Social Development Work Theory and Practice

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WORK THEORY AND PRACTICE
LESSON 1
UNIT OUTLINE
Lesson objective:
By the end of the lesson, trainees should be able to:
1. Explain the importance of ethics in social work
2. Appreciate the historical development of social work
3. Explain the importance of management programmes in society
4. Appreciate the role of social workers in society
5. Discuss the overview of the unit
UNIT OUTLINE
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK
1.1 Meaning of social work
1.2 Areas of social work practice
1.3 Role of social workers in identified fields
1.4 Historical background of social work
1.5 Scope of social work
1.6 Importance of social work in society
1.7 Factors contributing to the need for social work in developing countries.
2.0 THEORIES APPLICABLE IN SOCIAL WORK
2.1 Theories applicable in social work
2.2 Importance of social work theories
2.3 Application of applicable theories in relevant situations

3.0 SOCIAL WORK SKILLS
3.1 Characteristics of social work profession
3.2 Skills and competencies required by social workers
3.3 Social work challenges
4.0 SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES
4.1 Social work ethics and values
4.2 Importance of ethics and values in social work
4.3 Impact of ethics and values in social work
4.4 Ethical responsibilities of social workers
4.5 Basic principles of social work
5.0. SOCIAL WORK PROCESS
5.1 Social work process
5.2 Importance of social work process
5.3 Stages of social work process
6.0 METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK
6.1 Methods of social work
6.2 Factors to consider in each method
6.3 Importance of each method
6.4 Impact of each method
7.0 MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
7.1 Social services
7.2 Importance of managing social services
7.3 Methods of managing social services

7.4 Challenges of managing social services.
8.0 EMERGING TRENDS IN SOCIAL WORK
8. 1 Emerging trends in social work
INTRODUCTION TO SOACIAL WORK.
Lesson objective:
1. Explain meaning of social work

2. Explain what makes social work a profession
3. Discuss areas of social work practice
Meaning of Social work:
Refers to work carried out by trained personnel with the aim of alleviating the conditions of
those people in a community suffering from social deprivation. It is an academic discipline
and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups, and communities in an
effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
The profession of social work is based on the values of service, social and economic. Justice,
dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence in
practice. With these values is defining principles, the purposes of social work are:
a) To enhance human well-being and alleviate poverty, oppression and other forms of social
injustice.
b) To enhance the social functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups,

organizations and communities by involving them in accomplishing goals, developing resources
and preventing and alleviating distress.
c) To formulate and implement social policies services and programs that meet basic human
needs and support the development of human capacities.
d) To pursue policies, services and resources through advocacy and social or political actions
that promote social and economic justice.
e) To develop and use research, knowledge and skills that advance social work practice.
f) To develop and apply practice in the context of diverse cultures.
WHAT MAKES SOCIAL WORK A PROFESSION
a) A code of ethics that guide the practice
b) A high degree of generalized and systematic knowledge
c) Community sanction – community approves social work as a practice.
d) A primary orientation to community interest rather than individual self-interest.
e) Which degree of skill involving responsibility and self-regulation of behaviour which are
internalized through formal education, work, socialization, code of ethics and voluntary groups
operated by the professionals themselves.
f) A culture including a value system – acting like a social worker
g) A system of monetary and honorary rewards that are primarily an acknowledgement of

work achieved and thus ends din themselves not means of promotion of individual self-interest.
AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
1. Family and children services
Family and children services ensures that the family is an important institution functions family
and children who are vulnerable group is taken care of well in order to grow as naturally as
possible.
2. Psychiatric social work or social work in mental health settings

The social work helps the people with mental or psychological problems to adjust and live a
meaningful life. Though social workers may not be trained for medical services and hence such
cases their background training should assist in managing cases in various ways.
3. Social work
This is social work in school set up where children with special needs or learning difficulties are
helped to get the best out of the school systems. It may include managing cases of liability, poor
performance, attendance, communication etc.
4. Social work with people with developmental disabilities
This is social work directed to people with disabilities that are developmental oriented. They
include people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, orthopedic problems, hearing
problems, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, learning disabilities FAS etc.
5. Social work in the work place (Industrial social work)
These practices address issues that revolve round employer-employee relationship and the work
place environment. Employers may be concerned on the productivity issues and employee on the
compensation issue. Industrial social worker helps in identifying and resolving personal concerns
issues that may affect ted job performance. It also ensures good environment for the workers. It
may also include labour unions and other industrial relation activities.
6. Medical social work
This is social work in medical settings and it focuses on people with medical or health problems.
The practice is found in general hospitals, specialized hospitals, public health clinics,
rehabilitation center nursing homes, hospice, primary health care centers etc. The service is to
free people from health setbacks in their lives.
7. Chemical dependency prevention and treatment
This is social work with people who have problems with drugs and other substances abuse. It
focuses on population at risk, prevention and rehabilitation of those affected and also involves
campaigns against the use and giving fasts on the issue.
8. Criminal justice social work
This social work practice is based on reformation of social deviants especially on criminal
matters. It may involve case histories of victims, punishment, reformation and reintegration. It
may focus on correction centres e.g. prisons, probation, juvenile, justice and reformation etc. this
aims at vacancy free individual and trying to give them another chance.
9. Social work with the old

Older population to consider a special group with special needs. Aging comes with its own
challenges. Bodily degeneration, neglect and other societal changes are a concern to the social
workers. It includes care to the aged including homes.
Validation Option: Activity in class:
This activity allows for group validation of competency:
Examine 5 reasons why social work is a solution to social problems in Africa.
Group reflection:
Brainstorm In pairs, on the following:
Discuss why social work is considered a profession.
Assignment
1. Explain four contributions of social work to a society

2. Discuss five key reasons which have contributed to the need for social work.
3. Explain the meaning of social work
LESSON 2
INTRODUCTION TO SOACIAL WORK PRECTICE
Lesson objective:
1. Explain meaning of social work

2. Explain what makes social work a profession
3. Discuss areas of social work practice
Meaning of Social work:
Refers to work carried out by trained personnel with the aim of alleviating the conditions of
those people in a community suffering from social deprivation. It is an academic discipline
and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups, and communities in an
effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
The profession of social work is based on the values of service, social and economic. Justice,
dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence in
practice. With these values is defining principles, the purposes of social work are:
a) To enhance human well-being and alleviate poverty, oppression and other forms of social
injustice.
b) To enhance the social functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups,

organizations and communities by involving them in accomplishing goals, developing resources
and preventing and alleviating distress.
c) To formulate and implement social policies services and programs that meet basic human
needs and support the development of human capacities.
d) To pursue policies, services and resources through advocacy and social or political actions
that promote social and economic justice.
e) To develop and use research, knowledge and skills that advance social work practice.
f) To develop and apply practice in the context of diverse cultures.
WHAT MAKES SOCIAL WORK A PROFESSION
a) A code of ethics that guide the practice
b) A high degree of generalized and systematic knowledge
c) Community sanction – community approves social work as a practice.
d) A primary orientation to community interest rather than individual self-interest.
e) Which degree of skill involving responsibility and self-regulation of behaviour which are
internalized through formal education, work, socialization, code of ethics and voluntary groups
operated by the professionals themselves.
f) A culture including a value system – acting like a social worker

g) A system of monetary and honorary rewards that are primarily an acknowledgement of
work achieved and thus ends din themselves not means of promotion of individual self-interest.
AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
1. Family and children services
Family and children services ensures that the family is an important institution functions family
and children who are vulnerable group is taken care of well in order to grow as naturally as
possible.
2. Psychiatric social work or social work in mental health settings
The social work helps the people with mental or psychological problems to adjust and live a
meaningful life. Though social workers may not be trained for medical services and hence such
cases their background training should assist in managing cases in various ways.
3. Social work
This is social work in school set up where children with special needs or learning difficulties are
helped to get the best out of the school systems. It may include managing cases of liability, poor
performance, attendance, communication etc.
4. Social work with people with developmental disabilities
This is social work directed to people with disabilities that are developmental oriented. They
include people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, orthopedic problems, hearing
problems, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, learning disabilities FAS etc.
5. Social work in the work place (Industrial social work)
These practices address issues that revolve round employer-employee relationship and the work
place environment. Employers may be concerned on the productivity issues and employee on the
compensation issue. Industrial social worker helps in identifying and resolving personal concerns
issues that may affect ted job performance. It also ensures good environment for the workers. It
may also include labour unions and other industrial relation activities.
6. Medical social work
This is social work in medical settings and it focuses on people with medical or health problems.
The practice is found in general hospitals, specialized hospitals, public health clinics,
rehabilitation center nursing homes, hospice, primary health care centers etc. The service is to
free people from health setbacks in their lives.
7. Chemical dependency prevention and treatment
This is social work with people who have problems with drugs and other substances abuse. It
focuses on population at risk, prevention and rehabilitation of those affected and also involves
campaigns against the use and giving fasts on the issue.
8. Criminal justice social work
This social work practice is based on reformation of social deviants especially on criminal
matters. It may involve case histories of victims, punishment, reformation and reintegration. It
may focus on correction centres e.g. prisons, probation, juvenile, justice and reformation etc. this
aims at vacancy free individual and trying to give them another chance.
9. Social work with the old
Older population to consider a special group with special needs. Aging comes with its own
challenges. Bodily degeneration, neglect and other societal changes are a concern to the social
workers. It includes care to the aged including homes.
Examine 5 reasons why social work is a solution to social problems in Africa.
Group reflection:
Discuss why social work is considered a profession.
Assignment
1. Explain four contributions of social work to a society

2. Discuss five key reasons which have contributed to the need for social work.
3. Explain the meaning of social work
LESSON 3
ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss the role of social workers in identified areas

2. Explain factors required for social workers to be culturally competent.
THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER
In doing their day-to-day work, a social worker is expected to be knowledgeable and skillful in a
variety of roles. The role that is selected and used should ideally be the role that is most effective
with a particular client in the particular circumstances.
Social worker may be involved in a few or all of these roles depending on the nature of their job
and the approach to practice that they use. Social workers roles have been changing as the nature
of social problem and general social organizations changes. Social workers are focused on
change in the individual, the group or the community or sometimes all three. It requires multi-
dimensional thinking of a complex and often changing set of information that has to be collated
and analyzed with the person or group with whom we are working, enabling a coherent analysis
of what could change to make things better. Social workers then use their range of methods of
intervention to help achieve that change. It does not matter what sector the social worker is
working in if it is children looked after by the state or helping sex offenders control their
offending the core aims and objectives are the same. The methods will vary with each individual
person.
GENERAL ROLES OF A SOCIAL WORKER IN THE SOCIETY
1. Helping people develop their own problem solving and coping capacities.
2. Establishing initial linkage between people and resource systems.
3. Helping to promote effective relationship between people and social resource systems.
4. Building relationships between people within a resource system.
5. Contributing to social development and modification through research
6. Dispensing material resources
7. Serving as agents of social change.
1. 1. A Counsellor or Caseworker
The idea of social worker is someone who works with or counsel individuals has been a
requirement and powerful notion in social work throughout its history. It has also been closely
associated with some of the key values of social work and in particular recognizing the inherent
worth of the individual and respecting the person. Counseling and casework of course also
appeal to those whose view of social work as a whole is done to which helping or supporting
individuals is a key component. There is also implicit in the role of the social worker as
counsellor or case worker the idea that change will be involved in the behaviour or outlook of the
client or service user.
1. 2. An Advocate
The social worker can also be viewed as an advocate on behalf of the poor or social excluded.
The advocacy role can also be played for individuals or groups such as families or communities
and in some respects the advocacy role can also be associated with community work. The social
worker in this role can give assistance or support individuals or groups by giving voice or
assisting them to give their own voice to their wishes, needs and aspirations. The advocacy role
still privileged the notion of a close relationship between client / service user and social worker.
1. 3. A Partner
The social worker can also be viewed as a partner of and working for disadvantaged or
disempowered individuals or groups. Again, there is a close relationship between the social
worker and those he /she is supporting. In reference to both the social worker as advocate and
social worker a supporter, the empowerment of the client or group is an important and major
objective.
1. 4. Assessor of risk and of need
Increasingly, social workers have been given a major role in the assessment of need and risk over
a number of client groups. The concern has been that whereas assessment is an important task for
social workers it may well be at the cost of other activities important for social workers such as
fulfilling the casework role and working with individuals, families and groups.
1. 5. A Care Manager
Social workers may also have a role as care manager. They may be involved in arranging care
for clients / service users but be involved in very little direct contact with the clients whose care
they are organizing. In the mixed economy of care / social workers may arrange care for its
individual which is carried out by non-qualified social workers or those working within the
voluntary or private sectors.
1. 6. An Agent of social control
The function of social work particularly from a radical perspective can be seen to be a
conservative force in perpetuating a social and economic system which accounts for the
inequalities and disadvantages experienced by many. So, 100 can the social worker be viewed as
1 agent of social control. In the broad sense, this can be taken to refer to the role the social
worker may play in maintaining the social system in general. One of the responses to our small
consultation suggested that if social work did not exist then there would be breakdown in the
social system. In the narrower sense, the social worker can be considered as playing a control
role in the responsibilities he / she is required to fulfill in relation to social work with offenders
or with those whose behaviour is problematic.
1. 7. An Encourager
The social worker provides a link between his/ her agency and the community. Ross holds that
the professional worker in his / her capacity as an encourager helps awaken members of the
community and to get them feel discontented about their situation. He argues that most people
may be discontented about certain aspects of their lives and this may be conscious or
unconscious.
1. 8. An Enabler
The social worker through discussions, listening and asking pertinent questions, helps people to
see the nature of the discontents, their causes and inner relationships and helps to organize them
for action. Morris urges that in the role of an enabler, the social worker has to be sensitive to the
tradition values wants and desires of the members of the community. The success of the great
will depend on his / her effective grasp of the conditions of the community and on the workers
ability to fit change agency efforts to the prevailing situation in the community.
1. 9. A Guide
The social workers role is not far removed from that of encourager or enabler. In this role, the
social worker pointed out by Ross, helps a community find means of achieving its goals. In this
case, the worker helps the community move in the direction it has chosen. The worker may
suggest alternative courses of action, but the choice of any of them and the means of attaining it
is left to the community. As a guide, the worker does not sit back and wait for members of the
community to come to him / her, rather the agents the initiative to go to them. In communities
which look apathetic, the challenge is for the agent to stimulate their members need for change,
that is, make them realize some of their needs and want to do something about them. In
communities where things appear normal, the worker may take the initiative to point out
conditions which the community may have become accustomed to and yet which need to act
upon. In this case, Ross holds, the worker provides facts, but their interpretations and decisions
to act remains to the community.
10. Adviser or Consultant
The social worker may not be involved in day-today community work, but may travel to field
every now and then. They may be experts in health, agriculture, housing or business and may be
employed by one of the ministries of a nation or an international organization. The consultant in
this case will be concerned with providing an effective link between the agency and client
systems. To do this, the consultant may rely on field agents or gather information him / herself
through periodic visits to the community. The advice he / she gives to the agency will be about
the reality of the community situation – the aim is to help adapt the agency’s programmes in the
local situation.
11. A Broker / Negotiator
As noted by Grosser, organizers are a sort of a guide helping communities to locate resources
and stimulate collective action. They may also help people to identify their problems and seek
solutions to them. They may look at some of the administrative measures and policies and
collectively seek changes in these. Grosser mentions that the term broker was initially used in
social work programmes, but is akin to terms like enabler and encourager. Activists are identical
to advocates. They are also seen as agitators.
12. An Expert
The worker provides data and advice on matters where the is knowledgeable e.g if he’s
knowledgeable on family planning, he can talk about population. Growth and how it affects the
economy, family or the environment both at national and family level. He must also have
research skills which enable him to shed more light on community problems and how the current
situation can be reserved. He must also be able to evaluate and interpret the co-operative work of
the community.
13. A Therapist
The worker deal with deep and unconscious forces that threaten to disrupt the community
organization processes, taboos, traditions and attitudes which create tension and separate groups
in the communities.
14. A Teacher / Educator
The worker shares his / her knowledge by passing on information on to the clients and the people
in the community.
15. A Catalyst
The worker is expected to quicken / speed up development activities in the community. Despite
the dragging attitude of members, the worker has no strive to pull up their efforts.
16. A Facilitator
The worker is expected to work with the people by being there for any doubts and uncertainties
by providing material – not necessarily tangible. Ensures things are running well.
17. A Link
The worker is to connect people with other resource systems e.g. people with organizations. This
enables proper coordination within the group.
`18. An Initiator
The social worker may initiate a course of intervention in client groups or communities. this may
be done by creating a discontent with a current situation thus prompting change.
19. A Mediator
The social worker will be involved in sorting out differences among clients which may be a
source of dysfunction. He / she will try to bring upon understanding among such groups in order
to encourage peaceful coexistence between people and other social, economic, cultural and
political systems.
20. A Researcher
Social workers are involved in new knowledge generation through research. Many of social
problems affecting human beings have not been understood and what many agencies are working
on are symptoms and not the root cause. Social workers are expected to get involved in
investigating social problems so as to offer practical and workable societies.
21. A Coordinator
The social worker is involved in coordinating various groups and activities in order to bring
about the desired changes. They are also involved in coordinating resources so that various needs
can be met.
22. An Activist
Social workers agitate on behalf of the disadvantaged groups on matters that affect them. They
may do this at policy level where they push or changes in various societal structures so that
members can get the required services.
Key requirements for Social workers to be culturally competent.
a) Become aware of culture and its pervasive influence
b) Learn about their own cultures
c) Recognize their own ethnocentricity
d) Learn about other cultures

e) Acquire cultural knowledge about their clients, and
f) Adapt social work skills and intervention approaches accordingly
Examine 5 reasons why social work are regarded as a catalyst towards development.
Group reflection:
Discuss why social workers act as advocates to community members.
Assignment
1. Explain five key factors required by social workers to be culturally competent

2. Discuss five key roles of social workers in their field.
3. Explain five ways through which social work can be applied to spearhead change in a
given community
LESSON 4
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK.
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss the historical background of social work
HISTORY OF SOCIAL WORK

Social work as a profession is of relatively recent origin. The first social welfare agencies began
in the early 1800s in an attempt to meet the needs of people living in urban areas. These agencies
or services were private agencies developed primarily at the initiation of the clergy and religious
groups. Until the early 1900s, these services were provided exclusively by members of the clergy
and wealthy ‘do-gooders’ who had no formal training and little understanding of human
behaviour. The focus was on meeting such basic physical needs as food and shelter and
attempting to ‘cure’ emotional and personal difficulties with religious admonitions.
An illustration of an early social welfare organization was the society for the prevention of
pauperism founded by John Griscorn in 1820. This society’s goals were to investigate the habits
and circumstances of the poor, to suggest plans by which the poor could help themselves and to
encourage the poor to save and economize. Toward these ends, they conducted house-to-house
visitation of the poor a very elementary type of social work.
By the last half of 1800s, a fairly large number of private relief agencies had been established in
large cities to help the unemployed, the poor, the ill, persons with physically or mental disability
and /or orphans. These agencies programs were uncoordinated and sometimes overlapped.
Therefore, an English innovation-the charity organization, (COS)-caught the interest of a number
of American cities. Starting in Buffalo, New York in 1877, COS was rapidly adopted in many
cities. In charity organization societies, private agencies joined together to:
a) Provide direct services to individuals and families – in this respect, they were forerunners
of social casework and of family counseling approaches.
b) Plan and coordinate the efforts of private agencies to combat the pressing social problems
of cities – in this respect, they were precursors of community organization and social planning
approaches. Charity organizations conducted a detailed investigation of each applicant from
services and financial help, maintained a central system of registration of clients do avoid
duplication and used volunteer friendly visitors to work with those in difficulty. The friendly
visitors were primarily ‘doers of good works’, they generally gave sympathy rather than money
and encouraged the poor to save and to seek employment. Poverty was looked on as the result of
a personal shortcoming. Most of the friendly visitors were women.
Concurrent with the COS movement was the establishment of settlement houses in the late
1800s. in 1884, Toynbee Hall became the first settlement house n London. Many others were
soon formed in large US cities. Many of the early settlement house workers were daughters of
ministers, usually from the middle and upper classes. In contrast to friendly visitors, they lived
din the impoverished neighbourhoods and used the missionary approach of teaching residents
how to live moral lives and improve their circumstances. They sought to improve housing, health
and living conditions, find jobs for neighbourhood residents, teach English, hygiene and
occupational skills and change environmental surrounding through cooperative efforts.
Settlement houses used change techniques that are now referred to as social group work, social
action and community organization.
Settlement houses emphasized environmental reform, at the same time, they continued to
struggle to teach the poor the prevailing middle class values of work, and abstinence
as the keys to success. in addition to dealing with local problems by location, settlement houses
played important roles in drafting legislation and in organizing to influence social policy and
legislation. The most noted leader in the settlement house movement was Jane Adams of Hull
house in Chicago.
It appears that the first paid social workers were executive secretaries of charity organization
societies in the late 1890s. t the time, some COSs received contracts from the cities in which they
were located to administer relief fund. They then hired people as executive secretaries to
organize and train the friendly visitors and to establish bookkeeping procedures to account for
the funds received. To improve the services of friendly visitors, executive secretaries established
standards and training courses. The first such training course was offered for charity workers in
1898 by the New York charity society. By 1904, a one-year program was offered by the New
York school of philanthropy. Soon, many colleges and universities were offering training
programs in social work.
Richard Cabot introduced medical social work at Massachusetts’s general hospital in 1905.
Gradually, social workers were employed in schools, courts, child guidance clinics and other
settings. Early training programs in social work focused both on environmental reform efforts
and on efforts to help individuals adjust better to society. In 1971, Mary Richmond published
social diagnosis, the first text to present theory and methodology for social work. The book
focused on how the work should intervene with individuals. The process is still used today and
involves study (collecting information), diagnosis starting the prospect of improvement and
treatment planning, stating what should be done to help clients improve. This text was important
because it formulated a common body of knowledge for case work.
In the 1920s, Sigmund Freud’s theories of personality development and therapy became popular.
The concepts and explanations of psychiatrist appeared particularly appropriate for social worker
who also worked in one-to-one relationship with clients. The psychiatric approach emphasized
intrapsychic process and focused don enabling clients to adapt and adjust to their social
situations. Thus, most social workers switched their emphasis from ‘reform’ to ‘therapy’ for the
next three decades.
In the 1920s, however, there was a renewed interest in sociological approaches or reforms by
social workers. Several reasons account from this change. Questions arose about the relevance
and appropriateness of ‘talking’ approaches with low-income clients who have urgent social and
economic pressures. Furthermore, the effectiveness of any psychotherapeutic approaches was
questioned. Other reasons for the renewed interest included an increase in the status of sociology
and the mood of the 1960s, which raised questions about the relevancy of social institutions in
meeting the needs of the reform approach and the therapy approach.
Not until the end of World War did social work begin to be recognized as a distinct profession.
The depression of the 1930s and the enactment of the social security Act in 1935 brought about
an extensive expansion of public social services and job opportunities for social workers.
Throughout the 20th century, there has been a growing awareness by social agency boards and the
public that professionally trained social services completely.
In 1955, the national association of the social workers (NASW) was formed, which represents
the social work profession in this country. The purposes of this association is to improve social
conditions in society and promote high quality and effectiveness in social work practice. The
association publishes (a)s several professional journals, most notably social work, (b) the
encyclopedia of social work and (c) a monthly newsletter titled social work news as well as a list
of job vacancies throughout the country. Developing countries are coming up with such
associations to regulate the profession. In Kenya, we have the Kenya National Association Social
Workers (KNASW).
In recent years, there has been considerable activity in developing a system of certification or
licensing of social workers. Such a system both helps assure the public that qualified personnel
are providing social work services and advances the recognition of social work as a profession.
All states have now passed legislation to license or regulate the practice of social work, although
a young profession social work and gaining respect and recognition.
A MULTI-SKILLED PROFESSION
Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, families, organizations
and communities to enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and to create societal
conditions favourable to their goals. The term social worker has been defined by the national
association of social worker as:
Persons who have received formal training and qualified, who use their knowledge and skills to
provide social services for clients (who may be individual, families, groups, communities,
organizations or society in general). Social workers help people increase their capacities for
problem solving and cropping and help them obtain needed resources, facilitate interactions
between individuals and between people and their environments, make organizations responsible
to people and influence social policies.
Social work is distinct from other professions (such as psychology and psychiatry) by virtue of
its responsibility and mandate to provide social services. A social worker needs training and
expertise in a wide range of areas to handle effectively the problems faced by individuals,
groups, families, organizations and the larger community. Whereas most professions are
becoming more specialized (for example, nearly all medical doctors now specialize in one or two
areas), social work continues to emphasize a generic (broad based) approach. The practice of
social work analogous to the old, now-fading practice of general medicine. A general practitioner
in medicine was trained to handle a wide range of common social and personal problems.
This success story (in most cases, the outcome is not as promising) documents the range of
abilities displayed by a social worker, interviewing skills, knowledge of how to counsel people
with sexual problems and feelings of depression, ability to work effectively with other agencies,
premarital counseling skills, research and grant-writing skills, program development and
fundraising skills and knowledge of how to handle clinical legal cases.
Perhaps the most basic skill that a social worker needs is the ability to counsel clients effectively.
Anyone who is unable to do this should probably not be in social work – certainly not din in
direct service. The second most important skill is the ability to interact effectively with other
groups and professionals din the area. A social worker like a general practitioner requires a wide
range of skills that will enable him/her to intervene effectively in (a) the common personal and
emotional problems and (b) the common social problems faced by groups, organizations and the
larger community. Social workers also need an accurate perception of their professional
strengths and weaknesses. If a situation arises that a worker knows he / she does not have the
training or expertise to handle, then the worker needs to be a ‘broker’ and link those affected
with available services.
A PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH
In working with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Social workers
use a problem-solving approach. Steps in the problem-solving process can be stated in a variety
of ways. Here is a simple description of the process:
1. Identify as precisely as possible the problem or problems.
2. Generate possible alternative solutions
3. Evaluate the alternative solutions
4. Select a solution or solutions to be used and set goals
5. Implement solution(s)
6. Follow-up or evaluate how the solution(s) worked.
A generalist social worker is trained to use the problem-solving process to assess and intervene
with the problems confronting individuals, families, organizations and communities.
Examine 4 key milestones of historical background of social work
Assignment
1. Explain five key steps followed in application of problem-solving approach

2. Discuss five key reasons as to why social work is referred to as a multi-skilled profession
3. Explain three benefits of understanding the history of social work
LESSON 5
SCOPE OF SOCIAL WORK
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss the historical background of social work
LEVELS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
MICRO, MEZZO AND MACRO PRACTICE
Social workers practice at three levels:

a) Micro working on a one-to-one basis with an individual)
b) Mezzo -working with families and other small groups
c) Macro – working with organizations and communities or seeking changes in statutes and
social policies.
The specific activities performed by workers include, but are not limited to the following:
Social casework
Aimed at helping individuals on a one-to-one basis to resolve personal and social problems.
Casework may be geared to helping clients adjust to their environment or to changing certain
social and economic pressures that are adversely affecting them. Social casework services are
provided by nearly every social welfare agency that offers direct services to people.
Social casework encompasses a wide variety of activities such as counseling runaway youths,
helping unemployed people secure training or employment, counseling someone who is suicidal,
placing a homeless child in an adoptive or foster home, providing protective services to abused
children and their families, finding nursing homes for stroke victims who no longer require
hospitalization, helping alcoholics to acknowledge that they have a drinking problem, counseling
those with terminal illness, serving as a probation or parole officer, providing service to single
parents and working in medical and mental hospitals as a member of rehabilitation team.
Case management
Recently, a number of social service agencies have labeled their social workers case managers.
The task performed by case managers are similar to those of caseworker. The job descriptions of
case managers vary from service area to service area. For example, case managers from juvenile
probation setting are highly involved in supervising clients providing some counseling,
monitoring clients to make certain they are following the rules of probation, linking clients and
their families with needed services, preparing court reports and testifying in court. Roone and
Larsen describe the role of a case management as follows:
A person designated to assume primary responsibility for assessing the needs of a client
arranging and coordinating the needs of a client, arranging and coordinating the delivery of
essential goods and services provided by other resource and working directly with the client to
ensure that the goods and services are provided in a timely manner. Case managers must
maintain close contact with clients including sometimes acting to provide direct case work
services and with other service providers to ensure that plans for the service delivery are in place
and are subsequently delivered as planned.
Baker defines case management as follows:

A procedure to plan, seek and monitor services from a variety of agencies and staff on behalf of
a client. Usually, one agency takes primary responsibility for the client and assigns a case
manager, who coordinates services, advocates for the client and sometimes controls resources
and purchases services for the client. The procedure makes it possible for many social workers
in the agency or different agencies to coordinate their efforts to serve a given client through
professional teamwork, thus expanding the range needed services offered. Case management
may involve monitoring the progress a client whose needs require the services of many different
professionals, agencies, health care facilities and human service programs.
Group work
Group work seeks to facilitate the intellectual emotional and social development of individuals
through group activities. In contrast to casework or group therapy, it is not primarily therapeutic
except in a broad sense.
Different groups have different objectives such as improving socialization, exchanging

information, curbing delinquency, providing recreation, changing socially unacceptable values,
helping to achieve better relation among cultural and racial groups or explaining adoption
procedures and helping applicants prepare for becoming adoptive parents. Activities and focuses
of groups vary: arts and crafts, dancing games, dramatics, music, photography, sports, nature
study, woodwork, first aid, home management, information exchange and discussion of such
topics as politics, sex, marriage, religion and career choice.
Group therapy
Group therapy is aimed at facilitating the social behavioural adjustment of individuals through
the group process. Participants in group therapy usually have emotional, interactional or
behavioural difficulties. Group therapy has several advantages over one-to-one counseling, such
as the operation of the helper therapy principle which maintains that it is therapeutic for the
helper (which can be any member of the group) to feel he / she has been helpful to others. Group
pressure is often more effective than one-to-one counseling in changing maladaptive behaviour
of individuals and group therapy is a timesaver in tat it enables the therapist to treat several
people at the same time. Group therapy has been especially effective to individuals who are
severely depressed, have a drinking problem, are victims of rape, are psychologically addicted to
drugs, have a relative who is terminally ill, are single and pregnant, are recently divorced or have
an eating disorder.
Family therapy
Family therapy (a type of group therapy aimed at helping families with interactional, behavioural
and emotional problems) can be used with parent-child interaction problems, marital conflicts
and conflicts with grandparents. Some of the problems dealt with in family therapy of family
counseling include disagreement between parents and youths on choice of friends, drinking and
other drug use, domestic tasks, curfew hours, communication problems, sexual values and
behaviour, study habits and grades received and choice of dating partner.
Community organization
The aim of community organization is stimulating and assisting the local community to evaluate,
plan and coordinate efforts to provide for the community’s health, welfare and recreation needs.
It perhaps is not possible to define precisely the activities of a community organizer, but such
activities are likely to include encouraging and fostering citizen participation, coordinating effort
between agencies or between groups, performing public relations, providing public education,
conducting research, planning and being a resource person. A community organizer acts as a
catalyst in stimulation and encouraging community action.
Agency settings where such specialists are employed include community welfare councils, social
planning agencies, health planning councils and community action agencies. The term
community organization is now being replaced in some settings by levels such as deplaning,
social planning program development, policy development and macro practice.
Baker define community organization as follows:
An intervention process used by social workers and other professional to help individuals, groups
and collectives of people with common interests or from the same geographic areas to deal with
social problems and to enhance social well-being through planned collective action. Methods
include identifying problem areas, analyzing causes, formulating plans and developing strategies
mobilizing necessary resources, identifying and recruiting community leaders and encouraging
interrelationships between them to facilitate their efforts.
Administration
Administration involves directing the overall program of a social service agency. Administration
functions include setting agency and program objectives, analyzing social conditions in the
community, making decisions relating to what services will be provided decisions relating to
what services will be provided hiring and supervising staff members, setting up an organizational
structure, administering financial affairs and securing funds for the agency’s operations.
Administration also involves coordinating efforts to achieve selected goals, monitoring and
revising internal procedures to improve effectiveness and efficiency, and performing whatever
functions are required to transform social policy into social services. In social work, the term
administration is often used synonymously with management. In a small agency, administrative
functions may be carried out by one person in a large agency, several people may be involved in
administrative affairs.
Other areas of professional activity in social work include research, consulting supervision,
planning, program development, policy development and teaching (primary to the college level).
Social case work, case – management, group work, group therapy, family therapy and
community organization constitute the primary professional activities that beginning social
workers are likely to provide. All of these activities require counseling skills. (counseling
involves helping individuals or groups resolve social and personal problems through the process
of developing a relationship exploring the problem(s) din depth and exploring alternative
solutions. Case workers, case managers, group workers, group therapists and family therapists
obviously need a high level of counseling skills in working with individuals and groups.
Community organizations need to have relationship skills, to be perceptive and to be able to
assess problems and develop resolution strategies – abilities that parallel or are analogous to
counseling skills.
Additionally, case workers must be able to do social histories and link clients with other human
services. In some agencies, they are required to do public speaking to prepare and present report
to courts and other agencies, to teach parents better parenting techniques and so forth.
Knowledge of evaluative procedures for assessing one’s own effectiveness and effectiveness of
social programs is also helpful for the social worker.
Importance of social work
1. Social work is the work done by individuals for the benefit of the society. It should be
aimed to promote social change or development in the society.
2. Social workers stand up every day for human rights and social justice to help strengthen
our communities. They can be the voice for people who aren’t being heard.
3. Through their commitment to bringing about positive social change, helping individuals
of all ages thrive in their local environment and being an advocate for those who have
lost their voice, social workers play a prominent role in improving the lives of those who
need it most.
4. Social workers play an important role of an advocate by aiding the physically disabled and
mentally unfit people who have lost hope to lead a happy life.
5. Social workers are generally involved for the enhancement of well-being. In the end, we are
not machines who work only to build our careers, we are humans and we live by supporting and
promoting the growth of each other
Assignment
1. Explain five key importance of social work in the society

2. Discuss three levels applied in the scope of social work
3. Explain three instances on how social work can be applied in family therapy.
LESSON 6
THEORIES APPLICABLE IN SOCIAL WORK
Lesson objective:

1. Discuss theories applicable in social work.
Theories applicable in social work
a) Psychoanalytic theory – Sigmund Freud
According to Sigmund Freud, every person possesses a store of vital energy called libido. It is a
form of mental energy and it is sexual in nature. This energy accounts for dynamic activity of
human actions.
Sigmund identifies three erogenous body areas. These are the mouth, anus and genitals. Each
stage of development is base on a particular zone which is very influential. An individual must
go through all the stages successfully, otherwise they get excited at the previous stage. If
children are over deprived and frustrated at any stage, they cannot resolve conflict at other
consequent stages.
Psycho sexual stages as analyzed by Sigmund
Sigmund came up with five key stages which all human beings go through in life. Success of
each stage is determined by success of the previous one. When an individual is unable to resolve
conflict of a certain stage fixation occurs and this affects the following stages:
1. 1. Oral stage (0 – 1yr)
In oral stage, libido energy is concentrated on the oral cavity i.e mouth. The child enjoys oral
activities like eating, sucking, biting, mouthing, bubbling etc Weaning presents a conflict of the
oral stage. If fixated at oral stage, children at later years may such thumb, over eat, bite their
nails, have excessive talk. As adults, they enjoy gum-chewing, smoking, eating, picking their
teeth, drinking or talking excessively.
1. 2. Anal stage (2 yrs)
At anal stage, libido moves from the mouth to the anus. The children enjoy defecating. The child
also enjoys the builder and release of pressure that goes with expression. This marks the concept
of ego development. It coincides with toilet training, if the training is either harsh or very
permissive, a significant portion of the libido will be fixated and the person will show anal pre-
occupation later in life. If the caregiver is very strict during toilet training, fixation may present a
person who is very stingy, strict, very clean organized etc. to a level of affecting his relationship
with others. On the other hand, if the care giver is very permissive, the fixation may present in a
person who is messy, disorganized, over generous etc.
1. 3. Phallic stage (3 – 5yrs)

Between age 3 – 5 years, the young person discovers that the genitals provide pleasure. The child
loves the parents of opposite sex. Boys loves their mother because they are the primary
caregivers and with the onset of sexual awareness, the boy direct sexual fantasies towards her
mother, desiring her for himself. This makes the father an enemy and he dreams of killing his
father so as he can be left alone with the mother. Sigmund called this Cedipus Complex. The
opposite happens to the girl who develops Electra Complex. As the child grows, he / she begins
to face the reality. He comes to know that either parent is permanent and they can not win the
fight. Fear of consequences makes the child to identify again with parent of the same sex. Failure
to go back to the same sex parent may lead to over closeness with parent of the opposite sex and
fixation may present in affinity for relationships with older people or looking for the qualities of
the parent in a partner.
1. 4. Latency stage
According to Sigmund this is a dominant stage where sexual feelings are suppressed only to
emerge later at puberty
1. 5. Genital stage
During genital stage, which lasts through adolescent and adulthood, people orient themselves to
others and forms sexual relationships. Sigmund viewed a mutual heterosexual relationship
between opposite sex as the hallmark of maturity. If libido energy was used up at lower
development stages, an adolescent will not meet the challenges of adult life. As people see
marriage partners and prepare for adult life conflict of early childhood may emerge. When those
challenges are resolved, the individual is capable of developing a mature love relationship and
functioning independently as adult.
STRUCTURED PERSONALITY
Sigmund divided the structure of personality into three parts:
a) Innate desire (ID)
This is the part of personality that contain our primitive impulses such as sex, hunger, anger etc.
they are instincts we are born with and therefore it does not need to be learnt. Innate desire is
insensitive, it is blind, inconsistent, illogical and lustful. It lacks organization and it never
matures. It does not operate on reality; it operates at pleasure principles. Children are seen as
pure.
b) Ego
Ego evolves from innate desires and links it with reality, it involves when children realize that
the external world is indispensable. They learn that there are rules and regulations governing the
world. They start to operate as reality principle. Ego deals with the demand of the innate desire.
A law-abiding citizen who meets the expectations of the society may be said to be at this level.
c) Super ego
This is moral judicial branch of personality. It functions independently and cannot be

compromised. Super ego judges our behaviour and either rewards us when we do the right thing
by making us feel good or punish us when we fail by making us feel guilty. Super ego cannot be
corrupted.
DEFENSE MECHANISM
When the ego under pressure from the IQ and superego develops defense mechanism to enable it
to function. Defenses are tools that act as mediators in order for the ego to survive. When the ego
has a difficult time making both the innate desire and superego happy, it will employ one or
more of the defense mechanisms. Everybody uses defense mechanism in day to day life.
DEFENSE MECHANISMS
a) Denial
You are in denial when you do not want to accept reality, which tends to make you unhappy.
Example when you are feeling bad and you undergo test you may refuse to acknowledge positive
results.
b) Displacement
It happens when we direct your feelings to other objects for example, when you are angry with a
person, you bang the door, instead of facing a person who has wronged you.
c) Intellectualization
It is viewing a situation that would ordinarily generate emotional distress in a detached analytic
rational way e.g. concentrating on the details of the issue.
d) Projection
Taking issues with another person who is weaker than the person who is the source of your
problem. For example, if your boss punishes you, you take the issue home to your wife or
children.
e) Rationalization
It involves inventing plausible and acceptable reasons for situations, actions, thoughts or
impulses to hide the real explanation from oneself e.g. . I would have passed the exams if the
teacher did not ask dumb questions.
f) Reaction formation
It is concealing a threatening motive, emotion, attitude, personality attribute or the like from
oneself and expressing the opposite one e.g. hatred is sometimes disguised by an exaggerated
display of love.
g) Regression
It is to move backwards to employing tactics which we did long time ago e.g. crying for
attention.
h) Sublimation
It is directing our energies to something acceptable rather than following dour feelings and doing
the wrong thing e.g. some people who are easily angered, take active sport instead of fighting.
i) Repression
It is holding an idea or issue to the preconscious in order to prevent it from coming to the
conscious, so that it does not elicit the memories of the bad feeling.
j) Suppression
It is the opposite of depression where one pushes the bad feelings or issues from conscious to the
unconscious.
STRUCTURE OF THE MIND
Sigmund divided the mind into three parts:
- Conscious
- Pre-conscious
- Unconscious
Conscious
This refers to person’s behaviour which are within his / her knowledge and awareness. It is
whatever contained in one’s memory and his recallable any time, it is the smallest part of the
three.
Pre-conscious
It refers to that part of mind whose content is readily available to the conscious. Any information
stored in the pre-conscious can be easily transferred to the conscious through linking of ideas.
Unconscious
According to Sigmund, the unconscious part of mind is snot only the most extensive but also the
most important. It contains a wide range of mental processes which are unknown to the
individual. They influence ones behaviour unknowingly. To Sigmund, the unconscious is full
symbols. Psycho-analysis helps the client revisit their past and make a connection with present.
b.) CONFLICT THEORY BY KARLMAR
This theory states that the society or organization functions show that each individual participant
and its group struggle to minimize their benefits, which is inevitable. It contributes to social
change like politics and the economy. The theory is mostly applied to explain conflict between
social classes i.e. the ich and the poor are in constant conflict in control of resources. The
essence of conflict theory I best seen by the classic pyramid structure in which elite (top class)
dictates terms to the larger masses. All major institutions in society are designed to support those
who have foundationally been in power or groups that are perceived to be superior in the society.
Anything that challenges the control of the elite, will likely be considered a threat to conformity.
c.) SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY (ALBERT BANDURA)
The social learning theory emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling of the
behaviour from personally attitude and emotional reactions of others. The theory advocates that
individual especially children imitate or copy modeling from personally observing other in the
environment.
From observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are formed and at later
occasions, this coded information serves as a guide for action. Social learning theory explains
human behaviour in terms of continuous, reciprocal interaction between cognitive behaviour and
environment influence.
CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR SOCIAL LEARNING

1. Attention
The person must first pay attention to the model.
2. Retention
The observer must be able to remember the behaviour observed. One way of increasing retention
is by rehearsing.
3. Motor reproduction
The ability to replicate the model means that the observer is able to expertly do what the model
does. This depends on the development ability on an individual.
4. Motivation
A reward system that maintains what is learnt.
Effects of modeling on behaviour
a) Modeling teaches new behaviour
b) It influences the frequency of previously learnt behaviour
c) It may encourage previously forbidden behaviour
d) It increases the frequency of similar behaviour
FUNCTIONALISM
Functionalism is a sociological paradigm that originally attempted to explain social institutions

as collective means to meet individual biological needs. Functionalism is about the structure and
working for society. Functionalism see society as made up of interdependent sections which
work together to fulfill the functions necessary for the survival of the society as a whole.
Key concepts of functionalism
- The society is viewed as a system i.e. a collection of interdependent part that are at
equilibrium.
- These are functional requirement that must be met in a society for its survival, each part
exists because they serve a function.
- Functionalist believed that one can compare society to a living organism, in that both a
society and an organism are made up of interdependent working parts and systems that must
function together in order for the whole body to function.
- Functionalists say that the different parts of society e.g the family, education, religion, law
and order, media have to be seen in terms of the contribution they make to the functioning of the
whole society.
Examine 5 reasons social work is embedded on different social work theories.
Group reflection:
Discuss the rationale of social learning theory.
Assignment
1. Explain five arguments of social learning theory.

2. Discuss the process of social learning theory.
3. Explain five stages of psychoanalytic theory
LESSON 7
THEORIES IN SOCIAL WORK
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss theories applicable in social work.

THEORIES IN SOCIAL WORK
d.) HUMANISTIC EXISTENTIAL THEORY
It is unusually referred to as “free to be you and me”, it thrives on the idea that every human
being has the potential to be good, contribute positively and to be loveable member of the society
of their pyramid is filled. This theory came up as a response to Sigmund negative view of human
being as bad people motivated only by sex and violence.
The humanistic psychologist seeks to point to self-determination and realization as through

human motives and emphasizes on human potential and see the world through the client’s eyes.
Masslow believed that human beings have a hierarchy of needs which must be met before a self-
actualization. The basic point behind this hierarchy is that we are born with certain needs.
Without meeting these initial needs, we will not be able to continue our lives and move upward
on hierarchy.
The reason why it is pyramid is because according to numbers, the higher you go, the fewer
people are able to reach at the top level.
e.) ECOSYSTEM PERSPECTIVE THEORY
This perspective is based on systems theory which focuses on person environment

interrelatedness and person situation interactions. The big question is if the person who affects
the environment in certain ways or does the environment cause a person behave in certain ways.
The fact is each affects the other. These dynamics interactions, transaction and organization
patterns are crucial to the function of both individual and the situations.
A system is defined as a whole, a unit composed of equal and that interceptions people including
their relationship.
Systems are consistently affecting one another. The whole is always more than sum of its parts.
You cannot understand an individual by simply adding together parts of individual and
environment, rather you must understand the complex interaction between the client and all other
levels of social systems. This perspective emphasizes on looking beyond the clients presenting
problems.
TYPES OF SYSTEMS
1. i. Closed system
Closed systems do not interact with any other systems they neither accept input nor provide
output. Closed systems tend towards less differentiation of their parts (all parts become alike)
and lose organization and effective function e.g. family that is rigid, has closed boundaries and
do not permit input from other systems in the community. This family is likely to be
dysfunctional.
1. ii. Open systems
To grow and develop systems must be open to input from other systems. There must be
interchange of energy or communication across the circle than there is within the circle. Open
systems have semi permeable boundaries. Growing systems have well defined semi permeable
boundaries and have way of maintaining the boundaries e.g. if you are visiting a family because
a child is in trouble with community and the parent stops you at the door warning you of
interference – this family boundaries are closed. This may be the problem itself with the child. If
the parent welcomes you – it means it is an open system.
1. iii. Nested system

The individual may be regarded as a system nested within a person-situation system, but a person
is also composed of a set off subsystems e.g. psychological, emotional, biological, cognitive
action and reaction systems etc. beyond the level of person-situation interaction, there are still
large systems.
DIFFERENT SYSTEMS IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
It is wrong to assume that social workers only deal with client system only. If you are a child
welfare officer, you will work with court services, medical services, neighbors, police lawyers,
school foster parents etc. You will also work within an organized agency. All these are systems
which a social worker vis likely to interact with. Pinous and Minaham (1973) suggests that a
social worker interacts with four types of social systems.
1. Change agent system
Social workers are change agents employed to work within other systems. The agency or
organization they work for may be considered as a change agent system. This system may have
heavy influence on behaviour through constraints, resources etc.
2. Client system
The person who seeks help will be a client system which a worker will interact with. There must
be a contract entered into to establish a client system.
3. Target system
These are the people who want the client to change e.g. parents who want their son rehabilitated
will be the target system and the son will be the client system.
4. Action system
It consists all those involved to bring the desired change e.g. a worker will be engaged in
numerous action systems e.g. neighborhood group, professionals, church, school etc.
Examine 5 reasons social work is embedded on different social work theories.

Group reflection:
Discuss the rationale of humanistic existential theory.
Assignment
1. Explain five arguments of human existential theory.

2. Discuss five types of system applicable in social work
3. Explain five ways through which ecosystem theory can be applied in social work to
address different social problems.
LESSON 8
IMPORTANCE SOCIAL WORK THEORIES
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss the importance of social work theories.

2. Discuss application of social work theories
Importance of social work theories

i. Theories help to make sense of information. A good theory helps the social worker tell a
coherent story.
ii. We study theories in social work so that social workers can tell coherent stories about the
information they receive, explain what’s going on to other professionals, predict how someone
might respond or react, and have the tools to critically appraise the theories that other people are
using to do the same.
iii. Social learning theory is a useful tool for social workers to employ when assessing and
assisting clients. This theory can often help identify and treat the identifiable cause of certain
behaviors. Social workers can leverage social learning theory in diverse situations to arrive at an
informed, helpful solution for the client in question. Expanding your knowledge of all social
work theories and relevant practices can help you to strengthen your practice as a social worker.
iv. The notion of generality, or broad application, is important. Thus, theories are by their nature
abstract and not content- or topic-specific. Even though various theoretical models of health
behavior may reflect the same general ideas, each theory employs a unique vocabulary to
articulate the specific factors considered to be important.
v. Theories help us to understand why people do or do not practice certain social behaviors
therefore helping social workers to understand their cases.
vi. Social work theories help to identify what information is needed to design an effective
intervention strategy of addressing different social problems.
vii. Social work theories provide insight on how to design a program so it is successful and need-
centered to different issues affecting community members.
Application of Social Work theories
i. In the context of social work, grounded theory is essential as a way of understanding the
empirical relationship between broad systemic realities and the experiences of communities,
families, and individuals. A major component of social work is determining the best way to
allocate resources and the most impactful way to leverage agencies and actions for the benefit of
groups or individuals. Grounded theory provides an important framework for drawing clear
connections between systemic issues like racial inequality, geographical isolation, and
socioeconomic disparity, as well as the way these issues impact lives. This allows for informed
and targeted intervention through broad and far-reaching policy initiatives.
ii. Humanistic theory in social work holds that individuals can benefit from support in their
personal development in ways that can enhance relationships, communities, and individual goals.
This theoretical model promotes exploration of personal identity, the pursuit of connectedness
with others through positive interpersonal relationships, and flexibility in navigating one's self as
well as in finding meaning in the larger world. Humanistic approaches to social work often stand
in contrast to more technical cognitive-behavioral approaches. These strategies can also provide
an alternative to tradtional, bureaucratic, agency-based outreach strategies.
iii. Erikson's theory posits that individuals evolve through their stages of development based on
how they adapt to social crisis throughout the lifetime. These social crises inform how
individuals respond to the world around them. This provides social workers with a set of cues to
determine how effectively clients manage crises and move along a "maturation timetable."
Erikson's stages of development provide a roadmap toward healthy development that social
workers can use to identify individual challenges and provide the right support and services for
addressing these challenges.
iv. Rational choice theory provides social workers with a framework for understanding the
motives behind individual behaviors, especially in the context of personal relationships. This
model recognizes that factors like self-interest, fairness, and goal-orientation can impact personal
decision making. Rational choice theory can apply to the way we navigate one-on-one
relationships, how we experience family dynamics, and how we participate in the various other
forms of social organization that are central in our lives. Social workers may refer to rational
choice theory in helping clients evaluate the fairness and value of their personal relationships
based on a rational observation of both the rewards and costs connected to these relationships.
v. For social workers, the social constructionist theory is a useful framework for understanding
the ways in which individual cognitive development is influenced by surrounding cultural
context. In essence, social constructionism gives social workers the tools to embrace inclusivity
and multiculturalism by recognizing the ways that shared meanings and constructed knowledge
shape individuals, communities, and groups. This is a pathway to producing support and
intervention that is harmonious with the cultural needs and perspective of impacted clients and
communities.
vi. For social workers, the social learning theory is a valuable prism through which to understand
the relationship between cognitive function and certain behaviors in clients. By determining
where dysfunctional behavior has been learned, it may be possible to design targeted
intervention. In particular, social learning theory gives social workers a framework through
which to confront negative learned associations, particularly between dysfunctional behaviors
and perceived rewards. This can inform treatment strategies such as positive modeling and
vicarious reinforcement.

Examine 5 reasons why social work theories are inevitable in the practice of social work.
Group reflection:
Discuss the rationale of application of social learning theory.
Assignment
1. Explain five importance of social work theories.

2. Discuss five applications of social work theories
3. Explain five ways through which humanistic existential theory can be applied in our
modern society
LESSON 9
SOCIAL WORK SKILLS
Lesson objective:
1. Explain characteristics of social work profession

1. Discuss competencies of social workers to their profession.
The Council of Social Work Education has categorized in Education Policy and Accreditation
Standards (EPAS) the following foundation knowledge that training programs must provide to
social work students:
1. 1. Values and ethics
Social work education programs regulate content about values and principles of ethical decision
making as presented in the National Association of Social Workers code of ethics. The education
experience provides students with the opportunity to be aware of personal values, develop,
demonstrate and promote the values of the profession and analyze ethical dilemmas and the ways
in which these affect practice, services and clients.
1. 2. Diversity
Social work programs integrate content that promotes understanding, affirmation and respect for
people from diverse backgrounds. The context nature emphasizes the interlocking and complex
nature of culture and personal identity. It ensures that social service meet the needs of groups
served and are culturally relevant. Programs educate students to recognize diversity within and
between groups that may influence assessment, planning, intervention and research. Students
learn how to define, design and implement strategies for effective practice with persons from
diverse backgrounds.
1. 3. Population-at-risk and social and economic justice
Social work education programs integrate content on population-at-risk, examining the factors
that contribute to and constitute being at risk. Programs educate students to identify how group
membership influences access to resources and economic justice, human and civil rights and the
global interconnections of oppression. Programs provide content related to implementing
strategies to combat discrimination, oppression and economic deprivation and to promote social
and economic justice. Programs prepare students to advocate for non-discriminatory social and
economic systems.
1. 4. Human behaviour and the social environment
Social work education programs provide content on the reciprocal relationships between human
behaviour and social environments. Contents includes empirically based theories and knowledge
of biological, sociological, cultural, psychological and spiritual development across the life span
– the range of social systems in which people live (individually, family, group, organization and
community) and the ways in which social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or
achieving health and well-being.
1. 5. Social welfare policy and services
Programs provide content about the history of social work, the history and current structures of
social welfare services and the role of policy in service delivery, social work practice and
attainment of individual and social well-being. Course content provides students with knowledge
and skills to understand major polices that form the foundation of social welfare, analyze
organizational, local, state, national and international issues in social welfare policy and social
service delivery, understand and demonstrate policy practice skills in regard to economic,
political and organizational systems and use them to influence, formulate and advocate for policy
consistent with social work values and identify financial, organizational, administrative and
planning process required to deliver social services.
1. 6. Social work practice
Social work practice content is anchored in the purposes of the social work professional and
focuses on strengths, capacities and resources of client systems in relation to their broader
environments. Students learn practice contents that encompasses knowledge and skills to work
with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. This content includes
engaging clients in an appropriate working relationship, identifying issues, problems, needs,
resources and assess collecting and assessing information and planning for service delivery. It
includes using communication skills, supervision and consultation. Practice content also includes
identifying and implementing empirically based interventions designed to achieve client goals,
applying empirical knowledge and ethnological advances, evaluating program outcomes and
practice effectiveness, developing, analyzing, advocating and providing leadership for policies
and services and promoting social and economic justice.
1. 7. Research
Qualitative and quantitative research content provides understanding of scientific, analytic and
ethical approach to building knowledge for practice. The content prepares students to develop,
use an effectively, communicate empirically based knowledge including evidence-based
interventions. Research knowledge is used by student to provide high-quality services to initiate
change, to improve practice, policy and social service delivery and to evaluate their own
practice.
1. 8. Field education
Field education is an integral component of social work education anchored in the mission, goals
and educational level of the program. It occurs in settings that reinforce student’s identification
with the purposes, values and ethics of the profession, foster the integration empirical and
practice-based knowledge and promotes the development of professional competence. Field
education is systematically designed, supervised, coordinated and evaluated on the basis of
criteria by which students demonstrate the achievement of program objectives.
EXPECTED COMPETENCIES OF A SOCIAL WORKER
Baer has identified the following list of competencies as being essential for successfully
performing the responsibilities of entry-level positions.
1) Identify and assess situations in which the relationship between people are social
institutions needs to be initiated, enhanced, restored, protected or terminated.
2) Develop and implement a plan for improving the well-being of people based on a problem
assessment and the exploration of obtainable goals and available options.
3) Enhance the problem solving, coping and developmental capacities of people.
4) Link people with systems that provide them with resources, services and opportunities.
5) Intervene effectively on behalf of population most vulnerable and discriminated against.
6) Promote the effective and humane operation of the systems that provide people with
service resources and opportunities.
7) Actively participate with others in creating new, modifies or improved service, resource or
opportunity systems that are more equitable, just and responsive to consumers of services work
with others to eliminate unjust systems.
8) Evaluate the extent to which the objectives of the intervention plans were achieved.
9) Continually evaluate one’s professional growth and development through assessment of

practice behaviours and skills.
Contribute to the improvement of service delivery by adding to the knowledge base of the
profession as appropriate and supporting and upholding the standards and ethics of the
profession.
Examine 5 factors which may hinder application of social work theories
Group reflection:
Discuss the rationale of application of competencies of social worker to their profession.
Assignment
1. Explain five competencies of social workers to their profession.
2. Discuss five key characteristics of social work profession
3. Explain five ways through which social workers may be accepted by their community
members
LESSON 10
SOCIAL WORKERS SKILL BASE
Lesson objective:
1. Explain social worker’s skill base

2. Discuss the abilities of social workers
3. Discuss social work knowledge base
SOCIAL WORKER SKILL BASE
Essential skills for social work practice are as follows: -
i. Skill in listening to others with understanding and purposes
ii. Skill in eliciting information and in assembling relevant facts to prepare a social
liberty assessment and report.
iii. Skill in creating and maintaining professional helping relationships and in using
oneself din relationships.
iv. Skill in observing and interpreting verbal and non-verbal behaviour and in using a
knowledge of personality theory and diagnostic method.
v. Skill in engaging clients in efforts to resolve their own problems and in gaining
trust.
vi. Skill in discussing sensitive emotional subjects in a non-threatening supportive

manner.
vii. Skill in determining the need to end therapeutic relationships and how to do so.
1. Skill in interpreting the findings of research studies and professional literature

ix. Skill in mediating and negotiating between conflicting parties.
x. Skill in providing inter-organizational liaison services
xi. Skill in interpreting or communicating social needs to funding sources, the public
and legislators.
Closely related to the conceptualization of essential skills, NASW has identified the following
abilities as being needed for social work practice:
a) Ability to speak and write clearly
b) Ability to teach others
c) Ability to respond supportively in emotion-ladder or crisis situations.
d) Ability to serve as a role model in a professional relationship
e) Ability to interpret complex psycho-social phenomena
f) Ability to organize a workload to meet designated responsibilities
g) Ability to identify and obtain resources needed to assist others
h) Ability to assess one’s performance and feelings and to use help or consultation
i) Ability to participate in and lead group activities
j) Ability to function under stress
k) Ability to deal with conflict situations or contentious personalities
l) Ability to relate social and psychological theory to practice situations
m) Ability to identify the information necessary to solve a problem
n) Ability to conduct research studies of agency services or one’s practice
SOCIAL WORK KNOWLEDGE BASE
The knowledge needed for effective social work practice has been identified by NASW as
follows:
i. Knowledge of casework and group work theory techniques
ii. Knowledge of community resources and services

iii. Knowledge of basic state social service programs and their purposes
iv. Knowledge of community organization theory and the development of health and welfare
services
v. Knowledge of basic socio-economic and political theory
vi. Knowledge of racial, ethnic and other cultural group in society – their values and
lifestyles and the resultant issues in contemporary life.
vii. Knowledge of sources of professional and scientific research appropriate to practice.
1. Knowledge of the concept and techniques of social planning
ix. Knowledge of the theories and concept of supervision of social worker practice
x. Knowledge of theories and concept of personnel management
xi. Knowledge of common social and psychological statistical and other research methods and
techniques
xii. Knowledge of the theories and concepts of social welfare administration
1. Knowledge of social and environmental factors affecting clients to be served

2. Knowledge of theories and methods of psycho-social assessment and intervention and of
different diagnosis.
xv. Knowledge of the theory and behaviour of organizational and social systems and of
methods for encouraging change.
1. Knowledge of community organization theory and techniques

2. Knowledge of the theories of human growth and development of family and social
interaction.
3. Knowledge of small-group theory and behavioural dynamics
4. Knowledge of theories of group interaction and therapeutic intervention
xx. Knowledge of crisis intervention theories and techniques
1. Knowledge of advocacy theory and techniques

2. Knowledge of the ethical standard and practices of professional social work
3. Knowledge of teaching and instructional theories and techniques
4. Knowledge of social welfare trench and policies
5. Knowledge of local, state and federal laws and regulations affecting social and health
services.
Examine 5 key reasons why attentive listening is key in case management
Group reflection:
Discuss the rationale of application of competencies of social worker to their profession.
Assignment
1. Explain five key skills required by social workers in case management.

2. Discuss five key knowledge bases that social workers should have before going to the
field
3. Explain five key required abilities of social workers in their field of practice
LESSON 11
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION
Lesson objective:
1. Explain characteristics of a social work profession

2. Discuss social work challenges.
Concept of Social Work profession:
Social work is a helping profession which fundamentally and radically aims to assist the
individuals, groups and community to cope with their complex socio-economic psychological
problems through enabling themselves so that they can solve their problem by helping
themselves. Some people associate social work with casework and, by analogy, Child Protective
Services. A social worker can indeed make a career working in this capacity, but social work as a
profession is much broader. Modern social work grew out of attempts – often by women, often
by volunteers -- to heal social ills. Poverty was frequently at the root of what they tackled – and
yet not always. Today’s social workers are in hospitals, health clinics, schools, various social
service organizations. They serve the sick as well as the disadvantaged. Some offer counseling
services through their own private practices.
Aims & Objectives of Social Work profession:
1) To promote effective & human service system
2) To enhance problem solving, coping & development capacities,
3) To link people with resources, services & opportunities,
4) To develop & improve social policy
5) Caring, curing & changing the society.

Characteristics of Social Work:
1. i. Social work is a commitment of social betterment
When examining a presenting problem, or the reason a person seeks help, many helping
professions focus solely on specific mental, physical or psychological states and problems.
Social workers take into account the entire person and examine the effects of every aspect of that
person's life on the presenting problem. This is known as the biopsychosocial, or "person-in-
environment," perspective. Using this perspective, a social worker considers all of the biological,
psychological and social traits, problems or circumstances that can have an impact on her client.
Social workers understand that problems are generally caused by imbalances in the
biopsychosocial system, says social worker Alice Lieberman in an article for Routledge's
educational series, "New Perspectives in Social Work."
1. ii. Respect for Multiculturalism
Respect for multiculturalism is another distinguishing characteristic of social work. Cultural

competence is one the guiding principles for social work practice, as laid out by the National
Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics. This involves a focus on helping people from all
walks of life and respecting the dignity of the individual, regardless of their ethnic,
socioeconomic, religious or political beliefs. Social workers should avoid discrimination and
demonstrate respect for all people.
1. iii. Goal to enhance social function
Social work is committed towards bringing different dysfunctional factions and sub-systems
together to ensure that different sub-systems in the society are functioning. This is achieved by
ensuring that the different institutions within a given community are harmoniously working
together to achieve specific goal. It is indeed committed towards uplifting the well-being of
individuals for a sustainable development.
1. iv. An action orientation
Social work is action- oriented profession that is committed on undertaking different

interventions to facilitate a positive change in different individuals for a positive sustainable
change. It is indeed a change-oriented profession to spearhead a positive change to different
individuals in the society.
1. v. A versatile practice perspective
Social work is a multi -diversified profession which applies a variety of skills from different
backgrounds. This is because social problems are dynamic and multi-faceted in nature. Social
workers are required to have a broad base of skills from different fields in order to be able to
address these dynamic challenges.
1. vi. The Strengths Perspective
Social workers operate from a strengths-based perspective. This is another defining characteristic
of social work that involves focusing on clients' strengths as a way to help them solve problems
and overcome life challenges through development of different copying mechanisms. This
doesn't mean that social workers turn a blind eye to potential weaknesses. Instead, social workers
help clients discover and build on their strengths to help them become more proactive and
responsible for their own lives. They know that people are often more resilient than they realize.
Social workers offer insight and support to help clients realize their inherent strengths, but it is
ultimately up to the client to take action to improve her situation and surmount obstacles.
1. vii. Social Justice and Human Rights
Fighting for social justice and human rights are fundamental characteristics of social work,
according the International Federation of Social Workers' Statement of Ethical Principles. Social
workers believe that everyone has the right to self-determination. This means that social workers
respect their clients' right to choose the correct course of action, even if they disagree with the
decision or hold conflicting values. Social workers also try to promote justice in society, which
means that they work to fight oppression, challenge discrimination and promote social inclusion
for all people.
Social Work challenges
Social workers face many challenges as they embark upon their careers. Some of these
challenges are due to external forces, such as national and local policies, agency protocols, and
client’s unique life circumstances that may be beyond a social worker’s control. However, some
challenges arise from the social worker’s own internal experience as he/she interacts with client
systems. There is a wide variety of internal challenges social workers must tackle in order to
ensure they are practicing ethically and effectively
1. i. Personal Bias
Personal bias refers to a tendency or inclination to lean in one direction or steer toward one way
of thinking. Everyone has personal biases in the ways that they perceive and interact with the
world around them. These often come from life experiences, including one’s cultural background
and worldview, ethical or moral belief system, and the context in which one was raised.
To confront the challenge of personal bias, social workers must actively work to identify, be
mindful of, and critically examine the personal biases they bring into social work practice.
Personal biases can then be attended to through education, training, reflection, and supervision.
To begin this journey, potential sources of personal bias will be further examined below.
1. ii. Motivation for Pursuing a Social Work Career

Oftentimes, individuals are driven to pursue a social work career because of personal experience.
The motivation for many social workers and social work students to be a part of this helping
profession stems from some pivotal life event that spawned a deep desire to challenge injustice,
be of support to others, and/or work to solve problems that they themselves have faced. The
motivation to become a social worker might be rooted in a positive, supportive, healing
experience, or it might come from a source of tremendous pain.
For example, an individual who survived sexual assault might be motivated by that painful
experience to practice social work with others who have suffered sexual abuse. Their personal
experience with sexual abuse might lend them important professional insight into their client’s
experience. While this perspective rooted in personal experience can be useful, it might also be a
source of this challenge that prevents the social worker from engaging with certain populations.
It would likely be challenging for the social worker to engage in direct practice with perpetrators
of sexual assault, or facilitate reconciliation between survivors and perpetrators of sexual assault.
The social worker must be aware of and attend to this possible bias in her practice with diverse
populations.
1. iii. Ethical or Moral Belief System
A social worker’s ethical or moral belief system may also be a source of personal bias. While
social work is a values-based profession with its own ethical code, all social workers come into
practice with their own beliefs about ethics and morals with which they navigate through life.
This personal belief system may cause social workers to struggle with client choices, behaviors,
and identities that do not adhere to the same pattern of beliefs.
For example, a social worker who strongly believes in monogamy might find it challenging to
work with clients who practice polyamory or other forms of non-monogamy. While non-
monogamous relationships go against the social worker’s personal belief system, the client has
the right to engage in these relationships and should be able to discuss them openly and without
judgment in a therapeutic setting.
1. iv. Cultural Background
Our world is enriched by the diverse and varied cultures within it. As our society becomes
increasingly diverse and international, social workers can expect to engage with clients from
cultural backgrounds different from their own. Because culture is often the backdrop against
which we are raised, it can be difficult to identify the values instilled in us by our culture until we
encounter someone whose cultural values differ. U.S. culture, for example, is very
individualistic, while many indigenous, African, and Asian cultures tend to be more about
collectivism. Likewise, many cultures outside of the U.S. are more private and guarded, and have
different conceptualizations of health and mental health.
These cultural differences may cause tensions or misunderstandings if social workers are not
aware of them. For example, a social worker from a U.S. cultural background may have
difficulty understanding why a client is reluctant to share personal information about her family.
The social worker might push for this information, without realizing that it is not a cultural norm
for individuals to divulge private family information to health professionals.
v. Context in which one was raised
Personal bias can also stem from the context in which a social worker was raised. While culture
is a part of that context, there are social and environmental factors that come into play as well.
These could include living in a two-parent or single-parent household, the number of siblings
one has, living in an urban or rural environment, attending a private or public school, among
others. All of these contextual factors can potentially influence the way a person thinks or what
they are inclined to prefer, which can influence the way a social worker reacts to client
information or the interventions and treatments they recommend.
Examine 5 key reasons why social workers should have multi-diversified skills.
Group reflection:
Discuss 5 reasons why social work is an action-oriented profession.
Assignment
1. Explain five key characteristics of social work as a profession.

2. Discuss five challenges of social work profession.
3. Discuss how social working assist their clients to establish copying mechanisms to their
different challenges.
LESSON 12
SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES
Lesson objective:
1. Explain the meaning of social work ethics and values

2. Explain the importance of social work values and ethics
3. Discuss social work values
SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS

Meaning of social work values:
Values are general standards and may be regarded as higher order norms. Social work ethics is a
set of rules or guidelines, based around ethical choices and values that society adheres to.
The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help
meet the basic human needs of all people with particular attention to the needs and
empowerment of people who are vulnerable / oppressed and living in poverty. A historic and
defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social
context and the well-being of the society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the
environmental forces that create, contribute to and address problems in living.
Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. “Clients”
is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination,
oppression, poverty and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the forms of
direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy,
social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, research and
evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs.
Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities and other
social institutions to individuals’ needs and social problems.
Values
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values,
embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history are the foundation of social
work’s unique purpose and perspective. Social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic
deals, and its values are based on respect for the equality, worth and dignity of all people. Since
its beginnings over a century ago, social work practice has focused on meeting human needs and
developing human potential. Human rights and social justice serve as the motivation and
justification for social work action. In solidarity with those who are disadvantaged, the
profession strives to alleviate poverty and to liberate vulnerability and oppressed people in order
to promote social inclusion.
Social work values are embodied in the professions\’s national and international codes of ethics.
These values are:
 Services
 Social justice
 Dignity and worth of the person
 Importance of human relationships
 Integrity
 Competence
This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core
values and principles that flow from them must be balanced within the context and complexity of
he human experiences.
Importance of ethics and values in social work:
1. i. Help to progress
Individual values help individuals to move toward perfection or as close as they can be to it.
It is important that people constantly move forward in their lives. In this way it is possible that
productivity is feasible and that achievements can be realized.
Good values help each individual member achieve his or her particular goals.
1. ii. They manage the common actions of individuals in a society
Values are important because they become the basic determiners of perceptions, opinions and
attitudes of a society.
They help to decide if preferences or events are good or bad, important or significant and correct
or wrong.
1. iii. Expand the identity of a society and culture
Values have many social functions. Those values that derive from common experience unite
families, tribes, societies and nations.
When values are implemented, societal standards can be maintained. Values are the fabric that
creates culture; If people lie, cheat and steal, the culture of society will not be healthy.
1. iv. Provide tools for self-realization
Values are needed to know how to react to difficult situations. Values are also needed to form
lasting relationships with those around us. Values matter because they act as a set of rules and
guidelines for events that an individual encounters throughout his or her life. Having a
knowledge of values important to each person helps you to properly face a situation to make
better decisions. In this way, an individual can achieve self-realization and be the best version of
the self that can be. This can only be achieved through the application of a good value system.
1. v. They make society and people work better

A society with a good value structure makes people better able to relate.
Ideally, each value means the same for each individual. All the individuals of a society must
share the same basic values in order to build a good culture and a good society. When values are
well implemented, society can function in an orderly and functional way. This allows people to
have an awareness of the purposes; Can solve quickly and satisfactorily the problems that are
presented.
Social values make individual problems become collective problems that affect all people living
in society. A joint solution to all the difficulties faced can be achieved.
1. vi. Change human behavior
The behavior of people can be changed through a system of values. Thanks to this, it is possible
for people to change their behavior for the better. Values are an effective way of correcting and
reforming negative behaviors in individuals and in a society.
1. vii. They bring something positive to the common welfare
The social values always contribute something and work so that all individuals are favored
without distinction. This makes it possible for coexistence to be positive and beneficial for all.
Laws and legal systems also reinforce this coexistence, but individuals in society do not stay
away from committing criminal acts for that reason alone. Society can be kept stable thanks to
the practice of values as they create a basis of mutual respect between the individuals who live
together.
1. viii. Provide personal satisfaction
A good value base will provide personal satisfaction, help social interactions, and advance the
survival of a society. Values not only eliminate negative aspects of an individual, they also help
cultivate personalities who can enjoy the fruits of a positive culture to the fullest.
PURPOSE OF THE NASW CODE OF ETHICS
Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation to articulate
its base values, ethnic principles and ethical standards. The NASW Code of Ethics sets forth
these values, principles and standards to guide social workers conduct. The cod is relevant to all
social workers and social workers students, regardless of their professional functions, the settings
in which they work, or the populations they serve.
1. The values identify core values on which social work’s mission is based.
2. The values summarize broad ethical principles that reflect the profession’s core values
and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work
practice.
3. The code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when
professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise.
4. The code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work
profession accountable.
5. The code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work mission, values, ethical
principles and ethical standards.
6. The core articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess
whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has formal procedures
to adjudicate ethics complaints filed against its members. In subscribing to this code,
social workers are required to cooperate in its implementation, participate in NASW
adjudication proceedings and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based
on it.
The code offers a set of values, principles and standards to guide decision-making and conduct
when ethical issues arise. It does not provide a set of rules that prescribe how social workers
should act in all situations. Specific applications of the code must take into account the context in
which it is being considered and the possibility of conflicts among the code’s values, principles
and standards. Ethical responsibilities low from all human relationships, from the personal and
familiar to the social and professional.
Further, the NASW code of ethics does not specify which values, principles and standards are
most important and ought to outweigh others in instances when the conflict. Reasonable
differences of opinion seen and do exist among social workers with respect to the ways in which
values, ethical principles and ethical standards should be rank ordered when they conflict.
Ethical decision making in a given situation must apply the informed judgement of the individual
social worker and should also consider how the issues would be judged in a peer review process
where the ethical standards of the profession would be applied.
Ethical decision-making is a process. There are many instances in social work where simple
answers are not available to resolve complex ethical issues. Social workers should take into
consideration all the values, principles and standards in this code that are relevant to any
situation in which ethical judgement is warranted. Social workers decisions and actions should
be consistent with the spirit as well as the letter of this code.
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
The following broad ethical principles are based of social work’s core values of service, social
justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and
competence. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.
Value: Service
Ethical principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social
problems
Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their
knowledge, values and skills to help people in need and to address social problems.
Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of heir professional skills with no
expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).
Value: Social Justice
Ethical principal: Social workers challenge social injustice
Social worker pursues social change particularly with and or behalf of vulnerable and oppressed
individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on
issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination and other forms of social injustice. These
activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic
diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services and resources,
equality of opportunity and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.
Value: Dignity and Worth of the person
Ethical principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person
Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual
differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. social workers promote client socially, responsible
self-determination. Social work seeks to enhance clients’ capacity and opportunity to change and
to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients
and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients’ interests and the
broader society’s interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical
principles and ethical standards of the profession.
Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships
Social workers understand relationships between and among people are an important article for
change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social workers seek to
strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain and
enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations and communities.
Value: Integrity
Ethical principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner
Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles and
ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers act honestly and
responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organization with which they are
affiliated.
Value: Competence
Ethical principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and
enhance their professional expertise
Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply
them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the
profession.
Examine why the code of ethics make social work a distinct profession.
Group reflection:
Discuss 5 reasons why social work ethics is a key requirement by National Association of Social
workers.
Assignment
1. Explain meaning of Social work values and ethics.

2. Discuss five social work values.
3. Discuss three main differences between social work code of ethics and social work
values
LESSON 13
SOCIAL WORKERS ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO CLIENTS

Lesson objective:
1. Discuss ethical responsibilities of workers

2. Discuss ethical principles in social work.
1. Social Worker’s Ethical Responsibilities to Clients
1.01 Commitment to clients
Social workers primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of clients. In general, client’s
interests are primary. However, social workers responsibility to the larger society or specific
legal obligations may on limited occasions supersede the loyalty owed to clients and clients
should be so advised. (Examples include when a social worker is required by law to report that a
client has abused a child or has threatened to harm self or others.
1.02 Self-determination
Social workers respect and promote the right of clients to self-determination and assist clients in
their effort to identify and clarify their goals. Social workers may limit clients’ right to self-
determination when in the social workers’ professional judgement, clients’ actions or potential
actions pose a serious, forceable and imminent risk to themselves or others.
1.03 Informed consent
Social workers should provide services to clients, only in the context of a professional
relationship based, when appropriate, on valid informed consent. Social workers should use clear
and understandable language to inform clients of the purpose of the services, risks related to the
services, limits to service because of the requirements of a third-party payer, relevant costs,
reasonable alternatives, client’s right to refuse or withdraw consent and the time frame covered
by the consent. Social workers should provide clients with an opportunity to ask questions. In
case of illiterate client, the social worker should ensure comprehension. Social worker should
obtain clients’ informed consent before audiotaping or videotaping clients or permitting
observation of services to clients by a third party.
1.04 Competence
Social workers should provide services and represent themselves as competent only within the
boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation received, supervised
experience or other relevant professional experience. Social workers should provide services in
substantive area or use intervention techniques or approaches that are new to them only after
engaging an appropriate study, training, consultation and supervision from people who are
competent in those interventions or techniques.
1.05 Cultural competence and social diversity
Social workers should understand culture and its function in human behavior and society
recognizing the strength that exist in all cultures. Social workers should have a knowledge base
of their client’s and be able to demonstrate competence in the provision of that are sensitive to
clients’ culture and to differences among people and cultural groups.
Social workers should obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of the social
diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, colour, sex, sexual
orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion and mental or physical disability.
1.06 Conflicts of interest
Social workers should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of
professional discretion and impartial judgement. Social workers should inform clients when a
real or potential conflict of interest arises and take reasonable steps to resolve the issue in a
manner that makes the clients’ interest primary and protects clients’ interest to the greatest extent
possible. In some cases, protecting clients’ interest may require termination of the professional
relationship with proper referral of the client.
Social workers should not take unfair advantage of any professional relationship or exploit others
to further their personal, religious, political or business interests. Social workers should not
engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there dis a risk of
exploitation or potential harm to the client. In instances when dual or multiple relationships are
unavoidable, social workers should take steps to protect clients and are responsible for setting
clean, appropriate and culturally sensitive boundaries. (Dual or multiple relationship occur when
social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social or
business. Dual or multiple relationship can occur simultaneously or consecutively.
1.07 Privacy and confidentiality
Social workers should respect client’s right to privacy. Social workers should not solicit private
information from clients unless it is essential to providing services or conducting social work
evaluation or research. Once private information is shared, state of confidentiality disappears.
Social workers should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of
professional service except for compelling professional reasons. Social workers should inform
clients to the extent possible about the disclosure of confidential information and the potential
consequences, when feasible before the disclosure is made. This applies whether social worker
discloses confidential information on the basis of a legal requirement or client content.
1.08 Access to records
Social workers should provide clients with reasonable access to records concerning the client.
Social workers who are concerned that client’s access to their records could cause serious
misunderstanding or harm to the client should provide assistance in interpreting the records and
consultation with the client regarding the records, only in exceptional circumstances when there
is compelling evidence that such access would cause serious harm to the client. Both clients’
requests and the rationale for withholding some or all of the record should be documented in
clients’ file. When providing clients access to their records, social workers should take steps to
protect the confidentiality of other individuals identified or discussed in such records.
1.09 Sexual relationships
Social workers should under no circumstances engage in sexual activities or sexual contacts with
current clients, whether such contact is consensual or forced. Social workers should not engage is
sexual activities or sexual contact with clients’ relatives or other individuals with whom clients’
maintain a personal relationship has the potential to be harmful to the client and may take it
difficult for the social worker and client to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. Social
workers should not provide clinical services to individuals with whom they have had a prior
sexual relationship. Providing clinical services to a former sexual partner has the potentiality to
compromise.
1.10 Derogatory language
Social workers should not use derogatory language in their written or verbal communications to
or about clients. Social workers should use accurate and respectful language in all
communications to and about clients.
2. Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues
2.01 Respect
Social workers should treat colleagues with respect and should represent accurately and fairly the
qualifications, views and obligations of colleagues. Social workers should avoid conflicts with
colleagues or with other professionals.
Unwarranted negative criticism may include demeaning comments that refer to colleagues level
of competence to individuals’ attributes such as origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, marital
status, mental and physical disability.
2.02 Confidentiality
Social worker should respect confidential information shared by colleagues in the course of their
professional relationships and transactions. Social workers should ensure that such colleagues
understand social workers obligation to respect confidentiality and any exceptions related to it.
2.03 Interdisciplinary collaboration
Social workers who are members of an interdisciplinary team should participate in and
contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of clients by drawing on the perspectives,
values and experiences of the social work profession. Professional and ethical obligations of the
interdisciplinary team as a whole and of its individual members should be clearly established.
Social workers to whom a team decision misses ethical concerns should attempt to resolve the
disagreement through appropriate channels. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, social
workers should pursue other avenues to address their concerns consistent with client well-being.
2.04 Disputes involving colleagues
Social workers should not take advantage of a dispute between colleague and an employer to
obtain a position or otherwise advice the social workers’ own interests. Social workers should
not exploit clients in disputes with colleagues or engage clients in any inappropriate discussion
of conflicts between social workers and their colleagues.
2.05 Consultation
Social workers should seek the advice and counsel of colleagues whenever such consultation is
in the best interests of clients. Social workers should keep themselves informed about
colleagues’ areas of expertise and competencies. Social workers should seek consultation only
from colleagues who have demonstrated knowledge, expertise and competence related to the
subject of the consultation.
2.06 Referral for services
Social workers should refer clients to other professionals when the other professionals
specialized knowledge or expertise is needed to serve clients fully or when social workers
believe that they are not being effective or making reasonable progress with clients and that
additional service is required. Social workers who refer clients to other professionals should take
appropriate steps to facilitate an orderly transfer of responsibility. Social workers who refer
clients to other professionals should disclose with client’s consent, all pertinent information to
the new service provider. Social workers are prohibited from giving or receiving payment for a
referral when no professional service is provided by the referring social worker.
2.07 Sexual relationships
Social workers who function as supervisors or educators should not engage in sexual activities or
contact with supervisees, student trainees or other colleagues over whom they exercise
professional authority. Social workers should avoid engaging in sexual relationships with
colleagues when there is potential for a conflict of interest. Social workers who become involved
in or anticipate in a sexual relationship with a colleague have a duty to transfer professional
responsibilities when necessary to avoid a conflict of interest.
2.08 Sexual harassment
Social workers should not sexually harass supervisees, students or colleagues. Sexual harassment
includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favours and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature.
2.09 Impairment of colleagues
Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleague’s impairment that is due to
personal problems, psychological distress, substance abuse or mental health difficulties and that
interferes with practice effectiveness should consult with that colleague when feasible and assist
the colleague din taking remedial action. Social workers who believe that a social work
colleague impairment interferes with practice effectiveness and that the colleague has not taken
adequate steps to address the impairment should take action through appropriate channels.
2.10 Incompetence of colleagues
Social workers who have direct knowledge of a social work colleague’s incompetence should
consult with that colleague when feasible and assist the colleague in taking the remedial action.
Social workers who believe that a social work colleague is incompetent and has snot taken
adequate steps to address the incompetence should take action though appropriate channels.
2.11 Unethical conduct of colleagues
Social workers should take adequate measures to discourage, prevent, expose and correct the
unethical conduct of colleagues. Social workers who believe that a colleague has acted
unethically should seek resolution by discussing their concerns with the colleague when feasible
and when such discussion is likely to be productive or take action through appropriate formal
channels.
3. Social workers’ ethical responsibilities in practice settings

3.01 Supervision and consultation
Social workers who provide supervision or consultation should have the necessary knowledge
and skills to supervise or consult appropriately and should do so only within their areas of
knowledge and competence.
3.02 Education and training
Social workers who function as educators, field instructors for students or trainers should provide
instruction only within their areas of knowledge and competence and should provide instruction
based on the most current information and knowledge available in the profession.
3.03 Performing evaluation
Social workers who have responsibility for evaluating the performance of others should refill
such responsibilities in a fair and consecrate manner and on the basis of clearly stated criteria.
3.04 Client records
Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that documentation in records is accurate
and reflects the services provided. Social workers should include sufficient and timely
documentation in records to facilitate the delivery of services and to ensure continuity of services
provided to clients in the future. Social workers’ documentation should protect clients’ privacy to
the extent that is possible and appropriate and should include only information that is directly
relevant to the delivery of services. Social worker should store records following the termination
of services to ensure reasonable future access. Records should be maintained for the number of
years required by state statutes or relevant contracts.
3.05 Billing
Social workers should establish and maintain billing practices that accurately reflect the nature
and extent of services provided and that identify who provided the service in the practice setting.
3.06 Client transfer
When an individual who is receiving services from another agency or colleague contacts a social
worker for services, the social worker should carefully consider the client’s needs before
agreeing to provide services. To minimize possible confusion and conflict, social workers should
discuss with potential client the nature of the client’s current relationship with other service
providers and the implications, including possible benefits or risks of entering into a relationship
with a new service provider. If a new client has been by another agency or colleague, social
workers should discuss with the client’s best interest.
4. Social workers ethical responsibilities as professionals

4.01 Competence
Social workers should accept responsibility or employment only on the basis of existing
competence or the intention to acquire the necessary competence. Social workers should strive to
become and remain proficient in professional practice and the performance of professional
functions. Social workers should critically examine and keep current with emerging knowledge
relevant to social work. Social workers should routinely review the professional literature and
participate in continuing education relevant to social work practice and social work ethics.
4.02 Discrimination
Social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate or collaborate with any form of
discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, colour, sex, sexual orientation, age,
marital status, political, belief, religion or mental or physical disability.
4.03 Private conduct
Social workers should not permit their private conduct to interfere with their ability to fulfill
their professional responsibilities.
4.04 Dishonesty, fraud and deception
Social workers should not participate in, condone or be associated with dishonesty, fraud or
deception.
4.05 Impairment
Social workers should not allow their own personal problems, psychosocial distress, legal
problems, substance abuse or mental health difficulties to interfere with their professional
judgements and performance or to jeopardize the best interests of people for whom they have a
professional responsibility. Social workers whose personal problems, psychosocial distress, legal
problems, substance abuse or mental health difficulties interfere with their professional
judgement and performance should immediately seek consultation and take appropriate remedial
action by seeking professional help, making adjustments in workload, terminating practice or
take any other steps necessary to meet client and others.
4.06 Misrepresentation
Social workers should make clear distinctions between statements made and actions engaged in
as a private individual and as a representative of the social work profession. A professional social
work organization or the social workers’ employing agency. Social workers who speak on behalf
of professional work organizations should represent authorized positions of the organizations.
4.07 Solicitations
Social workers should not engage in uninvited solicitation of potential clients who because of
their circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence, manipulation or coercion. Social workers
should not engage in solicitation of testimonial endorsements including solicitation of consent to
use a clients’ prior statement as a testimonial endorsement from current clients or from other
people who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.
4.08 Acknowledging credit
Social workers should take responsibility and credit, including credit, only for work they have
actually performed and to which they have contributed. Social workers should honestly
acknowledge the work of and the contributions made by others.
SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE PRINCIPLES
Practice principles are obligations and guidelines which are important in helping relationships.
- They help and guide social workers I their helping process e.g. helping motivate or
reinforce certain client behavior.
- These principals help social workers who involve themselves and function in different
stress full circumstances. The principles include:
1. Confidentiality
This is reservation of any secret information concerning a client which is disclosed to a social
worker. It is based upon basic rights of the client and is very important for a healthy relationship.
If clients are assured of security of their information, they open up to the social worker and give
that vital information that is much needed in the helping of relationship. All clients should be
assured of confidentiality. However, confidentiality can be broken based on the situation at hand
e.g if the client intends to hurt himself or others. Morals should come before ethics.
2. Acceptance
His principal means dealing with clients as they are. This will include strengths and weaknesses.
Congenital and non-congenital traits, the positive feeling of the client, their constructive and
destructive instincts at the same time maintaining client’s sense of dignity and personal worth.
Acceptance doesn’t mean approval of deviant attitude or behaviour. The basic value behind this
principle is that we all accept the intrinsic worth of value and dignity of the people. It I a basic
human right for one to remain the way he / she is.
The client needs to be accepted because when they come to a social worker, they may have self-
defense mechanism because when they come, they have a failure or a problem.
However, the client notices he / she is accepted by the social worker and he / she becomes self-
accepting. Acceptance communicates understanding and unconditional regard to the client thus it
is an ingredient of a healthy helping relationship.
3. Empathy / controlled emotional involvement
This principle refers to the ability to experience someone’s problems and feeling them as if they
were your own but still be detached from them. Empathy involves social workers sensitivity to a
client’s feeling and understanding of their meaning and an appropriate response to those feelings.
A high degree of self-awareness is necessary for effective empathy. This self-awareness makes
one think of his / her own reactions to others.
4. Individualization
This principle is defined as recognition and understanding of each client’s unique qualities based
upon the right of human beings to be individuals and to be treated as specific human beings with
personal differences and uniqueness. Social workers recognize the diversity in human kind thus
appreciating the need to see his individual and not people. Individual differences are as a result
of many factors like biology, environment, exposure, level of education, natural environment etc.
When a client knows that he / she is being treated uniquely, he / she feels a sense of worth and
appreciation. This contributes to the good of the relationship.
5. Client Self Determination
This principal applies o groups, communities and individuals. It is based on the need of the client
to make own decisions in their lives. Social workers have a duty to respect this right, recognize
the need to motivate and activate that potential for self-direction by helping the client to see and
use available and appropriate resources in the country and their own internal resources.
In this principle, a social worker must recognize and accept the rights of human beings to make
decisions for self and accept consequences of those decisions.
The client right to self-determination however is limited by the client’s capacity of positive and
constructive decision making. The main idea in this principle is that people best know their
problems, resources and best answers to their problems.
Limitations to this principle:

The right to self-determination can be given away when client’s rights interfere with morals and
civil law i.e. the mentally retarded, very sick, very old and thee young etc. cannot make right to
decision.
6. Non-judgmental principle
Social work practice does not advocate for the assignment of good and bad, guilty or innocence
to the behaviour or attitude of a client. The social worker excludes assignment of the degree of
guilt or innocence of the client responsibility for the situation they are in. a social worker should
free him/ herself from being judgmental and especially passing judgement which can be
detrimental to the client.
A social worker should recognize their own values and attitudes in order to avoid them showing
in the practice.
If a client feels that he / she is being judged, he / she will withdraw, have low-esteem and worth
and all thee will have a negative impact to the helping process. However, being non-judgmental
doesn’t remove the social worker from making judicial decisions (evaluation) about a person or a
situation.
Assignment
1. Explain meaning of Social work principles.

2. Discuss five Social work ethical values for social workers in their profession.
3. Discuss five social work principles applied in social work profession
LESSON 14
SOCIAL WORK PROCESS
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss social work process

2. Explain the importance of social work process.
SOCIAL WORK PROCESS

This term has been used to logically analyze and understand the complex activities of a social
worker.
 This process has a beginning, a middle phase and the end.

 Sometimes their phase overlaps and it is difficult to distinguish between them particularly
when the happening process is short.
Stages of social work process:
1. Intake or engagement phase (rapport)

2. Assessment or diagnosis phase
3. Action and evaluation phase
4. Termination and evaluation phase
5. Follow-up phase
a) Intake or engagement phase
 The process begins at the 1st meeting point between the client and the social worker.
 It can be done through the client initiating the meeting, pressure from family and friends
and referrals of the client by others.
 Intake is the process of introducing a client to the services of a social worker within a
resource system.
 The intake starts with application or filling forms.
 It involves collaboration from the clients with the social worker
 Once the intake process is complete, a social worker holds a contract with a client.
b) Assessment or diagnosis
 In this phase, the social worker’s task is to gather as much information as possible about
the situation and the clients.
 Forming an opinion on its meaning and its implication for action.
 The assessment process can be divided into 3 sections:
i. Information gathering
Information is usually gathered from the client’s social history and background. The information
includes the client himself e.g. through observations and interviews, supplementary into e.g.
from family friends, employees, school mate etc. records e.g. from personal doctors or its records
etc. environment obtained from observation and participation.
ii. Studying the information
After getting the information, the social worker should be able to process it by asking questions
e.g. how does the person respond with customers, personalities etc.
iii. Formulating of the problem and goal setting
After problem identification, sit down with the client ad agree with the way forward in handling
the problem. Never set the goals to the client, preferably, let the client give you the way forward.
c) Action and evaluation
 This phase is to implement the planned action you have arrived at with your clients.
 Action is aimed at solving the problems or difficulties outlying the assessment stage.
 It emphasizes on providing means that enable clients to reach solutions to their problems
in the right of the goals set.
 This may involve the social worker, the client and the community.
 Here, we also evaluate to see whether both the client and social worker helped each other.
d) Termination
 It is to end the relationship.

 In social work process, there comes a time when client-worker relationship must end.
 There are 3 types of terminations:
i. Haphazard termination
It is not orderly planned, comes about when there is poorly developed client-worker relationship
coupled with a clear goals and objectives. This is the most undesirable time of termination and
should be avoided.
ii. Pre-ordained termination
Occurs because of legal obligations and administration procedures of a service system.
iii. Plan termination

It is the most common whereby social workers are set free to communicate to the clients when
the time has come to an end and they need to have termination in their services. It involves
termination of goals and objectives as well as evaluating the process and been satisfied on the
achievement.
e) Follow-up (for sustainability)
 It is very important that after termination, a case is followed up in order to increase

chances of success.
 Even after termination, the social worker should have the door open for the clients in case
they need more help.
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL WORK PROCESS
1. Creates an understanding and awareness of social work practitioner.

2. Helps to justify their methods of working.
3. It assists social workers o prepare for, carry out and evaluate their interventions.
4. Social workers are able to be accountable for and reflect on their actions.
Assignment
1. Explain meaning of Social work process

2. Discuss five steps involved in social work process.
3. Discuss five importance of social work process.
LESSON 15
METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK
Lesson objective:
1. Discuss methods in social work

SOCIAL WORK METHODS
They are well understood procedures used to help people of all ages and from various sections of
society to enhance their social functioning and to cope more effectively with their problems.
TYPES OF SOCIAL WORK METHODS:
1. 1. Primary methods
a) Social case work method
b) Social group work method
c) Community organization or community work
1. 2. Secondary methods
a) Social welfare administration
b) Social research / community survey
c) Social policy action
Social case work:
It is a dynamic interaction of attitudes and emotions between the case worker and the client with
a purpose of helping the client in achieving a better adjustment between himself and his
environment.
Process of social case work stages:
a) Study phase
 In this phase, the client is engaged in presenting information necessary for assisting the
client. In many cases, clients expect the case worker to take over.
 What is gathered at this stage is used at the end of the process.
b) Assessment phase
 It provides the problem and stipulate the course of treatment.
 Assessment is based on individual difference and needs.
 It recognizes uniqueness of the situation.
 Assessment also focuses on strengths and limitations of the individual in solving the
problem.
 Treatment has to be planned guided by the assessment.
c) Intervention phase
 It starts with the 1st contract between the case worker and the client.
 The assessment and treatment are stages that help the client to clarify the problem and
make appropriate adjustment in their life situation.
 Intervention is determined by the client and the worker together based on the relationship
they are likely to create.
d) Evaluation and termination
 To evaluate is to relate the result realized with the goals set.

 Evaluation reveal the achievement of both clients and case worker.
 It may reveal success or failure on the case work relationship
e) Termination phase
 This is ending the relationship between the worker and the client.
 Planning for termination should be done jointly between the worker and the client.
 The client should look back to satisfaction and what has been achieved.
Importance of case work
1. It helps to understand the uniqueness of every person in their behaviour.

2. It helps to solve individual problems that arise from social situations and encountered in
life.
3. It helps an individual in all his aspects of life to enable the person to function adequately
in his various social roles.
4. It builds capacities and abilities as well as the strategies to deal with various situations in
life.
SOCIAL GROUP WORK
It is a term used to describe various forms of activities or processes in which the principle
emphasis is on the group rather than the individual.
Group dynamics or process:
They are complex forces that act upon a group in its lifetime and which cause it to behave the
way it does.
TYPES OF GROUPS
1) Primary groups
i) They are small groups which allow face to face contacts which can continue for a long time, in
order for meaningful relationship to develop.
ü They generate mutual identification and influence e.g. family groups, friend etc.
2) Secondary groups
ü They are large and less intimate.
ü Individuals experience a degree of identification with others though they don’t necessarily
meet.
ü Members do not influence each other greatly e.g. followers of a certain political party, funs of
a football team, members of a professional body etc.
3) Psyche groups
ü They are informal and homogenous.
ü They provide emotional support to members
ü Success is measured by how enjoyable the group is e.g. WhatsApp groups, Facebook etc.
4) Social groups
ü They are more formal and relatively extra genius.
ü Objectives of members are to pursue, explicit goals and the success here is measured by how
effective they are in meeting their goals e.g CBOs, Chama.
STAGES IN GROUP FORMATION:
Stage 1:
1. 1. Forming
 This is where teen members are introduced.

 They state why they chose to join the group and what they hope to accomplish.
 It is characterized by feelings of excitements, suspicion, optimism and high hopes of
achieving the goals and objectives.
1. 2. Storming
 There is a high conflict in this group where members disagree in almost every aspect.
 Everyone feels that their ideas matter most than the rest of their members.
 It is characterized by resistance, forming of unrealistic goals, disunity among members,
losing focus and uncertainty in their achievement of goals.
1. 3. Norming stage
 This is when the situation returns to normal.

 Members identify a new focus by sharing responsibilities, rules, roles and unity among
them.
 It is characterized by friendship team, cohesion, constructive criticism and achievement
of harmony by avoiding conflicts.
1. 4. Performing
 After settling in relationships and expectations, members begin performing by problem

solving and implementing changes.
 This is because they have accepted each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
 The stages characterized by achievement of goals and objectives, close attachment to the
team and constructive self-change.
1. 5. Adjourning
 The team beliefs and shares the improved process during the phase where there is always
a bitter suit, sense of accomplishment coupled with the reluctant to say goodbye.
 Many relationships formed between these teams continues long after the team disbands.
Assignment
1. Explain meaning of social work methods

2. Discuss six methods applied in social work.
3. Discuss five types of groups in social work methods.
LESSON 16
WORKING WITH VULNERABLE GROUPS
Lesson objective:
1. Explain the meaning of vulnerability

2. Discuss categories of vulnerable groups in society
3. Discuss the challenges affecting the vulnerable groups in society
4. Discuss the effects of vulnerability in society.
WORKING WITH VULNERABLE GROUPS IN SOCIETY
Vulnerability is the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or
harmed either physically or emotionally.
It can be defined as the diminished capacity of an individual or group to anticipate, cope with,
resist and recover from the impact of a natural or manmade hazard.
Categories of vulnerable groups in the society:

a) Elderly – they don’t have the energy to protect themselves, to eat nutrition food or to
maintain a good health.
b) Women – our society is men dominated which makes the women be treated like they come
from a weaker gender.
c) Person living with disabilities – most of these are disabled because they lack some parts
that a normal person has, which could be mental or physical and is likely to prevent them from
depending on themselves.
d) Children – children are young even in their brains and still have room for development.
Therefore, not full knowledge of our world today which can make them easy targets for
manipulation for simple things i.e. sweets
e) Youths – the youth are at a stage in life where they are curious, experiment and exploring
life. This is also the period where peer pressure is high and youths are likely to find themselves
into vulnerable areas i.e. passing out after abusing drugs where it was introduced by their peers.
f) Marginalized groups – most of these people live in areas where they are unable to access
social resources which leads them to vulnerable situations such as drought, famine, floods etc.
g) Poor – have a deficiency of economic resources which limits them from accessing social
needs such as proper health care which can leave them with diseases or even death.
h) Sick – most sick people have weak bodies with weak immune systems weakened by the
diseases, therefore, are not strong enough to protect themselves.
Challenges facing vulnerable groups:
1. 1. In rural communities
i. Severe financial hardships
ii. Women are vulnerable due to the patriotic system that limit them from land
ownership.
iii. Poor infrastructure in terms of roads, electricity etc.
iv. Inadequacy in social services especially education or health making most people
illiterate.
2. In urban communities
i. Congestion has led to development of slums in urban areas making homes crowded
and open to infections such as malaria and cholera.
ii. High cost of living that has made transportation, housing and food unaffordable.
iii. Unemployment is very high due to overpopulation.
iv. Social skills are practiced in urban areas such as crimes, robbery, prostitution, drug
abuse etc. which urban population have to endure.
Effects of vulnerability in the communities:
i. Unwanted pregnancies resulting from rapes and manipulation.
ii. Development of STDs such as HIV and other infections.
iii. Loss of lives brought by crimes or drug abuse
iv. Creation of organizations that help these vulnerable groups i.e disabled, women, youth
etc.
v. Provision of social services has also been on the increase as the government tries to
accommodate the marginalized groups by helping them access health and education services.
Assignment
1. Explain meaning of vulnerability

2. Discuss five causes of vulnerability in your community
3. Discuss five categories of vulnerable groups in Kenya.
LESSON 17
SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
Lesson objective:
1. Explain the meaning of health

2. Discuss the dimensions of health
3. Explain the types of rehabilitation
4. Discuss principles of counselling
5. Discuss the counselling process
6. Discuss the importance of rehabilitation
SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
Health – ability of a biological system to acquire, convert, allocate, distribute and utilize energy
with maximum efficiency. Health is the ability of being free from diseases.
Dimensions of health:
a) Physical dimension
 It refers to the bodily aspect of health.

 This is the absence of diseases and injuries.
 Physical health ranges in quality along a quantum where a combi8nation of diseases such
as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or hypertension are at one end and a person
who is at optimum physical condition is at the other end.
b) Mental dimensions
 Mental health refers to the recognitive aspect of health.

 It often leads to emotional health but treatment is different
 Mental is more of brain functioning while emotional is more of a person’s moods that
comes from their hormones.
 Mental health affects a person’s self-esteem and confidence in performing their duties.
 Mental health issues include dementia (forgetting), dementia (forgetting everything).
c) Emotional dimension
 It is about the person’s moods or general emotional state.

 It is our ability to recognize and experience feelings adequately.
 It relates to your self-esteem as well your ability to control your emotions e.g depression,
stress, anxiety.
d) Spiritual growth
 Spiritual health relates to our sense of overall purpose in life.

 People often find this purpose from a belief or faith system while others create their own
purpose.
 A person who has a purpose to life is said to b healthier than those who don’t see any
purpose.
 Spiritual health will very easily affect emotional and mental health.
e) Social dimension
 It refers to our ability to make and maintain meaningful relationship with others.
 Good social health includes not only having relationship but behaving appropriately
within them and maintaining socially acceptable standards.
 The basic social unit of a relationship is the family.
f) Economic dimension
It refers to the ability to have a job or a source of income that is sufficient, fulfilling and helps to
pay your bills or achieve our needs.
MEANING OF REHABILITATION
It is the process of helping a person who has suffered an illness, injury or been defiant in order to
restore their lost skills and values and regain maximum self-sufficiency.
TYPES OF REHABILITATIONS:
1. 1. Physical rehabilitation
 It works to improve movements dysfunction.

 Therapist work with patient to restore movements, strengths, stability or functional
abilities and reduce pain, fear targeted exercise and arrangement of other treatment
methods.
1. 2. Vocational rehabilitation
 It is a form of therapy geared towards preparing individuals to return to work after an

injury, illness or medical event.
 It also helps prepare people who have undergone traumatic events to be able to live
normally e.g rape, kidnapping, loss of a loved one etc
1. 3. Cognitive / mental rehabilitation
 This is therapy done to help a person improve their thinking or concentration skills as
well as memorizing skills.
 It is done on people who have problems with concentrating and other cognitive problems
e.g. down syndrome, schizophrenia etc.
1. 4. Social defiance
 Defiant behavior is an unacceptable behavior or action that is against the social norms
and cultural norms.
 Behaviors such as crime, murder, robbery etc. are part of defiant behavior and also
formal laws.
 People who commit these crimes need to be rehabilitated to reform and change their
behavior hence social defiance rehabilitated in prisons.
REHABILITATIVE COUNSELLING
It is focused on helping people who have disabilities achieve their personal carrier and
independence living goals through a counselling process.
PRINCIPLES OF COUNSELLING:
a) Acceptance – accepting the patient with his physical, psychological, social, economic and
cultural conditions.
b) Communication – communication should be verbal as well as non-verbal and should be

skillful.
c) Empathy – experience someone’s problem as if they are your own but still detached to
them.
d) Non-judgmental attitude – do not criticize or comment negatively regarding patients

complain.
e) Confidentiality – always keep the patient name and the problem strictly secret and assure
the patient about the same.
f) Individuality
g) Non-emotional involvement – not to be carried out by the emotions of the patient.
COUNSELLING PROCESS / STEPS
1. 1. Rapport building
Establishing a safe trustworthy environment between the counselor and the client that makes the
client comfortable to express themselves.
1. 2. Assessment of the problem of the client
Helping the client to narrate his concerns and issues. This requires active listening of the part of
the counsellor by following on client’s feeling for the event rather than event itself.
1. 3. Transforming problem statement of the client into targeted goals
This takes place by setting achievable goals in a time bound manner by overcoming probable
obstacles to goals.
1. 4. Developing an action plan
This requires setting objectives and tasks that the client is supposed to do in order to achieve the
target goal. It is an active implementation stage of counselling process.
1. 5. Review and feedback
The aim to review and feedback is to give continuous reinforcement to client for consistent
attitude and behavioral change.
1. 6. Termination
Counsellors should terminate client counselling relationship once the counselling process is over.
ETHICS OF COUNSELLING:
ü Confidentiality
ü Autonomy – freedom /independence to make decision
ü Responsibility – to help the client. Making sure it is their responsibility.
ü Competence – provide counselling / services on their field of expertise
ü Integrity – should never exploit a client
QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE COUNSELLOR:
a) Good communication skills
b) Empathetic
c) Rapport building skills
d) Problem solving skills
e) Multicultural competence
SPECIAL INSTITUTIONS DEALING WITH HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
1. 1. Juvenile remand homes
 They are educational institutions that offer services to children of ages 12 – 19 years.
 They provide temporary housing for children whose matters are between with by the
court.
1. 2. Rescue centres
 These are institutions that are both private and public and other services of rescuing
abandoned children or children who have been abused physically, mentally etc.
 They are offered food and shelter temporary before a decision can be made whether they
should be taken back home or in children’s home.
1. 3. Orphanage homes
 These care institutions funded by the government and the NGOs in an attempt to rear
children who have no parents or guardians to care for them.
 Parents who have died, imprisoned or regarded as irresponsible, have their children
reared in orphanage homes.
1. 4. Approved schools
 These are schools that offer services to children who needs rehabilitation after
committing crimes.
 A judge has to permit these children to be taken in such an institution, they are convinced
that the child needs rehabilitation.
 Most children are taken to those schools in a place that is very far from home.
1. 5. Special hospitals
 These are institutions such as mental hospitals or hospitals that offer physio therapy.
 People taken to those institutions require counselling and rehabilitation in order to restore
movement, mental stability or cope with the situation in case it is a permanent one.
1. 6. Special schools
 These are institutions that offer services to people and children with special needs.
 They include school for the blind and for the deaf as well as mentally and physically
handicapped.
1. 7. Homes for the aged
 These are institutions that provide services to old men and women, those who cannot take
care of themselves or have no one to take care of them.
IMPORTANCE OF REHABILITATION
a) It helps to rebuild social connections to family and community.

b) Helps to achieve a full physical and psychological recovery as possible.
c) It helps in improving quality of life through gaining life management skills a sense of
direction for the future and resilience.
d) It is used to find a new valued role within the community.
e) Helps to learn understand and self-manage physical and mental health conditions to the
best of the person’s ability.
Assignment
1. Explain meaning of health

2. Discuss five importance of rehabilitation in social work
3. Discuss five principles of counselling in social work.
LESSON 18
MAINSTREAMING CROSS CUTTING ISSUES IN SOCIETY
Lesson objective:
1. Explain the meaning of cross- cutting issues in social work

2. Discuss categories of cross -cutting issues in social work
3. Discuss intervention measures to cross-cutting issues in social work
MEANING OF MAINSTREAMING / CROSS CUTTING ISSUES IN SOCIETY
These are issues which affect community members across different society which have
homogeneous qualities.
Types / categories of social problems in society:

1. Social cultural problems
2. Technological problems
3. Economic problems
Social cultural problems:
a) Child abuse
ü This has been a common issue in the society where children are abused physically and
emotionally, leaving them stressed out as sometimes unable to function like a healthy child.
ü Social workers have the responsibility to address this issue and help reduce child abuse cases.
b) Homelessness
ü There are a number of people who have been left homeless due to loss of income hence cannot
pay rent, natural calamities like floods, children losing their parents and conflicts in the society.
ü People who are homeless find it hard to eat 3 meals a day or even meet any other need.
c) Drug abuse
ü Misuse of drugs and substances has become a common behavior among the youth.
ü This has led to loosing of the jobs, economic status and their personal dignity.
ü Drug abuse leads to many other vices such as crimes, violence etc.
d) Family breakages
ü Modernization has come with issues as family breakages which did not exist in our culture
before.
ü Divorces are being experienced bringing in issues such as custody and unstable homes for
children.
ü The effects the children mostly which suffer even on their personality.
e) Gender based violence
ü It is experienced in physical and sexual states especially among the women who according to
our culture are supposed to be submissive and obedience to their husbands.
ü This has brought out discrimination and isolation of the female gender.
f) Corruption
ü This is lack of integrity where a person lacks honest, fairness and diligence.
ü It has led to vices such as mismanagement of funds for personal gain
g) HIV & other pandemics
ü HIV has attacked many people in a society who are ignorant, illiterate and don’t take measures
to prevent its spread.
ü Other pandemics are caused by the lack or immune system caused by the HIV virus.
ü It has led to issues such as increased orphans, child headed families, strain on health facilities
etc
h) Disasters
ü Occurrence of disasters both man-made and natural disasters, is on the rise causing loses of
life and poverty.
ü These disasters include fires, floods, drought etc
i) Insecurity
ü This means the state of being vulnerable to danger or injury.
ü Insecurity cases are very high in our society today whereby cases such as border differences,
cattle rustling robbers etc happen on a daily basis.
ü The government has failed to secure the citizens fully hence leaving them in the state of
feeling insecure even in their own neighborhood.
j) Female genital mutilation (FGM)
ü Some communities in Kenya are known to practice this vice as a cultural routine.
ü FGM robs off a woman the chance to have a normal reproductive health which can bring out
complications in their future.
ü Furthermore, more circumcised girls drop of school to get married.
k) Early marriage
ü After being circumcised, girls in these cultures tend to be married off as young as 13 years. In
most cases, to an old man as a fifth or sixth wife.
ü This reduces the chances of enhancing their lives and having the freedom to choose what they
want and their purposes.
l) Bad religious beliefs
Religious extremists have misinterpreted religion creating cults or malicious groups such as al-
Shabaab, book haram, alkaidah etc, hence they contribute to the destruction of the world’s peace
as they try to execute some of their beliefs.
m) Wife inheritance
ü This is a common practice in African cultures where a widower gets inherited by her brothers
in law.
ü It has begun a major contribution of HIV infections as well as treating a woman like property
that is transferred from one person to another which diminishes their dignity.
Technological issues:
1. 1. Pornography
The internet has made pornographic images accessible to young children as well as adults which
has led to dysfunction. Sexual activities such as rape, masturbation, homosexuality, incest etc.
1. 2. Piracy
It is obtaining someone else work especially in the entertainment industry without their consent.
Most people who practice piracy end up gaining financially from someone’s else creation which
is unethical.
1. 3. Leaking information
With the existence of social media, there has been cases of leaking private information to the
public which is meant for personal purposes. Platforms such as face book, Instagram, you tube
etc have had cases of sex tapes, ethnicity speeches etc.
Economic issues:
a) Inflation
 This is the heightening of prices in goods and services, mostly because of inadequacy
which affects the poor who are struggling to acquire these goods and services even at
normal price.
 Inflation is common in their world countries and it keeps getting worse as time goes by.
b) Unemployment
 Kenya has high cases of unemployment with over 65% people being unemployed.
 Most of them are educated and have certificates that are likely to secure employment but
the opportunities are inadequate.
 This is due to our weak economy that cannot sustain the population of the unemployed.
Intervention measures to cross- cutting issues:
i. Creation of awareness on HIV prevention, control and treatment.
ii. Environmental consumption to prevent disasters like drought.

iii. Provision of rehabilitation centres for drug addicts
iv. Putting in place policies that abolish bad cultural practices e.g. FGM
v. Provision of employment opportunities (unemployed)
vi. Taking personal responsibility and modelling integrity (corruption)
Examine 5 reasons why cross- cutting issues in social work are issues of major concern in social
work
Group reflection:
Discuss 5 common cross-cutting issues from your community and discuss how you can address
them.
Assignment
1. Explain five cross-cutting issues in social work

2. Discuss five technological issues affecting all communities in the field of social work
3. Discuss five intervention measures to different cross cutting issues in social work

Social Development Work Theory and Practice

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SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WORK THEORY AND PRACTICE

By the end of the lesson, trainees should be able to:

1. Explain the importance of ethics in social work

2. Appreciate the historical development of social work

3. Explain the importance of management programmes in society

4. Appreciate the role of social workers in society

5. Discuss the overview of the unit

1.0 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK

1.1 Meaning of social work

1.2 Areas of social work practice

1.3 Role of social workers in identified fields

1.4 Historical background of social work

1.5 Scope of social work

1.6 Importance of social work in society

2.0 THEORIES APPLICABLE IN SOCIAL WORK

2.1 Theories applicable in social work

2.2 Importance of social work theories

2.3 Application of applicable theories in relevant situations

3.1 Characteristics of social work profession

3.2 Skills and competencies required by social workers

3.3 Social work challenges

4.0 SOCIAL WORK ETHICS AND VALUES

4.1 Social work ethics and values

4.2 Importance of ethics and values in social work

4.3 Impact of ethics and values in social work

4.4 Ethical responsibilities of social workers

4.5 Basic principles of social work

5.0. SOCIAL WORK PROCESS

5.1 Social work process

5.2 Importance of social work process

5.3 Stages of social work process

6.0 METHODS OF SOCIAL WORK

6.1 Methods of social work

6.2 Factors to consider in each method

6.3 Importance of each method

6.4 Impact of each method

7.0 MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

7.1 Social services

7.2 Importance of managing social services

7.3 Methods of managing social services

8.0 EMERGING TRENDS IN SOCIAL WORK

8. 1 Emerging trends in social work

INTRODUCTION TO SOACIAL WORK.

By the end of the lesson, trainees should be able to:

1. Explain meaning of social work

Meaning of Social work:

b) To enhance the social functioning and interactions of individuals, families, groups,

f) To develop and apply practice in the context of diverse cultures.

WHAT MAKES SOCIAL WORK A PROFESSION

a) A code of ethics that guide the practice

b) A high degree of generalized and systematic knowledge

c) Community sanction – community approves social work as a practice.

d) A primary orientation to community interest rather than individual self-interest.

f) A culture including a value system – acting like a social worker

g) A system of monetary and honorary rewards that are primarily an acknowledgement of

AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

1. Family and children services

2. Psychiatric social work or social work in mental health settings

4. Social work with people with developmental disabilities

5. Social work in the work place (Industrial social work)

6. Medical social work

7. Chemical dependency prevention and treatment

8. Criminal justice social work