Knowledge Base and Philosophical Foundation of Social Work Profession

THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL WORK

- The profession which is concerned with man’s adjustment to his environment; a person or
groups in relation to a person’s or their social situation.
- Social work seeks to enhance social functioning of individuals, by activities focused upon their
social relationships which constitute the interaction between man and his environment.
(US Council of SW Education)
SOCIAL WORK
It is the profession which is primarily concerned with organized social service activity to
facilitate and strengthen basic social relationships and the mutual adjustment between
individuals and their social environment for the good of the individual and society.
(Art. 1, R.A. 4373)
Global Definition of Social Work
Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social
change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people.
Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are
central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and
indigenous knowledge, SW engages people and structures to address life changes and enhance
well-being”
- IFSW
-In the Philippines, social work was officially recognized as a profession with the passage of RA
4373 in 1965, “an act to regulate the practice of social work and the operation of social work
agencies in the Philippines and for other purposes”
- sponsored by Maria Kalaw Katigbak, a woman senator. (RA 5175 – amendment to RA 4373 in
Aug 4, 1967)
Core Values of Social Work Profession

 Service.
 Social justice.
 Dignity and worth of the individual.
 Importance and centrality of human
 Relationships.
 Integrity.
  Competence.
The Social Worker
- A practitioner who by accepted standards of academic training and SW professional
experience possesses the skill to achieve the objectives as defined and set by social work
profession through the use of the basic methods and techniques of social work (CW, GW,
CO).

SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

-Activity carried out by social worker in varied institutional settings.

Settings of SW practice:
Primary – programs and services are the direct purview of social work
Secondary – primary function is to provide services other than social welfare & employ social
workers in support or to supplement their services.

Needs- a condition or situation in which something necessary or desirable is required or wanted

Problem- an unmet need, a thwarted need

B. SOCIAL WORK’S FOCUS OF CONCERN:

SOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF MAN

Social functioning is defined as the expression of the interaction between man and his
environment: it is the product of his activity as he relates to his surroundings.

Primary concern of social work is with how people are interacting with their social
environment, whether or not they are coping, adjusting, or managing.

C. MAJOR TASKS OF SOCIAL WORK

Task 1: Enhance the Clients’ Problem-Solving, Coping, Developmental Capacities

Task 2: Link Clients with Systems That Provide Resources, Services, and Opportunities

Task 3: Promote the Effective and Humane Operation of Systems That Provide Resources and
Services

Task 4: Develop and Improve Social Policy

Task 5: Enhance Human Well-Being and Alleviate Poverty, Oppression, and Other Forms of
Social Injustice
Task 6: Pursue Policies, Services, and Resources through Advocacy and Social or Political Actions
That Promote Social and Economic Justice
Task 7: Develop and Use Research, Knowledge and Skills That Advance Social Work Practice

Task 8: Develop and Apply Practice in the Context of Diverse Cultures

Task 7: Develop and Use Research, Knowledge and Skills That Advance Social Work Practice.

- Social workers are expected to contribute to the knowledge and skill base of social work
practice through an objective assessment of their own practice and the programs and services
they provide.

D. PURPOSE OF SOCIAL WORK

Underlying purpose of social work: “to release all human power in individuals for personal
fulfillment and social good, and in order to create the kind of society, social institutions and
social policy which will make self-realization possible for all men.”

Human powers refers to the capacity for knowing and loving, capacity to reason & to exercise
free will.

E. The Scope of Social Work

 SW provides material assistance to persons who are dependent, or in economic distress.

 SW helps persons whether as individuals, groups or communities to adjust, to improve,
and/or change for the better their economic & social environment.
 SW seeks to provide the economically deprived with opportunities for improving their
own economic & social conditions.
 SW seeks to develop the ability of people to participate in problem-solving and decision-
making and helps to translate these decisions into action.
 SW also works for the development of economically viable and socially developed
communities and of a knowledgeable, dynamic and self-reliant citizenry.
 SW sees to it that its clientele population has access to basic social services.
 Where there exist poverty, social injustice and human exploitation, SW is concerned
with social reform.
 What is the range of social work activity and involvements?
 According to practice: direct or indirect practice
 Direct practice: direct services or interventions may be provided with a client.
 Indirect practice: social worker acts on behalf of people who have similar problem such
as when a social worker writes a grant or obtains support for a new shelter to serve
runaway youth in a community.
F. Functions of Social Work

(The 3 ways by which social workers discharge their functions to enhance social functioning of
client)

1. Restorative (curative or rehabilitative)

2. Preventive
3. Developmental

Restorative function:

 Seeks to restore or bring back impaired functioning or the temporary breakdown to

normal level.
 Includes treatment & rehabilitation of person’s ability to interact positively, adequately,
with the social milieu surrounding him.

The preventive and developmental function

 Preventive – consists of early discovery, control, and elimination of those conditions

which may impair social functioning.
 Ex. recreational and character-building activities for children and youth.
 Developmental – focuses on the nurture and optimum development of the person’s
social functioning so that he may achieve his capacities and realize his potentials.

Applied to persons whose functioning is not impaired or it has been restored

H. Methods of SW Intervention

Intervention – application of a helping repertoire of the methods and processes of planned

action taken by the social worker to sustain helping purposes.
 Primary methods – casework, group work, community organization, (Integrated Method
of Social Work)
 Secondary methods– administration, supervision, research

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL WORK

The most unique or distinguishing characteristic of social work:

Focus on social relationships and interaction between man & environment

- Social Functioning of man

Detailed Listing of the Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work by Skidmore:

 Focus of SW: Wholeness or totality of person – himself, his behavior, his environment
(Person – in – situation)
 Importance on the family as a major factor in molding and influencing behavior.
 Use of community resources in helping people;
 Aim in providing assistance: enable the person to help himself. General rule: work w/
clients, not do for them.
 Social worker intervenes between client and his problem using the methods: casework,
group work, community organization, (integrated method). Helping process is generic.

Distinguishing Characteristics of SW ….

 “Social” in social work emphasizes stress on social interaction and the resultant social
functioning or disfunctioning
 SW process is based on client-worker relationship.
 Extensive use of supervision to guide & direct the work of inexperienced direct social
workers and him continuing growth of the experienced.
 Unique professional program: fieldwork in selected agencies to deliver service—w/ the
school Supervisor overseeing integration of theory & practice.

I. PROFESSIONAL IMAGE OF SW

Social Work is a profession because it possess “five general attributes of a profession” (Ernest
Greenwood)

 Systematic body of theory

 Professional authority
 Sanction of the community
 Professional ethics
 Professional culture

C. Principles

(Felix Biestek)

 Acceptance
 Non-judgemental attitude
 Individualization
  Purposeful expression of feelings
 Controlled emotional involvement
 Confidentiality
 Self-determination (Mendoza)
 Worker self-awareness
 Client participation

G. THE HELPING RELATIONSHIP IN SOCIAL WORK

Relationship – (Perlman) a condition in which two persons with some interest between them,
long term or temporary, interact with feeling.

It exist when there is emotionally charged interaction between two people

It is an integral part of the helping process

Characteristics of good relationship

1. Accepting – recognizing client’s right to existence importance & value. Involves respect for
the person
2. Dynamic – forceful & energetic, in constant motion, advancing the movement to change.
3. Emotional – give & take of attitudes & feelings that build a relationship w/c may meet the
emotional needs of client. – Relationship is more emotional than intellectual.

Characteristics of helping relationship

4. Purposeful, Time Limited, Unequal

-it has purpose, directed towards a goal which is to help the client achieve an improved degree
in his psychosocial functioning
-once the goal is reached the case is closed & relationship is terminated

Role of Social Worker

Interventive roles – refer to the composite of activities and tasks that social worker is expected
to undertake in order to accomplish the goals agreed upon with the client

May be: direct – requires face to face interaction with client

Indirect – beyond direct interaction which do not require face to face relationship with client

Mediator – the social worker intervenes in disputes between parties to help them find
compromises, reconcile differences, and reach mutually satisfying agreements. The mediator
takes a neutral stance among the involved parties
Advocate – the social worker fights for the rights of those disempowered by society with the
goal of empowering the client. The social worker speaks on behalf of clients when clients are
unable to do so.\

Facilitator – Social worker are involved in gathering groups of people together for a variety of
purposes including community development, self-advocacy, political organization, and policy
change. Social workers are involved as group therapists and task group leaders.

Researcher – a social worker evaluates practice interventions and with others evaluates
program outcomes. The researcher critically analyze the literature on relevant topics of interest
and uses this information to inform practice.

I TOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK

What is a tool?
- “anything regarded as necessary in the carrying out of one’s occupation or profession.”

Main tools of social work:

1. Interviewing
2. Discussion
3. Referral

 These are used to communicate for the purpose of: enhancing psychosocial functioning
of a person facing a problem.

 These are necessary to establish & maintain relationship.

 Complimentary tool:
 Case recording

Tools of Social Work

Direct Tools:

1. Interviewing
-main tool in social work practice.
- a set of verbal & nonverbal interactions which is usually conducted between two people
although two or three others maybe participating now & then.
2. Discussion
- a type of verbal interaction, of informal conversation among a group of people. At best it is a
democratic experience for participants

3. Referral
– Process by which a client is helped to move on to another resource for service.

Tools of Social Work

Indirect tools:

Case Recording is an indirect tool of social work intervention because it enables the worker to
see for himself how a case is progressing so that he can make modification or changes
necessary to reach the goal of helping.

BASIC SKILLS IN SOCIAL WORK

What is a skill? (social work skill)

Capacity to set in motion with a client interventive processes of change based on social work
values & knowledge in situation relevant to the client

Competence in SW practice lies in developing skill in the social work methods and social work
techniques for intervention into problem situations.

Basic helping skills in social work

(N. Brill)

1. Differentiate diagnosis
2. Timing
3. Focusing
4. Partialization
5. Establishing partnership
6. Structuring
7. Case management added by social workers in the Phil.

TECHNIQUES IN SOCIAL WORK

Technique -systematic procedure by which a complex of scientific task is accomplished.

In social work: the procedure by which a skill is implemented.

Some techniques used direct practitioners in SW:

1. Small talk
2. Support
3. Exploration
4. Clarification
5. Universalization
6. Reward and Punishment
7. Role Rehearsal and demonstration
8. Confrontation
9. Conflict
10. Education and advice
11. Andragogy
12. Consciousness-raising