A Holistic Assessment Of Needs Against Predicting The Uncertainties Of Future Risks

A typical day for a social worker consists of helping those that are in need, providing appropriate resources, and empowering their clients. Before a social worker can help their clients, they will need to do an assessment. An assessment consists of learning about the individual and their everyday lives. According to Timberlake, Zajicek-Farber, and Sabatino (2008), “The client system and the social worker conduct an assessment of problems, needs, strengths, and resources; establish priorities and goals; and reach agreement about the preintervention date-collection activities necessary to provide a baseline for evaluating change” (p. 79). It is important for the social worker to collect all this information because it will provide insight on

In this paper I will explore each of these areas in order to define my own personal practice framework, as well as looking at how the elements I have chosen fit within the social work field.

Social work professions need to understand the importance of how individuals interact both with other people and their environment, to have an understanding how individuals are affected by these interactions (Rogers, p. 2). According to Rogers (2016), “Social workers are knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course; the range of social systems in which people live; and the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being. Social workers apply theories and knowledge from the liberal arts to understand biological, social, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development (p. 2). Their work with clients begins with assessments to evaluations of intervention and is based in and supports of the core value system of the profession.

In Australia social workers are predominant members of Aged Care Assessment Teams (Weiner & Ronch 2012). In this role they assess the needs of a client to determine the types and levels of supports required to ensure their wellbeing (DSS 2015). This assessment involves a range of questions about day-to-day living, current social supports and health concerns (Vecchio 2013). Following this assessment, the social worker will determine a client’s eligibility for a range of government-subsidised aged care services including

This section of the paper will discuss the definition of social work, values associated with social work and arguments for and against the use of systems theory in social work practice. Social work can be described as a field of study that encompasses individuals and their environment. Social work can be defined as work trained professionals do to elevate stressors of individuals so they may become more self-sufficient and empowered to live to their fullest potential.

Prior to engaging with Ms X for the commencement of work, it is necessary to 'tune in ' to the case circumstances applying a holistic approach to gain as much insight to the service user(s) as possible before contact is made. Douglas (2008) states that "the pre-contact phase which helps to prepare the social work student for face-to face intervention, is a prerequisite for effective practice". With this in mind, I took the opportunity to contact the designated social worker assigned to this family to arrange a one-to-one meeting to allow for more information sharing. This meeting proved to be positive and it allowed me to gather more insight to this case from the observations and findings from another individual. However I must be sceptic in these circumstances and not take all information as face value. Referring to the conceptual model (...), each

Social Care Theory for Practice Assessment As a professional working in a Social Care setting it is important to have an understanding of the responsibilities you have to each individual within your care and to recognize and respect their rights. The National Care Standards were developed as a guideline to ensure care workers support their service users in the manner at which they deserve, it allows the care worker to support each individuals needs based on the view point of the people using the service, The Scottish Government. (2014).These standards of care are based on a set of principles such as Dignity, Privacy, Choice, Safety, Realising potential and Equality and Diversity. Throughout my personal experience I have

Social work is rarely working with one individual, as stated in O’Loughlin and O’Loughlin (2008); it will involve working with

As discussed by Williams & Bell (2015), the evolving identity of social work has been continually unclear among the general public and social workers themselves. Theoretically social work practice is thought to have abandoned its original ideals of community focus and collective betterment shifting its concentration to individualistic approaches. Since its inception, beginning with settlement houses and charity organizations in the 19th century, social work practice has endeavored for recognition as a profession in its own right not as a supplement to other professions in a secondary manner such as assisting doctors or lawyers etc.

Theories are illustrated “a set of prepositions which hypothesize the nature of the relationships between predefined constructs or variables” Glynis et al., (1995, p. 5). It enacts a systematic approach to social work processes. The problem with choosing a particular context is that, while no particular theory is essentially comprehensive; objectively applied, any theory can be contextually pertinent. However, Payne, (1997, p. 36) argues that theories are most adequate when combined and that in isolation, Indeed in present-day complex and dynamic society possessing comparable diversity in its social problems, theory triangulation (combining theories) is crucial to better understand, analyse and address the multitudes of interrelated problems that is ‘social work’. Following the above mentioned logic I am applying Narrative theory, Attachment theory and System theory all together in order to examine the actual

In his 1995 article, Andrew Abbott explores his evolving conception of the social work profession. As we approach the new millennium, Abbott's conception becomes strikingly relevant. In brief review, Abbott's first notion posits that social work is a profession of interstitiality. In this context, social workers translate and mediate between collogues in

Professional development depends upon practitioner’s ability to link and learn for all levels of their practice. Learning is always related, in one way or another, to what has gone on before. Therefore there is never a clean slate on which to begin: as ideas are often based on previous constructions and it is only through critical reflection of these constructions, through deconstruction these past ideas that we can start to reconstruct new ways of doing and seeing that does not recreate oppressive social work practice. (Boud and Walker, 1993, p. 8).

Social workers play an essential in the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society. For individuals and families who come into contact with them, the services and guidance they provide can be essential, providing guidance, support, and access to vital services. The goal of this report is to highlight ways in which the social work profession can be reformed in the face of significant challenges to effect improvement in the lives of the most vulnerable. As part of this programme of work, we launched a call for evidence asking social work students, current social workers, and past social workers for their thoughts on the challenges facing the profession. Alongside this we spoke in depth with over 20 social workers and managers about their day-to-day experiences and how they thought training, practice and other elements of the profession should change. We also consulted professional organisations, charities, and practitioners involved in the social work profession. In addition we sent out 173 Freedom of Information requests to Local Authorities asking for details of their staffing arrangements, vacancy rates, turnover rates, and pay scales.

For this end of module assessment I will be looking at the case study of Safia Nazir, her husband Nazir Rashid and their 3 children Taqi, Asif and Amina who live in Scotland and have been bought to the attention of social services for various reasons. I will be demonstrating my understanding of what the social workers role would be in relation to this family, including the skills and knowledge needed to meet the family’s individual needs. The social worker in this case study is called Shona and what I have read of her and her initial steps to work with the family come across as appropriate and professional. I will go into more detail about Shona’s work and my understanding of her role later in the assignment and make potential comparisons or reflect on what I may or may not do differently. I will consider issues in relation to my personal and professional values and will also refer to policy and practice from English legislation; as this is my country of practice. I will be focusing on early intervention and the initial steps in social work, such as making contact, meeting and the initial assessment.

Fook, J.. (2003). Social work, Critical theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (pp. 45-