 It is the means through which the

agency’s purpose is achieved.

 It aims to achieve 2 things:
 1. to help the client to meet his need
or solve a problem;
 2. to provide him with fruitful coping
experiences which he may use later as
he goes through life.
Mary Richmond in 1921 divided
the process into 3:
1. study
2. diagnosis
3. treatment
 Naomi Brill in 1973 enumerated 9 steps:
 1. engagement
 2. assessment
 3. definition of the problem
 4. setting of goals
 5. selection of alternative methods of
intervention
 6. establishment of a contract
 7. action leading toward the desired goal
 8. evaluation
 9. continuation or termination
 Pincus and Minahan start with
problem assessment and data
collection.
 Helen Northen (1982) starts with
assessment, which includes problem
identification, data-gathering, and
planning the intervention.
 Hepworth and Larsen divided the
process into 3 phases:
 1. Exploration, assessment and
planning.
 2. Implementation and Goal
attainment
 3. Termination and evaluation.
 The helping process in Philippine
Casework follows the scientific
problem-solving method, consisting of
7 steps.
 1. Identification of the
problem.
 2. Data-gathering
 3. Diagnostic
Assessment
 4. Planning the solution
 5. Implementation
 6. Evaluation
 7. Termination or
Continuation
A.Intake
- The problem bothering the client is
identified during intake (also called
“application,” or “admission”).
- It becomes the starting point of data-
gathering.
- Here, the helping process
is set in motion.
1. To record the preliminary
identifying data about the client and
his/her request. (intake sheet)
2. To identify the presenting problem.
3. To establish the client’s presumptive
eligibility for assistance (if his needs
can be met by the agency; if not, refer
to another agency).
 The intake worker makes the initial
exploration of the problem.
 On the basis of his findings he forms a
tentative conclusion whether or not the
agency can help.
 The client forms a first impression of the
agency.
 The helping relationship may be said to
start at the first interview.
 Once the client is determined to be
eligible, data-gathering immediately
follows intake.
 It is also called “fact-finding: - process
of observation and classification of
facts and data gathered.
 The material gathered is recorded in a
professional record, the first part of
which is the social or case study.
 Interviews with the client himself
(primary source of information).
 Interviews with those significantly
involved in his situation – his social
milieu
 Records and documents
 Test and examinations
 Two types:
 A.) Initial history – for diagnosis and
focus (readily obtained in the initial
contact)
 B.) History as relieving a certain
emotional or traumatic experience
(within the treatment process).
 Observing client’s behavior – overt
and external.
 Listening to verbal and non-verbal
cues.
 Noticing the emotional undertones,
pauses and blockings in the giving
of information, evidence of
pain and anxiety.
 The opening paragraphs of the case
record constitute the case study.
 Should contain the 5 Ws: the Who
(person), the What (problem), the
Where, the When, and the Why or
How – the contributory factors
or How the problem came about.
 This constitutes the basis of the other
steps the worker will undertake in the
process of helping the person.
 This initial recording constitutes the
material which will enable the worker
to make a study of the case –
hence the term: case study.
Case Study.pptx
 Diagnosis is the worker’s professional
opinion as to the nature of the
presenting problem.
 It is to evaluate the client’s motivation
to use help and his capacity/strengths
to work on the problem, taking into
account the factors that precipitated
the problem.
 At this stage, the worker is able to
identify the (a) immediate problem; the
(b) underlying problem; and the (c)
working problem.
 Immediate Problem – that which is
causing the present difficulty.
 Underlying problem – that which tends
to perpetuate the immediate problem.
 Working problem – factors that may
stand in the way/process of treatment.
 Involves goal-setting, as well as
setting specific objectives, and
determination of strategies to be used.
 Plans may be: immediate, near
future, or long-term.
 The goal provides direction to the
efforts of both the client and the
worker.
 The goal and objectives must be
“SMART”
 S – specific
 M – measurable
 A – attainable
 R - realistic
 T – time-bound
 Criteria of selection of strategies and
approaches for accomplishing the goal
(N. Brill):
 1. Maximum feasibility – greatest
chance of producing the desired
result.
 2. Availability of resources
 3. Workability- can be carried out
 Intervention or treatment plans
should take into account the wishes of
the client and the worker’s
professional judgment whether they
area appropriate and achievable.
 Despite well laid out plans, alternative
courses of action may be necessary to
reach the goal.
These are the specific ways of
accomplishing the goals and
objectives, the roles and tasks
that have been defined.
The emphasis is on working
with rather than working for the
client.
 Two types of usual assistance:
 1. Material resources
 2. Therapeutic-educative experience
which the client may find useful later
in his life (e.g. reflective thinking,
evaluation of decisions, develop social
competence, more effective behavior,
inculcate values).
 This also requires the worker’s skill in
case management (i.e. the delivery of
social services).
 Case management is seeing to it that
what needs to be done is actually
carried out. This requires knowledge
of available resources, skill in utilizing
these resources, and creation of new
resources.
 Duration of service – this is setting a
time limit to the service within which
the desired change may be achievable.
 This is oftentimes left to the worker’s
professional judgment.
 It is to measure the impact of the
social worker’s intervention.
 Impact refers to the difference
between the pre-intervention
situation and/or behavior, and the
post-intervention situation and/or
behavior.
 Evaluation is based on the objectives
set.
 Usually takes place after every major
step in the treatment or intervention
phase.
 It enables the worker to determine the
progress and readiness of the client,
the quality of service, and the client’s
view of it.
 To see the results of what has been
done so far.
 2 kinds of evaluation:
 1. formative evaluation
 2. summative evaluation
 Formative or regular or periodic-
review, revise, assess.
 Summative or terminal– to focus on
the goals formulated
 2 measures used in evaluation:
 1. qualitative measures
 2. quantitative measures
 Qualitative - describes the situation
before and after intervention.
 Quantitative – uses ratings and
instruments.
 The case maybe terminated when:
 1. the goal has been achieved and service
completed;
 2. nothing further is to be gained by
continuing;
 3. the client requests termination;
 4. referral has been made to another
source for help;
 5. change has been stabilized; the client
can now manage by himself.
The case maybe continued
when the results of the action
indicate that some progress or
movement has been made but
not enough to satisfy either the
worker or the client.
 According to Hamilton:
“The painful aspects of terminating
relationships are diminished by the client’s
own growing sense of strength, by a
comforting feeling of improvement because
of the channeling of activities into ego-
building and enlarged social activities and
interests with the realization of the
worker’s continuing good will and the fact
that he can return to the agency if
necessary.”