1.

Introduction
2. Social casework is a method of helping people individually through a one-to-one
relationship. It is used by professionally-trained social workers in social work agencies or
organisations to help people with their problems of social functioning.

Problems of social functioning refer to situations concerned with social roles and their
performance. The major social roles are those associated with being a spouse, a parent,
and a wage earner. And connected with these, there are many other roles, like roles
pertaining to being a daughter or son, brother or sister. Apart from these roles that
emanate from the family, there are other social roles linked with one's membership in
larger social groups — roles as a neighbour, inhabitant of a city or village, and citizen of
a country.
Every person carries various roles, and in a way, life is nothing but a dynamic network of
roles and role relationships. There are people, who for one reason or other, cannot
perform one or more of their social roles adequately, and for helping these people, the
profession of social work has come into being. The earliest and oldest method of social
work is social casework which constitutes the topic of this book. Though social work as a
profession is a product of the twentieth century, social work as a helping activity is as old
as mankind. There have been always in every society, though in small numbers, people
who were interested in helping others. There were individuals who were known to be
receptive and responsive to the needs and 2 Introduction to Social Casework difficulties
of their fellow human beings.
These helpers who existed in every period of human history were the precursors of the
modern social worker, who uses casework to help people in trouble. The literature of
every religion contains the names and activities of teachers and sages who gave of
themselves and their resources to help others. The ancient Hindu Shastras and the
Buddhist philosophy emphasise the activity of dhana or giving. There were three types of
giving: that of wealth and material goods,, that of religious knowledge and wisdom and
of friendliness. The recipients of these gifts were priests and monks, relatives and friends,
and those in trouble, including the sick and the afflicted, the destitute and the helpless
who could not help themselves. There are stories of Gautama Buddha which tell of his
kindness and understanding of the individual which led to the transformation of a
prostitute and a murderer. Thus, one can see that casework, in its limited meaning of a
helping activity existed from time immemorial. But casework as a professionalised
activity is an event or happening of the twentieth century, and in this development, the
focus of concern has been people in some kind of distress and who cannot help
themselves.

Social case work is a primary method of social work concerned with the development and
improvem ent of individual’s ability to lead a better life. Inability to adjust with the
environm ent leads to conflict scenario between individuals and the surroundings. An
individual's quality of life depends on better family life, improved schools, better
housing, better health facility, economic opportunities and better relations between the
social institutions and other individuals. Deprivations of these internal or external
elementmight develop obstacles to healthy life and accumulate frustrations in individuals
leading to various psycho-social problems. The main goal of social case work is to solve
adjustment problems by building individual's capacities and capabilities and to make
individual realize the importance of improving his/her coping mechanism to lead a
healthy life. Definitions of Social Case Work 'Social case work may be defined as the art
of doing different things for and with different people by cooperating with them to
achieve at one and the same time their own and society's betterment' (Richmond, 1915).
Mary Richmond gave a very appropriate and scientific definition of social case Case
Work is an art provided to people for their as well as for society's betterment. work. In
1915 she said that case work is an art provided to people for theirs as well as for society's
betterment. In 1922, Richmond gave another definition 'Social case work consists of
those processes which develop personality through adjustments consciously effected,
individual by individual, between men and their social environment'. She asserted that
 social case work is for the change of the personality of the individual for proper social
adjustment. 'Social case work is a process concerned with the understanding of
individuals as whole personalities and with the adjustment of these individuals as whole
personalities to socially healthy lives' (Taylor, 1926). Taylor lays emphasis on the need
for understanding the total personality of the individual for bringing about healthy
adjustment in social life. Reynolds (1935) defines case work as 'that form of social work
which assists the individual when he struggles to relate himself to his family, his natural
groups and his community'. A counselling function was introduced into the case work
definition by Reynolds. Case work uses counselling as one of the main tools to assist
individuals in his adjustment with the social environment consisting of family members,
groups and the community ia

• The purpose of social case work is to help an individual client to solve his psycho social
problems in such a way so that he find himself capable of dealings with these problems at
present and also may solve in future if such problems arise.
• Thus social case work has the following objectives as mentioned by P.D.Mishra;
 – To understand and solve the internal problems of the individuals
– To strengthen his ego power
– Remediation of problems in social functioning
– Prevention of problems in social functioning
• Development of resources to enhance social functioning

The basic purpose of social work is to enable the client to enjoy with some degree of
permanency, more satisfying, effective and acceptable experiences in the social situations
in which he find himself.
• To achieve this goal efforts are made to bring effective changes in the client’s
environment or social living situations.
• According to Witmer, the chief aim of social case work is that of helping people to
mobilize their capacities for the solution of the problems that brought them to the
attention of social agencies.

Most of the writers of social work like Moffet and Hollis have emphasized that one
of the main objective of social case work is to bring about an adjustment between
the individual client and his situation or environment.
• Bowers mentioned two objectives: better adjustment in the social relationships of
the individual and the development of individual personality.
• According to Perlman, within the boundaries of what the client wants, his capacities and
the resources of skills and materials means of the agency and community, the specific
goal is to help him achieve his previous level of functioning of which he is capable of this
time. The purpose of social case work is to help an individual client to solve his psycho
social problems in such a way so that he find himself capable of dealings with these
problems at present and also may solve in future if such problems arise.
• Thus social case work has the following objectives as mentioned by P.D.Mishra;
– To understand and solve the internal problems of the individuals
– To strengthen his ego power
– Remediation of problems in social functioning
– Prevention of problems in social functioning
 – Development of resources to enhance social functioning.

Values in Social Case Work The most basic value in social case work is
the worth and dignity of every human being and the consideration that
each individual is unique in his own way, possessing the ability to
participate fully in the direction of his own life. These value orientations
form the basis for social case work‟s direction. They are derived from the
philosophical thoughts over years of human existence. These thoughts are
to be differentiated from scientific theories that can be tested and proved.
Given below are the practice values to be adhered to in social case work:
1. Every man/woman has inherent Worth and Dignity. 2. An individual
has the Right to Self-Determination. 3. Every individual is the prime
concern of the society and has potential for and right to growth. 4. Every
individual in turn has to contribute to the society’s development. 5. The
individual and the society are interdependent. 6. Basic human needs have
to be met by suitable services.

the concern of humanists, philanthropists and socio- religious activists. Its description is found in
the Vedic literature and of course much later in the western countries. Casework as practiced
today, a purely western (predominantly USA) model, also owes its history to the work carried
out by individuals and organizations with the poor. The evolution of social case work as a
method can be attributed to the charity work to the social welfare services to the pure
professionalization of social work from colonization period to post world war periods.
Charity and alms giving was considered an ideal and humanitarian act to alleviate the sufferings
of poor, destitute, disabled, old aged and sick in those days without recognizing its worth. In
England various welfare acts were also passed especially the Elizabethan Poor Law (1601), As
per this law, assistance was provided in the form of money, food, clothing or goods, given to
alleviate poverty as an outdoor relief without the requirement that the recipient enter an
institution.Those receiving indoor relief were required to enter a workhouse or poorhouse.
Gradually various societies and groups felt that charity, alms giving and government
interventions have only catered to their material needs made people dependent on external
support. As more experience and knowledge was gathered by groups and societies related to
human behavior and its environment new insight came through in the nature of social problems
and it made people realize that in all the cases it is not the individual who is entirely responsible
for his/her condition, and individuals are interlinked with the social, economic and political
environment they live in.
1.3.1 IN INDIA India’s culture and religions advocated the need to help the poor and needy in
the form of charity. References can be made from Bhagatwatgeeta, Rigveda, Upanishads like
Brihadaranyaka, Chhandogya and Taittriya which prescribes that every householder must
practice dana or charity. After the vedic age charity took the form of welfare in various empires.
Great kings such of Magadha empire such as Bimbisara and his son Ashoka; Kanishka, Gupta
dynasty ruler like Chandra Gupta, Samudra Gupta; Harshavardhof Pushyabhuti dynasty;
Sultanate ruler and Mughal ruler made efforts to make their empire a caring state through charity
as well as welfare activities directed to improve the conditions of poor, women, prisoners,
destitute and the orphans. During British rule, various organizations such as Brahmo Samaj,
Prarthana Samaj, Arya Samaj, Theosophical Society, Ram Krishna Mission, Muhammedan
Literacy Society, The Bombay Widow Remarriage Association, Bengal Hindu Widows
Association, Indian National Social Conference and the Servants of India Society hugely
contributed towards upliftment of the poor, women, labourers, peasants and lower caste people.
But these efforts of Kings and organizations were paternalistic and welfare oriented and did not
aim at assessing individual problem or building capacity of individual to adjust to their
environment independently. Further, the relationship between the facilitator and the needy was
not professional. There existed an important difference between modern professional casework
and traditional helping of needy individuals. India during its pre independence era especially
from 1840-1910 did not experience any breakthrough in the development of Social Work or
Social Case Work as it was in UK and USA. During this period various organizations and
associations were established in UK and USA which aimed at systematiainvestigation and
assessment of the needy people. In 1911, N.M. Joshi had established Social Service League in
Mumbai which 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 conduct training programmes to those who had a University degree in the
field of social service. Casework as a theoretical course and as a method of practice in the
academic programme started from the year 1946. Nowadays social casindustry, military family
welfare agency, child welfare agency, institution for the aged, destitute, and the orphansework is
practiced in many agencies, institutions and organizations such as hospitals, clinics, courts

The history of social case work in Somalia

reflects a broader evolution in the field of social work and social services in response to the
country's unique socio-political and economic challenges. Here’s a general overview of how
social case work has developed in Somalia:

Early Developments

1. Pre-Colonial and Colonial Periods: Traditional forms of social support and community-
based care existed in Somalia long before formal social case work was introduced. These
were largely informal systems of mutual aid and support rooted in Somali culture and
customary practices.
2. Colonial Era (Late 19th Century - 1960): During the colonial period under Italian and
British rule, there was little formal social case work. The focus was more on
administrative governance rather than social welfare. However, some elements of
Western-style social services began to be introduced in the 1950s, including basic health
and education services.
Post-Independence Era

1. Early Independence (1960s - 1980s): After gaining independence in 1960, Somalia

began to establish its own social welfare systems. The government initiated various social
programs aimed at improving education, healthcare, and social services. Social case work
as a structured profession started to emerge, influenced by international aid organizations
and the global social work community.
2. Social Services Development: In this period, there was an effort to professionalize social
work and establish institutions for social welfare. However, these efforts were often
limited by political instability and economic challenges.

Civil War and Its Aftermath

1. Civil War (1991 - Early 2000s): The outbreak of civil war in 1991 led to the collapse of
the central government and the fragmentation of the country. This period saw a
significant decline in formal social services and a reliance on humanitarian aid
organizations. Social case work became increasingly focused on emergency relief and
recovery efforts.
2. Humanitarian Interventions: International NGOs and UN agencies played a crucial role
in providing social services and case work during the civil war and the ensuing
humanitarian crises. They addressed issues such as displacement, child protection, and
healthcare.

Recent Developments

1. Transitional Period and Rebuilding: In the 2000s, as Somalia began to transition

towards stabilization with the establishment of transitional governments and increased
international support, there was a renewed focus on rebuilding social services. Efforts to
professionalize social work and integrate social case work into the rebuilding process
gained momentum.
2. Current Trends: In recent years, there has been a continued emphasis on strengthening
social services in Somalia. Efforts are being made to train and support social workers,
integrate social case work into community development programs, and address issues
such as poverty, family support, and mental health.
3. Challenges and Opportunities: Somalia continues to face challenges such as political
instability, economic hardship, and limited resources. However, there are ongoing efforts
to enhance the capacity of social services and improve the effectiveness of social case
work through international collaboration and local initiatives.

Overall, the history of social case work in Somalia is intertwined with the country’s broader
historical and socio-political context. While there have been significant challenges, there is also a
growing recognition of the importance of social work in addressing the needs of Somali
communities.

4o mini
ocial case work is a core practice within social work that focuses on providing personalized
support to individuals and families to address their unique needs and challenges. Its importance
is multifaceted:

1. Personalized Support: Social case work involves working one-on-one with clients to
understand their specific situations, needs, and goals. This tailored approach ensures that
interventions are relevant and effective for each individual.
2. Holistic Assessment: Social case workers conduct comprehensive assessments of clients'
circumstances, including their social, emotional, economic, and environmental factors.
This holistic view helps in developing more effective and individualized treatment plans.
3. Resource Coordination: Social case workers help clients navigate and access various
resources and services, such as housing, healthcare, financial assistance, and legal aid.
This coordination is crucial for clients who may be overwhelmed by bureaucratic
processes.
4. Goal Setting and Planning: Through case work, social workers assist clients in setting
realistic goals and creating actionable plans to achieve them. This process empowers
clients to take control of their lives and make positive changes.
5. Crisis Intervention: Social case workers provide immediate support and intervention
during crises, helping clients stabilize and address urgent issues. This can be crucial in
preventing further deterioration of the client's situation.
 6. Emotional and Psychological Support: Case workers offer emotional support and
counseling, helping clients cope with stress, trauma, and mental health challenges. This
support is essential for clients to build resilience and improve their overall well-being.
7. Skill Development: Social case work often includes helping clients develop life skills,
such as budgeting, job search strategies, and parenting skills. These skills can enhance
clients' ability to manage their lives more effectively.
8. Advocacy: Social case workers advocate on behalf of their clients, ensuring they receive
the necessary services and are treated fairly. They may also work to address systemic
issues that affect their clients.
9. Monitoring and Evaluation: Social case workers regularly review and adjust their
interventions based on the client's progress and changing needs. This ongoing evaluation
helps ensure that the support remains relevant and effective.
10. Strengths-Based Approach: Many social case workers use a strengths-based approach,
focusing on clients' existing strengths and resources to build resilience and empower
them to overcome challenges.

Overall, social case work is vital in providing individualized, comprehensive, and empathetic
support, helping clients navigate complex issues and improve their quality of life.