Social case work definition objectives and characteristics introduction
Answers
Concept of Social Case Work: Social case work is one of the important method and technique of professional social work. It aims to find individual solutions to individual’s problems. The focus of social case work is on an individual. People often faced with difficulties due to personal or environmental factors, leading to their malfunctioning and consequent maladjustment in society. The case worker thoroughly understands the person and problems and helps him to balance himself to strengthen out his difficulties. social case work is an art of helping individual to work out better social relationship and adjustment, it is a method of helping people individual by individual, to tackle effectively the various problems confronting them and that it is a way of helping individual to use their own resources both material and psychological for the treatment and prevention of personal and social problems.
Objectives of Social case work:-
1. To understand and solve the internal problems of the individual.
2. To strengthen his ego power.
3. Remediation of problems in social functioning.
4. Prevention of problems in social functioning.
5. Development of resources to enhance social functioning.
Principles of Social Case Work :-Principles are certain statements and guiding beliefs, which directs our professional action. In social case work practice, the principles are as discussed under :-
(1) Principle of Acceptance :-Acceptance in social case work meaning accepting the client irrespective of his negative behaviour and qualities. It is about expressing warmth, and positive attitude. The social worker perceive, acknowledge, receive and establish a relationship with the client as he actually is not as he wish him to be or think he should be.
(2) Principle of Confidentiality :- Confidentiality in social case work implies keeping the confidential things confidential. As everyone prefers to keep his things to himself and leak out only when its disclosure is more beneficial to the person. The person has the right of personal information about themselves in their relationship with the social worker during and following the process of obtaining service, this right may be superseded only in exceptional satiations. Confidentiality is fundamental to case work and relationship with the client and base for having therapeutic relationship with the client. Once the client loses confidence on worker he will not believe the worker and the whole process of communication will break down.
Principle of Relationship :- According to this principle relationship is the crux of helping process. There should be positive relationship between the client and the worker. Relationship is an emotional bond between the client and the worker if negative or no relations there will be no communication.
Principle of Resource utilization :- This principle believes that being a member of the society, society provides facilities to the individual and takes care of those who needs help or assistance e.g. orphans, destitute, physically or mentally challenged, etc., Therefore all the resources whether personal, community or government should be utilized in the best interest of the client.
Principle of Right to self determination: – This principle is based on the value that every individual has the right to determine the destiny of his life. In social case work the worker have to give this right to the client so that he can decide and take best possible action in his self interest. Case worker works as an enabler or facilitator who helps client through his professional knowledge and skills to take the best possible decision and action in the given situations.
Principle of Self Awareness:- The principle suggest that social worker should not substitute or apply their personal values or norms in social case work process, the principle guides the case worker to use only professional values and norms and help the client in such a way that he is able to relive comfortably when he goes back to his own society. The principle based on the value that social worker should be objective and non-judgmental in his approach and attitude.
Principle of Purposiveness of behaviour :- The principle suggest that all behavior is functional and serves useful purpose. Behaviour includes all expression of our body, whether verbal or non-verbal. Therefore all the relevant behaviours expressed during the case work process should be analyzed and assessed to plan a realistic approach to help the client to replace his inappropriate behaviour with an appropriate one and to critically examine the purpose behind his problem behaviour.
Principle of Individualisation :- As social work profession believes that every individual is unique in himself. This uniqueness come him because of different background of every individual and because of different attitude, beliefs and experiences.