Swastika National Business School

Urwastore, Mangalore-06

Social Case Work

I BSW – II SEMESTER

1
Unit–I : Introduction to Social Case Work

1. Social Case Work: Concept, Nature, Scope, Objectives and Importance

2. Historical Development of Social Case work

3. Problems Faced by Individuals and Families

Unit–II : Components, Principles and Process of Social Case Work

1. Components of Social Case Work (Person, Problem, Place, and Process)

2. Principles of Social Case Work

3. Process of Social Work: Intake, Psycho-social study, Psycho- Social

Assessment/ Social Diagnosis, Treatment/ Intervention, Evaluation,

Termination and Follow up

Unit-III : Tools, Techniques and Skills of Social Case Work

1. Case Work Relationship, Rapport Building and Resource Mobilization

2. Communication skills, Observation, Listening, Interviewing and Home Visits

3. Recording in Social Case work

Unit-IV : Approaches and Practice of Social Casework

1. Task Centered Approach

2. Social Psychological Approach

3. Problem Solving Approach and Integrated approach

4. Role of social Case worker in different settings: Medical, School, Elderly care Homes,

Correctional, and Rehabilitation Centres.

2
Unit–I Introduction to Social Case Work

Chapter No.1 : Social Case Work: Concept, Nature, Scope, Objectives and Importance

Chapter No.2: Historical Development of Social Casework

Chapter No.3: Problems Faced by Individuals and Families

Chapter No.1 : Social Case Work: Concept, Nature, Scope, Objectives and Importance

Introduction:

Social Case Work is a primary method of social work, is concerned with the adjustment and
development of individual towards more satisfying human relationships

Adjustment and Development in the following area

1. Better family life

2. More hospitals and medical care facilities
3. Improve schools
4. Protected economic conditions
5. Better housing
6. Better relationship between religious groups

It depends on the use of the resources by human. Due to certain factors, internal/external
individual fails to attain these facilities. Social case worker helps such individuals.

Social Case Work is one to one relationship, which works in helping individual for his
adjustment and development.

Every individual react differently to his social/economic and physical environment, such
problem differ from one to another.

Social Case Work is Humanistic approach or attempt for helping people who have difficulty
in coping with problem of daily life.

Social Case Work is a direct method of social work which uses the case by case approach for
dealing individual or families as regards their problem of social functioning.

Social Case Work aims at individualised service in order to help client to adjust with the
environment.

3
Concept of Social Casework

In the words of Gordon and Hamilton “social casework which is both a tool and area of work
consists of processes which develop personality through adjustment consciously affect
individual by individual between man and his social environment”. Miss Richmond gives this
definition of casework. “Social casework is art of doing different things for and with different
people by cooperating with them to achieve at one and at the same time their own and their
society’s betterment.”

Thus it is both art and science of resolving individual problems in social area, for individual
and society are interdependent and social forces influence behaviour and attitude of an
individual. The focus of each branch is different but the practice of these three branches is not
mutually exclusive. Social casework is concerned with individual and his adjustment to life
and general social welfare. It does not concentrate on individual to the exclusion of social
factors. In other words the basic objective of social casework is to promote social welfare
with basic focus on individuals.

Basic Assumptions of Social Casework

 The main work of social casework is to enable an individual in solving a problem

through self-efforts. The social worker’s job is to provide adequate help and guidance.
 According to Hamilton the chief assumptions of social casework are:
 Individual and society are interdependent and complimentary to each other.
 Various factors operative in the society influence human behaviour and attitude.
 Some problems are psychological and some are interpersonal in nature.
 In the process of social casework conscious and controlled relations are established
for achieving its aims.
 Social casework enables an individual to solve his/ her problems by channelising
his/her energy and capacity positively.
 Social casework provides everyone equal right to progress. It also provides help to
every needy and disabled person.2

Definitions of Social Case Work

Mary Richmond(1915) – “Social Case Work may be defined as the art of doing different
things with different people, co-operating with them to achieve some of their own and
society’s betterment”. (Book on Social Diagnosis -1917)

4
Mary Richmond (1917) –”Social Case Work is the art of bringing about better adjustment in
the social relationship of individual men or women or children”.

Queen (1732) – “Social Case Work is the art of adjusting personal relationship”.

Lee (1923) –”Social Case Work is the art of changing human attitude”.

Hollis (1954) – “Social Case Work is a method employed by social worker to help individual
find resolution to problems of social adjustment which they are unable to handle in
satisfactory way by their own efforts”.

Nature and Characteristics of Social Case Work:

 Relationship arise out of shared and emotionally charged situation

 Relationship contains elements of acceptance, expectation, support and stimulation
 Client and case worker are interdependent
 Case work relationship may have several therapeutic values
 Improvement of condition
 More and better adjustment within the society
 Development of personality
 Capacity building
 Case worker has relationship reaction
 Social agencies
 Application by the client for agency’s assistance
 Continuing service towards clients and their problem
 Case work ends at the stage when client no longer need agency assistance

Scope of Social Case Work:

 Medical- Medical and psychiatric social work

 Family- marital, women and child counselling
 Correctional setting
 Educational setting- schools, colleges and universities
 Child welfare settings
 Corporate setting- companies and industries

Objectives of Social Case Work:

5
 1. To Understand and Solve the Internal problems of the individual
2. To Strengthen his/her ego Power
3. Remediation of problem in Social functioning
4. Prevention of Problems in Social Functioning
5. Development of resources to enhance Social Functioning
6. To Make Good Support with Common people
7. Problem Identification & Exploration

Importance of Social Case work:

Everyone is a part of society, and everyone has varied social tasks and
responsibilities. Individuals face a variety of obstacles in performing their roles and
responsibilities, all of which obstruct their ability to function as social beings.
Every person is unique, having distinct demands than others in society and a different
approach to dealing with life problems. To comprehend the diversity of human
behaviour and individual variances, one must first comprehend the human being in
relation to his or her social context and life experiences. A person is the result of
biological, psychological, and environmental variables interacting. Case Work helps to
solve the problem of the people who have difficulty in coping with problems of daily living.
It helps the client to adjust with the environment of the individual. It helps to develop
personality through adjustment (i.e. between men & his social environment) its helps the
individual to cope more effectively with their problem in social functioning. It helps the
individuals to understand his personality, behaviour and social relationships and to assist him
in working out a better social and personal adjustment. It helps to adjusting personal
relationship and change human attitudes. It helps the individuals to find solution to the
problems.
Examples of Case work areas:

1. Social Disorganization
2. Social Problems
3. Social deviance
4. Delinquency and crime
5. Family disorganization
6. Urbanization and Urban Problems
7. Adjustment Problem

6
Chapter No.2: Historical Development of Casework

Historical Development of Casework in West

Concept of Charity & Philanthropy:

Reaching out to those in need has always been the way of life in all societies of the ancient.
This feeling of goodwill and humaneness was common among early church and
philanthropists, who pooled in services to relieve the effects of poverty, console the poor,
care for vulnerable groups like deprived children, the ailing and the elderly as well as
correctional work with the delinquents. Orphanages and homes for the elderly were typical
results of these activities. Charity was based on the principal criterion of worthiness in
determining allocation of aids to those in need.

Elizabethan Poor Law

In 1558 Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne and enacted the Elizabethan Poor Law in 1601,
which had its based on the concept of charity. The Poor law in the intention of sorting out
services and to cater to the needs of those living in sub-standard conditions categorized
people into:

1. Able body poor

2. Impotent poor

3. Dependent children

The Law by itself was an important effort on part of the government to enlist categories of
people in need of help and render services accordingly. The Law also marks an important
landmark of reiterating the role & responsibilities of governments in framing policies to
address the needs of its people. However, Administrative loopholes and corruption led to the
failure of the law, which was supposed to cater to the needs of the vulnerable group. The
situation of the poor continued to be worse and flourishing charity & philanthropic groups
sustained their best in providing relief services to the unfortunate.

Association for Improving the Conditions of the Poor.

The Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor (A.I.C.P.) formed in America in
1843 approached the problem of poverty more individually than had been previously it was.

7
The aims of A.I.C.P. were to visit the poor at homes, to give counsel, to assist them
practically in obtaining employment, to instill in them self-respect and self-reliance, to
inculcate the habits of economy and whenever absolutely necessary to provide such relief as
should be suited to their wants.

Charity Organization Society in England & USA

Charity Organization Society was started in England in the year 1869. One of the key
contributions of the COS to social work was its clear view of the cause of many social
problems in England. London was beset with a „mass of chronic pauperism, beggary and
crime‟, behind which lay „an appalling amount of genuine misfortune. In the late nineteenth
century, the influx of immigrants from Europe and England to America increased rapidly
resulting in a gradual increase in the number of poor, sick and unemployed people. This in
turn led to an inadequacy on part of the local governments to meet the basic needs such as
shelter, money and food of these populations. Eight years after the COS was established in
London the first city-wide Charity Organization was founded in the year 1877 in USA. By
1885, the number of Charity Organization Societies exceeded one hundred throughout the
USA.

Initiation of Training & Education

The COS recognized that effective work required a level of training of those people
undertaking it. Indeed, one of its most significant legacies to social work was the
development of systematic programmes of education and training for the role of the social
worker. Towards the end of the 19th century the New York School of Philanthropy was
established which engaged itself in providing the „paid agents‟ assistance to get trained in the
art of undertaking an investigation, arrive at a diagnosis and draw out a treatment plan for
individual clients and families.

The conference which was organized for the employees of charity associations in 1873 was
the first step taken to realize this need. It was followed by a summer school in New York in
1898. Then, the first school of social work was opened in Amsterdam in 1899. In New York,
a school of social work was opened in 1904. Its training period was one year. In 1917, its
training period was doubled. As a result of all this, social work education with individual
method was involved in the curriculum of the school as a separate subject.

Major Landmarks in the History of Casework Development

8
Contribution of Friendly Visitor

Friendly Visitors was first used in 1877 by American Charity Organization Society for its
volunteers. Citizens of England with the object of helping poor people founded this society.
These people had funds to help poor and needy. They were kindhearted volunteers who
visited poor families to assess their needs and to provide help, guidance and advice. They
made their visits in act of charity and not expecting any monetary rewards.

The role of Friendly Visitor was educational one and goal was to improve the character
through personal influence. Living advice and being model were two methods by which the
visitor influenced the client and there can be no doubt that some of them did exert a
wholesome personality influence in difficult personal and family situation.

Friendly Visitors was subsequently supplemented by the term “Paid Agents”. These Paid
Agents developed systematic procedures in performing their task. They collected data about
the needy individuals and families and helped them after assessing their needs.

Contribution of Mary Richmond

Mary Richmond for first time used the term “Case Work” to denote the process of working
with individuals in the conference held for the employees of the charity associations. In the
words of Richmond “Social diagnosis is the attempt to arrive at as exact a definition as
possible of social situation and personality of the given client.

Richmond found that diagnosis is a process consisting sequence of steps in order to facilitate
the worker to arrive finally at his/her definition of social situation and personality of client.
The sequence of steps was as under:

1. Interview with client

2. Contact with his family and near ones Search of inside and outside sources for
cooperation

3. The interpretation of information collected.

Contribution of Freudian Theory

Today, as in the past, many social workers---not only those who specialize in psychoanalysis-
--draw on Freudian theory in their efforts to understand human behavior. In 1918, the first

9
psychoanalytically oriented school of social work, Smith College School for Social Work,
was founded to teach students about Sigmund Freud’s ideas and their application to practice,
Freud’s influence is found in many areas of casework. His greatest influence was however on
caseworker- client relationship. Previously clients were persuaded, convinced or even
coerced into accepting the caseworker suggestions and ideas. But now the caseworker worker
with client by listening and honoring the client’s self-expression.

Informally, a few psychoanalysts did provide training and supervision to social workers and
in 1948 social workers were first accepted at the psychoanalytic institutes of the National
Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis, and the Postgraduate Centre for Mental
Health, both in New York. Organizations such as the American Psychoanalytic Association,
which earlier had prevented social workers, dropped their prohibitions against admitting
social workers.

Historical Development of Casework in India

American case work influenced India as the first professional social workers who did case
work in the Indian settings were trained in the American Schools of Social Work. Case work
was taught when the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work currently known as
the Tata Institute of Social Sciences was started in Bombay at 1936.

It became a method of practice in helping people with their problems of social functioning.
Some social welfare agencies employed case workers particularly with the purpose of helping
their clients in a one to one relationship. Currently the so called case workers are attached to
some welfare agencies are not trained case workers and those professionally trained social
workers who use the method of case work considerably in their work are not given the
designation of case workers as they are likely to use other methods as well.

Social case work is primarily related with the psycho social problems. It consists of the study
of mental, emotional and social factors. As according to Prof. Gordan Hamilton, A social
case is a living event within which there are always economic, physical, mental, emotional
and social factors in varying proportion. After the World War II, with the problems of
morale, leadership, propaganda, separation, communication etc. social workers found social
sciences more useful. Interest in social environment along with ego psychology received
more attention. Many new trends are coming forth and possibly no definition will ever be
able to cover all the changes and trends emerging from time to time.

10
Casework in India Indian culture and religions advocate the need to help the poor
and needy. There is also a tradition of knowledgeable individuals providing advice
and support to others, for example Krishna gave advice and support to Arjun at the
beginning of the Mahabharat war. The Hindu Shastras also emphasized on giving
which may be in the form of wealth, knowledge and wisdom. In Buddhism help
should be given to relatives and friends. In Islam alms was given by the fortunate to
the State and used for welfare of needy.

Christian missionaries in India also started activities which aimed at helping the
poor. But these efforts were paternalistic in nature and did not aim at making the
individual independent. Further, the relationship in these instances was not
professional. Thus there exists an important difference between modern professional
casework and traditional helping of needy individuals. Education of social workers
in India started with the training of volunteers engaged in charity and relief
activities. In 1911 N.M. Joshi had established Social Service League in Mumbai.
This league conducted training programme for volunteers who are at the service of
people suffering from famines, epidemics, floods and such other disasters and also
who conducted welfare programmes among the poor and the destitute.

The first professional social workers who did casework in the Indian settings were
trained in the American School of Social Work. In 1936 Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate
School of Social Work, now known as Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), was
started to impart training to those who had a University degree in the field of social
service. Thus, the training for the social work was changed into a full time career
oriented educational programme.

Casework as a theoretical course and as a method of practice in the academic programme

started from the year 1946. Initially social casework was practiced in relatively few agencies
and institutions but nowadays social casework is practiced in many agencies, institutions and
organisation such as hospitals, clinics, courts, industry, military organisation, family welfare
agency, child welfare agency, institution for the aged, destitute, orphans etc.

11
Chapter No.3: Problems Faced by Individuals and families:Problems may be caused due
to the non-fulfillment of needs or inability to perform his social roles. The social roles are
connected with being a parent, spouse, wage-earning worker, etc

Causes of Human Problems:

Problem of social functioning causes distress to the individuals. Casework method tries to
resolve individual problems through scientific approach.

According to Encyclopedia of Social Work Vol.1, the reason for human problems may be
divided into five categories:

1) Lack of material resources

2) Misconception about the situation and relationships and lack of appropriate information

3) Illness or health problems related to a disability

4) Emotional distress resulting from stressful situations

5) Personality features or deficiencies

Grace Mathew undertook a survey of 200 casework records, which was based on the reports
of casework services rendered for the clients in India. From the sample obtained from Survey
of Casework Record; the problems can be categorized as follows:

1) Problems related to illness and disabilities

2) Problems due to lack of material resources

3) School related problems

4) Problems related to institutionalization

5) Behavior problems

6) Problems of marital discord

7) Problem situations needing a follow-up service

8) Needs related to rehabilitation of people handicapped by disabilities

9) Predicaments and difficulties of client caught up in problems that have been regarded as
12
social problems like gambling, prostitution, alcoholism, drug addiction and unmarried
motherhood. Broadly we can say that in a society many problems are associated with the
individual and the prime aim of casework is to resolve individual problems in order to help
him/her to be independent and effective in social functioning.

13
Unit–II Components, Principles and Process of Social Case Work

Chapter No.4: Components of Social Case Work (Person, Problem, Place, and Process)

Chapter No.5: Principles of Social Case Work

Process of Social Work: Intake, Psycho-social study, PsychoSocial
Chapter No.6: Assessment/ Social Diagnosis, Treatment/ Intervention, Evaluation,
Termination and Follow up

Chapter No.4: Components of Social Case Work (Person, Problem, Place, and

Process) The Person:

A Person Behaviour has purpose and meaning to gain Satisfaction, to Avoid or dissolve
Frustration and to maintain balance in moments. A person Behaviour depends upon the
Functioning of his/ her personality Structure. The personality is a product of Continuous
interaction with physical psychological, Social and Environment experience. A person is also
a product of present process & future process. A Person Being and becoming behaviour is
shaped and judged by the culture and social role. A person who comes as client to social
agency is always under stress

*(Write about Nature of Individual)

The Problem:

 Problem are those which vitally affect person’s social functioning

 The multifaced and dynamic nature of clients problem makes the case worker to
select some of its part as a unit of case work
 Problem in any part of a human being’s living to end to have chain reaction
CAUSE > EFFECT > CASUSE
 Any problem has an objective and subjective significance quality and intensity of our
feeling
 External ( objective) and internal (subjective) coexist as well as cause of the other
 The nature of the problem the person brings to social agency makes the person as a
client.

*(Write about individual problem)

14
The Place:

 The social agency is an organisation upon the social welfare and community decides
the need of the agency
 Each social agency develop the specific programme in a particular area of need
 Social agency depends upon factors like money, knowledge, competence of agency
staff the interest, resources available and support of the community.
 Social agency has a structure by which it organizes and delegates its responsibilities
and task.
 It has governing policies and procedure hierarchy, designation,
operation of table among workers.
 Social agency is a living, adaptable organism, understood and changed past, present
and future not static and fixed.
 Case worker is represented in individualized problem solving help.
 Case worker speaks and acts for the agency
 Case worker in the agency represent the profession, committed to the philosophy that
guides the practice of social work profession
 Agency – private / public
 Agency – primary / secondary
 Agencies are based on various functions:
Example: child welfare, family welfare, education, etc..,
 Each social agency vary from one to another based on their source of support,
professional authority, clients they serve, service they offer, goals of the agency.

The Process:

The intent of case work process is to engage the person in working on and coping
with the problem that confront him/ her.

People’s normal blockage to solve problem are

 Lack of material provision

 Ignorance or
 Drained out of emotional & physical energy
 High in emotional feeling

15
  Emotions govern thinking and action
Not developed systematic habits/ planning.

The means of process:

 Therapeutic Relationship
 Systematic and flexible way
 Opportunity and

aids The components of

process

 Study (fact finding)

 Diagnosis ( goal oriented explanation )
 Treatment (Action upon the problem)

Chapter No.5: Principles of Social case work

1. Individualization
2. Purposeful expression of feeling
3. Controlled emotional involvement
4. Self determination
5. Acceptance
6. Non judgemental attitude
7. Principal of confident ability

-Principles of individualization

Individualization is the recognition and understanding of each client 's unique qualities and
the differential use of principles and methods in assisting each towards a better adjustment.
No personal are alike their problem may be the same but the cause of the problem may differ.
Individualization is based upon the right of human beings to be individuals and to be treated
not just as a human being but a human being with these personal differences.

Principles of purposeful expression of feeling

Purposeful expression of the feeling is the recognition of the client's need to express his/her
feeling freely. Here the caseworker listen carefully neither discouraging nor condemning the

16
expression of the feeling. Sometimes stimulation and encouraging them when they are
therapeutically useful as a part of the social casework process and service.

Principles of Control emotional involvement

Whenever the client is expressing his or her problem the worker must respond to all the
feelings of the client with all his knowledge and principles without emotionally involved.
The control of emotional involvement in the case worker's sensitivity to the client feeling and
un understanding of their meaning,

Principle of Client self determination.

The principles of client self-determination are the practical recognition of the right and need
of the client to freedom in making own choice and decision in the casework process. The
caseworkers have the corresponding duty to respect the right of the client and allow them to
make and take their decision.

Principles of accetptance

Principles of Acceptance are defining about accepting the client as the way he or she is in
life. The principles where the caseworker perceived and deals with the client as he really is
including his strength and weakiness.his congenial and uncongenial qualities, his positive and
negative attitudes, his constructive and deconstructive without any prejudices. The worker
should not feel hostile toward client behavior differ from the approved one. The purpose of
acceptance is a therapeutic approach to help the social caseworker to understand the client as
he really is, thus making casework more effective the principles o acceptance is significantly
important.

Principles of nonjudgmental attitudes

Nonjudgemental attitudes are the quality of the caseworker relationship. It is based on the
conviction that the worker should not judge the client on the basis of the problem and
circumstances of the client.

Principles of confidentiality

Confidentiality is the preservation of the secret information regarding details of the client
including the problem. The social caseworker plays very crucial roles in keeping the
information given by the client during the casework process as secrete as possible. In social

17
casework, the principles of keeping the information confidential is the right of the client . It is
an ethical practice and obligation of the social caseworker,

The principles of social caseworkers are applied to establish meaningful relationships

between client and social caseworker. Relationship are the medium through which changes
are brought in the behavior and personality of the client.

Chapter No.6: Process of Social Work: Intake, Psycho-social study, PsychoSocial

Assessment/ Social Diagnosis, Treatment/ Intervention, Evaluation, Termination and
Follow up

Process of Social Case Work

Intake

Psycho-social study

Psycho social assessment (social diagnosis)

Treatment / intervention

Evaluation

Termination

Follow up

18
 1. Intake:
 It is an administrative procedure to person with problem as a client to agency
 Skilful Probing into the clients problem, mopping up all relevant areas of the person
in his situation

Areas of Intake

 The stage of the problem

 The nature of request, relation to the problem and cause as the client see
 Request to the need/ problem
 Adjustment to social function in job, family, school
 Physical and mental health stage
 Appearance and dressing in the first meeting
 Personal & social resources ( marketing & financial )
 Appropriation and intensity of Feeling
 Nature of defence mechanisms
 Level of motivation to get rid of the problem
 Nature of family ( status, values, relationship etc)
 At this stage which gender case worker will handle the case will be decided

2. Psycho social study:

The case worker must secure all and every fact that taken together, through logical
and inferential reasoning, client personality understanding and his problem for
appropriate intervention
 An collection of facts about the clients and his situation is called as psycho social
study
 It is study because it communicates the real and complete nature of activities under
taken during this place
 The case worker can make initial assessment for diagnosis
 It requires the analysis of social, psychological and biological determinants of the
clients situation
 It includes the historical data of past life experiences
 Questionnaires, observation, interview and recording are method of study

19
Contents of case work study

@ Nature of the presenting problem

@ Significance of the problem

@ Effort made to cope with problem solving

@ Nature of Solution from Case work Agency

@ Nature of the agency and its relation to the client & problem

Format:

 History of the problem

 Personal history
 Family History
 Problematic Areas

3. Psycho-social assessment diagnosis:

Social diagnosis is the attempt to arrive at an exact definition as possible of the social
situation and personality of a given client

Contents:

 Nature of the problem brought and goals sought by the client

 Nature of the person with problem who seek / need help
 Nature and purpose of the agency and kind help it can offer

4. Intervention / Treatment ( problem Solving Process)

Treatment is the sum of all activities and services directed towards helping an individual with
problem. The focus is relieving of the immediate problem and modifies basic difficulties
which precipitated it.

Objectives of Treatment

1. To Present Social Breakdown

2. To Conserve Clients Strength

20
 3. To restore social functioning
4. To provide happy experience to the client.
5. To create opportunities for growth and development
6. To compensate psychological damage
7. To increase capacity for self direction
8. To increase his social contribution

Method of Social Treatment:

1. Administration of concrete and practical service

Example: money, medical care, legal aid etc..,
2. Indirect treatment ( Modification of environment, both physical and social)
Example: camp, group activity, training Programme etc..,
3. Direct Treatment:
 Counselling
 Therapeutic interviewing
 Classification
 Interpretation and insight
 Psychological Support
 Resource utilization
 Environment modification

4. Monitoring and Evaluation:

Monitoring provide crucial feedback to case worker & the client regarding

1. Success of the treatment

2. Achievement of goal
3. Modification of the programme if required
4. Usefulness of the treatment for client

Importance of Monitoring and Evolution:

 The purpose of evolution is to see the effort by the case worker are giving result and
achieving the goal

21
 It is a process of attaching value to social work
 It is a continues process
 Meaningful utilization of methods
 Ongoing validation of needs
 Providing to public that case work methods are effective and beneficial to the clients
 Case worker has to accountable
 Services may be over Lapping and ineffective
 Develops public relation of the agency
 Clients give feedback on effective effectiveness of agency service

6. Follow up and Termination:

* A case worker can terminate the case by discussing goals and objective, achievements],
factors helpful, obstacles and efforts needed to maintain the level of achievement

* I5 important to discuss termination and implication Several times before final interview.

*The frequency of interaction must decrease gradually

*Follow up is done to help client in maintaining the improvement

* During follow up difficulties are discussed.

* If required proper reference can be done.

* Follow up should be in diminishing basis.

1. After two weeks

2. After a month

3. Three months

4. Six months

5. After a year and final termination

22
Unit-III Tools, Techniques and Skills of Social Case Work

Chapter No.7 : Case Work Relationship, Rapport Building and Resource Mobilization
Chapter No.8 : Communication skills, Observation, Listening, Interviewing and Home
Visits
Chapter No.9: Recording in Social Case work

Chapter No.7: Case Work Relationship

Casework client relationship is different from other relationships that exist in society at large
like the parent-child relationship, teacher-pupil, friend-friend and colleague-colleague. The
casework relationship differs from other relationships on a number of points. One needs to
analyse and compare other relationships with casework relationship keeping in mind the
levels of equality, mutual benefits being derived, presence and the level of emotional
involvement in the relationship.

Firstly, it may be borne in mind that casework relationship is temporary in nature. It begins
with the referral of the client to the caseworker with a problem and terminates after the
completion of the casework process and treatment. Parent- child relationship or relationships
between siblings are lifelong relationships as they are tied by blood and kinship.

Secondly, the emotional component in the casework relationship is not very deep and
penetrating. This is unlike the relationships that exist between the spouses, parent- child or
siblings. Though casework process is an emotionally charged one, it is operationalized in
such a way that the expression of emotions is controlled and purposeful, focusing towards
achieving clear cut goals of client’s well being and treatment. Such an approach is missing in
the relationships cited above.

The third difference between casework relationship and others, is based on the levels of
equality and mutuality. The caseworker and the client are fundamentally equal as human
beings. In a casework relationship however, caseworker takes on the role of a professional
helper while client is the person who needs help. Thus the grounds of equality are not
uniform since in this relationship, caseworker is the person having knowledge, skills and is
assigned to help the client through a professional relationship.

23
Client on the hand is a person having some maladjustment and in need of professional help.
Thus, this type of relationship is not based on mutual help and equality. One can also
compare the casework relationship with that of a teacher-pupil relationship, which is more on
an intellectual level.

Attributes of Casework Relationship

Casework relationship goes much beyond merely a friendly relationship between the
caseworker and the client. Clients bring into the casework relationship their feelings, attitudes
and behaviour which they have experienced with others. The client therefore tends to react to
the casework situation in a manner derived from his/her personal experiences. Casework
focusses on understanding the client, his/ her psychosocial needs and making a ‘contact’ to
build the relationship.

1) Warmth: Warmth connotes some positive, lively, outgoing interest in another person
(or object or activity), a spontaneous reaching out to take in another with pleasure or
compassion. By exhibiting an open, ‘warm’ attitude, caseworker is able to convey to
the client his/her openness and concern to understand the client’s problem, client’s
attitudes and sharing of experiences. Warmth is demonstrated by the worker when
he/she attends to the client with attention, listens patiently, gives confidence and
conveys an understanding of the client’s problem. By this he gains trust of his client.
2) Empathy: Empathy means feeling with and into another person, being able to get into
the other person’s shoes. It may occur spontaneously30 or may be a carefully learnt
‘listening with the third ear’ and responding in tune to the other person. Empathy
involves looking at a situation/ case from another person’s perspective. Through
empathy, the caseworker is able to convey to the client his/her understanding of
client’s problem with accuracy and ‘oneness’.
3) Genuineness: To be genuine and congruent, the caseworker relies on his/her own
moment to moment felt experiences in the relationship with the client. To be genuine
is to free of pretension. It is to have a sense of wholeness of being put together, of
knowing who and what one is, what one’s guiding values are, and as a result of being
on fairly good terms with oneself. Genuineness is the product of life experiences that
make it possible to be self observant, self aware and self accepting of strengths and
limitations.

24
 4) Authority: Authority is an essential element of caseworker client relationship.
Authority has been referred to by Perlman (1979) as ‘ableness’ to be used for the
client and not over or against the client. Authority in a casework relationship does not
mean domination or willful imposition. Client has the right to accept, reject or modify
advice given by the worker. Authority rather conveys the meaning of carrying those
rights and powers that are inherent in special knowledge and are vested in special
functions.
5) Transference and Counter Transference: The most frequently encountered necessity to
‘work’ a relationship occurs with the phenomenon called transference or transference
reactions. To any emotionally charged relationship, each of us bring conscious and
unconscious feelings and attitudes that originally arose in or still belong to the earlier
important relationships.
Transference is a dynamic that occurs in therapy between the client and the therapist.
Transference is when the client redirects (transfers) an unconscious feeling, desire, or
expectation from another person toward their therapist. For example, a therapist may
remind a client of her mother. Then, without the client even realizing it, she begins
engaging with the therapist as she does her own mother. Transference can actually
help the therapist identify patterns of relational interaction occurring in the client’s
life.
Countertransference is essentially the reverse of transference. In contrast to
transference (which is about the client’s emotional reaction to the therapist),
countertransference can be defined as the therapist’s emotional reaction to the client.
Similarly to transference, countertransference is a common occurrence in therapy.
Because of this, it is essential that we as therapists are aware of how
countertransference may be showing up in therapy. We may observe
countertransference occurring when we have a strong emotional reaction towards a
client. One common example of countertransference is when a therapist finds herself
feeling protective and parental towards a client, as that client may be reminding her of
her own child (or someone else she feels protective of in her life).

Rapport Building

Rapport is a state of harmonious understanding with another individual or group that enables
greater and easier communication. In other words rapport is getting on well with another
person, or group of people, by having things in common; this makes the communication
25
 process easier and usually more effective.

Client’s Need in Rapport Building

1. They need to feel welcome.

2. They need to feel comfortable.
3. They need to be understood.
4. They need assistance.
5. They need to feel important9
6. They need to be recognized.
7. They need to be treated with respect.
8. They need to be listened to.
9. They need prompt service.
10. They need to trust you.

26
Resource Mobilization:

Resource mobilization is considered to be an integral part of the helping process wherein the
social worker has to mobilize the much needed resources for the betterment of the
client/group/community.
Resource mobilization may be defined as a management process that involves identifying
people who share the same values as your organization, and taking steps to manage that
relationship. Looking closely at this definition, one can see that resource mobilization is
actually a process that involves three integrated concepts:
The key concepts are:
 Organizational management and development
 Communicating and prospecting
 Relationship building.

Resource mobilization involves the following steps:

 Reviewing the organizational strategic plan for a specific period of time

 Listing out priority based programmes for the period
 Determining resource mobilization targets which include amount and potential sources
 Identifying constituencies and broadening stakeholders
 Developing key messages and planning the networking strategies
 Reviewing and selecting resource mobilization strategies from planning to implementation
 Gearing up for resource mobilization namely the implementation

Importance of resource mobilization:

1. To diversify and expand resources.
2. Resource Mobilization helps to formulate an independent budget.
3. To spend in the program of the organization objectives
4. To decrease dependency on others.
5. For sustainability of the organization and program.
6. For maximum use of domestic capital and skills.
7. To expand deep relations with the stakeholder and community.
8. To fulfill responsibilities towards the community.
9. To run programs based on the genuine needs of the community and to advocate for
27
 such programs.
10. To disseminate the good practices of the organization.
11. To enhance the dignity of one's Organization.

The various types of resources have been classified as below:

Money/Cash
Wealth/Cash is essential in order to run the existing programs, pay cost of goods and salary
and to carry out new works. Wealth/Cash can be increased through various means like
membership fees, grant received as per or without request, local fund, donations and various
other sources such as NGO, INGO or external funding.
Technical Assistance/Cooperation

Every Organization will not have people essential for carrying out various types of activities,
project and programs. Apart from that, every organization may not have the necessary fund to
appoint essential efficient employees. Technical cooperation can be made by any
Organization by providing the amount essential for appointing such efficient employees for a
special project or the efficient employee helping for a fixed timeframe. Some organizations
provide technical cooperation through trainings.
Human Resources
Every type of Organization will require people/personnel to ensure that the Organizational
role and works are fulfilled. For essential human resources, the Organization will make
different provisions. The Organization can appoint some permanent employees while the
remaining appointments are made as per requirement. The permanent employees are taken as
internal resources of the Organization while employees appointed for a specific time period
are regarded as external resources. Many NGOs utilize dedicated and regular volunteer
groups in order to fulfill the need of human resource.
Physical Goods
They are physical goods resources. For example, the Organization's activities or availability
of the project are taken ahead together by the tools. It is essential for the Organization to
spend on such goods in order to train on main activities of the project/organization. Examples
of resources like office tools, furniture, training tools and raw goods, vehicles and other
machines have been classified under the Physical Goods.
Free Service and Facilities
A non-profit-making Organization gives many physical goods, service and facilities only in
minimum cost. As a result, provisions for free services in the Project/ Organization should be
28
made through community support. Apart from this, other Organizations provide the non-
profit-making Organizations to use these facilities (eg. Computer, Telephone, Photocopy
Machine and Internet) which is a form of free facility)

29
Chapter 10: Communication skills, Observation, Listening, Interviewing and Home Visits

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Effective communication skills are one of the most crucial components of a social worker’s
job. Every day, social workers must communicate with clients to gain information, convey
critical information and make important decisions. Without effective communication skills,
a social worker may not be able to obtain or convey that information, thereby causing
detrimental effects to clients.

Elements:

 Listening Skills

A significant portion of a social worker’s job involves interviewing clients and other parties involved in a
client’s care. To provide the most effective services and counseling, a social worker must develop the
ability to listen carefully and pay attention to details. This may involve learning to take detailed notes so as
to easily recall what was said later. Effective listening also involves paying attention to how the social
worker reacts as the client is speaking. This means avoiding giving signs that the social worker disagrees
with something a client has said, interrupting a client, rolling eyes, doodling, multitasking, or yawning and
appearing generally disinterested in what the client is saying.

 Getting Information
Often social workers have to gain information from people who are not willing to part with that
information or who may be difficult to understand. A social worker must know how to ask the right
questions to get the necessary information or to alter the language of the questions to help a client
understand what was being asked. Social workers may also benefit from knowing how to use alternate
tactics for getting information, such as role playing or word association.

 Nonverbal Behaviors

A social worker’s nonverbal behaviors can go a long way when it comes to communicating. Social workers
should make eye-to-eye contact when speaking with clients and those involved with their care. Giving a
smile can signal warmth and make a social worker seem more approachable. Keeping a distance of three to
five feet between the social worker and the client can also help improve the level of comfort in the room,
although a social worker also needs to keep in mind that cultural norms for physical distance vary, so that
some clients may want to be closer than the social worker is used to.

30
 Building Trust

Social workers must often build someone’s trust in order to effectively communicate.
Communication with a client will not be successful if the client feels the social worker does not
have her best interest in mind or if the social worker does not genuinely listen to the client.
Building trust also involves not minimizing what a client has to say. Even if the social worker
does not agree with the client or wants to focus on something more important, it is often
necessary to focus on the client’s agenda rather than the social worker’s to help build trust and
make the client feel important or as though she has some say.
 Handling Conflict

Often, social workers encounter conflict. Knowing how to diffuse conflict and not let it
interfere with the issues that need to be dealt with is key. Social workers should avoid
threatening or warning clients, judging clients or making inappropriate generalizations
that could lead to conflict. Social workers should also refrain from raising their voices,
even if a client begins to yell first. For particularly difficult clients, a social worker may
choose to bring a mediator or other impartial party into the room during any
conversations to help diffuse conflict.

OBSERVATION

Observation is the practice of noticing features about people, things or situations, and in
the context of casework, the purpose is to use the observed data for understanding the
client and his situation.

The caseworker has to take cognizance of the following with reference to the client:

1. The general outward appearance

2. Facial expression, posture, gestures, etc.

3. The characteristics, particularly the emotional nuances of interactions that take place
between clients and others, including their family members

Types of observation
 Participatory observation
This method is used usually by being the part of the problem or situation. If the information or data

31
is collected by the researcher by becoming the part of the situation is called participatory
observation. The investigator actively participates as a member of the group to observe the cause of
the problem or the situation. In this process the group members may or may not identify the
investigator.

 Non-Participatory observation

In this the observer or the investigator does not participate in the activities of the group to be
studied but simply remain or present in the group is called non- participatory observation. The
observer feels independent in this method and observes every activity.

 Controlled / structured observation

If observation is done with pre-planned and structured questionnaire than it is called
controlled or structured observation. Social case worker uses this method with structured
questions, check list of the items to be observed and recording sheet. Data collected from
this kind of observation helps to compare progress of the client.

 Uncontrolled observation
Researcher does not have any control over the research according to the purpose.
Researcher observes in research area without any disturbance or interruption is called
uncontrolled observation. For example, the researcher observing on the activities of the
animals to study them, they capture or record it without any control over them.

 Indirect observation
In indirect observation social case worker observes clues of post behavior or events that
cannot be observe directly. In this type of observation social case worker has to depend on
audio or visual document. Police investigation of criminal activities is a popular example
of indirect observation.

LISTENING
Listening is a basic casework tool. Active, attentive listening is purposeful. The purpose is
to understand the speaker’s words and feelings as accurately as possible, for which mental
concentration is necessary. The listener has to pay attention to what is said, what is not
said, and what is suggested. Listening, therefore, becomes a consciously performed
activity for the social worker. It is also an aspect for the practice of the principle of
acceptance.
32
There are two types of listening, one is active listening and second is passive listening.
1. Active listening means the listening that took place face to face between client
and social worker.
2. Passive listening means the information that is collected from the secondary source
like recording, data etc.
There are some common obstacles to active listening, knowledge of which is necessary
for one who wants to train himself/herself as an effective listener.

33
Obstacles and solutions to Listening

1. The distraction of various kinds takes a listener off the path of active listening.
2. The listener’s anxiety or fear concerning the speaker can become a block to good
listening.
3. Selective listening which refers to the mental tendency of hearing only what one likes
to hear prevents effective listening.

There are a few guidelines which will help the social worker to develop the habit of
effective listening.

1. It is important to maintain eye contact with the client during conversations.

2. The social worker must ensure, though it may not always be possible, that the place
where the interviews with the clients take place, is quiet, with minimum external
distractions.
3. As a preparation for interviews with the client, the worker should clear his/her mind of
internal pre- occupations and preconceived ideas or opinions of the client.
4. The ears should be trained to listen to everything that the client says.
5. What the client says or what (s)he appears to be, cannot but evoke thinking in the mind
of the social worker.

INTERVIEWING

Interview is the communication between two persons with a conscious purpose. According to
P.V.Young “interview may be regarded as a systematic method by which a person enter more
or less imaginatively with the life of comparative strangers. It is to secure information from
the client in a systematic way. It is an art which is used by the case worker for better
understanding between him and the client and make the case worker process easier. It is the
foundation of the case work as without interview the worker cannot get all the possible
information about the client nor can the client gain any confidence in the worker.

Purpose of interview

34
  To obtain knowledge of the situation
 To understand other person
 To be understood by the other person
 For securing some information which cannot be gathered from any other source

Types of interview

(a) Structural interview: The structural interview is known as controlled, guided

or directed interview. The interviewer is asked to get information for certain
specific questions only. He cannot go beyond the questions and add on
anything from his side.
(b) Unstructured interview: In this type of interview no direct questions are asked
to the subject concerning the problem. The interviewer initiates the
conversation regarding topic and the client starts narrating all the happenings
with his feelings and reactions pointing to the event. The case worker listens
carefully to the client and find out the relevant information useful for the case
work process.
(c) Focused interview: In this type of interview the client is shown a film or made
to listen to a radio broadcast which is somehow related to his problem. The
client is asked to express his feelings, reactions and attitude towards this
problem. The film or broadcasting influences the mind of the client, which
provokes the inner motivation, feelings and emotion. Such interview brings
out more factual information and helps the case work process effective.
(d) Repetitive interview: This type of interview is repetitive in nature when it is
asked. There is some gradual influences of some social and psychological
process on the subject pertaining to the problem. The questions may be
repeated again and again.

HOME VISITS

Home visit is an important technique used by the case worker to make the treatment process
much effective. Bernard (1964) states that by making home visits one sees that the
environment in which the client lives, observes family and other relevant social interactions

35
at first hand and develops a fuller diagnostic understanding of the patient for appropriate
treatment planning. Home visit is thus an important tool in total intervention process.
According to Cameron, “in a few minutes in home, an experienced observer can gain more
pertinent information about the client and his environment, which can be gained during hours
of probing in an office.

The main purposes of home visits are:

 Getting detailed information about the client and his family

 Persuading the client to utilize the services to the maximum extent
 Educating the family members in matters of the client
 Strengthening the relationship between the client, agency and the family
 Facilitating rehabilitation of the discharged clients from institutions
 Family care and after care services to the discharged client.

Chapter No.12: Recording in Social Case Work

36
Recording in social case work Recording has always been given considerable importance in
social work. It is because the case worker has to know many clients intimately and it is
essential that interviews and details should be recorded in a way that recalls the particular
client with all his/her individual differences.

The records serve various purposes and some of them are as follows:

 Documentation of social work activity: case records provide an ongoing picture of the
nature of social work involvement with the client, progress in achieving social work goals
and outcome.

 Continuity of Service: when a client contacts the social work agency, the service is
provided by the entire setting. In case an individual staff member is not available the agency
must be able to pick up where he or she left up. This would be possible with the help of
record only.

 Quality control: The quality and quantity of services being provided could be known by
reviewing written records that present a picture of social work activity. Record review is also
a means of assessing the kind and quality of services being provided by the caseworker
identifies the areas of strength and weaknesses where staff needs in service training to
upgrade their skills.

 Statistical reporting: Case records are periodically used by social work agencies as sources
of data to justify agency’s activities, to seek and maintain funding, to substantiate the need
for additional staff or to do programme planning.

 Organizing the worker’s thought: recordings provide factual data and observations which
could lead to more in-depth diagnostic assessment and treatment planning.

 Inter disciplinary Communication: Recording is means to communicate social diagnostic

information and recommendations for consideration by other professionals who may be
involved with the client in a team approach to treatment.

 Teaching and research: Properly maintained case records could be a mechanism for mutual
assessment of practice skills and the teaching of new techniques. Case records contain a
wealth of information for the professional researcher seeking to gather data on various
categories of clients, problems faced by them.

37
 A therapeutic tool: recording can be used as a therapeutic tool with the client to help him to
respond to treatment.

Types of recording

Those are Process recording, Narrative recording, Role recording, Summery recording and
Abstract.

 Process recording:
In process recording the process of helping is recorded which includes the relevant
conversations, observations and reaction of the worker in the developmental
sequence. It gives an idea to the supervisor if the case worker has used his knowledge
of human behaviour and social situations, if his reactions to the client’s verbal and
non-verbal communications are appropriate and if planning for future is consistent
with the presenting situation. The usefulness of the process recording depends to a
considerable extent to the ability of the worker to recall exactly what had happened,
and in what order and to look at the facts in an objective manner in order to get at
underlying feelings and meanings. Process recording is time consuming, so should be
used carefully.
 Narrative recording: In narrative recording everything that has happened is recorded
as it has happened whether it is positive or negative. It consists of all the statements,
observations and comments of the worker. It is the narration of all the happenings and
detailed accounts of all the events which go in the narrative recording. The attempt of
narrative recording is to reproduce all the situations.
 Role recording: It is the refined version of process recording. It is highly selective in
its approach and focuses on the role of the case worker in his interaction with client
from time to time.
 Summary recording: Summery records are short and easy to use when considering
the total service process. It tries to summarize the main events and avoid the details of
all events. It include entry data , social history, a plan of action, periodic summaries of
significant information, action taken by the worker and a statement of what was
accomplished as the case gets closed. Summery recordings save time and labour when
process recording comparatively is very time consuming.
 Abstract: It is the basic ideas of the case or action plan and does not provide the
detail information. So it is a condensed form of summery recording.

38
 Unit-IV Approaches and Practice of Social Casework

Chapter No.13: Task Cantered Approach

Chapter No.14: Social Psychological Approach
Chapter No.15: Problem Solving Approach and Integrated approach
Chapter No.16: Case work Practice in different settings: Medical, School, Elderly care
Homes, Correctional, and Rehabilitation Centres.

Chapter No.13: Task Centered Approach

Task-Centered Practice in Social Work is an active, direct, and easily measurable way to
focus on actionable solutions to specific problems. It’s one thing to recognize and appreciate
the socioeconomic factors contributing to a client’s issues. However, using this information
to determine the best practice model for the client is one of the most significant challenges of
social workers. Sometimes, it’s more appropriate to reinforce a client’s support structures and
let the problems resolve passively. However, in task-centered practice (TCP), the social
worker’s approach is more direct.

The task-centered practice focuses on actionable solutions to specific problems. It is active,

direct, and easily measurable. Present in many disciplines, this method was first adapted to
social work in the 1970s by two practitioners from the Chicago School of Social Service
Administration, William Reid and Laura Epstein. Their process is taught in schools
worldwide, though often as a part of other practice models. Since TCP is adaptable,
practitioners use it “accidentally” to address specific client problems. The anatomy of this

39
model is as straightforward as the name implies. It identifies the client’s issues, outline goals,
creates and execute a task-centered plan, and evaluate the results.

Task-centered treatment is a treatment form in which social workers and clients collaborate to
create a series of short-term goals that both participants work together to accomplish. Each
task is independent of the others. While social workers and clients are working on their
current task, they do not worry about future or previous tasks.

Task-centered treatments are more formal than they appear. Social workers do not simply
create tasks for their clients to perform and send them out to work alone.

The four main steps of task-centered treatment are:

 Identify the Problem

 Set Collaborative Goals
 Create Objectives in the Form of Tasks
 Evaluate

If social workers and clients attempt to fulfill tasks without first coming to a mutual
understanding of the reasoning behind the task, which is to alleviate a specific problem, then
their motivation will not be as strong as it should be. Additionally, if clients do not have firm
goals then they will not be able to create specific, definable objectives to complete. The entire
structure of the task-centered treatment form is built to be as efficient as possible.

Characteristics:

1. Brief and time limited;

2. Interventions concentrated on alleviating specific problems Client and Social Worker (SW)
agree to work on

3. Work on Client’s problem revolves around tasks Client agrees to do. 4

Main Target Areas

1. Improving family and interpersonal relations;

2. Enhancing social role performance;

3. Effecting social transitions;

40
4. Securing resources

5. Relieving emotional distress reactive to situation factors.

Chapter No.14: Psychosocial approach

The psychosocial approach looks at individuals in the context of the combined influence that
psychological factors and the surrounding social environment have on their physical and
mental wellness and their ability to function. This approach is used in a broad range of
helping professions in health and social care settings.

Psychosocial approach first commonly used by psychologist Erik Erikson in his description
of the stages of psychosocial development. In 1941 Gordon Hamilton renamed the 1917
concept of “social diagnosis’’ as “psychosocial study”. Psychosocial study was further
developed by Hollis in 1946 with emphasis in treatment model.

Objectives of Psycho Social Case Work

 To alleviate the clients distress and decreasing the mal – functioning in the person situation
systems.

 To enhance the clients comfort, satisfaction and self realization.

 This may enhance the adoptive skills of client’s ego and the functioning of the person –
situation system.

 Change may be needed in either the person or his situation or in both. I.e. In what aspects a
person and (or) his situation need changes or improvement.

 Attentions to both inter personal system (parent – child husband wise, family and the
personality system (Id, Ego, and Super Ego).

Treatment objective of psychosocial approach

 The ultimate objective of using the psychosocial approach is to alleviate the client’s
distress and to decrease malfunctioning in the person- situation system
 To achieve this objective the case worker’s job is to enhance the adaptive capacity and
social functioning of the client.
Treatment process in psychosocial approach
 In the treatment process case worker uses the techniques of environmental modification.

41
 He helps the client to locate the place or agency for help.
 He mediates between the client and resources.
 Direct treatment is also provided for the ventilation of clients.
 Ego , support, interpretation and counselling are the techniques are the techniques used to
establish rapport with the client.

Frame Work for Understanding The Psychosocial Approach

 The theoretical base for psychosocial work is Freudian personality theory, with an
emphasis on the ego’s capacity for adaptation and problem solving.
 Basic to the psychosocial approach is knowledge of psychosexual development.
 According to the psycho analytic view, the personality consists of three systems:
 1. Id  2. Ego  3. Super ego
 Which interact dynamically both with each other an with the environment, that is, the
individuals living situation
 Ego strengths are not a fixed condition but an ever changing capacity to cope with
frustration, control impulse make mature relationships and use defense mechanisms
approximately.
 In general, an individual’s age, capacity to work through early traumas and the intensity of
pressure all affect the ego functioning.
 Many of the situation deal with in social work can involve challenges to how a person sees
her/him self and or involve loss, of identity, freedom, and so on. In these situations
individuals might not desire self-awareness or couldn’t cope with it. Assessing ego strength
assists in understanding how motivated or reluctant the person is likely to be, how much
change they can tolerate and what kind of relationships is likely to develop.

Chapter No.15: Problem Solving Approach and Integrated approach

Problem Solving Approach

This method is based on the understanding that life is a continuous problem-solving and
problem-solving process. Every person is involved in dealing with his or her troubles at any
given time. S/he is capable of dealing at times but fails to manage the crisis scenario at other
times. The person or family is assisted in coping with or resolving an issue that they are
currently having problems resolving through the problem resolution process. As a result, the

42
 major purpose of issue solving is to assist a person in coping as well as possible with such
difficulties in performing social tasks. Attempts are made to engage the client with his or her
problems and to do something about them in a working relationship with the agency during
the initial phase. The problem-solving process begins right away, with the initial step of
treating the individual. The customer has not been looked after.

This theory was propounded by Helen Harris Perlman in the book “Social Case Work : A
Problem Solving Process”. This model stands firmly upon the recognitionthat life is an
outgoing problem encountering – problem solving process. Every person is involved every
time in coping with his/her problems. Sometimes he/she is capable of coping and sometimes
fails to resolve the crisis situation. Through problem solving process individual or family is
helped to cope with or resolve some difficulty that he/she is currently finding difficult to
solve. Thus the primary goal of problem solving model is to help a person cope as effectively
as possible with such problems in carrying social tasks. In the initial phase the attempts are
made to engage the client with his/her problems and to do something about it in a working
relationship with the agency. The problem solving process starts at once, from the first
movement with treating the person. The client is not treated for his/her problem but he is
treated for the purpose of helping him/her to know himself/herself i.e strength and
weaknesses and how to remove those weaknesses.

Steps of Problem Solving Approaches

1. It aims to help the client's motivation for change by releasing, energizing, and directing it.
2. It aims to free and exercise the client's mental, emotional, and action capacities in order to
help him or her cope with the situation.
3. It strives to locate and make available to the client any help or resources that are required to
solve the problem.
4. This social work practice model is often described as “person-centered,” meaning it takes into
account the physical, emotional, community, and spiritual well-being of a client.
5. The integrative social work model teaches that if you do not recognize all of the above
dimensions in your practice, it will undermine the whole.
6. Integrative social work also addresses an individual’s community issues in relation to their
personal issues in an attempt to find long-term solutions.

Integrated approach

43
Social work practice based on system’s approach primarily focuses on the interaction
between people and various systems in social environment. People are dependent on systems
(say, ethnic and cultural system, economic system, health system, workplace system) for
obtaining the material and non-material resources, services and opportunities to growth and
development. In this regard, three types of resources have been described, from the clients’
perspective: 1) Natural or informal system (family, relatives, friends, neighbours, etc.), 2)
Formal system (membership organizations, - labour unions, support groups, PTA), and 3)
Societal resource system (hospital, legal services, schools, work place)

From the viewpoint of social work intervention, four basic systems have been laid down –
Change Agent System, Client System, Target System and Action System.:

a) Change Agent System: Change Agent may be any person or group, professional or non-
professional, inside or outside a system, who is attempting to bring about change in that
system. A change agent is a helper who is specifically employed for the purpose of creating
planned change. It may be an agency, NGO or social worker.

b) Client System: It is the ‘specific system that is being helped’. Client system may be the
individual, family, group, organization or community which, in addition to being the
expected beneficiary of services, is a system that asks for help and engages the services of
social worker as a change agent.

c) Target System: This system includes the people the change agent needs to change or
influence in order to accomplish his/her goals from the target system.

d) Action System: It is used to describe those with whom social worker deals in his efforts to
accomplish the tasks and achieve the goals of the change efforts. An action system can be
used to obtain sanctions and a working agreement or contract, in order to identify and study a
problem, establish goals for change or influence the major targets of change.

Specific functions of social worker/change agent may well be described as:

1) Help client system enhance and effectively utilize their own problem solving and coping
capacities: Change agent may identify and contact people who need help, provide
information, develop understanding, give support, encourage to examine alternative ways of
linking with the needed system.

44
2) Establish initial linkages between people and resource systems: Change agent may locate
target clients (starving community with ‘Meals on Wheels’); provide information about
resource systems; help overcoming hurdles in resource utilization (crèche facilities so that
mothers can work); referrals to resource system and follow up; advocacy to negotiate with
resource system (e.g., patient discharged from mental hospital- persuading his employer to
keep him back); forming new resource systems (terminally ill cancer patients’ support
groups).

3) Facilitate favourable interaction between people and societal resource system: It is one of
the important functions of the social worker or change agent to make societal response
system aware of the problem that its operating procedures are causing problems for its
consumers (e.g., girls not allowed to go to school in neighbouring village). Change agent acts
as consultant helping societal resource system improve its functioning and assist in
developing new services (say, conscientize parents and community people on needs of girl
child education and facilitate opening a school within the village premises). He/she may
coordinate between various resource systems, organize consumers to advocate on their own
behalf, do advocacy, mediation and resolve conflicts between natural, formal and societal
resource systems.

4) Facilitate favourable interaction within resource systems: This function of social worker is
aimed at changing interactions of people within informal, formal or societal resource systems.
Social worker acts as a liaison between various sub-parts of the system, transmits information
from one part to another and decreases hostility and conflict between subparts. The worker
may advocate for the interest of one part of the system which lacks access to resources and
power to make decisions or prepares sub parts to advocate for their own rights and interests.
He/she acts as a consultant to members of a system and helps improve their internal
functioning, role assignment, communication, etc. The worker may help the members
towards empowerment and self reliance.

5) Policy Change: It is one of the most difficult yet vital functions of change agent. It
includes collecting and analyzing information related to problems or issues that demand
policy change, mobilizing primary and secondary stakeholders for social action and chalking
down the strategies and tactics as mentioned in the preceding units

45
Chapter 16: Case work Practice in different settings: Medical, School, Elderly care
Homes, Correctional, and Rehabilitation Centres.

Caseworker duties include assessing client needs, listening to concerns, evoking motivation
to change, problem-solving, information giving, referrals to community agencies and
coordination of care providers. Clients may be children in need of protective services,
vulnerable adults, adolescents in treatment, hospital patients or elderly individuals, for
instance.

Role of a social caseworker

A. Conduct Intakes and Assessments

Caseworkers respond when clients request services or a the report is made that an individual
or family may be struggling. Communication skills are essential in making a connection,
establishing rapport, and building trust. As part of an initial interview, social history is taken
to help the caseworker understand the challenges facing the client and the complexity of the
issues identified. Needs and goals are discussed. Brief motivational interviewing may be used
to guide the client through resolving ambivalent feelings about making lifestyle changes,
such as cutting back on drinking alcohol

B. Coordinate Care and Services

Based on their assessment of client' needs, resiliency, motivation and strengths, the
caseworker develops a case plan identifying the action steps needed to bring about the desired

46
changes. Timelines are discussed and written into the plan. Information is provided on
community programs and referrals are made to services that will benefit the client. For
instance, the caseworker may facilitate a referral to a parenting support group, mental house
counseling, food shelf, transitional housing, low income medical clinic or job services. If the
caseworker is involved because children in the home are deemed to be at risk, the caseworker
closely monitors progress being made toward goal completion.

C. Write Case Notes and Reports

Caseworkers must continually update their case notes to keep track of their heavy caseload.
Records are kept of calls placed and received, referrals offered or refused, and programs
completed by the client. Caseworker duties further entail assessing and revising case
management plans as client needs change. Social work agencies may also require
caseworkers to submit periodic reports documenting clients served and achieved outcomes. In
certain situations, caseworkers may need their notes when testifying in court. For example, a
case manager may be asked to state under oath whether a parent of a child in foster care is
complying with substance abuse treatment ordered as a condition of the reunification of the
family.

Case work Practice in different settings: Medical, School, Elderly care Homes,
Correctional, and Rehabilitation Centres.

Schools

Schools are institutions for formal education, with a fixed routine, set syllabus, and a well-
established pattern of teaching and learning. Teachers are the main professional group and
they spend the maximum time with students. Schools vary in size--- from small single teacher
schools in the villages and tribal areas to large bureaucratic organisations with thousands of
students. Schools may offer primary, middle, secondary or senior secondary education.
Again, some may be Government schools/aided by the Govt. or fully private independent
schools. Despite progressive and child-centred educational philosophy, schools are
characterized by emphasis on syllabus (information content), formal examination system for
evaluating achievements and formal teacherchild relationships. In this context, the child very
often is not able to get his basic human and educational needs fulfilled. This situation proves
to be stressful to the child. Due to preoccupation with syllabus and maintaining discipline,

47
teachers are unable to individualize the child’s situation and there is a ‘problem child’ at
hand. Hence, there is recognition of need for individualized Social Casework Service to help
the child.

School, however, offers an excellent opportunity to Caseworkers for offering preventive and
promotive interventions beside remedial service. Transition of the child from entry to passing
out from school coincides with the child’s own maturation process. By anticipating the
demands and stresses of a particular age group, appropriate interventions may be planned so
as to avoid unnecessary emotional turmoil. By helping in the development of personality and
life and social skills, the Social Caseworker can achieve the status of a partner in the
educational process. Despite of its being a secondary setting of Social Casework Practice, the
Worker can easily demonstrate the vital contribution of Professional Social Work to
fulfillment of educational goals of schools.

The Social Caseworker works as a liaison between the family and the teacher. He/she acts as
a mediator, enabler, teacher (giving necessary information), advocate (to highlight the
negative impact of school norms and practices on the child), change-agent for the school’s
systems and procedures, and as a consultant for the staff of the school in matters regarding
children’s needs and well-being.

School social workers work as a part of a team of teachers, family and community to develop
and implement programs and plans for students who are struggling academically. School
social workers also works like doctors, behaviourists and psychiatrists to coordinate the needs
of their student.
Problems Of Children At Schools :
 Language difficulty
 Over stress-ness of teacher Criticism Lack of concentration
 Unfavourable comparison with other classmates
 Mischievousness
 Truancy
Role Of School Case Worker :
 He provides referral services in case of severe chronic problem.
 He provides counselling to students and parents.
 He promotes the ego capacity of students.
 He renders motivation and guidance.

48
  He provides sex education to students.

Elderly care Homes

The number of old age homes have been increasing in cities. The stresses and constraints of
urban living have often led to adult children opting to send their aging parents or relatives to
residential institutions. The residents in these homes need nursing care, understanding and
emotional support.

The caseworkers in these institutions help the residents cope with loss of the loved ones,
illness, lack of energy, loneliness, loss of economic independence and the thought of
approaching death. The caseworker enables the client maintain his/her self-esteem. He/she
also helps the family deal with suppressed or open feelings of guilt so as to encourage them
to maintain cordial relation with the client. The worker needs to identify and mobilize
community resources like motivating and orienting volunteers to spend time with the
residents, talk to them and attend to their simple errands.

Problems Of The Aged : ¤ Loneliness ¤ Health and medical care ¤ Familial and emotional
problems ¤ Feeling of desertion by family members ¤ Psychological problems

Welfare For Old Age Care : ₪ National old age pension scheme ₪ Medical insurance ₪ Old
age homes ₪ Ameliorative help ₪ Opportunity for creative work

Role Of Case Worker In Geriatric Care : ₼ Care management ₼ Advocacy services ₼

Individual and family counselling ₼ Crisis intervention service ₼ Adult day care service

Correctional Institutions

These include homes/ special schools for the delinquent, prisons, remand/observation homes,
beggar homes etc. The main task of the Social Caseworker is to help those in conflict with
law by enabling them to understand themselves and their relationship with others. They need
to understand what is expected of them as members of society. The aim is to rehabilitate
these persons – to help them in such a manner that they can engage in socially constructive
activities once they go back to their homes. The worker helps the clients change /modify their
values (so that they are in line with the social values); change their behaviour and response

49
patterns. The residents of these institutions often have a feeling of hostility towards society or
they suffer from a sense of inferiority and inadequacy. Social Casework aims at correcting
these attitudes and feelings by modifying the clients’ immediate environment, working with
their families and maintaining a supportive professional relationship with them. The
Caseworker works as a member of a team of professionals like, probation and parole officers,
psychologists, psychiatrists, and vocational counsellors and educators.

Rehabilitation Centres

Social workers are key contributors in the rehabilitation and recovery of patients in inpatient
rehabilitation facilities. Their roles may include:

 The initial screening and evaluation of patients and families.

 Helping patients and family members deal with the many aspects of the patient’s
condition – social, financial, and emotional.
 Helping patients and families understand their illnesses and treatment options.
 Acting as an advocate for patients and families – including as an advocate for the
patient’s health care rights.
 Aid and expedite decision-making on behalf of patients and their families.
 Educating patients on the roles of other members on their recovery team – including
physicians, nurses, physical therapists, etc.
 Crisis intervention

Medical setting

 Providing a comprehensive psychosocial assessment of patients.

 Educating patients and families about post-hospital care.
 Helping patients adjust to their inpatient rehab setting.
 Coordinating patient discharge and continuity of care following discharge.
 Evaluate mental and emotional health
 Assess social, family and/or financial circumstances
 Communicate patient information to stakeholders on a patient’s health team
 Provide counseling or psychotherapy to patients and families
 Maintain confidential patient records
 Connect patients and families with outside medical and non-medical resources
 Coordinate patient care in collaboration with health team stakeholders

50
  Assessing new patients as they are admitted
 Providing emotional support or counseling
 Developing and implementing a patient’s plan of care
 Working with agencies or insurance companies to cover costs of treatment and
medication
 Arranging outpatient treatments
 Developing a discharge plan
 Conducting trainings for staff to help better meet patients’ needs
 Developing health care policy and advocating for patients’ rights

Role of Caseworkers

As an educator, the case worker may impart information, transmit knowledge, give advice,
correct perception or explain situational factors which are hidden from the client’s view. The
case worker may be required to give consultation to other social workers and professionals
from other disciplines and to provide social work practice instruction to students of social
work. The advocate/broker role is of two types. The first aspect, that is, the case worker
commitment to the individual client or family as regards locating resources and services for
meeting urgent material needs has been mentioned earlier. The second aspect of this role is
with reference to groups of clients who have the same kind of problem or handicap. Here the
case worker task is to help them to organize themselves around their problem and to activate
them for collective action to find solutions to their common problem. For example, a case
worker may have a number of mentally retarded children in his case load who do not derive
any benefit from the educational and other services provided for normal children. He may
help the parents of these retarded children to organize themselves in order to get specialized
services for their retarded children.

Here the case worker goes beyond the case-by case approach to the application of community
organization methods for helping clients groups. Since many of the case work clients are
form the lower socio-economic levels who are plagued by problems of poor housing
unemployment, and inadequacy of medical and educational services, the advocacy role
becomes important. Traditionally the case worker has been delivering the person centred
services. In addition to this task, the case worker of today has to be involved in system
centred activities or activities related to the impact of various social systems on the lives of
many clients. It implies that only a part of case work service is confined to the office and the

51
rest is community based. The case worker must know the community he serves its
demographic characteristics, its power structure and problems. He must be able to identify
the needs of the community and work with the community to develop resources.

Advocate

In this role, social workers fight for the rights of others and work to obtain needed resources
by convincing others of the legitimate needs and rights of members of society. Social workers
are particularly concerned for those who are vulnerable or are unable to speak up for
themselves. Advocacy can occur on the local, county, state or national level. Some social
workers are involved in international human rights and advocacy for those in need.

Case Manager

Case managers are involved in locating services and assisting their clients to access those
services. Case management is especially important for complex situations and for those who
are homeless or elderly, have chronic physical or mental health issues, are disabled, victims
of domestic or other violent crimes, or are vulnerable children.

Educator

Social Workers are often involved in teaching people about resources and how to develop
particular skills such as budgeting, the caring discipline of children, effective communication,
the meaning of a medical diagnosis, and the prevention of violence.

Facilitator

In this role, social workers 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.

Organizer

Social Workers are involved in many levels of community organization and action including
economic development, union organization, and research and policy specialists.

Manager

52
Social Workers, because of their expertise in a wide variety of applications are well suited to
work as managers and supervisors in almost any setting. As managers, they are better able to
influence policy change and/or development, and to advocate, on a larger scale, for all
underprivileged people.

( add suitable role in each setting)

53