Module 1 Flashcards
Purpose and Domains of Practice
Values important for Social Work:
Valuing humanity
Valuing positive change
Valuing choice
Valuing quality service
Valuing privacy
Valuing difference
What does it mean to be considered a profession?
The purposes of the profession
An ethical and moral base
An objective body of knowledge (Chenoweth & McAuliffe, 2017)
Practice framework
a set of beliefs, assumptions, and knowledge
about how and under what conditions people change and what a practitioner can do to facilitate desirable change
Professional knowledge
theories, research and experience that
guides practice
Use of self:
refers to how we use our behaviour, how we manage
our feelings and our intention and purpose in our work
8 Domains of Practice
Work with individuals
Groups
Social policy
Management, leadership and administration
Education and training
Community work
Work with families and partnerships
Research and evaluation
Work with individuals
- Also known as social casework, direct practice,
clinical practice or case management - Underpinned by a range of theories of human
development and behaviour, interpersonal helping
and communication - Focus is on therapeutic relationships, building
rapport and ‘use of self’
Work with families and
partnerships
- Includes family support, family therapy,
couples counselling and dispute resolution
or mediation - In therapy and counselling, the focus is on
the dynamics of relationships; advanced
skills are required
Groupwork
- Different types of groups for different purposes –
goal-oriented or open-ended - Skill in group dynamics and knowledge of group
formation, stages and termination are needed
Community work
- Also known as community development, community
capacity building or social action - Requires a range of skills (e.g. social networking,
resource and needs assessment, group facilitation,
media and politics) - Can be local, national or international
Social policy practice
- Understanding of welfare policies and the
interconnectedness of social systems is needed - Focus is on social justice, accessibility and
equity - Can be local, national or international
Research and evaluation
- Necessary for evidence-based practice
- Development of theory
- Importance of practitioner research
- Provides evidence of outcomes of
service delivery goals
Organisational practice,
management and leadership
- Management responsibilities can include staff
recruitment and supervision, training, budget,
service evaluation and funding negotiation - Provides an understanding of the
interdisciplinary practice and internal workings
of a workplace
Education, training and consultancy
- Encourages specialisation and development of
expertise - Often negotiated on consultancy basis
- Provides educational opportunities for staff
members in a workplace
The Purpose of Practice
- To position human welfare and human rights as a
primary social responsibility, acknowledging that
humanity exists in balance with the environment,
and to celebrate and nurture the diversity of
humanity - Social workers and human service practitioners are
charged with the responsibility of bringing to public
notice the values, attitudes, behaviours and social
structures, as well as the economic and political
imperatives, that cause or contribute to the
oppression of human wellbeing and rights
