Skills

in
Social
INTRODUCTION
Social work is a complex and ever-changing society. It is a
profession characterized by diversity.
Social Workers engage in a broad range of activities within many
types of settings and with many different people.
INTRODUCTION
With the continued growth of the social work field comes increased
opportunities for social workers and human service professionals to
improve the lives of challenged individuals.
Before entering the field of social work, it is important to consider
the core skills that are essential for successful career as a social
worker.
GLOBAL DEFINITION OF
SOCIAL WORK
Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic
discipline that promotes social change and development, social
cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles
of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect
for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of
social work, engages people and structures to address life challenges
and enhance well-being.
TRIVIA

How many skills

are there in social
work?
COMPETENCE IN
SOCIAL WORK
Competence in social work is the product of knowledge, skills and
values.
In order to provide evidence that they have achieved the core
competencies students will have to demonstrate that they have:
 met practice requirements;
 integrated social work values;
 acquired and applied knowledge;
 reflected upon and critically analyzed their practice; and
 transferred knowledge, skills and values in practice.
STANDARD OF PRACTICE
OF SOCIAL WORK
Council of Social Work Education
CMO 11 Series 2010
FRAMEWORK FOR A COMPETENCY-
BASED SOCIAL WORK CURRICULUM
SOCIAL WORK SKILLS

Skill defined
 as the degree of knowledge, expertise, judgment and experience that is brought to
play within a given situation, course of action or intervention.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
SKILL
They involve “an organized and coordinated activity in relation to an
object or situation” in ways that underlie performance;
Skills are learned gradually, through repeated experience; and
They involve actions that are ordered and coordinated in a “temporal
sequence” or in chronological order.
LEVEL OF SKILL

Basic skills- these relate to those foundation skills

Intermediate Skills – these relate to the skills required to deal with
more difficult situations,
Advanced and Specialist Skills- these skills relate to working in
situations that require specialist knowledge , such as training in
counselling or family therapy, etc.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
GENERALIST AND
SPECIALIST
Generalist - all practitioners use generalist skills, these can be
categorized as basic, intermediate or advanced skills and
interventions, depending on ability, experience and training.
Specialist - practice indicates either a division of labor or superior
knowledge and skill about a client group, problem area, methods of
setting.
RANGE OF SKILLS THAT MAYBE
DRAWN FROM ACTUAL PRACTICE

Planning and preparing for the interview

Creating a rapport and establishing relationship
Welcoming skills
Empathy and sympathy
The role of self-knowledge and intuition
Open questions
Closed questions
“what questions
Paraphrasing
Clarifying
Summarizing
Giving and receiving feedback
Sticking to the point and purpose of the interview
Prompting
Probing
Allowing and using silences
RANGE OF SKILLS THAT MAYBE
DRAWN FROM ACTUAL PRACTICE

Using self-disclosure
Using humour
Ending an interview
Closing the case and ending the case
Giving advice
Providing information
Providing explanations
Offering encouragement and validation
Providing reassurance
Using persuasion and being directive
Providing practical and material assistance
Providing support
Providing care
Modelling and social skills training
Reframing
Offering interpretations
Adaptation
Counselling skills
RANGE OF SKILLS THAT MAYBE
DRAWN FROM ACTUAL PRACTICE

Containing anxiety
Empowerment and enabling skills
Negotiating skills
Contracting skills
Networking skills
Working in partnership
Mediation skills
Advocacy skills
Assertiveness skills
Being challenging and confrontative
Dealing with hostility, aggression and violence
Providing protection and control
Managing professional boundaries
Record keeping skills
Reflective and effective practice
Using supervision creatively.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS IN THE
PRACTICE OF SOCIAL WORK

Assessment Skills
Communication Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Respect for Diversity
Intervention Skills
Documentation Skills
Organizational Skills
Understanding of Human Relationship
SKILLS REQUIRED
DURING INTERVIEW
Skill in relating with interview
Skill in observing the interview
Skill in listening
Skill in asking questions
Skill in answering personal questions
Interpreting the client’s response
A LEXICON OF 80 SKILLS AND
INTERVENTIONS
CORE SKILLS IN SOCIAL
WORK
Communication and interviewing skills
Observation, listening skills and assessment skills
Problem-solving and decision-making skills
Organizational and administrative skills
CONCLUSION
Social work embarks on a variety of skills due to diverse situation
and emerging trends in the practice of social work.
The complex society and continuous development pose a challenge
to service providers to hone their skills in order to keep in track of
the ongoing change on a regular rate.
Regular training and continuous education should be done to ensure
that the professionals are doing their part in order to effectively serve
those who go within the sphere of their practice.
 “Social work is a
challenging profession
and has to be a highly
skilled activity”
THANK YOU!