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Week 2 Principles of SW

The document outlines key principles of social work, emphasizing the importance of individualization, acceptance, and self-determination among clients. It also highlights the ethical obligations of social workers, including confidentiality, controlled emotional involvement, and objectivity. Additionally, social workers are encouraged to ensure access to resources and advocate for social justice for disadvantaged populations.

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mutodzeranwab
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2 views

Week 2 Principles of SW

The document outlines key principles of social work, emphasizing the importance of individualization, acceptance, and self-determination among clients. It also highlights the ethical obligations of social workers, including confidentiality, controlled emotional involvement, and objectivity. Additionally, social workers are encouraged to ensure access to resources and advocate for social justice for disadvantaged populations.

Uploaded by

mutodzeranwab
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Principles of Social Work

• Principle –According to the Oxford Dictionary “A principle is a concept or value that is


a guide for a behavior or evaluation.eg ,
• Individual value,Group value,Organizational value,societal value, national
values,international values and professional values etc

• In law,it is a rule that has to be followed,or usually to be followed such as laws


observed in nature or the way a system is constructed

• The social work profession is guided by a distinct set of abstract values and a code of
ethics. These values are transformed into accepting 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.Of these nine,7 were founded by Biesteck.
Individualization
• The recognition and understanding of each client’s unique qualities irrespective
of culture, social class, race,nationality or ethinicity etc
• It means to “begin where the client is”
• Differential use of principles and methods to assist client towards change
• Clients expect personalized understanding & undivided attention from
professionals
• Individualization is based on the right of human beings to be individuals-requires
freedom from bias & prejudice,an avoidance of labelling & stereotyping,a
recognition & appreciation of diversity & knowledge of human behaviour
• Right to be treated not just as a human being but as this human being with these
personal differences
Acceptance
• Acceptance is a fundamental social work principle that implies a sincere
understanding of clients i.e recognition of client,s innate dignity,worthy
equality,basic rights and needs
• 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, human
behavior and a response guided by knowledge and purpose.
• Acceptance does not mean approval of the client’s behavior,attitudes,or standards
• Acceptance includes thought and feeling elements and is expressed in the manner
of servic
• 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.
Purposeful Expression of Feelings
• Clients need to have opportunities to express their feelings freely to
the social worker
• Social worker listens purposefully
• Social worker neither discourages nor condems the expression of
feelings
• As social workers, we must go beyond “just the facts” to uncover the
underlying feelings
• Sometimes Social worker actively stimulates and encourages
expression of feelings
Self-determination
• is based upon the right and need of clients to freedom to make their
own choices and decisions.
• Social workers have a responsibility to create a working relationship
in which choice and decisions can be excercised.
• Social worker has a duty to respect that right in theory & practice
• Social worker refrains from any direct or indirect interference
• Social worker positively helps the client to exercise that right
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 eg in social research
• Confidentiality is a basic right of the client
• Confidentiality is an ethical obligation of the worker
• The client’s right, however,is not absolute
• The client’s information is often shared with other professional
persons within the agency & in other agencies
Controlled Emotional
Involvement-
• The worker is sensitive to the client’s feelings
• Worker makes effort to understand their meaning
• There are three components to a controlled emotional response to a client’s
situation:
1) sensitivity to expressed or unexpressed feelings,
2) understanding based on knowledge of human behavior,
3)and a response guided by knowledge and purpose.
Worker’s controlled & objective emotional involvement in the client’s problem
Worker’s controlled emotional involvement in the client as a person
• 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.
Objectivity
• Closely related to non- judgementalism, 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.
Access to resources
• social workers are implored to assure that everyone has the necessary
resources, services, and opportunities;
• Social workers need to pay attention to expanding choices, and
opportunities for the oppressed and disadvantaged; and
• Social workers also need to advocate for policy and legislative changes
that improve social conditions and promote social justice.

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