Social Work Principles

1. Acceptance of people as they are.

= respecting the client under any circumstances, an approach which is “an expression of a
compound of attitudes that are based on scientific assumptions about human behavior.
= she manifests a genuinely warm interest and concern in the client and his situation, in
the cause of the difficulty or problem, and in what can be done about it.
=does not mean approval of deviant attitudes or behavior. “The object of acceptance is
not the good but the real”, which means dealing with the client as he is in reality.
=acceptance also means that we recognizes that people have strengths and weaknesses,
and capacities and limitations. Part of acceptance is also the personal discipline with which the
worker is able to accept people eccentricities, their biases and prejudices.
=the accepting response to the client “disarm” him. The client then comes to realize that
his attitudes or behavior are inappropriate and unnecessary. The client’s response then its counter
acceptance. When mutual acceptance is present, then “rapport” or a positive client worker
relationships already exists.

2. Participation of the client in problem-solving.

= the client has a part in the entire problem-solving process. From the time that the
worker begins together information, the client is asked to provide pertinent facts, to present his
own perceptive of the situations, and is involved in defining the nature of the problem, and if
there are many problems, he is involved in prioritizing these problems.
= he participates in planning ways of resisting the problem, in thinking of possible
alternatives. He himself must act in relation to the problem, and not rely on the worker, to take
all the necessary actions that world solve his problem.
= a wise move would be to have the client understand from the beginning that his
participation is expected.

3. Self-determination as a right of the client.

= the individual (client of group, or community) has the right to determine what his needs
are and how they should be met. The client is capable of “self-help”.
=Social work not manipulate the client but will guide him so that he will be able to look
at his problem objectively, understand what choice or alternatives are open to him, their
implications and consequences, and make his own decisions. A client develops or regains her
self-respect and self-confidence when he realize that he is able to solve his own problems.

4. Individualization of client.

= involves the recognition and understanding of each client’s unique qualities and the
differential use of principles and methods in assisting each toward a better adjustment.
=every man is in certain respects; (Kluckhohn, Murray, Schneider)
a. Like all other man b) like some other men c) like no
other men
= this principle tell us to appreciate the fact that no two persons are exactly alike.
 = there is also a need to know the specific in every client’s situation. Individuals may
present the same problems to a worker, but the circumstances of the problem, the clients
individual perceptions and responses will be difficult.

5. Confidentiality
= to provide the client protection within the limits of the law, from harm that might result
from his divulging information to the worker.
=trust is an important element in a client-worker relationship.
=this means that what the client tells the worker is not dis

6. Worker Self-Awareness
 This principle means that the social worker is always conscious that her role is to
make use of her professional relationship with her client in a way that will
enhance primarily the client’s development rather than her own.
 The inability to control personal responses, even if they are positive responses,
can work to the disadvantage of a client.
 Self-discipline is crucial to the principle of worker self-awareness
 Conscious use of self includes the capacity to set limits when necessary

7. Client – Worker relationship (controlled emotional involvement)

 The relationship between worker and client in the means for carrying out the
social worker’s function.
 It should have an element of being controlled and purposive.
a. Purpose – is to help the client in some area of his social functioning in
which at the present time he is experiencing some difficulty, and whole the
worker, usually representing a social agency, is in some position to other help.
b. Direction – refers to where the relationship between worker and client
should move in order to achieve its purpose.
 Two (2) types of Concepts
1. Ambivalence – is the experience of having an attitude towards someone
or something that contains both positively and negatively violence
components.
 A simultaneous and contradictory attitude or feelings (such as
attraction and repression) toward an object, person or action.
2. Transference – is a concept from Freudian psych-therapy. It is believed
to take place when the client unconsciously transfers to the social worker
attribute or characteristics of some important or powerful persons in his
early life. A skilled worker will not encourage a prolonged transference,
even it if is positive, as this can encourage emotional dependency on the
part of the client.
 Counter-transference – is the worker’s unconscious response to the
client’s unconscious transference
 C. Essential Elements in Social Work Practice
(In the Problem-Solving Approach) by: Helen Harris Perlman

1. PERSON
 a product in process of becoming.
 An open system, continuously responsive to “input” and “feedback” from outside
itself.
 The Person in Environment is a living “whole” bio-psycho, social, spiritual, moral
being.

2. PROBLEM
 A problem in the current life situation of the help-seeker which disturb or hurts
the latter in some ways. Situations that may hamper the normal social functioning
of the person especially if not given appropriate action.
 Is usually some difficulty in person to person or task relationship.
 Important perspective on the problem is “partialization” and focus.

3. PLACE
 The particular organization, agency or social institution, the purposes of which
define its functions, services, and its areas of social concern.

4. PROCESS
 A progressive transaction between the professional helper and the client.
“A Problem Solving Process” – the Social Work Helping Process
 Assessment
 Planning
 Intervention or Plan Implementation
 Evaluation
 Termination