FUNCTIONAL APPROACH

OF SOCIAL CASE WORK

Origin Of Functional Approach
• This approach was developed by faculty members of school of
social work of the university of Pennsylvania in the 1930s.
• Bertha Reynolds’ contributed more on developing the functional
approach
• The functional approach in social case work originated in the
1950s as a response to the limitations of traditional
psychoanalytic and diagnostic approaches. It was developed by
social work practitioners and scholars who sought a more
systematic and goal-oriented approach to helping individuals and
families in need.
PRINCIPLES
• 1. Person-in-Environment Perspective: The functional approach
emphasizes the importance of understanding individuals within
the context of their environment. Social workers consider the
individual’s relationships, roles, and social systems when
developing interventions and plans.
• 2. Strengths-Based Perspective: The functional approach focuses
on identifying and enhancing the strengths and resources of
individuals. Social workers emphasize the client’s abilities, skills,
and existing support networks rather than solely focusing on their
deficits or weaknesses.
PRINCIPLES
• 3. Goal-Oriented Approach: Social workers using the functional
approach work collaboratively with clients to establish clear and
measurable goals. These goals are developed based on the
client’s needs and aspirations, and interventions are designed to
help the client achieve these goals.
• 4. Empowerment: The functional approach aims to enhance the
client’s sense of empowerment and self-determination. Social
workers support clients in developing their problem-solving skills,
decision-making abilities, and overall ability to advocate for
themselves.
PHASES
• 1. Initial Phase: The initial phase involves building a rapport and
establishing a working relationship with the client. Social workers
collect relevant information, conduct an initial assessment, and
identify the client’s strengths, needs, and goals. This phase also
includes the establishment of the client-worker agreement,
setting boundaries, and developing trust.
• Beginning* :- (Intake procedures and getting started”)
Each new beginning recreates the life fear, the fear separation,
individualization, the fear of not experiencing,etc. It is the worker’s
sensitivity to what is involved in particular beginning. What will
makes him to reduce the fear, resistance etc.Making the unknown
known by being clear about is agency’s, service, and its conditions
to avail the service, what ca be expected from the agency and what
is the requirements and expectations of agency”.
• “The known is the less fear and more manageable than the
unknown
 *Middles* :
Middles are characterized by the worker taking increased
responsibility for his part in the situation and / by a deepening
of the relationship involved. The worker must make efforts to
deeper the relationship, and make it possible to gain a new
sense of accomplishment and power through bring something
to conclusion
Endings* :
Endings have their own feelings and quality. Ending may be
resisted and feared. Clients may resist and postpone endings
even after the relationship has lost its meaning or is to be
terminated under the conditions of agency service.
Ending are inevitable for every beginning there is an ending.
PHASES
• 2. Assessment Phase: The assessment phase involves gathering
comprehensive information about the client’s current situation,
including their strengths, challenges, resources, and
environmental factors. Social workers utilize various assessment
tools, such as interviews, questionnaires, and standardized tests,
to gain a holistic understanding of the client’s needs. The
assessment also involves identifying the client’s internal and
external resources and their capacity for change.
PHASES
• 3. Helping Process Phase: The helping process phase focuses on
developing and implementing interventions to address the client’s
identified needs and goals. Social workers collaborate with the
client to design an intervention plan that is tailored to their unique
circumstances. The intervention may involve a combination of
individual counseling, group work, family therapy, community
support, and linking the client with appropriate resources.
Throughout this phase, social workers continuously evaluate the
progress and make adjustments to the intervention plan as
necessary.
• STEPS IN TREATMENT
1.Use of time
2.Understanding the individual
3. Use of agency function
4 Use of structure
5.Principles of process
• TARGET:
The functional approach is applicable to all fields of practice for
social work and to all the social work methods both primary (case
work, group work,community organization ) we deals with client or
client system directly andsecondary (supervision, Administration,
Research and education for socialwork)
CONCLUSION
• In summary, the functional approach in social case work
emphasizes understanding individuals within their environment,
focusing on strengths, setting clear goals, and empowering clients
to enhance their own well-being. The three phases of the
functional approach, namely the initial, assessment, and helping
process phase, guide social workers in providing effective and
client-centered interventions.
THANK YOU