Diass Module 4
Diass Module 4
Diass Module 4
MODULE 4
DISCIPLINES OF SOCIAL WORK
PROFESSIONALS AND PRACTITIONERS IN SOCIAL WORK
EXPLORE!
Activity: You are asked to define social work using the semantic web below.
What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “social work?”
FIRM UP!
Social Work as a profession focuses on an individual’s social functioning. According to
Mendoza (1999), social functioning is an effect of an individual’s performance in his/her multiple
roles in society. A social dysfunction occurs when there is a mismatch between the requisites of the role and the
individual’s ability to function and if the environment fails to provide the necessary resources for the
performance. It is in this situation where the role of social work becomes relevant. Social work aims to enhance
To further deepen one’s appreciation of social work as a profession, it is vital to discuss the roles,
functions, and competencies of social workers.
Roles Description
Resource Broker This role is about the direct provision of material aid and other resources. It is
mobilized and created or directly provided to the client being assisted.
Social Broker This role involves the process of negotiating the “service jungle” for clients. The
social worker links the client to the needed services and ensures quick delivery of
these services. This can also be associated with “networking” which establishes
and maintains a relationship with other community entities to gain support and
additional resources.
Mediator This role includes acting as an intermediary between persons or groups and the
social worker engages his/her efforts to resolve disputes between the client and
other parties.
Advocate This role involves taking a partisan interest in the client and his/her cause and aims
to influence another party in the interest of the client through arguing, bargaining,
negotiating, and manipulating the environment on behalf of the client.
Enabler This role is about activities that the social worker engages to help the clients cope
with the current situation and eventually find strengths and resources within
themselves to solve the problems they encountered.
Counselor/Therapist This role intends to restore, maintain, or enhance the client’s capacity to adapt to
his/her current reality.
Moreover, to further broaden your understanding of the functions of the social workers, Mendoza
identified the specific areas of work that they perform in each field:
Specific Work Area Area
Child Welfare This is considered one of the popular areas in social work practice.
- Adoption It is a legal process whereby a child who is deprived of a birth family is provided
with substitute new ties and permanent parental care.
- Legal A process is undertaken to provide substitute parental care through the
Guardianship appointment of a legal guardian for the child, including the child’s property until
he/she reaches the age of majority.
- Foster Care A substitute temporary parental care provided to a child by a licensed foster family
under the supervision of a social worker.
- Residential Provides temporary 24-hour residential group care to children whose needs
Care cannot, at the same time, be adequately met by their biological parents and other
alternative family care arrangements.
Family Welfare Refers to a program or interventions, or activities focused on the prevention of
problems of role functioning and relationships that threaten the stability of the
family.
Health It is focused on the interplay of economic, social, and psychological forces in
medical care and finds ways and means to solve problems that usually go with the
illness and treatment.
Schools School social work exists primarily to provide a helping service to those students
whose problems in school stem from social and emotional causes that interfere
with their adjustment and potential academic achievement.
Corrections The administration of penalty in such a way that the offender is corrected, that
his/her present behavior is kept within acceptable limits at the same time his
general life adjustment is modified.
- Probation A process of treatment, prescribed by the court for persons convicted of offenses
against the law, during which the individual on probation lives in the community
and regulates his/her own life under conditions.
- Parole It is the release of a prisoner under supervision before the expiration of his/her
sentence.
Special Groups
- Drug People who have developed a physical or psychological need for/dependence on
Elements:
1. Commitment to Clients – uphold the well-being of clients. The client’s interests are primary.
2. Self-determination – respect and promote the right of clients to self-determination and assist
clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals.
3. Informed Consent – social workers should use clear and understandable language to inform
clients of the purpose of the services, risks related to the services, and limits to services. Clients
have the right to refuse or withdraw consent.
4. Competence – 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.
5. Cultural Competence and Social Diversity – understand the culture and its function in human
behavior and societies, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures, demonstrate
competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to client’s cultures, and to differences
among people and cultural groups.
6. Conflict of Interest – be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of
professional discretion and impartial judgment.
7. Privacy and Confidentiality – respect the client’s right to privacy. Social workers should not
solicit private information from the clients unless it is essential to providing services or
conducting social work evaluation or research.
8. Access to Records – social workers should provide reasonable access to records concerning the
clients. Both clients’ requests and the rationale for withholding some or all of the records should
be documented in the client’s files.
9. Sexual Relationship – do not engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with current clients,
whether such contact is consensual or forced.
Elements:
1. Respect – treat colleagues with respect and represent accurately and fairly the qualifications,
views, and obligations. Avoid unwarranted negative criticism and cooperate with other social
workers for it serves the well-being of clients.
2. Confidentiality – respect confidential information shared by colleagues in the course of their
professional relationships and transactions.
3. Interdisciplinary Approach – 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.
4. Dispute involving Dispute – do not take advantage of a dispute between a colleague and an
employer to obtain a position or otherwise advance the social worker’s interests.
5. Consultation - seek the advice and counsel of colleagues who have demonstrated knowledge,
expertise, and competence and whenever such consultation is in the best interests of clients.
6. Referral Services – 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.
7. Sexual Relationships – social workers who function as supervisors or educators should not
engage in sexual activities or contact with supervisees, students, trainees, or other colleagues
over whom they exercise professional authority.
8. Sexual Harassment – do not sexually harass supervisees, students, trainees, or other colleagues.
This includes sexual advances, sexual solicitation, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature.
9. Impairment of Colleagues – colleague’s impairment that is due to personal problems,
psychosocial distress, or mental health difficulties that interferes with practice effectiveness
should consult and take remedial action through appropriate channels.
Elements:
1. Supervision and Consultation – do not engage in any dual or multiple relationships with
supervisees in whom there is a risk of exploitation of or potential harm to the supervisee.
2. Education and Training – social workers who function as educators, field instructors, or
trainers should provide instruction, information, and knowledge only within their areas of
competence; should evaluate students’ performance in a manner that is fair and respectful.
3. Performance Evaluation – evaluating the performance of others should be fair and considerate
based on clearly stated criteria.
4. Client Records – ensure that documentation in records protects the client’s privacy, accurate and
reflects and ensure continuity of the services provided; include sufficient and timely
documentation.
5. Client Transfer – to minimize possible confusion and conflict, social workers should discuss
with potential clients the nature of the clients’ current relationship with other service providers
and the implications, including possible benefits or risks, of entering into a relationship with a
new service provider.
6. Administration – administrators should advocate within and outside their agencies for adequate
resources to meet clients’ needs. The administration should take reasonable steps to eliminate
any conditions in their organizations that violate, interfere with, or discourage compliance with
the Code.
7. Commitment to Employer – social workers should work to improve employing agencies’
policies and procedures and the efficiency and effectiveness of their services.
8. Labor-management Disputes – the actions of social workers who are involved in labor-
management disputes, job actions, or labor strikes should be guided by the profession’s values,
ethical principles, and ethical standards.
Elements:
1. Competence –social workers accept responsibility or employment only based on existing
competence or the intention to acquire the necessary competence.
2. Discrimination – social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any
form of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religions, immigration status,
and mental or physical disability.
3. Private Conduct – social workers should not permit their private conduct to interfere with their
ability to fulfill their professional responsibilities.
4. Dishonesty, fraud, deceit – social workers should not participate in, condone, or be associated
with dishonesty, fraud, or deception.
Elements:
1. The integrity of Profession – social workers should work toward the maintenance and
promotion of high standards of practice; should uphold and advance the values, ethics,
knowledge, and mission of the profession. They should protect, enhance, and improve the
integrity of the profession through appropriate study and research, active discussion, and
responsible criticism of the profession; should contribute time and professional expertise to
activities that promote respect for the value, integrity, and competence of the social work
profession.
2. Evaluation and Research – social workers should monitor and evaluate policies, the
implementation of programs, and practice interventions. Social workers engaged in evaluation or
research should obtain voluntary and written informed consent from participants, when
appropriate, without any implied or actual deprivation or penalty for refusal to participate; and
with due regard for participants’ well-being, privacy, and dignity.
Elements:
1. Social Welfare – social workers should promote the general welfare of society, from local to
global levels, and the development of people, their communities, and their environments.
2. Public Participation – social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public in
shaping social policies and institutions.
3. Public Emergencies – social workers should provide appropriate professional services in public
emergencies to the greatest extent possible.
4. Social and Political Action – social workers should promote policies and practices that
demonstrate respect of difference, support the expansion of cultural knowledge and resources,
advocate for programs and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence, and promote
policies that safeguard the rights of and confirm equity and social justice for all people.
DEEPEN!
Activity: Choose one element from each of the ethical standards (six areas) set by the National
Association of Social Workers (NASW) on the ethical responsibility to clients. Discuss the element based on
your understanding and you may cite some examples from your previous encounters with a social welfare
agency. Write your answers in the box.
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TRANSFER!
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REFERENCES
De Guzman, L. S. (1992). Introduction to Social Work. Quezon City: New Day Publisher
Dela Cruz, A.R., Fernandez, C., Melegrito, M. L., & Valdez, V., (2016). Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied
Social Sciences. Phoenix Publishing House, 81-132
Mendoza, T. L. (1999). Social Work with Groups. Quezon City: Megabooks Company
END OF MODULE 4