THE SOCIAL WORK HELPING PROCESS

Unit 3
Helping
Process/
The Problem-
Solving
Process
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
4
 Richmond continued
• She formalized two cornerstones of
current social work views of problem
solving:
1. intervention depends on assessment
2. the key to social work intervention is the
relationship between the client & the social
worker
Helen Harris Perlman
 Perlman continued
▪ is considered as the originator of the
problem-solving framework in social
work
▪ she describes the social work
process as a progressive transaction
between the social worker & the
client
 “
The Person
The Problem
The Place
The Process
The worker-Client Relationship
The Problem solving work

8
Steps of the Helping Process

1. Assessment
2. Planning
3. Intervention or Plan Implementation
4. Evaluation
5. Termination

9
1. Assessment

10
Characteristics of Assessment
1. It is on-going.
2. It focuses on understanding the
client in the situation & in
providing a base for planning &
action
3. It is mutual process involving
client & worker.
4. There is movement within the
assessment process
Major task involved in this stage

ASSESSMENT STATEMENT
OR PROBLEM DEFINITION

12
 Sources of Information/Data
Primary Source Secondary Existing Data Worker's Own
Source Observations

the client either the “significant informations

individual or others” previously collected
community

13
 The Initial contact with the client
1. The client initiate the
contact

2. The client is referred to

the worker or agency

3. The agency, through the

social worker, reaches out
potential client & offers help

14
INTAKE PROCESS &
PRESENTING PROBLEM

15
 What is intake?
➢ the process by which a potential client achieves the status
of a client
➢ involves the presentation of the problem or need
➢ on the part of the SW this involves some assessment of the
client & the problem

a good intake interview should provide the client with

adequate understanding of the agency & its policy &
program in relation to his need or problem,
responsibilities & obligations from both the client &
the worker 16
 DEFINING THE PROBLEM

the way you define the problem will define what data are collected
& will dictate what are the possible appropriate answers

A common understanding of the problem; worker & client

agree on ordering the problems for work

*the problem that the client feels is most

important
*the problem that in the worker's judgment is
most critical
*the problem that in the worker's judgment can
most readily yield to help
17
ASSESSMENT STATEMENT
3 components accdg to Maria O'Neil McMahon

1 2 3

18
2. PLANNING

19
Major tasks in the planning
stage
❖ formulating goals that will
directly answer to the need or
problem of the client What are
❖ defining the specific actions or Goals?
interventions necessary to
achieve the goals

20
Plan
● Means to achieve the ends
● Action or steps to be
undertaken to reach the goals

21
 Factors that Influence An Intervention Plan

1. The community in which it is being carried out or the environment in which the plan takes plac
➢ culture of the place, attitudes, values & existing service delivery system

2. The agency sanctioning the plan.

➢ the worker is influenced by the agency functions,kind of service available, funding
considerations and resources

3. The social problem that the plan is a response to

4. The worker involved in the plan

➢ unique individual, has many facets of herself

5. The client. The client is a unique bio-psychosocial being who has his own motivations,
capacities, coping abilities, expectations, limitations & preferences

22
Assessment & Planning
culminates in the worker's
writing of a I. Identifying Information
II. Background Information
(client, family, environment)
III. Definition of the Problem/
assessment
IV. Helping Goals
V. Helping Plans

23
❑ ACTION
❑ PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
❑ TREATMENT

24
defined as the “collection of data about outcomes of a
program of action relative to goal & objectives

25
 Evaluation continued

Evaluation in social work done in two levels

1. On the level of direct practice with clients

2. On the level of program implementation

26
Evaluation is directed towards:

1. Measuring the outcomes (dependent variables) of programs or

specific interventions
2. Measuring the change processes or the nature of the intervention
themselves (independent variables)
3. Utilizing a research design that will permit you to attribute the
outcome to the change process

Summative Evaluation -evaluation that is concerned with

outcomes or effectiveness

27
Four Elements

INPUTS

ACTIVITIES

OUTPUTS

OUTCOMES

28
 5. TERMINATION
Most Common Reasons for terminating the client-worker relationship:

1. When the goal set by the worker & the client have been reached

2. When, after a reasonableperiod of time, there has been very little movement toward the
attainment of the goals

3. When the client thinks that the worker has provided sufficient help so that it is now possible
for the client topursue problem-solving on his own.

4. When the agency does not have the resources needed by the client or the worker does not
get her agency's approval to provide the services needed by the client

5. When the systems outside the client make it difficult for the client to continue with the
helping relationship

6. When for one reason or another, the worker must leave the agency. 29
TRANSFER REFERRAL

30
DISENGAGEMENT

STABILIZATION OF
CHANGE

EVALUATION

31
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