“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.”

What is a Social Welfare System

A social welfare system provides assistance to needy individuals and families. The
types and amount of welfare available to individuals and families vary depending on the
country, state or region. In the United States, the federal government provides grants to
each state through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

BREAKING DOWN Social Welfare System

Social welfare systems assistance to individuals and families through programs such as
health care, food stamps, unemployment compensation, housing assistance and child
care assistance. In the United States, a case worker is assigned to each individual or
family applying for benefits to determine and confirm the applicant's needs.
The benefits available to an individual vary by state. Eligibility is determined based on
factors surrounding the person’s financial status and how it relates to the minimum
acceptable levels within a particular state. The factors involved can include the size of
the family unit, current income levels or an assessed disability.
Within each state, social welfare systems may go by different names, but they often
serve similar functions. This can cause confusion when attempting to compare one
state's program to another. Additionally, the requirements to qualify also vary,
depending on the poverty line in a particular state. This allows for adjustments based on
items such as cost of living that are not standardized across the country.

Types of Benefits for Families

Available benefits generally cover assistance for food, housing, child care and medical
care. In the case of TANF, federal funds are provided to the states for distribution.
These funds may be used for cash assistance, allowing a household to spend the funds
as it deems necessary to meet its needs and obligations.
Some available housing benefits go beyond locating suitable and affordable properties
and providing housing cost assistance. A household may qualify for assistance to
complete certain energy efficiency upgrades. It may also receive funds to help pay utility
bills.
Benefits around health and nutrition can include access to affordable medical care.
Food and nutrition programs may supply funds, often referred to as food stamps, to
provide easier access to food in general. Additional nutritional assistance through the
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program provides food-specific benefits to ensure
pregnant women and young children have access to healthy food options to promote
growth and development.
Other Benefits
Other programs that are parts of the social welfare system include disaster relief
assistance, educational assistance, agricultural loans and services specifically for
veterans.

Social case work process :- There are there phases of social case work process : Intake and
psycho-social study, social diagnosis treatment and termination.
Intake :- Intake is an administrative procedure and not a process of social case work to take in the
person with problem for example admit him or enroll him as a client of the agency. After this
phase the case worker is able to asses the needs and problems of applicant person and how and
where his needs can be best met.
Psycho-Social Study :-
Social investigation is a psycho-social process. It is the initial phase in which the worker gains
his first understanding of the kind of help his clients needs. The worker must understand what
the client sees his problem as, what he think can be cone about it, what he himself/herself tried to
do about it, and what are the reasons the client has identified for his present difficulty.
Perlman has given the following contents of the case work study in the beginning phase:
1. The nature of the problem
2. The significance of this problem
3. The causes of the problem.
4. The efforts made to cope with problem solving
5. The nature of the solutions or ends sought from the case work agency.
6. The actual nature of the agency and its problem solving means in relation the client and his
problems.
Method :-
Perlman has suggested four methods for operating in the beginning phase:-
1. Relating to the client
2. Helping the client to talk about his troubles
3. Focusing and partializing
4. Helping the client to engage with the agency

Tools and Techniques in the beginning phase :-

1. Interview
2. Objective observation
3. Examination of records and documents
4. Collection of information for collateral and family sources
5. Special examination of test

Social Diagnosis (Assessment)

On the basis of the study of the problem in its past, present and future setting and the clients
positive and negative reactions and interactions, the internal pressure and environmental factors
the case worker asses or diagnose the clients problematic situation. Diagnosis is an explanation
formulated in the light of known fact.
Content of the social diagnosis
The content of the case work diagnosis fall into the triangular pattern. It consist of
1. The nature of the problem brought and the goals set by the client, in their relationship to;
2. The nature of the person who bears the problem (his social and psychological situation and
functioning) and who seek (or needs) help with his problem, in relation to;
3. The nature and purpose of the agency and the kind of help it can offer and/or make available
Types of diagnosis
Perlman has described three types of diagnosis that is carried on in social case work process.
These are :
Dynamic Diagnostic;
Clinical diagnosis;
Etiological diagnosis
Dynamic Diagnosis :- Gives on understanding of the current problem of the client and forces
currently operating within the client, within social environment and between him/his
environment. It is a cross sectional view of the forces currently operating in the clients problem.
The dynamic diagnosis seeks to establish what the trouble is, what role psychological, biological,
social and environmental factors are playing in the causation of the problems, what effect it has
on the individuals well being. What solution is sought and what means exist within the client his
situation and the organised services and resources by which the problem may be affected. In
dynamic diagnosis there is no attempt to dig the life history of the problem, rather reasons for the
problem are traced in the current situation.
Clinical diagnosis :- Under clinical diagnosis, the case worker attempts to classify the client by
the nature of his problem. He identifies certain forms and qualities of clients personality
maladaptation and mal functioning in his behaviour.
Etiological diagnosis :- Etiological diagnosis is concerned with the explanation of the beginning
of the life history of problems of the client, basically that problem that lies in the clients
personality make up or functioning . The history of his development or a problem encountering,
problem solving human being may provide the case worker with an understanding of what his
clients suffers from and what the extent of his coping ability is likely to be.
Steps in diagnosis :-
The following steps are taken while diagnosing a problem :-
1. The worker begins with focusing on problematic bahaviours. He investigate both functional
and dysfunctional behaviours in his social milieu. He clarifies various complaints and problems
in terms of excesses and deficits. He evaluates the client’s personal strengths and his surrounding
environment.
2. He targets the specified behaviour and break down complex behaviour into their component
parts.
3. Baseline data are collected to specify those events that appear to be currently controlling the
problematic behaviours.
4. An analysis and interpretation is done from collected information and objectives for
intervention established.
5. Selecting priorities for intervention is the final step of the diagnosis.

Intervention (Treatment)
Intervention or treatment is the next step and it’s based on the study and diagnosis which
indicates whether the problem is the result of personal or environmental factors and whether the
remedy lies in the form of material or psychological assistance. The course of action undertaken
by case worker after studying and understanding the problem has been described as treatment.
The objectives of social case work treatment
1. To prevent social breakdown;
2. To conserve clients strength;
3. To restore social functioning;
4. To provide happy experiences to the client;
5. To create opportunities for growth and development;
6. To compensate psychological damage;
7. To increase capacity for self direction;
8. To increase his social contribution.

Social case work treatment process.

The process of intervention or treatment begins with initial contact with the client. The process
of treatment passes through many phases i.e. (1) Initial phase (2) Motivation and role induction
(3) Primary contract (4) Diagnosis and assessment (5) Establishing treatment goals (6)
Developing treatment plan (7) Preparation for actual treatment (8) Treatment in practice (9)
Monitoring and evaluating the effects of treatment and (10) Planning of follow up termination of
therapeutic relationship.
Application of Intervention Methods :-
In order to active goals set by the worker, conventionally the following methods of social
intervention have been mentioned
(1) Direct Method
(2) Environment Modification
(3) Administration of Practical Service
(1) Direct Method :- Direct method of intervention is used to promote specific behaviour on the
part of the client. According to Perlman it is a systematic intervention through which client can
work over his problems and possible solutions. Here, the case worker applies his influence
directly on the client. The techniques of direct intervention used where the clients needs direction
because of his/her ignorance, anxiety and weakness of his/her strength. Direct intervention is
given through counseling, therapeutic interviewing, clarification and interpretation, leading to an
insight. Supportive intervention is provided through guidance, externalization of interests, re-
assurance, suggestion, persuasion and advice.
Counselling :- It is direct intervention towards the solution of a problem in which a person find
that he cannot solve the problem himself, therefore seeks the help if a skilled person whose
knowledge, experience and expertise could be used to solve the problem. It is a psychological
technique in which information and clarification are used for making the client aware of the
problem.
Therapeutic Interviewing :- Therapeutic interview is used where intra-psychic conflict is present
in the environment. The purpose of such interview is that of psychotherapy which aims at
personality, competence and self actualizations. For the analysis of the unconscious, social case
worker applies the techniques of free association, dream interpretation, analysis of resistance and
transference. For behaviour modification, social case worker makes use of the techniques of
positive enforcement, negative enforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment,
systematic desensitization and covert desensitization.
It is the process through which clarification about the client himself, his environment and the
public with whom he is associated is made. Clarification may consist of information given to the
client so that he becomes capable of understanding himself, his environment and his social
network, which he does not posses and without which he cannot see clearly what step he ought to
take.
Psychological support :- Psychological support is useful is decreasing tension and guilt,
increasing self confidence, encouraging healthy functioning that maintains the clients
equilibrium and in helping him to build up compensatory strength and satisfaction. The case
worker accepts him and his feeling and shows keep interest in him. He clarifies the problem and
encourages him to take his own decision- The social case worker helps him to strengthen clients’
ego through the techniques of guidance, reassurance, persuasion and psychological support.
(2) Environmental Modification :- Means to bring change in the social as well as physical
conditions of the client so that he may be relieved from excessive stresses and strains. The case
worker suggest positive steps to client to cope better with his problems. He plans with him
emotional, professional and recreational activities. He gives appropriate advice to member of his
environment and modifies their attitude favorably.
(3) Administration of Practical Service :- According to Hamilton administration of practical
service is the oldest and best known case work method of intervention. Porter Lee was the first
social worker who emphasized and classified such resource. Administration of practical services
means to help the client in such a way that he could select and use the resources available in the
community in this process social case worker helps the client for adequate knowledge of
available resource through the techniques of discussion information classification and direction.

Termination and follow up: – Here termination means ending the process of social case work
intervention process. The termination process in decided mutually by client and worker.
Termination is the stage when the worker has the confidence in the client ability to cope with the
present and future situation.
Evaluation :- In social case work evaluation is the process in which worker tries to find out the
effectiveness and success of the process. It is an activity which shows whether the social case
work process has active the desired goals or not. Social case worker evaluates the connect of the
program and it effectiveness inner strength gained by the client and the success of himself in
helping the client.

Social Work Case Management is a method of providing services whereby a

professional Social Worker collaboratively assesses the needs of the client and the
client’s family, when appropriate, and arranges, coordinates, monitors, evaluates, and
advocates for a package of multiple services to meet the specific client’s complex
needs.

3 Principles for Effective Social Work Case Management

As an individual working in social work case management, you strive to have a positive impact
on the community around you. You serve as a catalyst to better lifestyles for each of your clients.
However, your job isn’t easy.

You oversee multiple elements of a client’s wellness. As such, you are responsible for a wide
array of tasks during the time between initial assessment and final discharge. Inevitably at times,
the client relationship can become secondary to the frenzy of service coordination,
communication among providers, documentation, burdensome technology, and other aspects of
such an unpredictable field.

This wide spectrum of responsibility can make it difficult to maintain focus, which can hinder
you from successfully facilitating transformation in your clients’ lives.

This is why it’s helpful to understand three basic principles that will enable you to be more
effective at social work case management. These principles are tried and true, based on the
experiences of human services professionals using Clarity Human Services case management
software, as well as the expertise of Clarity Human Services staff.

Taking practical steps to apply these principles to your day-to-day work will help you stay on
track, and see better results in your job.

In this article, we’ll look at these 3 principles:

 Building trusting relationships

 Using evidence-based practice
 Empowering your client

For each principle, we’ll look at the philosophy behind it, some practical steps you can
implement, and some examples and resources you can review.

Principle #1: Building Trusting Relationships

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Standards for Social Work
Case Management, the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and client plays an integral
role in case management. Developing this kind of relationship with your client enables you to
better engage them and develop the appropriate interventions with them.

A large part of this principle is providing a safe environment for your clients to share their story,
problems, and feelings. According to a presentation from Minnesota State University Moorhead,
clients indicate that the following four personality characteristics are most important to them in a
social worker:

 Understanding
 Empathic
 Pleasant
 Ability to put one at ease

When you embody these characteristics, you communicate that you are genuinely interested in
your client and that you are a safe person. Another key part of being a safe person is maintaining
confidentiality at all times. It’s important that your client knows you are someone they can trust
to protect their story.
Practical Steps

Convey Empathy

The New Social Worker shares a quote from John C. Norcross, stating that studies have shown
that patients with an empathetic therapist tend to progress more in treatment and experience a
higher probability of eventual improvement.

Carl R. Rogers, PhD, writes that, in your ability to convey empathy, you are:

… a confident companion to the person in his/her inner world. By pointing to the possible
meanings in the flow of his/her experiencing, you help the person to focus on this useful type of
referent, to experience the meanings more fully, and to move forward in the experiencing.

Keep in mind that empathy is different from sympathy. GradSchools.com reminds us that
sympathy is having a concern for a client’s well-being but not necessarily having a deeper
understanding of the client’s thoughts and feelings. On the other hand, empathy refers to
accepting and understanding the client’s feelings, helping you become better equipped to help
the client help themselves.

Psychology Today shares some practical ways to convey empathy, including:

 Suspending your own judgments and critiques

 Using reflection to clarify what the client is saying
 Keying in to shared human values

Focus on the Client

This is a broad topic, but we want to discuss here the importance of balancing active listening
with intake, assessment, and documenting other case notes. Gathering the necessary information
to help your client is important, but so is making sure your client feels heard so they continue to
share information with you. In addition to practicing the tips mentioned for conveying empathy,
be sure to lean forward, make eye contact and nod your head when appropriate.

One of the best ways to balance active listening with data collection is to use a client
management software that is easy to use. When you have a client management software that
makes it easy to enter data and take notes, you no longer have to focus on the hassles of
technology. Instead, you can focus on your client, confident that you gathering the required
information while still giving your client full attention.

Principle #2: Using Evidence-Based Practice

As evidence-based practice (EBP) is increasingly emphasized in social work, it’s an important
principle for social workers and case managers to remember and apply. EBP is a process
practitioners use to guide and inform the delivery of treatments and services, integrating the
following four components:

1. Current client needs, situation, and environment

2. Best available research evidence
3. Client values and preferences
4. Clinician’s judgment and expertise

According to the Social Work Policy Institute, evidence-based practice requires that the
practitioner, researcher, and client work together to identify and determine what works, and for
whom and in which particular situations. The EBP approach ensures that the development and
implementation of treatment and services produce the most effective outcomes possible.

There is much that can be said about evidence-based practice, but one important aspect worth
noting is that each of these components is equally weighted. Many practitioners and other
professionals have mistakenly thought that EBP means evaluating best available evidence,
focusing on academic research alone. However, a 2015 Clinical Social Work Journal paper
reminds us that research evidence is only one of four parts in the process; the other three are
critical to doing EBP correctly.

Practical Steps

Analyze and Adjust

Even though the research supports a particular treatment, you may need to take a different route
if you’re not seeing positive change in your client’s life. Bonnie Spring, PhD, says:

Suppose you start giving the treatment that had the very best research support. Three months into
the treatment, the client is deteriorating, but you’re continuing to give the same treatment. I’d say
that you’re no longer doing evidence-based practice. Part of the evidence-based practice process
is that you have to analyze and adjust. You need to measure how you’re doing because if you’re
implementing a best practice but the client is deteriorating, you’ve got to change course. Just
doing what the overall body of research says is only where you start. From there on, you make
choices based on what your own client’s data show is working.

Collect and Evaluate Quality Data

In order to use the evidence-based practice model, you must take the time to collect and evaluate
precise data. In doing so, you are able to clearly see what works and what doesn’t work, allowing
you to confidently incorporate this data into the EBP process.
One way to ensure quality data collection and evaluation is the proper utilization of case
management software. When you have a client management software that complies with industry
data standards, facilitates streamlined intake and assessment, and allows for seamless generation
of reports, you can rest assured that you are gathering the information necessary to best inform
your practice.

Principle #3: Empowering Your Client

Dating back to the late 19th century, early social work case managers viewed themselves as
benevolent helpers. However, caseworkers today now recognize their relationship with clients as
a partnership instead (according to NASW).

As you recognize the dignity, worth, and rights that belong to each of your clients, you can instill
a sense of self-determination in each of your clients as you guide them. This will empower them
to reach higher levels of life satisfaction. This will also leave them with the confidence to make
healthy choices.

Charles D. Cowger writes that:

The personal empowerment dynamic is similar to a traditional clinical notion of self-

determination whereby clients give direction to the helping process, take charge and control of
their personal lives, get their “heads straight,” learn new ways to think about their situations, and
adopt new behaviors that give them more satisfying and rewarding outcomes. Personal
empowerment recognizes the uniqueness of each client.

While you act as the early support system for your client, it’s important that you help them build
their own support systems and make their own decisions, encouraging the client to reach more
effective and sustainable outcomes.

Practical Steps

Help the Client Define and Own Their Story

This is part of being empathic when interacting with your client. Cowger emphasizes the
significance of helping the client define their situation—clarifying the reasons they have sought
assistance—and helping them evaluate and give meaning to the factors that affect their
situations.But remember that as you listen and seek to understand your client’s situation, you
must be careful to remember it is their story, not yours.

Cowger writes that, in assessment, the client’s understanding of their own situation—their view
of the situation, the meaning they ascribe to the situation, and their feelings or emotions tied to
the situation—surpass facts found in client data, academic research, and your personal or
professional interpretation of the client’s story. In this, it’s important to believe the client.

“There is no evidence that people needing social work service tell untruths any more than anyone
else,” Cowger writes. “ … Clients may need help to articulate their problem situations, and
‘caring confrontation’ by the worker may facilitate that process. However, clients’
understandings of reality are no less real than the social constructions of reality of the
professionals assisting them.”

The client owns the story, and if they sense that you respect their ownership of their story, they
will feel empowered to more fully share it with you.

Recognize the Client’s Individuality

Because every client is different, the treatment and services they receive must be tailored to the
client’s specific needs. In one regard, this involves asking the client questions such as:

 What do you want and expect from assistance?

 What do you hope to have happen in relation to your current problem situation?
 What do you believe are your strengths?

Asking these questions helps the client consider their own situation and contribute to their own
treatment and services plan.

Recognizing the client’s individual needs also involves customizing intake forms, creating goal
plans and targeted variables, and streamlining the assessment and prioritization process for each
individual client. This can be done through a case management software that allows for these
customization, measurement, and prioritization capabilities.

In Sum…
Your job is essential to the well-being of your client and their community. While social work
case management involves many different roles to fill and moving parts to coordinate, entering
your work each day with these three principles in mind can help pull those pieces together.

As you assess your client, providing a safe environment and developing a relationship built on
trust encourages the client to open up and work with you in order to best understand their
situation. Applying the evidence-based practice process ensures you’re continually testing and
adjusting the treatment and services that work best for your client.

Finally, throughout your interactions with your client, empowering them to own their story and
set goals increases the likelihood of bringing about positive, sustainable outcomes in your
client’s life.

The term “social work” is mistakenly used in referring to acts of charity, or philanthropy,
and “social worker” is often used in our society to refer to charitable individuals who find
time or provide material resources for the needy.

SOCIAL SERVICES
• Refers to the programs, services and other activities provided under various auspices, to
concretely answer the needs and problems of the members of society. These social services may
take the form of services to…

o Individuals and families

o Groups

o People with Special problems (handicapped, mentally challenged, etc.)

o Community

Social Welfare is meaningless unless there is a concrete demonstration of its “concern for the
well-being of human society” through actual social services

Why is there a need for Social Services?

• There are people who have needs and problems beyond their own capacity for solution

• Social Welfare and Social Services has been accepted as legitimate function of modern
industrial society in helping people fulfill themselves

Motivations/ Reasons for providing Social Welfare/ Services

• Humanitarian and Social Justice Goals – rooted from the democratic ideal of social
justice, and is based on the belief that man has the potential to realize himself, except that
physical, social, economic, psychological, and other factors sometimes hinder or prevents him
from realizing his potentials

• Social Control Goal – based on the recognition of the needy, deprived, or disadvantaged
groups may strike out, individually and/ or collectively, against what they consider to be an
alienating or offending society. Society therefore has to secure itself against the threats to life,
property, and political stability in the community which are usually presented by those who are
deprived of resources and opportunities to achieve a satisfying life.

• Economic Development Goal – places priority on those programs designed to support

increase in the production of goods and services, and other resources that will contribute to
economic development. The immediate beneficiaries of such programs may be the able-bodied,
relatively better-off members of the community.
Principles of social work

Principles
The social work profession is guided by a distinct set of abstract values and a Code of Ethics. These
values are transformed into accepted practice principles for the purpose of informing our intervention
with clients. What follows is a listing of nine Social Work Principles and brief description of each.
Acceptance - Acceptance is a fundamental social work principle that implies a sincere
understanding of clients. Acceptance is conveyed in the professional relationship through the
expression of genuine concern, receptive listening, intentional responses that acknowledge the other
person's point of view, and the creation of a climate of mutual respect.
Affirming Individuality - To affirm a client's individuality is to recognize and appreciate the unique
qualities of that client. It means to "begin where the client is." Clients expect personalized
understanding and undivided attention from professionals. Individualization requires freedom from
bias and prejudice, an avoidance of labeling and stereotyping, a recognition and appreciation of
diversity, and knowledge of human behavior.
Purposeful Expression of Feelings - Clients need to have opportunities to express their feelings
freely to the social worker. As social workers, we must go beyond "just the facts" to uncover the
underlying feelings.
Non-judgmentalism - Communicating non-judgmentalism is essential to developing a relationship
with any client. It does not imply that social workers do not make decisions; rather it implies a non
blaming attitude and behavior. Social workers judge others as neither good or bad nor as worthy or
unworthy.
Objectivity - Closely related to non-judgmentalism, objectivity is the principle of examining situations
without bias. To be objective in their observations and understanding, social workers must avoid
injecting personal feelings and prejudices in relationships with clients.
Controlled Emotional Involvement - There are three components to a controlled emotional
response to a client's situation: sensitivity to expressed or unexpressed feelings, and understanding
based on knowledge of human behavior, and a response guided by knowledge and purpose. The
social worker should not respond in a way that conveys coldness or lack of interest while at the
same time cannot over identify with the client.
Self -Determination - The principle of self-determination is based on the recognition of the right and
need of clients to freedom in making their own choices and decisions. Social workers have a
responsibility to create a working relationship in which choice can be exercised.
Access to Resources - Social workers are implored to assure that everyone has the necessary
resources, services, and opportunities; to pay attention to expanding choices, and opportunities for
the oppressed and disadvantages; and to advocate for policy and legislative changes that improve
social conditions and promote social justice.

Confidentiality - Confidentiality or the right to privacy implies that clients must give expressed
consent before information such as their identity, the content of discussions held with them, one's
professional opinion about them, or their record is disclosed.