SOCIAL WORK

Social work is a practice-based profession that promotes social change,

development, cohesion and the empowerment of people and communities. Social
work practice involves the understanding of human development, behavior and the
social, economic and cultural institutions and interactions. 

SOCIAL WORKER
Social workers are professionals who aim to enhance overall well-being and help meet
basic and complex needs of communities and people. Social workers work with many
different populations and types of people, particularly focusing on those who are vulnerable,
oppressed and living in poverty.

PURPOSE OF SOCIAL WORK

The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help
meet basic and complex needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are
vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.

SCOPE OF SOCIAL WORK

Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values,
principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain
tangible services; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups;
helping communities or groups provide or improve social and health services; and
participating in legislative processes. Social work is a professional as well as an
academic subject which deals with services related to human. The subject is entirely
value and ethics based which tries to create a just society for all including the
vulnerables .

VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK

Six core values of the social work profession
 Service.
 Social justice.
 Dignity and worth of the person.
 Importance of human relationships.
 Integrity.
 Competence.

PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL WORK

Principles are guiding beliefs and statement of do's and don'ts. Social work principles
are guiding assertions of   statement that have come from experiences and research.
The most commonly discussed principles of social work are as follows:

Principles of Acceptance:

Social work accepts the individual as he or she is with all his/her limitations. Social work
believes that acceptance is the crux of all help. Social worker does not condemn or feel
hostile towards a client because his behavior differs from the approved one. The
principle of acceptance implies that social worker must perceive, acknowledge, receive
and establish a relationship with the individual client as he actually is, not as social
worker wishes him to be or think he should be.

Principle of Individualization:-

The principle of individualization is fundamental to effective social work practice. Social

work believes in the uniqueness of individual. Each individual is different from that of
every other individual nature. As we know that individual is unique as his thumb print.
The social worker views the problem of each client as specific and helps the client move
forward finding the most satisfactory means for client to deal with particular problem
situation.

Principle of Communications:-

Communication is a two way process most of the problem that give pain are precisely
the problem of communication. When the communication is inadequate or insufficient
the problems occurs either automatically or because of misunderstanding. The social
worker should have enough skills to grasp the communication. The proper
communication is crucial in social work relationship because the background of the
client and worker may be different, the mental status of the client and the worker may
vary. Therefore the social worker should make all the efforts to see that communication
between him and client is proper. The client should be made feel comfortable and at
ease to express his thoughts feelings and facts.

Principle of Confidentiality:-

Social work believes that during the professional help between the client and social
worker, client have the right of personal information about themselves in relationship
with a social agency. The principle believes that confidential things of the client must be
kept confidential and other agencies and individual & should be consulted only with the
clients consent.
Principle of Self Determination:-

The principle emphasizes client’s right to self determination. Every individual client has
the right to decide what is appropriate for him and decides the ways and means to
realize it. In other words, social worker should not force decisions or solutions on the
clients because the client has come to him for help. Therefore, social worker should
support and guide the client to develop insight into his social situations in correct
perspective and encourage and involve him to like decisions that are good and
acceptable to him.

Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude:-

Principle of non-judgmental attitude presumes that the social worker should begin the
professional relationship without any bias. He should not form opinion about the client,
good or bad, worthy or unworthy. He has to treat the client as somebody who has come
to him for help and he should be willing to help the client without being influenced by the
opinions of other about the client or his situation. This enables the worker and the client
feel free to develop understanding of each other.

Principle of Controlled Emotional Involvement:-

This principle guides social work professional not to indulge too much personally in the
client's difficult situation or being too objective. Therefore the social worker should
maintain a reasonable emotional distance even while sympathizing with the client social
worker should indicate the understanding of the difficult situations of the client without
showing pity or appearing to be indifference.

System Approach to Social Work Practice:-

System approach had been having a successful time in biology, ecology and
engineering system theory encourages practitioner to see their client and problems as
part of a whole. The behavior of each component affected and in turn was affected by
all other part of the whole or system. Thus, to treat one problem entailed understanding
the functioning of other related part of the whole or system. So for example with the
difficult child, the behaviour of his parents, his peers and his school may all have a
bearing on his conduct. After a system analysis the practitioner might well conclude that
altering the anti social outlook of the local peer group is in fact the best way to tackle the
client’s difficult behavior and not to send him to an educational psychologist.