Process of case work
Introduction: There are many forms of social work and so a simple definition cannot do
justice with the term “social work”. We can say social work is a discipline that encompasses
many modalities and methodologies. Social work means to enable the person who is
suffering from the problems which are related to his /her family, society in which the person
lives, financial problems of the person etc. so that the person can solve their own problems
by themselves. To enable those persons we need case workers.
Description: case worker is professional helpers who have a degree in a social work or closely
related fields. They are employed by the NGO’S, Governmental institutions, and Agencies.
They deal with the cases of the problematic persons who has some problems related to their
families due to which they were stressed. They investigate their problems and provide all the
possible help to the person who is disturbed or depressed. The main objective of a social case
worker is to provide all the possible ways so the depressed person can live peacefully in his
life.
Process of case work is done in 7 steps.
Intake
Study
Diagnosis/ assessment
Treatment/intervention
Evaluation
Termination and follow up
All steps are discussed below;
1. Intake: It includes the selecting of the person who is in a problem and who is not able
to cope up with his problem. In this case worker can get the information related to the
problem of the person from the person’s personal data (name, sex, age, address,
history of problem), by family’s background (occupation, income, relationships) and
by knowing early family history (family relationships, family status).
2. Study: In this step, the caseworker can try to understand the problem like what is the
problem and is the problem aroused by using many methods like books, discussion,
observation etc. In this the case worker can make interview with the client or can
make home visit to house of the client.
Purpose:
This Tool helps the worker to verify the data which he collected in previous
step.
It can be useful in solving the client’s problem in an easy way.
3. Diagnosis: It is done to find the fact beyond the problem. It guides the case worker
About how to provide the proper treatment to the problematic person. Diagnosis
means the process of identifying a problem (social, mental as well as medical) and its
Underlying causes and formulation of solution.
Purpose:
To provide the guideness to the treatment of the problem.
It can identify the data whether it is true or not.
4. Intervention / Treatment: It is the fourth stage of the case work process. In social work
intervention+ is similar to treatment because a treatment is directed to bring a change.
During this stage, the communication skill of the case worker plays a prominent role in
solving the problem of the client. According to Hamilton Gordon (1956), “Treatment as a
“furnishing a service” or behavior toward someone.”
Purpose:
This stage of process can improve the stability and the functioning of the client so
that he/she can adapt the social adjustment and can balance his or her inner and
outer conflicts.
To change the attitude of the client towards the problem.
5. Evaluation: According to the WEB STER’S DICTIONARY; it means “to determine the
worth of, to find the amount or value of, and to appraise “.
Evaluation means to evaluate the merits or demerits or we say the accurateness of the
something. In social case work, it provide a base on which the case worker can continue or
terminate the process accordingly to the situation of the client.
Purpose:
It provides the estimate of the degree of achievement in solving the problem to the
case worker.
It provides the opportunities to the case worker to bring more improvement in his
case work.
6. Termination: It includes the process when the case worker and client begin to plan the
ending of their contacts with each other. Due to which the client may be angry, feel helpless,
may bargaining with the case worker for the extension of the treatment, and may accept the
termination.
7. Follow-up: it is the last step of the process. It is done by the case worker after the
treatment is complete by gathering information related to the client environment. It is done
to see the changes in the attitude of the client. It can be done through sending a brief
questionnaire to the client.
How can I use the process of case work in the field?
1. intake – Let’s assume that a person comes to me with a problem; who has a habit of
using of drugs but now he wants to quite this habit. And to identify the persons problem, I
gathered the information like his personal data such as his name, age, sex etc., his family
background and his early family history.
2. Study – Then in second step, I acquiring knowledge by doing observation, learning,
discussion etc. to understand the problem of the person. For this, I may have to make
home visit to this person’s home. So that I can know about the circumstances of his house
and clarify the data that I have collected.
3. Diagnosis- in diagnosis, I will check that why he has a habit of taking drugs and what
can the reasons behind it. Then reason can be from his family’s life style, family’s financial
status etc.
4. Intervention- In the intervention I will come with all the possible solution to remove
this habit of the person and in this step I can ask him what the reasons of taking drugs
was. So I can provide the best solution to remove this habit.
5. Evaluation- In evaluation I will check whether my treatment has made any
differences in the attitude of the person and if come to what extent. If I do not see any
difference then I will keep my treatment step continue.
6. Termination- When my client is completely cured, so I will be planning to make my
termination from the client and think about the possible way to terminate myself so that
there is no effect on mu client.
7. Follow up – In this step, I will give a brief questionnaire to my client to check the
attitude of my client towards the drugs and this will make me realize whether my client
did not start taking drugs again.
Conclusion- To conclude, we can say social case work is an ongoing process of study,
diagnosis, formulation of goals, treatment planning, intervention, evaluation and
termination. Fern Lowry (1936) described this process as similar in form to a rope woven
of multiple standards. When one cuts the rope at any point, all the component strands
are exposed.
References –www.bdu.ac.in>docs>studymaterials
https://nasowsunilag.org.ng>uploads
