applied_Social_Sciences_Education_Scie
nces

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