SOC301 Highlighted Short Notes

LESSON 01 · INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK-I · Definition of Social Work

Social work as a practical profession designed at helping people address their problems and matching them with the resources, they need to lead healthy and productive lives.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Social Work

The relationship is the key in the social work process. Most social workers are employed in agency settings. Basic aim of social work is to help clients help themselves or to help a community to help itself. Traditionally, social workers have provided services to individuals and families. Focus is on the wholeness & totality of the person. Emphasis is on the importance of the family in molding & influencing behavior. Utilization of community resources in helping people to solve problems is very important. Use of the supervisory process provides for guidance & direction of inexperienced workers & for continuing growth of the experienced. Social work has a unique educational program involving class work and practical field work experience. Social work has distinctive professional bodies….. IFSW, IASSW, AASW. Orientation in psychiatric concepts Stress on understanding people. Social interactions & resultant social functioning & malfunctioning. Social problems & human behavior in here to a considerable degree in the social institutions of humanity.

LESSON 02 · INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK-II · Social Work Practice Approaches

Three types of approaches to interventions: Maintenance Therapeutic Emancipatory

Maintenance Approach

Predictable view of social work. Individual functioning or adaptation to situation. Objectively examine a person’s circumstances. Its more focused on individual and family relationships. Ignores the connection of problem with the larger whole of the society.

Example

Assessing an old person’s need for aid and adaptations strictly in terms of current physical health & eligibility for services. Tries to address the current needs and pacify the existing situation.

Therapeutic Approach

Off-shoot of maintenance school. Principal aim is to enhance psychological & emotional functioning so that a person can handle his or her own affairs.

Example

Trauma counselling of an alone old woman. Student counselling for exam phobia.

Emancipatory Approach

Associated with fundamental Social Work. Questions the current balance of power in the society and distribution of resources. Identifies the cruel nature of current social relations. Social Worker’s responsibility is to address racial operations. Combines advocacy & lobbying on changing policy & social positions. Ensuring social justice at individual, group & community level & seeking structural changes to make it happen.

Examples

Policy changes & enactments for Women empowerment.

Similarities

All are genuine. All three schools of thought aim for helping individuals, groups or community to enhance their capacity. Take responsibility for particular behaviors with certain ethics. Make decisions that improve their coping skills. Commonly make use of some skills. interviewing people, making need assessments.

Social Work Profession

Features of Social Work Profession

A contextualized discipline &profession takes place in specific context. Dominated by the boundaries of the nation /state but often exceeds them to cater for internationalized social problems like: 1. International adoptions 2. Immigration 3. Human trafficking

Social Work Profession

Impact of globalization and market necessities Wide range of employing agencies National international legislation and social policies Killing International imprisonment Natural calamities A profession with multiple accountabilities – to employers, service users, policy makers, professionals in associated disciplines like: 1. Medicine 2. Psychiatry 3. Psychology 4. Law

5. A constantly changing profession --- as it is subjected to professional governmental regulation.
6. Constantly fragmenting boundaries & changing nature enable social work activities to be appropriated by other professions like: 7. Psychology 8. Care Management 9. Mental Health 10. Sociology 11. Anthropology

Challenges of Social Work Profession

To secure its scientific basis, credibility & professional status since its beginning. Social work profession is staffed primarily by women whose work was & still socially devalued. Professional identity.