SOCIAL WORK THEORY AND PRACTICE.

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK.

MEANING OF SOCIAL WORK.
AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE.
ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER IN THE IDENTIFIED AREAS.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL WORK.
SCOPE OF SOCIAL WORK.
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK IN THE SOCIETY.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE NEED OF SOCIAL WORK TODAY IN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES.

THEORIES APPLICABLE IN SOCIAL WORK.

THEORIES APPLICABLE IN SOCIAL WORK.
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK THEORIES.
APPLICATION OF APPLICABLE THEORIES IN RELEVANT SITUATIONS.

SOCIAL WORK SKILLS.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES REQUIRED BY A SOCIAL WORKER.
CHALLENGES IN SOCIAL WORK.

SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES.

SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES.
IMPORTANCEOF ETHICS AND VALUES IN SOCIAL WORK.
IMPACT OF ETHICS AND VALUES ON SOCIAL WORK.
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIAL WORKERS.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL WORK.

SOCIAL WORK PROCESS.

SOCIAL WORK PROCESS.
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK PROCESS.
STAGES OF SOCIAL WORK PROCESS.

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METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK.
METHOD OF SOCIAL WORK.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN EACH METHOD.
IMPORTANCE OF EACH METHOD.
IMPACT OF EACH METHOD ON SOCIAL WORK.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH METHOD.

MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

SOCIAL SERVICES.
IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING SOCIAL SERVICES.
METHODS OF MANAGING SOCIAL SERVICES.
CHALLENGES IN MANAGING SOCIAL SERVICES.

EMERGING TRENDS IN SOCIAL WORK.

EMERGING TRENDS IN SOCIAL WORK.

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Meaning of Social Work

The word social work comes from society meaning “A group of people with a common goal and
usually sharing a common way of life.”
 Social Work is any collective and active participation in a given activity with an aim of achieving
broad common objectives of the group.
 Others have defined it as “any planned purposeful interventions based on professional
knowledge, skills and values aimed at individual change.”
 Social work is concerned with any interaction between people, institution or society that affects
people’s ability to accomplish life tasks.
 As a profession, social work has methods, skills, knowledge which is employed when working with
clients.

Mission of Social work

As a profession social work is committed to the following:-
1. The pursuit of social justice.
2. The enhancement of quality.
3. The development of full potential of the individual group or community.

The purposes of Social Work

1. Professional social workers are concerned with social problems, their impacts, causes and solutions.
2. Social workers work with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations.

Areas of Social Work practice.

 Hospitals i.e. guiding, counseling services, nurses, matrons’ e.t.c.
 Schools i.e. nursery schools or health services in schools.
 Communities – social workers help vulnerable groups e.g. widows, orphans, people living with AIDS,
development groups.
 Entrepreneurship – social workers help to make women groups, youth’s e.t.c. in income generating
activities.
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 NGOS – they act as coordinators and links with communities and donors agency.
 Government – social workers are employed as civil servants in different ministries as Ministry of
Education e.t.c.

The role of Professional social workers.

1. Case management – they link client with agencies that meet their psycho-social needs.
2. Medical social work – they include counseling and psycho-therapy.
3. Human services management e.g. health services, probation.
4. Social welfare policy Analysis.
5. Community organizing – they organize community to form either groups.
6. Advocacy – they act on behalf of community/individuals e.g. petitions.
7. Teaching social work in institutions.
8. Carrying out social science research – they carry out research on social problems.
9. Enhancement of capacities of individuals to address their social problems.

THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIAL WORK.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL WORK.

Evolution of Social Work in Developed Countries.
The idea of charity as practiced in social work dates back to ancient time.
The practice of providing for the poor is found in most major world religions, however, the practice and
profession of social work in the scientific sense has a recent origin.

In Europe, charity was considered to be a responsibility as a sign of ones Godliness. It was in form of
direct relief to the less fortunate e.g. giving food, clothes or money.
In England, a law was developed specifically for the poor, this law provided for remedies for the less
fortunate.
The 19th century brought a leap in science and technology.

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There was also migration of people from rural to urban areas and this resulted into many social problems
that leveled to increase in social activism.
During this time, some missionaries got assistance especially from protestant denominations to work in
urban areas to try and solve social problems. They worked through direct relief to alleviate these
problems.
The same time rescue society came up to find means for self help; mental counselors also came up to care
for mentally ill.
Another movement called the settlement movement also came up; it focused on the causes of poverty
through the 3Rs of Research, Reforms and Residence. They provided the educational, legal and health
services.
In the 20th C, volunteers including university students undertook social work especially in cities.
The community Association Movement began operating in the period between the 1 st and 2nd world
wars.
It helped to bring about National Voluntary Organizations, churches, political parties, groups and the
general public together.
USA:
 Social work began with relief which mainly involved giving of alms to the poor.
 It was followed by Charity Organization Society which began work around 1973. It coordinated and
worked with organizations which provided for the needs of the poor and desperate.
 The majority worked with orphans and street families.
 There was a change from reliance on the efforts of volunteers to provide services provided by
professionals paid by agencies.
 Community Welfare councils were also started by charity organizations to raise funds, plan and
coordinate welfare work.
 In the USA, the government later took the responsibility of social welfare and became the main planner,
promoter and coordination of welfare programs.
Kenya.
During the early years of colonization Britain entrusted the provision of most social services to
missionaries.
During this period, the colonial government was basically concerned with the provision and enforcement
of law and order.
Missions received grants for the support of social welfare. These approaches intended to benefit
individuals instead of wider communities.

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 These necessitated the development of new approach termed as mass education.
These may be traced back to the Phelps Stokes report of 1922.
The government was compelled to initiate community improvement schemes through the department of
social welfare. From there on, social work has developed in Kenya until the following:
i. Establishment of social welfare hall; in this hall literacy classes and recreation activities were carried
out. They were mainly funded by local authorities.
ii. The training institutions were established for training social workers.
iii. Pilot welfare schemes were started where social work was done on extensive scale.
Women were the most commonly involved in the social work.
In Kenya, social work was carried out by the social welfare organization after 1945.
In 1954, the social welfare organization became part of the Ministry of Social Development.
Social halls were also established to provide literacy lessons, sports, film shows, meeting room for
groups’ e.t.c. They were managed by Community Development Assistants.
What are the rational/need/reasons for Social Work in Developing Countries?
i. Low literacy level in developing countries calls for programmes to develop educational institutions.
ii. Bad governance: dictatorship in developing countries call for community mobilization, advocacy
e.t.c. to help them to know their rights.
iii. Diseases: calls for efforts to put up health facilities.
iv. Poverty: calls for a wide range of development projects to reduce/alleviate poverty.
v. High level of antisocial activities e.g. crimes, drug abuse e.t.c.
vi. Poor housing/slums and sanitation problems.
vii. High population growth rate: due to high population growth, there is need for social work.
viii. Street families: calls for a social worker to assist the street children to various trainings.
ix. High level of unemployment.
x. Natural calamities: floods, famine, drought. During these calamities calls from social workers are
needed to assist.
xi. Wars and conflicts: calls for the victims affected.

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THEORIES APPLICABLE IN SOCIAL WORK.
Theory: Is the true belief based on fact that is possible.
Theories: Are general principles or truths on which something happens the way it does.
They are principles that explain how and why something happens the way it does.
Sociological Theories.
Are sets of ideas which try to explain how and why or aspects of society or social interaction in groups
occurs?
It attempts to organize facts, ideas, concepts and principles that enable us explain the various ways in
which society is structured and the pattern of behaviour in each society.
There are several sociological theories applicable in social work:
a) Functional theory.
b) Conflict theory.
c) Socio - learning theory.
d) Psycho – analytic theory.
e) Social systems theory.
f) Humanistic – existential theory.
Functional Theory (Herbert Spencer & Emile Durkheim.)
 They viewed society as a set of interrelated parts that worked together to produce a stable social
system.
 According to them society is held together through consensus (agree)
 That people agree on what is best for society and work together to ensure that the system run smoothly
to achieve the best for society.
 The society has elements that work for the maintenance of the society; these are viewed in terms of
their function called positive consequences.
 Functionalist recognized that not everything happening in the society is functional.
 A dysfunctional element has negative consequences for stability i.e. wars, conflicts, prostitution.
 They destabilize the society rather than stabilize it.
 Functionalists see the universe as a system of interconnected parts.
 They sometime use an organistic analogue of organisms like human beings.
 To them the human body (social system) has various parts (organs) it follows then that for a system to
survive its various parts, it must have some degree of order of compatibility.
 Functionalist theory is also called consensus theory; this implies that certain degree of order and
stability are essential to a system.

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 It implies also that there must be norms and values to guide members of any social system
The Conflict Theory (Max Weber & Karl Max)
 It sees social life as being full of tension and conflict among members of the society.
 It focuses on forces in the society that promote competition and changes.
 It is interested in how those who have power exercises the power and control the people with less
power, according to them, since resources are in limited supply, people will compete for them.
 Once a particular group gains control over the scarcely resources they tend to establish rules and
regulations to control other groups.
 This inequality in conflict groups leads to social conflict as those with less power are ordered to gain
and access to the desired resources while those with power resist.
 Conflict theories do not only limit their attention to acts of violent competition but are also interested
in non – violent competition with various groups in the society e.g. men and women, people with
different ages, races, ethnic religions.
 Conflicts generally lead to social change as inevitable features of societies.
Humanistic Existential Theory.
 It focuses on self which translates into “You” and “Your” perception “your experience”
 It reacts that you are free to choose on your behaviour rather than reacting to environmental stimulate.
 The main issues here are those to do with self- esteem self - fulfillment and self - needs.
 The humanistic approach began in response to the concerns of psychotherapist against persevered
especially psycho-dynamic.
 The main theories associated with this theory are Carl Rodgers and Abraham Maslow.
 The theories felt that the existing ones failed to address the meaning of behaviour; the result of their
concerns was fundamentally new approved.
Carl Rodgers.
 He felt that each person operates on a unique form of reference.
 Self concept is one’s belief about them.
 He believed in experience and doubted the existence of any universal truths.
 He was even more skeptical if one could not at all even if exists.
 The only reality we can know for sure is our own or personal experience.
 He claimed that health development depend on how individuals perceive their being.
 A healthy individual may see their being in terms of congruence on harmony between which they are
and who they feel they should be

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 While we tend to experience perfect congruence at free time the relative degree of congruence is
indicator of mental health.
 He claims that congruence and conditioned positive regard are necessary for interpersonal.
 Without all these, relationships may stall but when present closeness may develop.
Abraham Maslow
 He is highly regarded as the founder of humanistic approach.
 He is best known for his interest in applying psychological principles in these attempts to understand
human behaviour.
 His theory emphasizes motivation as the key to understand human behaviour.
 He felt that individuals have needs that must be made hierarchical order from the lowest to the highest
being basic needs and ultimately self actualization.
 Human beings generally behave according to the need they are trying to give point of time.

Man’s needs may be broadly categorized in two:

Primary needs (physiological needs) e.g. sleep, sex, shelter, food, water. They are all primary needs
because they arise as basic needs.
Secondary needs (social and physiological needs) they develop as one matures.
Maslow is studying human behaviour concluded that man’s needs depend on what he is already have.
For this reason, satisfied needs do not motivate behaviour.

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 The Psycho- Analytic social theory (Sigmund Trend and Karen Homey)
He provided the new approach, the analysis and treatments to abnormal human behaviour.
Earlier Sigmund tended to ignore behaviour and looked else where and explanation of abnormity. Freud
approach recognizes that neurotic behaviour is not random or meaningless but is gold.
By looking for the purpose of abnormal behaviour pattern, one can understand the behaviour and
meaningful.
He claimed that all human beings are born with a natural tendency to satisfy their biologically determined
need e.g. shelter, clothing and food.
The satisfaction of the needs depend on both practical and social behaviour which he called them sexual.
This, when the child is suckling at his mother’s breast, she discovers the pleasure on his activity; the first
sign of sexuality are awakened.
The infant discovers an Orthogenetic zone (the month which may be reactivated in life through thumb
suckling or kissing)
Theory is based on assumption that social and cultural conditions are responsible in shaping personality.
The people who don’t have love and affection in childhood develop basic hostility towards their parents.
People combat basic anxiety by adopting one of the following basic styles of relating to others also called
neurotic trends.
i. Moving towards people (being friendly)
ii. Moving against people (violent)
iii. Moving away from people.
Most normal people use a combination of these trends in relating to others but neurotics are compelled to
rely on only one.

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SOCIAL WORK SKILLS.
Characteristics of Social work Professions.
1. It deals with individuals/communities who have a problem; need/want; seeking for help/assistance.
2. Social work aims at being helpful and not to hurt.
3. The help given by social work is usually given within the framework of social agencies.
4. The helping process is carried out between the helping person and the client.
5. The help arises partially from the helping agency and from the resources of the case worker.
Skills and competence required by a social worker
1. Creativity and Innovation
A social worker needs to be creative and innovative. He/she must be able to come up with new ideas as
the situation may demand.
The social worker should be able to invent and use methods whenever a case arises.
2. Confidentiality
The social worker should be one who is able to preserve secret information about the client which is
dissolved in the professional relationship.
3. Initiative
The social worker ought to be to take the initiative in providing help to clients especially where the clients
are reluctant to do the same.
4. Non judgmental
A social worker should not have a judgmental attitude.
Discourages the idea of condemning the character of the person.
Arises from the conviction of social worker not to assign levels of approval innocence or guilt.
5. Acceptability
Social worker should be one who is acceptable to the clients. This depends on the social worker, other
skills and competence.
6. Resourcefulness
Social worker should be able to provide all the necessary information that may be useful in satisfying the
needs of the clients.
7. Leadership
Social worker must possess and exhibit appropriate leadership skills and techniques.
8. Communication skills
A good social worker must possess requisite communication sskills that may enable him pass and receive
information to and from the clients appropriately.

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9. Non emotional involvement
While the social worker should be sensitive to the clients’ feelings, she/he should not be involved in
emotions with the client. This involves objectives restraining or with holding ones feelings.
10. Assessment/ Diagnosis.
The ability to assess and diagnose a case enables the social worker understand the client. The skill helps
the social worker know what the problem is, how it came about and its possible solutions.
Challenges in Social Work
Resources
 The materials and financial resources required by social work activities are generally scarce.
 Financial resources are however required in most social work projects/activities.
 Human resources may also sometimes be inadequate: this is where training opportunities for social
workers may not be available.
 The poor, who the social worker deals with, have more needs that the resources available cannot
support; because of the scarcity, some communities resolve to conflicts. This is the challenge to the
social worker who has to arbitrate and solve such conflicts.
 Resource management has also taken a challenge to social workers because not all stakeholders can
manage the resources well.
Problems
 Poor infrastructure like roads hinders social worker to reach some parts of the community which are in
accessible.
 Poor participation in decision making/communal activities by the community hinders the effects of
social work.
 Hostility that social workers receive from communities due to their failure to carry out their work
effectively, this occurs as reaction for lack of required skills and competence.
 Communication problem such as language barriers that result due to differences in modes of language
leads to distortion of information between the social worker and community people.
 Poor leadership structure in the community leads to mismanagement of projects; hence collapse of
such projects this often demoralizes the effort put by the social work.
 Lack of required skills and knowledge due to limited training on part the social work this limits their
success in carrying out services to the community.
Environmental Challenges
Prohibit the social work to reach all clients e.g. nature of a place, climate e.t.c.

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SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES
Ethics- Rules of right and wrong behaviour.
Ethical behaviour- behaviour which is right according to a system of morals.
Any set of rules for proper behaviours are known as code of conduct.
A code of conduct: fore scribe the behaviour of profession in serving and protecting clientele, colleagues
and the society at large.
The code of ethics of the social work professional National Association of Social Workers (N.A.S.W)
The N.A.S.W defines the code of ethics in the light of emergent practices and research findings.
Ethical values and principles of Social Work.
Ethics and principle of social work is based on to value of service, social justice, dignity and worth of a
person, importance of human relationship integrity and research findings.

Value: Social justice

Ethical principle: Social worker challenges social injustice.
Social worker pursues social change particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed
individuals and groups of people.
Social worker changed efforts are focused on an issue primary of poverty, unemployment, discrimination
and other forms of social injustice.
Social worker strives to ensure equality of opportunity access to resources and services making it for all
people.

Value: Dignity (Discrimination against race, age)

Ethical principle: Gender/sexuality, Religion.
Social worker respects the inherent and dignity worth of a person.
Social worker treats each person in a caring and respectful fashioned way.
Social worker promotes clients’ self determination.

Value: Integrity
Ethical principle
Behaving in a trustworthy manner.
Acts honestly and responsibly.

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Value: Importance of human relationship
Ethical principle
Social worker recognizes the central importance of human relationship.
Recognizes the relationship between and among people are important vehicle for change.
Engages people as partners in the helping process.
Seeks to strengthen relationship among purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain and enhance the
well being of individual, communities and families.

Value: Competence
Ethical principle
Practices within areas of competence.
Enhances and develops their professional expertise.
Continually strives to increase their professional knowledge and skills and apply them in practice.

ETHICAL VALUES
Social workers ethical responsibility to client.
1. Commitment to client
Primary responsibility is to promote well being of client.
The client interests are primary however, social workers to the responsibility to workers.
2. Self determination
Respects and promotes the right of a client self determination.
However, social worker may limit client rights to self determination where client actions cause a serious
foreseeable risk to themselves or others.
3. Informal consent (Acceptance)
Should provide services to client only in the context of valid informed consent.
They must in clear and understandable language inform client on issues about purpose of services, risks
involved, costs alternative and right to refuse or accept service.
3. Competence
Social worker should provide services and represent their boundary of their education training hence
retroflection experience.
Social worker should not provide services in an area by using technique new to them, by engaging to
appropriate study and supervisor of competent people.

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5. Cultural competence and Social diversity.
They should understand culture and its function in human behaviour in society recognizing the strength
and weakness that exist in all cultures.
They should provide services sensitive to the client culture.
They should understand cultural diversity with respect to raise ethnicity, national original, sex, age,
marital status and religion.
6. Conflict of Interest
Social worker should be alert to avoid conflict of interest.
They should inform client of real/potential conflict of interest; protecting the clients’ interests may require
termination of the professional relationship with proper referral of the client.
They should not take advantage of only professional relationship or exploit others to further their business
interest, education.
Social worker should be clear to client whom they provide services to, people who have relationship to
each other. They should clarify to practice their role and take appropriate action to minimize any conflict
of interest.
7. Privacy and confidentiality
Social worker should respect client’s privacy.
They should not solicit private information from client unless it is essential to producing services or
conducting social work evaluation /research.
Once private information has been shared, standard of confidentiality must apply.
Social worker may also disclose confidential information when appropriate with valid concept from the
client or a person legally authorized to give consent on behaviour of the client.
This however does not apply to information necessary to prevent serious forcible harm to the client or the
person or when the law requires disclose without the client consent.
They should therefore inform the client of the exposure when necessary before the disclosure is made.
The social worker should inform the client of the policies regarding disclosure.
They should only disclose confidentiality in private and not in public areas.
Social worker should protect the confidentiality of diseased client consistent with accepted standards.
8. Access to record
Social worker should provide clients with reasonable access to records concerning clients.
The client should be assisted; the confidentiality of individuals’ identity in the records should be
produced.

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9. Physical contacts
Social worker should not engage in physical contacts only when there is possibility of physiological harm
to the client.
10. Sexual harassment
Social workers should not harass clients; sexual harassment includes sexual advances, sexual solitation,
and sexual favours e.t.c.
11. Derogatory language
Social workers should not use derogatory language in their written or verbal information tools or about
client. They should use accurate and respected language in all communication to client.
12. Payment for services
When setting fees, social workers should ensure that there fees are fair, reasonable and consume rate.
Consideration should be given to client’s ability to pay.
Social worker should avoid accepting goods/services from the client as payment for services. They should
not solicit private fees /other for providing services to client who are entitled to such available services
through the social workers employer/agency.
13. Client who lack decision making capability
Social workers should take step to safe guard the interest and rights of client who lack the capacity to
make information, decision.
14. Interruption of services
Social workers should make reasonable efforts to ensure continuity of services in the event that services
are interrupted by features as illness, disability/death.
15. Termination of services
Social worker should terminate services to client and professional relationship with them when such
services and relationship are no longer required or served the client need/interest.
Social worker should not abandon the clients who are still in need of services.
Social worker should only terminate services to anyone after the contractual financial arrangements have
been made known to the client and the client does not seem to be in danger.
They must not terminate services to enter into a social, financial or sexual relationship with the client.
Social worker who participate the termination of service to a client should notify client promptly.

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Social Workers ethical responsibility to colleagues
1. Respect
 They should treat colleagues flatly with respect and avoid negative criticism of colleagues in
communication with others.
 They must not make demeaning comments regarding colleagues’ level of competence, race, tribe,
culture, sex, age e.t.c.
 They should always cooperate with other colleagues when such operations serve the interests of the
clients.
2. Confidentiality
 They should respect confidential information shared by colleagues in the course of professional
relationship.
3. Interdisciplinary collaboration
 Social workers who are members of a disciplinary team should fully participate and contribute to
decision that affect the well being of the client.
 Social worker should hustle for all ways for client well being.
4. Dispute involving colleagues
 They should not advantage of the dispute involving a colleague and employer to advance their interest.
 They should not exploit clients in dispute with colleagues.
 They should also not involve client in their dispute with colleague.
5. Consultation
 They should seek advice of colleagues whenever such consultations are in the best interest with
colleague.
 They should only consult colleagues who have demonstrated expertise and competence on subject in
question.
6. Referral for services.
 Social worker should refer clients to other professionals when the other professional specialists
knowledge expertise is needed to serve the client fully.
 They are prohibited to giving/receiving payment for referral.
7. Sexual relationship and sexual harassment
 Social worker who acts as a supervisor should not engage in sexual activities with colleague with
whom they exercise professional activity due to potential conflict of interest.
 They should not harass the colleague especially supervisors.

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8. Incompetence of colleagues
Social worker who knows of a colleague’s incompetence should consult with that colleague when
possible and assist the colleague in taking remedial action.
9. Unethical conduct of a colleague
 They should take remedial measures to discourage, prevent, expose and correct unethical conduct of
colleague.
 They should be aware of procedures of handling a complain.
 When they believe a colleague as acted unethically, they should seek resolution on discussing the case
with a colleague.
 They should also depend and assist who are unjust charged with an ethical standard.
Social Worker ethical responsibility
1. Competence
Should accept employment on the basis on competent.
They should strive to become and remain proficient in practice.
2. Discrimination
Should not practice or condone, facilitate, collaborate in any form of discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, nationality, sex, colour, religion.
3. Private conduct
Should not let their private conduct interfere with their ability to fulfill their profession capability.
4. Dishonest/fraud/deception
Should not participate/associate with dishonesty, fraud or deception.
5. Implacement
Should not allow their own personal problem, psychological distress or mental health difficulties interfere
with their work.
Those with such problems should seek professional help.
6. Misinterpretation
They should take clear distribution between statement made and action as representative of social work
organ.
Those who speak or act on behalf of the organization should accurately represent the official position or
profession.
They should only claim the credentials which they have.

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7. Solicitation
They should not solicitate client vulnerable to manipulation or coarsen.
They must not also solicit for endorsement from client vulnerable influence or manipulation.
8. Acknowledging credit
Should only take credit on work, performance and contribution.
Should honestly acknowledge the work and contribution of others.
Social Worker ethical responsibility to social work profession
1. Integrity of the profession
Should work towards maintaining and promoting high standards of practice.
Should uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge and mission of the profession.
Should contribute to activities that promote respect for the profession.
Should act to prevent unauthorized and unqualified social practice.
2. Evaluation and Research
Should promote research to contribute to social worker’s knowledge.
Should allow guideline for the developed of the same.
There involvement should also obtain comment from participation.
Must not induce participant; must protect participant from harm or danger.
Should only discuss collected information for professional purposes.
Those engaged should maintain the confidentiality of participant by committing information unless proper
consent is obtained.
Research findings must be made accurately.
Social Workers ethical responsibility to broader society
1. Social welfare
They should promote general welfare of the society; this should be from local to global level and include
development of people, their communities and environment.
They should advocate for living conditions suitable for the fulfillment of basic human needs.
They should promote social, economical, political and cultural values and institution that help in the
realization of social justice.
2. Public participation
They should facilitate participation by the public in shaping social heirs and institution.

3. Social and Political action.

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Should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to
resources, employment services and opportunities to meet basic human needs and develop fully.
They should advocate for policies that improve social condition and promote social justice especially with
regard to vulnerable, disadvantaged, and oppressed.
They must also promote conditions that encourage social and cultural conditions globally, elimination of
discrimination on the basic of political ethnicity.

SOCIAL WORK PROCESS

1. Research
 A process of obtaining facts regarding social problems and their solution.
 There are many different research applied on social work process.
 Basic research is that for one to act wisely on solving the problem he/she must know what realities are.
 Realities can be best known through research.

2. Planning
 Blue print of what one is to do when and how to do it.
 It can be done by community leaders or social agencies.
3. Coordination
 A process of working to avoid unnecessary duplication of method and conflict.
 It’s the joining together of people and agencies so as to strengthen each other thus make it possible to
provide services that is not easily done individually.
4. Organization
 This is the process of establishing structure to solve social problems.
 It is the structure which considers the community needs and their solution.
 Structure can also give solution in solving social problems.
 The direction is usually correct by combination of professional and volunteers, committee social
bodies bare committees for budgeting thus the committee targets to study the needs.
 The process is challenging one requiring, caring, and consideration and planning.
 The social work can help a finance committed to finance committed to work out a clear and
appropriate finance services.
5. Administration
 A process of transforming social policies into social services.
 A process of carrying out plans and implementing the action upon decisions are being made.

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 For effective administration, all the staff must be actively involve; administrative must not be left to
the leadership alone.
The Importance of Social work process

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METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK DEVELOPMENT
Methods used in Social Development activities
A Case Work (Individual case work)
According to Mary Richard social case work is a process which develops personality through adjustment
or through consciously being affected by an individual.
Others have defined case work as a method of measuring against reality, the client capacity to deal with a
problem.
Social case work involves the restoration of impaired capacity, provision of individual and social
resources and prevention of dysfunctional.
Social case work practice does not give license to interfere with other people’s affairs instead in sanction
those activities which are directed by specific purposes and guided by values, knowledge and techniques.
Characteristics of Social Case Work
1. It has to do with individual who has a problem, want/needs and is seeking for help or assistance.
2. It aims of being helpful and not to hurt or harm.
3. The help arises partially from the helping agency and from resources of case worker (skills and
knowledge)
Assumptions of the Case Work process
 Human and social conditions are responsible to social interventions.
 Problems may arise from environmental changes/individual inadequacy or from both.
 The society is the contact in which social case work is practiced, affects problem definition, goal
setting and strategy development.
The case work process involves
 Studying
 Assessment
 Intervention
 Termination

1. Studying

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Here the client is engaged in presenting the problem.
Frequently the client seeking help have the expectation that agency or case worker will take over or take
up the case.
However this is an enormous conception of case work process which may have resulted from the client.
In the social study face, the client matter the decision as to whether to decline the service or not.
The initial conduct should therefore be a constructive experience.
The workers attitude is an important controlling factor in which the client decide.
The problem should remain that for which help is sort or part of that when client chooses at the moment
and is focused on.
2. Assessment
Provide a differential approach to treatment based on individuals’ difference and needs.
It’s fluid or dynamic in that it’s ever changing beginning at the intake and continuing to termination. Its
emphasis is on the worker and client to understand the problem and the situation.
Assessment begins with a statement of the problem by the client.
It’s guided by what is indicated by the client.
This may include a range of domestic, psychological, social, cultural or environmental problems.
Assessment result in and understanding of the problem situation; it’s also never ceased during the case
work process.
It may include judging through strength or ability of individual in coping with the problem.
3. Intervention/Treatment
This begins with the first contact.
Study process is treatment or intervention because it helps the client clarify the problem for or herself and
to make change to his/ her situation as a result of understanding the problem.
The case worker should have warmth and generous during treatment combined with interview skill,
him/her to enable the client to tell his/her story.
The intervention skills include:-
 Interviewing
 Recording
 Referral
 Writing
The efforts support and strengthen the client e.g. intervention geared to the worker-client.

Relationship guided by such basic principles as:-

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1. Client right to determine his/her course action with his/her limits.
2. The client acceptance on his/her attitude to change.
4. Termination
A decision by case worker to accept to provide help to client has within the assumption that at some point
in the process of intervention will end.
Termination as used in social work means the ending of a process that was commenced at the beginning
with intervention process.
The process of study, assess, intervention and termination never continues forever.
A termination plan needs to be considered by social worker after consultation with the client.
Principle of Social Case Work
1. Individualization
Recognition of every human being’s quality and is based on the rights of human to be.
2. Being Accepted
Ideally the client should accept the worker; if client acceptance will not be in line with social work code
of ethics, worker should tell the truth.
3. Nonjudgmental attitude
This discourages the idea of condemning characters of a person.
4. Purposeful expression of feeling.
Recognition of what need to express his/her feeling especially the negative feeling.
5. Control emotional involvement
The case worker should be sensitive to the client feelings.
6. Confidentiality
The preservation of secret information concerning the client which is disclosed in the course of
professional relationships.
Essential Skills and techniques in Social Case Work
1. Engagement
Is the initial person to person conduct between the client and the case worker.
The social worker must have tact and insight and must also possess observation skills.
2. Intake
The client may have requested for the service/identified the service from the case worker.
The registration of the case is done and the determination is made whether the service is to be provided or
not.
The most important skills are assuming and reasoning

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 Focusing as an attribute is also important and is required as a skill.
3. Assessment/Diagnosis
It enables the case worker to understand and analyze the client skills. Good assessment must tell what the
problem is, how it became about and its possible solutions.
Diagnosis on the other hand is an attempt to arrive at an exert definition as possible of a social situation
and personally of the person in need.
Methods of Social Case Work
i. Psycho-social model.
ii. Problem solving model.
iii. Behaviour modification model.
iv. Family or group treatment.
v. Crisis oriented/grief treatment.
vi. Adult socialization model.
Psycho-social model.
This model course and effect relationships between individuals and their environment is identified.
This model is about how the social environment influences an individual’s psychological status.
The Problem solving model
Is the simplest model whose main feature is the identification of the problem by the affected person and
searching for solutions and making decisions.
The Behaviour modification model.
The main practice applied here is about research. It seeks to modify (change) observable behaviors.
Supporters/behaviorists agreed that “symptoms are the same as other responsible because behavior is
mainly a response.’’
There are also of the view that human behavior is learned through the process of conditional and therefore
be changed.
The modification/change is what takes place through learning.
Social Group Work
1. Formation of Social groups
Groups come to being in a variety of ways.
The existence of social problems or needs will often result in group forming simultaneously to solve
problem.
Regardless for the reason for a group forming, the mechanics of bringing people together, the agencies
and the workers goals are the heart of the process.

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2. Selection of group members
a)Chronological Age.
This seems to be less important than the maturity of an individual however in adolescence when age
enjoys additional status, freedom privileges, it may be important to strike for homogeneity of age in a
group.
In adult group age is less important than other social or economic importance/factors.
b) Value system
Some differences in value may be tolerated as long as it stimulates discussion however when the
differences are too great, they may cause social problems such as lack of social cohesion or group
cohesion.
c) Common problems
People who have problems can be easily grouped together
d)Enjoyment patterns
Common interest will be always of great importance in bringing about group ness.
Groups with common interests in an activity may have that base of interest broadened and used to
solve social problem.
e) Intelligence
Intellectual differences although not of prime different may pose problems in groups if the differences
are so great.
f) Tolerance of structures
The set of the members is not always important especially in young/youth groups however mixed sex
groups have been very successful with working adolescent.
Community Work
There are various classifications and descriptions regarding the processes used in community social work,
however the most commonly used is:-
Project work
Projects are unique endeavors t produce set of the desirables with specific time, cost and quality
constraints.
Most projects are carried out through steps such as:-
 Planning
 Financing
 Administration
 Coordinating

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  Advocacy
 Social action
 Research
In a community work therefore research involves the obtaining of facts regarding social problem and its
possible solution.
Planning involves stating clearly what is to be done, how it is to be done and when it is to be done.
Coordination entails joining members of the community with agencies, other forces for support and
strength to promote social service provision.
Organizing in community work involves formulating structures that would act as a means that would
enable effective service delivery.
Financing process in community work involves collecting, budgeting and spending funds in related to
community needs and projects.
Administration is about transforming social policies to come to social services where plans are
implemented. Committee operation is about working through committees to achieve project goals.
Social Action
Social work can also be carried out through social action.
Here social worker involves two or more members of a community in an attempt to solve their common
social problems.
Social action is about collective action, it can be either induced or spontaneous.
It is induced where social worker introduces the community and offers solutions to their problems.
It is spontaneous when action springs out within members of the community. It may begin with an
individual member who forms a basis for action. From individual, the information may spread to other
members of the community who then act to solve their problems.

MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

This consists of planning, controlling, coordinating, directing e.t.c of social services.

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Types of Social Services
Social services are activities aimed at bringing about social transformation.
 Advocacy services
 Case management services
 Counseling services
 Education services
 Health services
 Human management services
 Community management
 Anti-social activities management
Means and Ways of Managing social services
Planning – is managing of decision of what is to be done and what to do.
Organizing – is the arrangement of resources both human and material in a productive manner; it
includes identifying and defining work to be done.
Staffing – is the process of selecting people to work and giving them responsibilities according to their
competence.
Documentation – is the keeping of records of the experiences encountered during social process.
Decentralization of power and Authority – social workers do this to ensure power is shred in the
community where they work, planning and implementation of social services is generally decentralized.
Capacity building – social workers manage social services by providing skills and knowledge to
members of the community.
Promoting gender equality –social workers in managing their social services ensure there is no
discrimination on the basis of sex among some people with whom they work.
Promoting local institutions – social services can be managed by strengthening the capacity of local of
local community e.g. groups, women and local leadership.
Importance of Managing Social Services
1. It facilitates the process of decision making e.g. in terms of what, when, who to do it as determined
during planning.
2. Through planning of social services activities, a community is more capable of achieving a set of
goals and objectives.
3. It helps in identifying and designing work through all these processes.
4. It helps the social worker in selecting people to take up responsibilities according to their
competencies.

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5. It facilitates learning to the social worker; organizations/groups of people in the community through
documentary of experiences during social process activities.
6. It enables the social worker to keep records of experiences encountered during the social process for
future references.
7. It promotes equality in decision making, implementing and planning of social services.
8. It promotes power sharing amongst community members as a result of decentralization of power.
9. It promotes capacity building in social services activities through training which provides new skills
and knowledge.
10. It promotes gender equality among members of a community.
11. It promotes local institutions e.g. family, group leadership.
12. It promotes effective management of resources especially if they are used in a productive manner.
Indigenous Methods of Managing social services

Challenges in Managing social services

1. Poor leadership/incompetence among some other leaders.

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2. Lack of financial resources
3. Poor communication participation leading to low sense of ownership.
4. Some cultural activities or practices do not prove social services.
5. Illiteracy among some members of community makes them take long to adopt new ideas /innovation
provided by social worker.
6. Poor coordination between development agencies e.g. government, NGOs and the beneficiaries.
7. Some members of the community hold different opinion about new social services. This causes
disunity amongst them hence hampering the provision of social services.
8. Unfavourable political environment may derail proposed social services.
Challenges of Managing social services to special groups.
1. Orphans
 Lack of assistance to the social work

2. Widows
 Discrimination majorly on ownership of property.


3. Handicapped
 Communication barrier e.g. when dealing with blind, deaf e.t.c. persons.

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3. Children

4. People living with Aids

 They may be people who don’t have a stable place of living.
 Unacceptance of their status.


Management of Challenges in Managing social services

1. Scarcity of financial services can be overcome through soliciting people, local contributions,
fundraising aid from NGOs and other agencies.
2. Communication participation can be improved through mobilization of members to gain power and
resources so as to participate meaningfully in managing social services activities.
3. Illiteracy among community members can be eliminated through relevant training to equip community
members with new skills and knowledge.
4. Those concerned with social service activities should be trained in documentation skills so as to
facilitate proper record keeping.
5. Where the political environment is unfavourable the social service provider can mediate or arbitrate
between conflicting groups in the community.
6. Negative cultural practices in the community can be eliminated by stressing the dangers of negative
effects to the society.

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7. Social workers can formulate projects to strengthen social bonds to bring social cohesion and reduce
suspicion among members when they have conflicting views about social services.

EMERGING TRENDS IN SOCIAL WORK

a)Pertaining to Community based development.
 Today there are procedures to facilitate wider participation in social services.
 There has been greater decentralization of government decision making which has boosted community
based development activities.
 There is legal framework which allows people’s participation.
 Social workers today help to shape up local leadership skills since they are more who run non-
governmental projects.
 There are increased community ownership development programs since they are involved through
participation.
 Communication and understanding especially among rural community has been enhanced.
 Job opportunities have been created.
 There has been improved technology hence leading to improved living standards.
 There has been the promotion of innovation and the use of locally adaptable skills.
 It has been an improvement of provision of services such as health, education through hospitals,
colleges, schools e.t.c.
 There is provision of funds and other resources by both Governmental and Non-governmental e.g. this
has helped especially in humanitarian intervention and as well as project implementations.
 Training is most available to the community development and social work professionals.
Today communities are more dependent instead of relying on only handouts provided by social workers.
b)Pertaining to Empowerment as a basis for social services
 Rural people internal capacities have been strengthened at local levels.
 There is promotion of gender public awareness.
 The rights of immigrants’ population, refugees and IDPs have been guaranteed through education
services, health care and other capacity building programs.
 There is provision of information to individuals, families and groups.
 There are today legal policy and framework to increase people’s participation.

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 There are appropriate procedures and methods which facilitate wider participation in social services.
 There is promotion of innovation and use of locally adaptable skills.
 Job opportunities have been created for community members.

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