Models/approaches of social work

Clinical social workers use both clinical and developmental models to treat clients’
psychological and behavioral problems to help clients create better environments around
themselves and live healthier lives. As of publication, clinical social work is the largest
behavioral health field in the U.S., according to the National Association of Social Workers.

Clinical Models

A clinical model outlines the steps and standards by which a clinical social worker expects to
guide a client to behavioral change. Because every client is different, a clinical social worker
is trained to integrate the best theories from fields such as psychology or education to create
the right clinical model for each particular client. For example, the University of Texas at
Austin’s School of Social Work teaches students to create a strategy and prioritize the
different points where therapy will be focused after assessing a client’s level of psychological
and social development and the influences that impact the client’s behavior.

Developmental Models

A developmental model serves as a guide against which client behavior can be compared. For
example, one model used to assess individuals’ behavior is based on eight stages of
psychosocial development from birth to late adulthood as defined by 20th century
psychoanalyst Erik Erikson. Based on Erikson’s model, an adolescent client’s behaviors can
be assessed against a developmental stage that is marked by the struggle to find a fulfilling
identity, whereas the behavior of a client in late adulthood can be assessed against a stage of
life that is marked by the struggle to feel fulfilled by past choices and achievements.

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Models of Social Work
1. Clinical model
2. Ecological Social Work
3. Relief model
4. Welfare model
5. Systems model
6. Radical model
7. Developmental model
8. Empowerment model

1. Clinical Social Work

Clinical social work is the professional application of social work theory and methods,to the
diagnosis, treatment, and prevention,of psychosocial dysfunction, disability, or impairment,
including emotional, mental,and behavioral disorders(Barker, 2003).Clinical Social Work
practice in health care is to enhance, promote, maintain, and restore the best possible social
functioning of clients, families and small groups when their ability to do so is affected by
actual or potential stress caused by illness, disability, man made or natural calamity or injury
SERVICES PROVIDED- Preventive, Developmental, Remedial in nature depending on the
agency purpose and need
Clinical models are representations of physiological and pathological phenomena that are
used for predicting patient evolution.A simple example is a diagnostic class. For example, we
say 'this patient has cholera'. By this statement we refer to a mental representation of a
particular bowel infection, with a particular organism (vibrio cholerae) and we use it to
predict the possible evolution of the patient (massive diarrhea followed by spontaneous
healing, or by death if dehydration is not kept under control).

2. Ecological Social Work

An ecological model recognises that everything is interrelated, interdependent, and
connected, not only the component parts, but also the context or environment. When we look
at human communities through an ecological model (Odum, 1983; Slobodkin, 2003), we
recognise that changes in one part will affect all other parts, that is, a disaster in one area will
influence the whole. It is only when the whole is strong and healthy with ample resources that
help can be offered to a distressed component part. As medicine following the clinical model
ran into problems, such that the numbers in need far exceeded the resources and health
personnel available, the birth of public health occurred.Most extensions of life span and the
phenomenal increase in population have been due to public health, not private health that is
typically oriented to the elderly, the rich and well to do.As psychology following the clinical
model ran into similar problems, the fields of community and ecological psychology
emerged. These disciplines have attempted to set up research and then to intervene on a larger
scale, ignoring individual needs to begin to deal with community wide needs.

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3. Relief model
According to this model services come into operation when the normal resources such as the
individual, the family and the community breakdown. The relief approach consists of giving
material help and providing various social services. This is the most traditional approach, it
constitutes a valid role as a strategy o action, which provides timely help in crisis that are
casual by natural calamities
4. Welfare model
This model rests its moral claim on literal moral of individual rights. Services are viewed as
the light of the individual and problems are seen as consequence of an individual inability to
use available services or to the lack of accessibility of the service itself. In this approach the
state accepts, primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizens. It therefore provides
needed services which are in implemented by professional social workers. The role of state is
to maintain the states rather than to promote active change. Social workers access the needs
of individual and intervene to assist them to an effective level of functioning. This approach
seeks to ensure distributive justice through support institutions and programmes. The welfare
model has always sort to survey the needs of forgotten individuals and groups in a society at
any given point of time. It emphasis certain values – charity, love, human dignity, equality
and social right.

5. Systems model
Individuals who are knowledge workers in a knowledge economy may find themselves, at
different times and sometimes simultaneously, self-employed, working in an ad hoc network,
or earning a salary with an organization. To be successful, they need to have a sense of how
different aspects of knowledge management fit together as they guide their own career paths
and find ways to add value to ad hoc and formal organizations.In Western countries, an
increasing proportion of the workforce is employed for their knowledge. That knowledge is
for the most part up to individuals to acquire and maintain, and it is largely portable. It may
be of content or process, tacit or explicit, general or particular, linear or relational, timeless or
up to the minute. It is utilized by individuals working alone and in small groups or large
organizations. Especially in the private sector, many knowledge workers are self-employed or
members of ad hoc virtual or network organizations rather than permanent salaried
employees.
6. Radical model
While the development model recognizes the need for more equitable society, the radical
model advocates the achievement of justice and equality through local transformation of the
existing social order. An important aspect is its conscioustization, raising the consciousness
of oppressed people so that they become aware of the process of oppression and decrease
there powerlessness.Radical social work emphasizes collective action through political
participation action and community activity. Social workers / social activists deal with the
social problems vis gender issues, rights of the oppressed, humans etc.
7. Developmental model
The Developmental model, views persons as capable of civic virtue. Supporters say that
through involvement in government and community affairs, persons can gain an

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understanding of the public good and what it requires. The "good citizens" of this society are
aware of and participate in government and civic affairs through voting, the expression of
their opinions to representatives, and sometimes even public service. Involvement in
democracy is both a way of educating people and increasing their ability to better themselves.
Through the exercise of judgement on political issues, citizens can better exercise judgement
in other areas of their lives. The Developmental model utilizes indirect representation simply
because of the impracticality of direct involvement such as that of the participatory
democracy.

8. Empowerment Social Work

Empowerment can be defined as,” enabling service users to take action to improve their lives.
From the point of view of service users, practitioners are often in positions of considerable
power, particularly where decisions are being made about the delivery of services and around
intervention in people's lives. To practice empowerment, social workers will need to focus on
working with service users to engage them in the problem-solving process”.Empowerment is
linked with anti-oppressive practice, in that the social worker can work with service users to
enable them to overcome barriers to solving problems – whether located in the attitudes and
practices of professionals and social institutions (for example, health and education
authorities) or in the beliefs of the service user. The social worker's knowledge of service
provision and the law can be critical in empowering service users.

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