1. The Nature of Social Work Introduction 2016-17

2. The Module
All information needed for the social work programme is in the HANDBOOK and on Moodle!
Take responsibility for familiarising yourself with this and for your own learning
Reminder, of timetable, seminars, reading and ITC
Assessment for this module consists of a team poster presentation and an assignment, attendance at all SW and ITC classes
Check due dates and information in the handbook and on moodle
Nominate your class rep so we have a two way communication system going

3. They are not on ration But you have to work for it!

4. The Nature of Social Work Introduction
Today we look partly at ‘what is social work?’
Why do you want to be a Social Worker
Why reflective thinking is important in aiding us to become a competent, caring and resilient professional Social Worker

5. What is Social Work? Social Work does not take place in a Vacuum
Professional competence in Social Work practice requires –
You to constantly integrate knowledge, skills and values
You to be able to transfer knowledge, skills and values into practice
Requires reflective and analytical thinking to ensure you act for considered reasons and to not react
Social Work practice is not a mechanical procedure- there is no set manual –but it about your ability to assimilate the professions knowledge, skills and values

6. Competent Practice Integrates the following

7. The Main Concepts To help us understand let’s examine the following
What is social work- definition ?
What do social workers do- examples?
Reflect on what has motivated you to become a social worker?
Is it a skilled task, common sense or practical experience?
Explain the difference between talking to a friend and talking to a social worker?

8. What is Social Work? Social Work integrates the following
Social Change
By reinforce those aspects of society that promote social welfare
Social Care
By seeking to change negative aspects in society .e.g. Poverty & Discrimination

9. A Definition Of Social Work
“The Social Work Profession promotes social change and problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being.
Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments.
Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.” From the International Definition of Social Work -Adopted by the IFSW General Meeting in Montréal, Canada, July 2000

10. An updated 2014 definition of SW:
“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, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing. The above definition may be amplified at national and/or regional levels”. IFSW & IASSW

11. Definition of Social Work-cont
Social work in its various forms addresses the multiple, complex transactions between people and their environments.
Its mission is to enable all people to develop their full potential, enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction.
Professional social work is focused on problem solving and positive change.
As such, social workers are positive change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve.
Social work is an interrelated system of values, theory and practice. Adopted by the IFSW General Meeting in Montréal, Canada, July 2000

12. The international Federation of Social Work
States-"social work bases its methodology on a systematic body of evidence-based knowledge derived from research and practice evaluation.
It recognizes the complexity of interactions between human beings and their environment, and that people are affected by them .
It draws on theories of human development , social theory and social systems to analyse complex situations and to facilitate individual, organizational, social and cultural changes”.

13. Does that sound Complicated?
Where are you at with all of the things on that list? Such as ‘Empowerment and liberation’
Do you have the skills of being a ‘change agent and enhancing well being’
Do you know what it would mean to ‘promote social justice, theories of human behaviour and social systems’?
Do you know what knowledge, what skills to use and how to ‘addresses the multiple, complex transactions between people and their environments’?

14. What do Social Workers do?
Social work is a profession committed to the pursuit of social justice
It’s about the pursuit of social welfare and positive social change.
It’s about improving the quality of life and potential of individual's, families, groups and communities.
Social Workers draw on the social sciences to inform their knowledge base to solve individual and social problems.

15. So it’s not just about fixing sorting or doing things to people!

16. Professional relationships with people
Forming boundaried relationships with people - as adviser, advocate, counselor, mediator, social controller and protector of the vulnerable .
It has it’s roots in the struggle of society dealing with poverty and the problems that result.
Assisting individuals to live successfully in society by working with them to find solutions to problems.
Working with those who want services, and those who do not want your services.
Social workers assess needs and the risks that may occur if those needs are not met.
Plan individual packages of care , support, and shared responsibilities with individual's.

17. It’s both a Professional and Academic discipline
It uses research to develop practice and improve the life of individuals, groups and society.
Research from social policy, sociology, psychology and from within the profession
It uses theories from these disciplines as well as economics, education, medicine and politics.
It involves relationship building and the promotion of anti-oppressive and anti-racist dialogue.
Social workers are organised into local, national, continental and international professional bodies

18. Changing Lives- States Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review (Scottish Executive 2006)

19. Changing Lives Maintain
There are three main functions that define what social workers do.
They intervene between the state and the citizen - assessing and determining eligibility services and assessing risks which determine the need for statutory intervention
They maximise the capacity of people using services
Contribute to policies and practice that support social and personal well-being –enabling the development of services
Social Workers need to have empathy, respect , warmth & genuineness!
Need to establish a therapeutic relationship
A person centred approach, taking account of the client's perspective
Plan, manage the care and safeguard vulnerable individual's who need protection or are in danger or are at risk of causing significant harm to themselves or others.

20. BASW :Code of Ethics for Social Work
Key principles - Respect for human dignity and cultural diversity
Value every individual their beliefs, goals, preferences and needs
Respect for human rights and self determination
Partnership and empowerment with users of services and with carers
Ensuring protection for vulnerable people
Social justice
Promoting fair access to resources
Equal treatment without prejudice or discrimination
Reducing disadvantage and exclusion
Challenging the abuse of power
Service
Helping with personal and social needs
Enabling people to develop their potential
Contributing to creating a fairer society
Integrity and Competence
Honesty, reliability and confidentiality
Maintaining and developing competence to provide a quality service
Ref –BASW- British Association of Social Workers

21. Factors that often motivate individuals to become a Social Worker:
To help/ empower people
To make a positive difference to people
To advocate for justice for people
A desire to work with people in challenging and changing circumstances
A desire to work to provide good services
A desire to change current services
A desire to change society

22. Skilled Tasks or Common Sense?
Theorists would argue that there are 3 different approaches to social work:
Social Welfare- individual activity geared towards meeting the social welfare needs on an individual basis.
Social Change- A system that promotes co-operation in society so oppressed and disadvantaged can gain power over their own lives.
Social Stability- An approach geared towards promoting and facilitating personal growth to enable people to deal with their suffering and disadvantage.

23. Social Work & Social Welfare
This model works with individuals on their personal situation on meeting their needs
Recipients are often stigmatised and disadvantaged and meeting short term and long term needs is the goal
Social Workers seek to redress the inequalities experienced by the individual by meeting needs
Work is geared to addressing the balance of inequality through individual work rather than grouping people together.
But it is concerned with the welfare of group’s and communities as this effects individuals.

24. Social Work and Social Stability.
Role of the social worker is to contribute to the social stability of a society.
To ensure the social order is not threatened.
To protect the status quo of those who are privileged and in positions of power.
It’s about helping people adjust to their social circumstances.
The belief is that society as a whole has the same basic goals, interests and there is common political and legal values.
The social worker occupies a position of power and is seen as the expert in the person’s problem.

25. Social Work and Social Change
Society is made up of social divisions and conflicts of interests e.g. Race, Class, Gender.
Members of oppressed minorities many of whose problems come from the structure of society rather than their own personal failings.
The task is to support oppressed groups and individuals within them in order to challenge the effects of discrimination and disadvantage.
Working towards social change rather than helping people to adjust to disadvantage they find themselves in.

26. Differences between talking to a Social Worker & a friend:
Social Work addresses complex, multiple transactions between people and their environments.
This involves a “Professional Relationship”, a “power relationship” and “professional boundaries”.
It focuses on problem solving and change and has a statutory element to it.
As we must work within the law thus the elements of Care or Control are always to be balanced.
Social Workers are Change Agents as they change the lives of individuals, families and Communities.
Thus we work within an interrelated system of Values, Theory, Knowledge and Practice and this requires learned skills

27. Models and Development of the Practitioner
Social work practice is rooted in law and social policy.
While Social Work can challenge or work against these factors it cannot go beyond them altogether.
Social workers are paid employees of an organisation.
Social Workers are both enabled and constrained by policies, values and aims of the organisation.
So all three models need to be understood and worked with - welfare, change and stability

28. Questions What sort of knowledge and theory is required to do the job?
How does this relate to the other modules you will study?
What do you understand by the terms ‘adult learning’ and ‘reflective thinking’?
In what way are they part of the skills you will need?

29. OVERVIEW OF THE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED
SOCIAL
WORK
Homelessness,
Housing,
Violence,
Criminal justice
Drug use
Disability,
Older people
Mental health,
Children
Community care
Residential care
Value base of social work
Anti oppressive knowledge
Health, Education
Law, social policy
Knowledge
Use of self , communication skills and ability to form relationships
Social work theory, methods and research
Reflective analytical abilities
Organisational knowledge, procedures, funding, resources, constraints
Government drives, Politics , Policy

30. The Links to other Modules
SOCIAL
WORK
Homelessness,
Housing,
Violence,
Criminal justice
Drug use
Disability,
Older people
Mental health,
Children
Community care
Residential care
Social Welfare and social policy
Politic and Government reform
Sociological Ideological perspectives , Marxism, conservatism, liberalism
Psychology
Human development, life span development
Research and social science knowledge
Law and legislation
Sociological, Society , Rules , moral codes
Economics and Economic reform

31. Adult Learning and Reflective Thinking:
Kolb’s Learning Cycle - based on experiences gained through life and work are crucial to learning.
The approach influences the practice learning experiences you will have on the course
Learning is a cyclical process and is not fixed but forms and reforms through our life
By reflecting on our learning we gain further understanding and this aids our development of emotional intelligence and critical analysis
Given that reflection is itself reflective and is cyclical this prompts the process to start again.

32. Kolb(1984) and Gibbs (1988)
Highlighted reflective learning was about experiential learning as this encourages deeper learning that would be retained.
Gibbs highlighted learning by doing into 4 stages
Learners need to be fully involved in the experience.
They must make time and space to reflect on it.
The need opportunity to form and re-form their ideas and integrate them into taught theories.
Through problem solving and dialogue a change occurs in the learner and learning takes place

33. What is your Learning Style?
To assist you with your learning some theorists would claim it helps if you connect your learning to a process and a learning style.
Each of us learn in different ways
Some people tend to like to watch first
Some people tend to like to be active
Some people tend to like to think first
Some are motivated by experiences & feelings

34. Learning Theory
Suggests a four phase Cycle of learning that are connected to the four modes of learning styles.
Activists Feel
Reflectors Observe
Theorists Think
Pragmatists Do

35. Developing your reflective abilities:
The course aims to integrate your taught learning with your Social Work practice learning
These involve us in understanding ourselves - this is essential to becoming a professional Social Worker.
Identifying your learning style is a good starting point in this journey
Complete the learning style questionnaire to identify your learning style available on moodle

36. Directed Reading
This will support the initial points made in this ppt:
Chapter on Personal and Professional Development. Joyce Lishman (moodle).
Hare, I (2004): Defining Social Work for the 21st Century in The International Journal of Social Work (47(3) moodle
From -Social Work Themes Issues and critical Debates. Adams ,Dominelli, & Payne
Chapter on Social Work and Society .Chris Jones (on moodle)
Chapter on Values Ethic and Social Work. Steven Shardlow

37. Directed Reading
Alan Keith-Lucas Giving and Taking Help (1972) A short History of Helping
Schon, D (1991): The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Ashgate. Basic Books
Thompson, N (2009): Understanding Social Work (3rd Ed). Basingstoke, Palgrave- there will many chapters from this book that you will find useful