Contracting Part II

Developing an Action Plan Once goals have been established, you engage the client in the process of developing an action plan to pursue them. You identify others who will meet with you and who/what will be the target for change. It will determine who will be involved in the change efforts and how those efforts might affect others.

Developing an Action Plan You will also determine what social work role you will play: –Advocate –Broker –Case manager –Counselor –Educator –evaluator –Facilitator –Investigator –Mediator –Therapist –Others?

Developing an Action Plan Informed consent must be given before any intervention or action may be undertaken. You and the client also determine how to implement the change efforts. Decide where the meeting will take place and where the change efforts will occur. Most actions plans involve change of some kind – change that would help resolve an issue and achieve a goal.

Developing an Action Plan Long-lasting change efforts may be directed toward some aspect of a person, some part of the situation, or toward elements of both. Regardless of the focus of change, recognize that individuals, dyads, families, groups, organizations, communities, or societies that are not ready for planned change or motivated to take action, rarely do so. Social systems vary in their readiness depending on their stage in the change process.

Identifying Action Steps In your attempt to achieve a planned goal smaller steps may be necessary. These actions steps are frequently referred to as objectives. The skills of questioning, seeking clarification, reflecting, going beyond, and seeking feedback are commonly used during this process.

Identifying Action Steps Changes may be twofold: –Person-focused –Situation-focused Changes in one aspect of the person- issue-situation nearly always result in changes in other aspects as well. Completion of tasks or action steps contributes to the achievement of larger goals.

Identifying Action Steps Smaller steps have a higher probability of success. By putting together and accomplishing several tasks or action steps, a large goal may be successfully achieved. Identifying action steps involves determining what will be done, by whom and by when.

Identifying Action Steps Questions that would be asked: –What would represent a first step toward achieving this goal? –What needs to change for you to be able to make a small step toward achieving this goal? –What will be the first sign that you are beginning to make progress toward this goal? –What will be the very first sign that you are beginning to make progress?

Identifying Action Steps Emphasis is on identifying an action that might be taken. Your focus is on doing something that represents movement toward goal achievement. You may encourage clients to identify steps leading to change in themselves or in their situation that might help to resolve the identified issues.

Planning for Evaluation As a professional social worker, you are responsible for evaluating progress toward issue resolution and goal achievement. You can measure progress toward goal attainment in several ways. –Goal attainment scaling –Counting –Subjective rating

Planning for Evaluation Subjective rating can be used in relation to almost all forms of human psychological and social phenomena. There are a variety of paper-pencil measurements: –The Clinical Measurement Package –Measures for Clinical Practice

Summarizing the Contract This involves a concise review of the essential elements of the understanding that you and the client have reached. It covers issues for work, goals, and action plan, tasks or action steps, and means by which progress will be evaluated. Written contracts are generally preferred. As the social worker, you assume responsibility for adopting contract guidelines that best match the needs and functions of your agency.