CITY COLLEGE OF EL SALVADOR

EL SALVADOR CITY, MISAMIS ORIENTAL

Email: elsalvador.citycollege@gmail.com

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SOCIAL WORK

RECENT PRACTICE IN SOCIAL WORK
Subject Code: SW 399
Summer of A.Y. 2020 – 2021

TOPIC

SOCIAL CASE STUDY REPORT

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, students will learn to:

1. Demonstrate an accurate understanding of the SCSR in handling clients and in social work practice.
2. Identify the relevance of each part of the SCSR in client—worker helping relationship.
3. Apply the use of assessment tools as part of gathering essential information and in assessing the client and the
problem.

CONCEPTS / DISCUSSION

The main objective of social work is to help people improve the quality of person’s lives, to
assist them cope more effectively with the problems of living so that they will gain or regain their
equilibrium and achieve growth in coping. The last and most important component of social work
practice is the helping process. It is the phase on which intervention is applied to attain a change in
behavior or in the environment or a problem is alleviated or resolved, hence, avowed purpose of social
work “to enhance psychosocial functioning”. With this it tries to achieve by tapping, mobilizing,
creating and using of resources, external as well as internal in ways that reduce tensions and stress
and achieve mastery of the problem. The helping process that it applies is a problem-solving one which
is based on the professional knowledge, values and skills, and makes use of a variety of methods, tools
and techniques, resources and services.

Different writers use different terms to describe the steps in the helping process, hence,
these variations aim to show that although different in ways they more or less follow the same pattern.

1. Identification of the Problem 2. Data – gathering 3. Assessment

4. Planning or Intervention 5. Evaluation 6. Continuation or Termination (Recommendation)

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Prepared By: JANE PEARL D. MANGAYAN, RSW
CASE STUDY & INTAKE

A Case Study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every
aspect of the client's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. As the
client comes to the agency whether walk-in, referred or reached out, the social worker mostly
conducts intake interview and accomplish General Intake Sheet. Intake is the administrative process
which starts with the first encounter and ends usually with the second interview. This is where the
helping process starts. This stage is very crucial and it requires a very skillful probing into client’s
problem.

Major purposes:

- Record identifying data about the client (name, age, civil status, family composition and the
like)
- Identify the presenting problem (causes the difficulty)
- Determine the client’s presumptive eligibility and motivation to use a service.

What questions to focus during the intake?

What are the needs of the client? How and where his needs can be met? The nature of the request,
does the request relates directly with the needs? The level of frequency (consistency) in which the
client is talking.

FAMILY COMPOSITION

The following are included as members of the household:

• Persons who are present at the time of visit and whose usual place of residence is the housing
unit where the household lives.

• A family member who are overseas workers and who have been away at the time of the census
for not more than 5 years from the date of departure and are expected to be back within 5 years
from the date of last departure.

• Those whose usual place of residence is where the household lives but are temporarily away at
the time of the census for the following reasons:

- On vacation, business / pleasure trip, or training somewhere in the Philippines that are expected
to be back within 6 months or 1 year from the date of departure.

- Working or attending school outside their usual place of residence but usually come home at
least once a week.

- Confined in hospitals for a period of not more than 6 months as the time of the census, except
when they are confined as patients in a mental hospital or drug rehabilitation centers, regardless of
the duration of their confinement.

- Detained in national/provincial/city/municipal
2 jails or in military camps forPRACTICE
RECENT a periodINofSOCIAL
not more
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Prepared By: JANE PEARL D. MANGAYAN, RSW
than 6 months as of the time of census, except when their sentence or detention is expected to
- Detained in national/provincial/city/municipal jails or in military camps for a period of not more
than 6 months as of the time of census, except when their sentence or detention is expected to
exceed 6 months.

• On board coastal, inter – island, or fishing vessels within Philippine territories

• On board oceangoing vessels but are expected to be back within 5 years from the date of
departure.

• Boarders/lodgers of the household or employees of household – operated business who do not

usually return to their respective homes weekly.

• Citizens of foreign countries who have resided or are expected to reside in the Philippines for
at least a year from their arrival, except members of diplomatic mission and Non – Filipino members
of international organizations.

• Filipino Balikbayans with usual place of residence in a foreign country but have resided or are
expected to reside in the Philippines for at least a year from their arrival.

• Persons temporarily staying with the household who have no usual place of residence or who are
not certain to be enumerated elsewhere.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

A. GENOGRAM

A genogram is a visual family mapping tool. Genograms allow clinicians and clients to diagram a client’s
family history through at least three generations. Genograms illustrate family relationships to show
parentage and birth order across the generations, similar to a family tree. Genograms, however, go
beyond this type of surface-level information included in a family tree, to capture in-depth details
about family functioning and processes.

Genograms are an important assessment and intervention tool in social work practice that allow client
and clinician to explore family relationship dynamics. The genogram is a complex tool capturing a wide
range of family information, including family conflicts, health and mental health histories,
communication patterns, and the evolution of relationships. The most important practice to remember
in creating a genogram with clients is to use this assessment tool as a starting point for discussion,
opening opportunities for client and clinician to evaluate connections to family members and gain
understanding of the client’s family history as it relates to current functioning. Creating a genogram
is a participatory activity that is best accompanied by constant and meaningful dialogue between client
and clinician as they work together to visualize and assess the client’s family system.

(Please see attached example)

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Prepared By: JANE PEARL D. MANGAYAN, RSW
B. ECOMAP

An Ecomap is a diagram often used by social workers or nurses showing the social and personal
relationships of an individual with his or her environment. Ecomaps were developed in 1975 by Dr. Ann
Hartman who is also credited with creating the genogram. A cornerstone of the social work profession
is joining with clients from a strengths-based and client-centered perspective, forming a relationship
in which client and clinician work together toward client self-determination and empowerment.

An ecomap is a visual tool that many social workers use with families and individuals as a participatory
way to involve clients in describing and organizing the various elements impacting their lives. Ecomaps
are essentially diagrams that place the client (or client system) at the center, and visually display the
key social and personal relationships the client has with the external environment. Ecomaps visualize
the person-in-environment perspective of the social work profession, and help clients to understand
the various systems with which they interact in their current lives, giving a snapshot of the client in
“their dynamic ecological system.

In this way, an ecomap is capable of depicting “the important nurturing or conflict-laden connections
between the family and the world; demonstrates the flow of resources, or lacks and deprivations; and
highlights the nature of the interfaces and points of conflict to be mediated, bridges to be built, and
resources to be explored1.” Thus, as an assessment tool, an ecomap can be helpful in determining the
client’s strengths, resources, needs, and deficits, and “a powerful tool for discovering possible sources
of depression and anxiety as well as uncovering hidden support systems in friends, neighbors, clubs,
professional agencies, charities, and social or religious organizations.”

(Please see attached example)

C. BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL-SPIRITUAL-CULTURAL

A useful tool for gathering, categorizing, and documenting this information is the biopsychosocial-
spiritual-cultural assessment – a means of collecting information about the presenting issue and the
current and past life circumstances that may be related to it. This information is gathered through
an extended interview with the client, and then written into a biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural history
of the client to assist in determining specific problems and possible solutions. This tool contains five
key sections, all of which collect crucial information about the client that will be used in setting goals
and making action-plans.

Biological section – includes information about the client’s medical history (past and present, including
medications), family history of medical illnesses, substance abuse history, developmental history, and
physical functioning and abilities

Psychological section – includes information about any psychiatric symptoms or illnesses the client is
currently experiencing, or has experienced in the past, mental status, family history of mental illness,
psychiatric medications or treatments (past and present), and psychosocial stressors or traumatic
events

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Social section – includes information on the client’s social functioning, living situation, personal and
family relationships, sexuality, family background, history of abuse, educational background, legal
history, employment history, potential risks, and strengths and resources available to support the
client

Spiritual section – includes information on the client’s spiritual beliefs, participation in faith-based
activities, connections to organized religion, and spiritual practices and resources

Cultural section – includes information about the client’s cultural background, participation in cultural
activities and traditions, cultural norms surrounding health, mental health, and social roles, worldview,
and cultural practices and resources

The information included in the biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural assessment can provide a lot of

insight, to both client and social worker, about the client’s presenting problem, strengths, and
resources. The biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural assessment is a useful tool during the assessment
stage, providing a template for social workers to gather needed information in order to come to a
mutual understanding of the client’s unique circumstances that will guide continued work together to
accomplish client goals.

D. SOCIAL WELFARE INDICATOR (SWI/SWDI)

The Social Welfare Indicator or SWDI is an assessment tool mostly used in “Pantawid Pamilya
Program”. This tool helps the social work practitioner to know and assess the status and level of the
beneficiaries – SURVIVAL, SUBSISTENCE or SELF-SUFFICIENT. Through this tool, it helps the
social worker identify what is the client’s capabilities and/or what kind of intervention an agency or
partner providers can provide for the client’s problem presented.

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Prepared By: JANE PEARL D. MANGAYAN, RSW
 ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 1.

Create a Genogram of at least 2 generations.

Ecomap of your family.

Instructions:

1. Encoded or Handwritten – use short bond paper. (If handwritten use black ink pen)
2. Kindly see the attached examples for your reference.
3. Submit your output by July 15, 2021 at City Hall 3rd Fl (5:00 PM)
4. Read the module provided and prepare for a short quiz. See you in class.

RESOURCES

• Introduction to Social Work – Leonora S. De Guzman

• https://mswcareers.com/the-components-of-a-biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural-assessment/
• https://mswcareers.com/introduction-to-genograms-a-social-work-assessment-and-intervention-tool/
• https://mswcareers.com/the-ecomap-a-social-work-assessment-tool/

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Prepared By: JANE PEARL D. MANGAYAN, RSW