Basic concepts in Social Work

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. (IFSW)

Needs - A motivating force that compels action for its satisfaction. Needs range from basic survival needs
(common to all human beings) satisfied by necessities, to cultural, intellectual, and social needs (varying
from place to place and age group to age group) satisfied by necessaries. Needs are finite but, in contrast,
wants (which spring from desires or wishes) are boundless. See also Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

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Problems - any question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty.

Social Problem – is an issue within the society that makes it difficult for people to achieve their full
potential. Poverty, unemployment, unequal opportunity, racism, and malnutrition are examples of social
problems. So are substandard housing, employment discrimination, and child abuse and neglect.

Issues - a subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about:
environmental/ethical/personal issues.

Provision
a: the act or process of providing
b : the fact or state of being prepared beforehand
c : a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency : preparation

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.

Social Responsibility - is an ethical framework and suggests that an entity, be it an organization or

Human Rights - are moral principles or norms[1] that describe certain standards of human behaviour
and are regularly protected as natural and legal rights in municipal and international law. They are
commonly understood as inalienable, fundamental rights "to which a person is inherently entitled simply
because she or he is a human being" and which are "inherent in all human beings", regardless of their age,
ethnic origin, location, language, religion, ethnicity, or any other status. They are applicable everywhere
and at every time in the sense of being universal, and they are egalitarian in the sense of being the same
for everyone. They are regarded as requiring empathy and the rule of law and imposing an obligation on
persons to respect the human rights of others, and it is generally considered that they should not be taken
away except as a result of due process based on specific circumstances; for example, human rights may
include freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution.

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity,
language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from
slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.
Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.
Clients - is a man, woman, or child who finds himself or is found to be in need of help in some aspect of
his social-emotional living, whether the need is for some tangible provision like food or work, or for
counseling. As soon as he begins to receive help is called a “client”.

Social Welfare - an organized system of social services and institutions designed to aid individuals,
groups and communities to attain satisfying standards of life and health, and personal and social
relationships which permit them to develop their full capacities, and to promote their well-being in
harmony with the needs of their families and the community. (Walter Friedlander)

- it refers to an aggregation of specialized programs, institutions and services intended to meet certain
residual needs not covered by any other types of sectoral action, and receiving some degree of financial
support, supervision, or recognition from either the public or private sectors or both.

Social Agency - these are the agencies that provide health, welfare and rehabilitation services. The aim is
to improve quality of life.

SOCIAL AGENCY: "A social agency can be a private or government run organization."

Locus of Practice
Direct Practice also known as micro or clinical practice – refers to working with individuals, couples,
families, and groups. In direct practice, social workers provide professional therapeutic services which
include psychotherapy, education, advocacy, referral, mediation and social action.

Mezzo practice in social work – involves the development and implementation of social service
initiatives at the local and small community levels (ex. Schools, neighborhoods, and city districts). Like
micro social workers, mezzo social work practitioners tend to interact directly with the people they wish
to assist. However, instead of engaging in individual counseling and support, mezzo social workers
administer help to groups of people at a time. Examples of projects that mezzo social workers could be
involved in include the establishment of a free local clinic to help underserved members of the
community, county health programs to help disadvantage families learn about and obtain proper nutrition,
and local workshops to guide unemployed individuals through the processes of applying for jobs and
unemployment benefits.

Indirect Practice or macro practice – is defined as program planning and development, policy analysis,
administration and program evaluation. The social worker is involved in activities that consist with
facilitating change through programs and policies. This type of practice is more of behind the scenes and
is aimed to help prevent problems from developing.

Primary and Secondary Settings

Secondary settings - use social casework services to help the individuals make use of services rendered
by other professional groups like physicians in hospitals, etc.