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Discipline and Ideas in

the Applied Social
Sciences
First Quarter-Module 5:
DISCIPLINES AND THE
PROFESSIONAL AND
PRACTITIONERS OF SOCIAL WORK

Prepared by:

GRACE B. CALIPJO
Teacher III
Sarrat National High School

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 WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

This module was specifically developed and designed to provide you fun and
meaningful learning experience, with your own time and pace. The module is then
divided into two topics which follows:

A. Disciplines of Social Work; and

B. Professional and Practitioners in the Discipline of Social Work

Learning Competencies:
1. Identify the goals and scope of social work. HUMSS-DIASS 12-Ie-
16
2. Explain the principles and core values of social work.
HUMSS_DIASS 12-Ie-18
3. Explain the roles and functions of social workers. HUMSS_DIASS
12-If-19
4. Identify specific work areas in which social workers work.
HUMSS_DIASS 12-If-20
5. Value rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities. HUMSS_DIASS
12-If-22
6. Distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among
practitioners. HUMSS_DIASS 12-If-23

Objectives:
At the end of the module, the learners should be able to:
1.Define social work
2.explain the content and the basic concepts of social work
3.discuss the principles of social work
4.Explain the core values of social work.
5. define the roles, functions, and competencies of social work
6. Distinguish the areas of specialization of social work
7. Be familiar with career opportunities of social work
8. describe the rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of social work
9. Explain the Code of Ethics of social work.

WHAT I KNOW

Pre-Test
Direction. Read and understand each item carefully. Encircle the letter of
your answer.
1. Which of the following statement is NOT true about social work.
A. It is a profession that fulfills the social welfare mandate to promote well-
being and quality of life.

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 B. It promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and
the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being.
C. Principles of human rights and social justice are not fundamental to social
work.
D. Is a practice-based profession that promotes social change, development,
cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities. 
2. Which of the following statement is not included as goals and scope of social
work?
A. Empower people, individual and collectively, to utilize their own problem-
solving and coping capabilities more effectively.
B. Uphold the integrity of the profession in all aspects of social work
practice.
C. Disregard the indigent people and let them live in the unfortunate world.
D. Promote social justice and equality of all people with regard to full
participation in society.
3. The following statements are principles relative to respect for human rights
except:
A. Upholding and promoting human dignity and well-being.
B. Creating each person as a whole.
C. Recognizing diversity.
D. Promoting the right to participation
4. The following statements are principles relative to social justice except:
A. Challenging discrimination C. Respecting the right to self-
determination.
B. Recognizing diversity D. Distributing resources
5. What principle of social work is when the social worker is well prepared to
account for and justify their judgments and actions to people who use
services, to employers and the general public.
A. Making considered professional judgment. C. Being professionally
accountable
B. Being trustworthy D. Maintaining
professional boundaries
6. It is considered as an important value for all humankind but in social work,
it occupies a special impetus to the functioning of the profession.
A. Compassion B. Service C. Social justice D.
Integrity
7. It is a very important value for social work because it separates social
caregiving from social work professional practice.
A. Integrity B. Competence C. Compassion D. Service
8. According to Segal, Gerdes, & Steiner 2005, the roles of social workers today
are grouped into three. Which of the following is not included in the group?
A. Case management C. helping people find solution
B. Direct practice D. advocacy and policy building
9. Which of the following statements is a role of social worker for individuals
and families?
A. Enabler-helping people find solutions
B. Facilitator- in aid of organizational development
C. Planner-facilitating research and planning
D. Monitor- in aid of professional enculturation and socialization

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 10. The following are the abilities and skills of a social worker EXCEPT:
A. Critical thinker C. builder and sustainer of relationships
B. Does cultural planning D. good/effective in communication
11. Which of the following statements is a functional competency that social
workers should be capable of?
A. Handle case management with various clients and population groups
B. Sound time management
C. Conduct research
D. Good computer literacy
12. What field of social work is tasks to help patients and their families in
clinics, hospitals, and other health-care facilities?
A. family and child welfare B. health C. mental health D.
schools
13.A field of social work that provide aid to people suffering from mental and
emotional stress and many other services like the ones offered by medical
social workers.
A. family and child welfare B. health C. mental health D.
schools
14.A field of social work that provide vocational counseling, school adjustment
counseling, and help with behavioral management and personal problems.
A. family and child welfare B. health C. mental health D.
schools
15.The following are ethical principles of a social worker except:
A. Help people in need and to address social problems
B. Challenge social justice
C. Respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person
D. Does not recognize the central importance of human relationships.

WHAT’S IN

Activity 1: Check your Knowledge!

A. What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “social work”?

B. Who do you think are the professional and practitioners in the discipline
of social work?

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 WHAT’S NEW

Activity 2: Go and See!

A. Have you engaged in any social work? What makes you say that it is
social work? Describe what you have engaged in and determine what
makes it a social work. Verify your insights by reading ahead about the
concepts, goals, and scope of social work.

B. Look at the following list of areas of specialization of social workers:

 Domestic violence
 Poverty
 Child abuse and homelessness
 Hospital settings
 Private practice
 Research work
 Social policy advocacies

Why do you think there is a need for social workers to have

specialization? Differentiate these areas.

WHAT IS IT

Activity 3: Read and Learn!

A. THE DISCIPLINE OF SOCIAL WORK
The Discipline of Social Work is closely associated with government welfare
and social programs aimed at achieving social justice, fairness, and attainment of
social equilibrium. “The social work profession promotes social change, problem
solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to
enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social
work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments.
“Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.”
(international Federation of Social Workers 2013)
Social workers aim to protect vulnerable people from abuse, neglect, or self-
harm and to help enhance their well-being and quality of life. Drawing upon a rich
knowledgebase and theoretical perspectives derived from the social and
psychological sciences, social workers aim to promote positive individual and social
change.
Social workers work closely with other professionals, often known as
interprofessional working. Mental health social workers, for example, often work in

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teams alongside community mental health nurses, occupational therapists,
psychologists, and psychiatrists. However, inter-professional working is common
for all social workers.

Definition of Social Work

Social work is a profession that fulfills the social welfare mandate to promote
well-being and quality of life. As such, it encompasses activities directed at
improving human and social conditions and alleviating human distress and social
problems through enhancing people’s competence and functioning, ability to access
social supports and resources, creating humane and responsive social services,
and expansion of the structures of society that provide opportunities for all
citizens(DuBois & Miley 2008).

Context and the Basic Concepts of Social Work

The aim of social work is to help individuals fit better into their environment
and change the environment so that it works better for them. Poverty was then
seen as a character defect of an individual. This perspective is half true, as
evidence of social sciences show that there are multiple external forces and
structures that account for poverty of individuals.
The context of social work is a place that requires professionals to direct
their service on the needs and empowerment of people who experience some forms
of vulnerability, oppression, and living in poverty.

Goals and Scope of Social Work

DuBois and Miley (2008) highlight the following goals and scope of social
work calling them tenets.

 Empower people, individually and collectively, to utilize their own problem-

solving and coping capabilities more effectively.
 Support a proactive position with regard to social and economic policy
development to prevent problems for individuals and society from occurring.
 Uphold the integrity of the profession in all aspects of social work practice.
 Establish linkages between people and societal resources to further social
functioning and enhance the quality of life.
 Develop cooperative networks within the institutional resource system.
 Facilitate the responsiveness of the institutional resource systems to meet
health and human service needs.
 Promote social justice and equality of all people with regard to full
participation in society.
 Contribute to the development of knowledge for social work profession
through research and evaluation.
 Encourage exchange of information in those institutional systems in which
both problems and resources opportunities are produced.

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  Enhance communication through an appreciation of diversity and through
ethnically sensitive, non-sexist social work practice.
 Employ educational strategies for the prevention and resolution of problems.
 Embrace a world view of human issues and solutions to problems.

Principles of Social Work

The Policy, Ethics and Human Rights Committee of the British Association of
Social Workers (2012) has the following principles that apply in general to other
professionals in the social work profession.

 Principles Relative to Respect for Human Rights

1. Upholding and promoting human dignity and well-being.
2. Respecting the right to self-determination.
3. Promoting the right to participation.
4. Creating each person as a whole.
5. Identifying and developing strengths.
 Principles Relative to Social Justice
1. Challenging discrimination.
2. Recognizing diversity.
3. Distributing resource.
4. Challenging unjust policies and practices.
5. Working in solidarity.
 Principles Relative to Professional Integrity
1. Upholding the values and reputation of the profession.
2. Being trustworthy.
3. Maintaining professional boundaries.
4. Making considered professional judgments.
5. Being professionally accountable.

Core Values of Social Works

The core values of social work serve to provide consistency in the fulfillment
of the social welfare delivery and in the general promotion of well-being and quality
of life of all people. The core values in the pursuit of social work include
compassion, service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of
human relationships, integrity and competence (Du Bois & Miley 2008; Segal,
Gerdes, & Steiner 2005).

B. THE PROFESSIONALS AND PRACTITIONERS IN THE DISCIPLINE OF

SOCIAL WORK
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 individuals, 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.

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Defining the Roles, Functions, and Competencies of Social Work
Social work as a profession has evolve over time but its enduring feature as
a helping professions 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 macro practice” (Segal, Gerdes,
& Steiner 2005).
Social work like other applied social sciences, may help individuals cope
with anxiety, stress, or depression but it goes further to help the client gain access
to other community resources and support or empowering services that may be
state run or privately operated.

Roles of Social Work

The roles are generally interwoven with functions but have provided
elements that can be distinctively viewed as roles rather than functions. For
individuals and families, their role that of an enabler – helping people find
solutions. They are broker or advocates in case management, and they are teachers
in terms of information processing. For formal groups and organizations, their role
is that of a facilitator- in aid of organizational development. They are convener or
mediator in aid of creating networks, and they are trainer for professional
development. For community and society, their role is that of a planner- facilitating
research and planning. They are activist in aid of social work profession, their role
is that of a colleague and a monitor- in aid of professional enculturation and
socialization. They are catalyst for community service, and they are research-
scholars in aid of knowledge development and capacity building. Today, the roles of
social workers are grouped into three, which are case management, direct practice,
and advocacy and policy building (Segal, Gerdes, & Steiner 2005).

Functions of Social Work

These speak of main activities professionally performed by social workers.
DuBois and Miley (2008) include among others:

 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;
 Enhance social functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations
and communities;
 Link client’s systems with needed resources;
 Improve the operations of the social service delivery network; and
 Promote social justice through development of social policy.

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Competencies of Social Work
These cover all necessary skills and personality qualities needed by the
profession to perform their various roles and skills. Foundationally, social work
requires the following abilities and skills (DuBois & Miley 2008)

 Think critically;
 Build and sustain relationships;
 Use practical methods;
 Analyze policies;
 Communicate effectively;
 Strong cultural and intercultural competence;
 Good computer literacy;
 Conduct research
 Do social planning;
 Perform crisis intervention; and
 Sound time management

Areas of Specialization of Social Work

Social work specialization covers five major fields (Hartman 2015):
1. Family and child welfare
2. Health
3. Mental Health
4. Corrections
5. Schools

Career Opportunities of Social Work

Social work careers span a wide variety of job opportunities in both public
and private practice. Social workers can directly work with people they serve, and it
is common for them to volunteer their services. Hartman (2015) identifies a number
of career opportunities that include work as administrators, supervisors, planners,
researchers, or teachers. They are in various context such as child welfare
administration and elderly care services. They also help in obtaining financial
assistance and medical care for the elderly and other services that will enable them
to live as independently as possible. They can work in clinics and community
treatment centers to provide counseling to alcoholics and drug abusers. They can
also work in public housing projects to help people find dwellings for families made
homeless by urban crises, and in corporations and labor unions to provide a
variety of work-related services including health counseling and retirement
planning. They can work as social planning practitioners. Moreover, they can do
fieldwork involving organizing and developing programs that deliver social service,
and they can work as researchers on social service issues.
The number of social work professionals in the Philippines are much smaller
but they are present in a variety of settings, including hospitals, retirement homes,
mental health clinics, schools, non-profit agencies, and government offices

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Rights, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities of Social Work
The rights of social work are partially outlined. Social work foremost rights
include the right to fulfill its professional mandates and to live by its values. Its
responsibilities cover those that pertain to the dispensation of its basic functions,
roles, professional standards, and adherence to its local and international codes of
ethics. Social work is accountable to the clients, the general public, and the society.
Responsibilities of social workers working within their field of specialization
are to help children, assist those life-threatening problems, or aid people in
overcoming addictions. It is a responsibility of a social worker to protect and
uphold respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people as expressed in the
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and other related UN
declarations on rights and the conventions derived from those declarations.

Code of Ethics of Social Work

The code of ethics specifies the standards of ethics, conduct, and
performance expected of registered social workers. It is a duty of a social worker to
always protect the health and well-being of people who avail of the services. In
everything that a social worker does, he/she has to demonstrate respect for the
inherent dignity and worth of persons, pursuit of social justice, integrity of
professional practice, confidentiality in professional practice, and competence in
professional practice.
A sample of ethical principles and ethical standards here are adapted from
the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. They are broad
ethical principles based on social work’s core values of service, social justice,
dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and
competence. These principles and standards are set forth ideas to which all social
workers should aspire.
Value: Service
Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal to help people in need and to
address social problems.
Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principles: Social workers challenge social injustice.
Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person
Ethical Principles: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of
the person.
Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical Principles: Social workers recognize the central importance of
human relationships.
Value: Integrity
Ethical Principles: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
Value: Competence
Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence
and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

Ethical Standards

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 The following ethical standards are relevant to the professional
activities of all social workers. These standards are concerned with the social
workers’ ethical responsibilities: (1) to clients; (2) to colleagues; (3) in
practice settings; (4) as professionals; (5) to the social work profession; and
(6) to the broader society.

Guidelines for Professional Conduct

1. Social workers are expected to uphold human rights in their practice.

2. Social workers should respect the rights and dignity of people.
3. Social workers should respect relationships of people who use their
services.
4. Social workers should promote social justice.
5. Social workers should comply with the laws and regulations governing
their practice.
6. Social workers should carry out their duties professionally and ethically.
7. Social workers should demonstrate ethical awareness.
8. Social workers should demonstrate professional accountability.
9. Social workers should act in the best interest of people who use their
services.
10.Social workers should communicate with people who use their services,
careers and professionals.
11.Social workers should seek informed consent of people who use their
services.
12.Social workers should keep accurate records.
13.Social workers should deal appropriately with health and safety risks.
14.Social workers should willingly collaborate, delegate, and manage
appropriately.
15.Social workers should undertake research ethically.
16.Social workers should maintain high standards of personal conduct.
17.Social workers should act with integrity.
18.Social workers should provide accurate information about their conduct
and competence.
19.Social workers should treat information about people who use their
services as confidential except in situations that call for greater ethical
requirement such as preservation of life.
20.Social workers should act within the limits of their professional
knowledge, skills and experience.
21.Social workers should keep their professional knowledge and skills up to
date so that they are able to provide appropriate services.

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 WHAT’S MORE

Activity 4: Explore and Discover!

A. Go online and search for “social work in the Philippines.” Read the
available literature. Choose one specific practice of professional
social work, either by an individual or an institution. Take note of
how the principles relative to respect for human rights, social
justice, and professional integrity are lived out. Share your feelings
in social media.
B. Go online and search for “career opportunities for social workers.”
Make a listing of the top 10 to 15 career opportunities that come
out from your research. Compare your new list with the list in this
chapter. Through online class, share with classmates any new
opportunities that came out.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Activity 5: Test Your Knowledge!

A. 1. Write the definition of social work as a profession.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. In three sentences, explain the context with which the profession of social
worked developed.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Briefly describe the goals and scope of social work.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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

___________________________________________________________________________
5.Discuss how and why compassion and listening skills are important
competencies of a social worker.
___________________________________________________________________________

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 ___________________________________________________________________________
6. Briefly discuss the following areas of specialization of social worker.
a. Child, family and school
________________________________________________________________________
b. Mental health and substance abuse
________________________________________________________________________
c. Medical and public health
________________________________________________________________________

7. Fill out the chart below with at least three principles of social work relative
to different aspects.

Principles of Social Work

Respect for Human Social Justice Professional Integrity

Rights
1. 1.
1.
2. 2.
2.
3. 3.
3.

ASSESSMENT

Activity 5: Check Your Understanding!

A. Discuss each of the following core values in terms of how they influence a
professional social worker.
1. Compassion_________________________________________________________
2. Service_____________________________________________________________
3. Social
justice______________________________________________________________
4. Dignity and worth of a
person___________________________________________________ __________
5. Importance of human
relationships_________________________________________________________
6. Integrity_____________________________________________________________
7. Competence_________________________________________________________

B. 1. Give examples of career opportunities of social workers in the different

settings.

Setting Career Opportunities

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 Hospitals

Retirement homes

Mental health clinics

Schools

Non-profit agencies

Government offices

2. Explain the nature of the rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities of social

workers

________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Activity 6: Try It and be a Social Worker!

A. Choose a real -life situation in the society wherein an individual, a group or
community went through difficult situations that needed the collaboration and
services of practitioners in social work. Document their experience and how social
work services addressed their needs. Prepare a slide presentation/video that shares
your learning and discoveries from that engagement.

B. Create a blog to promote the profession of social work to the Grade 11 and 12
students of your school. Make it comprehensive on information about competencies,
career opportunities, responsibilities, and accountabilities of a professional social
worker. Make your blog inspiring and request permission from your school
administration to share it among your schoolmates.

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 FINAL TASK

A.
A.
A. Write at least five goals and scope of social work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B. Enumerate five principles relative to professional integrity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C. List down at least five Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics of a Social Workers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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 ANSWER KEY

Pre-Test
1. C 2. C 3. C 4. C 5.C 6.A 7.B 8.C 9.A 10. B 11.
A 12. B
13. C 14.D 15. D
Final Task. (Answers may be in any order and some are not included in this answer key,
just refer to the module for additional correct answers)
A. 1. Empower people, individually and collectively, to utilize their own problem-
solving and coping capabilities more effectively.
2. Support a proactive position about social and economic policy
development to prevent problems for individuals and society from
occurring.
3. Uphold the integrity of the profession in all aspects of social work practice.
4. Establish linkages between people and societal resources to further social
functioning and enhance the quality of life.
5. Develop cooperative networks within the institutional resource system.
B. 1. Upholding the values and reputation of the profession.
2. Being trustworthy.
3. Maintaining professional boundaries.
4. Making considered professional judgments.
5. Being professionally accountable.
C. 1. Social workers are expected to uphold human rights in their practice.
2. Social workers should respect the rights and dignity of people.
3. Social workers should respect relationships of people who use their services.
4. Social workers should promote social justice.
5. Social workers should comply with the laws and regulations governing their
practice.

REFERENCES
Sampa, Elias M. Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences. (First
Edition). Rex Book Store, 2017.
Bernardo, Richel B and Ranche, Christian R. Discipline and Ideas in the Applied
Social Sciences. JFS Publishing Services,
K TO 12 MELC

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