Discipline and Ideas

in the
Applied Social Sciences
Module 7

Professionals and Practitioners in Social Sciences

Module 7:
Professionals and Practitioners in Social Work
Module Objectives
By the end of the module, learners are expected to
 Show an understanding of the roles and functions of social workers
(HUMSS_DIASS12-If-219).
 Identify specific work areas in which social workers work (HUMSS_DIASS12-If-
20)
 Identify career opportunities for social workers (HUMSS_DIASS12-If-21);
 Values, rights, responsibilities, and accountabilities (HUMSS_DIASS12-If-22); and
 Distinguish between ethical and unethical behaviors among practitioners
(HUMSS_DIASS12-If-20).
Modules Topics
 Roles, Functions, and Competencies of Social Workers
 Areas of Specialization and Career Opportunities for Counselors
 Rights, Responsibilities, Accountabilities, and Code of Ethics

Discussion
Reading 1: Roles, Functions, and Competencies of Social Workers
To further understand the practice of social work, you must learn about the specific roles,
tasks, and competencies of social work professionals and practitioners.

Roles of Social Workers

Case Manager/Coordinator
Social Workers assess the needs of clients, arrange and coordinate the delivery of essential
goods and services to target beneficiaries; work directly with clients to ensure that the
goods and services are delivered in a timely manner; and maintain close contact with
clients and service providers to ensure proper and timely service deliveries (Hepworth et
al. 2010,28)

Broker
Social workers link client systems--- such as individuals, families, groups, and groups, and
communities --- to needed resources and services.

A municipal social worker who

rescued a child victim of sexual
abuse, for example, may refer his or
her client to an NGO catering to
children victims of sexual abuse for
case management

In connecting people with resources, social workers must have a thorough

knowledge of community resources be familiar with the policies of the resource systems
and establish good working relationships with key contact persons. (Hepworth et al 2010,
28). Social Workers should also develop simple and effective referral mechanisms and
ways of monitoring whether clients actually follow through on referrals.
Counselor
Social workers provide guidance to clients and assists them in solving problems and in
making life-changing decisions. For instance, a social worker may help a teenage client
deal his gender identify issues.
Educator
Social workers educate clients to help them gain knowledge and skills to address their
problems. For instance, a social work practitioner may teach a community leader how to
assess community needs and assets.
Facilitator
Social workers facilitate group discussions and activities. For instance, a social worker
may organize a support group for women victims of domestic violence.
Mediator
Social Workers help resolve arguments and disagreement among client systems in conflict.
For instance, a social worker may mediate between patients and hospital administrators to
discuss about hospital policies found to be too stringent by the complaining party.
Mobilizer
Social workers identify and organize human material, technical, and financial resources to
help address the needs of their clients. One example is if a social worker engaging the
youth to help in community projects for addressing illiteracy.
Advocate
Social workers speak on behalf of their clients to promote fair and equitable treatment or
gain access to resources. Social workers, for example, may represent clients in accessing
state benefits or in advocating for increased funding from institutions to meet the needs of
the vulnerable people.

Functions of Social Workers

Du Bois and Miley (2014) discussed social work roles in terms of three functions as
shown in the following table.
Function Role Actions
Consultancy for Problem Enabler Empowers client to resolve
Solving problems
Facilitator Fosters organizational
development
Planner Coordinates program and policy
development
Colleague/Monitor Acts as a mentor and guide for
support and professional
acculturation
Resource Amangement Broker/Advocate Acts as intermediary between
individuals and resources
Convenor/Mediator Assembles groups and
organizational for resource
development
Activist Stimulates and energizes social
change
Catalyst Stimulates interdisciplinary
cooperation for resources
development
Education Teacher Identifies vulnerable population
and provide education
Trainer Instructor or educates through
staff development
Outreach Worker Conveys public information
about social issues and social
services
Researcher/Scholar Engages in discovery for
knowledge for knowledge
development

Competencies in Social Work

To be able to perform the above-mentioned roles, social workers need to acquire certain
competencies. The baccalaureate degree curriculum for social work is developed around
the generalist practice perspective. Generalist practice is defined as the use of professional
roles, methods, and skills for implementing planned change in diverse settings. A social
worker who does generalist practice can evaluate the different points for possible
interventions through the application of knowledge of the different theoretical frameworks
that uses a system (ecological) approach. A systems approach allows social workers to
understand their clients from their interactions with the people around them and their
environment.

The Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) of the Council Social Work
Education (CSWE) identified ten core competencies common to all social work practice.
These are the following:
 Conduct oneself as befitting of a professional social worker;
 Apply social work principles for ethical practice of their profession;
 Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgements;
 Engage diversity and difference in practice
 Advance human rights and social and economic justice;
 Apply relevant research findings to practice and critically examine own practice and
performance and those of other relevant systems to inform research.
 Use theories and knowledge of human behavior and the social environment to guide
the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation;
 Analyze, develop and advocate for policies that advance social and economic well-
being and for delivering effective social work services;
 Respond proactively and resourcefully to dynamic organizational, community, and
societal context that shape social work practice; and
 Practice engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation at multiple levels-
with individuals, families, groups, and communities – achieve client’s goals.

Reading 2: Areas of Specialization and Career Opportunities for Counselors

According to Zastrow (2008, 56), there are currently more employment opportunities in
social work than in many other fields. Below are some areas of specialization for social
work practice identified by the National Association of Social Workers.

Substance Misuse and Addictions

Social workers who work in this field come across clients suffering from substance misuse
and addictions in a variety of settings – occupational, educational, legal, and health. Social
workers specializing in this fields focus not on the addiction or substance misuse problem,
but see clients in relation to their environment – family, the prevailing culture and attitudes
in the community, and the existing support system in the community, to name a few.
Social workers trained in the substance misuse and addictions often work with a team of
licensed professionals in doing case management, therapists, family counseling, advocacy
for jobs and housing needs, resource development in communities, educating, and policy
making among others.

Social Work in Aging and Gerontology

Social workers have always worked with the elderly and their families. As the elderly
population continue to increase, so does the area of aging and gerontology as a field of
specialization for social work. Social Workers specializing in aging and gerontology deals
with issues related to maturity, health, and medicine, end of life , and family relations and
support. Theses professionals may work in specialized settings, such as nursing homes,
rehabilitation centers, adult daycare centers, hospitals, and hospices.

Social workers that specialize in aging and gerontology ensure that

their clients gain access to services designed to help them maintain
independence at home receive medical care and treatment, gain
economic assistance, and receive counselling services.

Child and Family Social Work

Practitioners in the field of child and family social work help ensure the safety and well-
being of children through efforts to support and strengthen their families and communities.
Efforts are especially made to problems within families include advocacy for laws,
implementation of information sharing campaigns for the special needs of children, and
intervention in order to protect children from abuse or neglect. They may recommend that
children be transferred to foster care or to another permanent home in cases when families
cannot or would not protect their children. This field of social work is also referred to as
child welfare.
Justice and Corrections Social Work
Social workers in this field of social work practice respond to the needs and wants of
inmates. These social workers are also called correctional treatment specialist.
Correctional treatment specialist provide services to help inmates improve themselves and
prepare for a better life outside the correctional facility. Among the services they provide
include therapy to help inmates overcome mental health and emotional disorders, such as
anger issues, depression, and substance abuse, and skills training to help inmates learn
skills that they can use to find gainful employment outside the facility.
 Most correctional treatment specialists are employed in correctional facilities, such
as prisons, penitentiaries, and halfway houses. By rehabilitating inmates before they are
released to society, social workers not only help inmates live normal lives outside
correctional facilities, they also help them from relapsing into criminal behavior. Some
social workers also work closely with or as probation and parole officers outside
correctional facilities.
There are also social workers in the field of justice and corrections who are involved
in assisting victims and juvenile offenders. They may appear in court as expert witness or
may work in partnership with lawyers. In police departments, social workers help law
enforcers overcome trauma and stress through critical incident services. In this settings,
social workers may also assist in resolving disputes, particularly domestic ones.
Developmental Disabilities
Social workers in the field help persons with developmental disabilities and their families
to live as normally as possible in a
society structured for the functioning
individual. They assist in educating the
families on their legal rights and link
them to special services suited for their
needs. Through services, such as
individual and group counselling, social
Developmental Disabilities
workers aim to enable persons with
include down syndrome,
development disabilities to be as cerebral palsy, mental
independent as they can be and to live retardation and epilepsy.
productive and fulfilling lives.
Employment and Occupational Social Work
Practitioners in occupational or industrial social work help employees overcome and
resolve their issues that affect work. By doing so, social workers also help business
improve their efficiency, creativity, productivity, and morale. Occupational social workers
consult with businesses on how to increase diversity in the workplace and to be sensitive
to the needs of diverse groups. They may also be involved in helping corporations
restructure or improve their methods and processes in handling the social structure of
businesses. Likewise, they are involved in strengthening relationship between the
corporate world and community.

Healthcare Social Work

Social workers who work in the healthcare field are often referred to as medical or health
social workers. Medical social workers work with other healthcare professionals to treat
social and emotional problems caused by physical illnesses. Medical social workers
provide case management for promoting health and disease prevention; generate resources
needed to implement programs for health service delivery; provide patient counseling and
education; link patients with community resources, advocate for a better healthcare
system; and develop and implement programs for disease prevention, among others.
Mental Health and Clinical Social Work
Social workers specializing in mental health and clinical social work are involved in the
assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders and mental illness- such
as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder. Social workers in
this field advocate on behalf of clients and their families to ensure proper treatment within
the mental health system. They also work as advocates in policymaking to develop and
promote legislation that will help persons with mental illness receive equitable treatment.
Clinical social workers are employed in settings such as private practice, mental health
clinics, community centers, and hospitals.
International Social Work
According to Zastrow (2017, 58) social work is a profession recognized all over the world.
He also stated that there is a growing recognition that people in all nations are
interdependent. The cries and problems experienced by one country often affect other
countries. In this context, international social work gains relevance by reaching out to
people in need in this increasingly interdependent global community. Practitioners in
international social work have diverse functions, including directing services in refugee
programs, implementing relief efforts, facilitating inter-country adoptions, and helping
developing countries to formulate service delivery systems.
Management and Administration
Social workers who are trained in management and administration are primarily employed
in social welfare agencies. Social work administrators manage the allocation of services.
In addition to having management skills common to administrators of other organizations,
social work administrators have knowledge of human behavior, social problems, and
social work principles and values. Their diverse tasks include policy formulation and goal
setting, program design and implementation, budget development, operations
management, personnel supervision and evaluation, fund development and resource
allocation, and public relations.
Policy and Planning
Social workers also specialize in policy and planning. Social welfare policy is defined as
the laws and regulations that state what kind of social welfare programs should be in place,
the categories of clients that should be served, and who qualify for a given program
(Ashman 2010, 208). In policy practice, social workers engage in policy development and
analysis. They are involved in improving systems to better address the client’s problems-
such as child abuse, homelessness, and substance abuse-by proposing legislation
conducting research and suggesting new approaches and programs. Social workers also
evaluate the effectiveness of a policy in terms of addressing the problem, meeting the
client’s needs, and achieving its goals (Ashman 2010, 224).

Reading 3: Rights, Responsibilities, Accountabilities, and Code of Ethics

Cournoyer (as quoted in Ashman 2010, 35) stated that every aspect of practice, decision,
assessment, intervention, and action a social worker undertakes must be considered from
the perspective of professional ethics and obligations. He further stressed that ethical
responsibilities should take precedence over theoretical knowledge, research findings,
agency policies, and personal beliefs and values.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics serves as a
guide social worker in the practice of their profession. It sets the ethical standards every
social worker, no matter their function, practice setting, or clientele, must adhere to. This
also articulates the accountabilities of social workers to the general public.
The NASW Code of Ethics is composed of 155 specific principles clustered under
sic major categories. The code sets the ethical principles that should guide workers in the
various levels of their professional functions- with clients, colleagues, organization,
profession, and society.
Ethical Responsibilities to Client
Social workers should uphold the primacy of the client’s well-being and interest, though
there may be times when social workers’ loyalty to clients may be superseded by their
responsibility to society and legal obligations. Social workers should never engage in dual
relationships with clients and the clients’ relatives and the other close contacts. Social
workers should set clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries to prevent
exploitation and potential harm to clients.
Social worker should respect and foster clients’ rights to self-determination. The
only time when social workers should limit clients’ self-determination is when, based on
the social worker’s professional judgment, the client’ actions or potential actions pose a
threat to their safety and to those of the people around them.
Respect for the privacy of clients and holding in confidence all information obtained
in the course of professional service should also be observed at all times. Social workers
should not solicit private information from clients not relevant to the case. Also
confidential information should only be disclosed for compelling professional reasons and
with valid consent from clients or from people who are legally authorized to decide on
behalf of clients.

It is best to confer with the colleague with

competence problems to help him or her
improve before escalating the issue to
appropriate channels
Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues
Social workers should treat colleagues with respect even there are differences of opinion.
Social workers should recognize their colleagues’ (in social work or in other professions)
area of expertise and should make referrals, consultations, and collaborations with them to
serve the well-being of clients.
Social workers who have a direct knowledge of a fellow social worker’s
incompetence should confer with that social worker to help him address his or her
shortcomings. In case the social worker who was observed to be incompetent refuse to
take steps to remedy his incompetence, a social worker who has knowledge of this should
report him to appropriate channels, such those established by employers, agencies, and
licensing and regulatory bodies.
Social workers should likewise take steps to discourage, prevent, and correct social
work colleagues who engage in unethical practice. When necessary, social workers should
report their colleague’s unethical behavior to appropriate channels.
Ethical Responsibilities in Practice Settings
Social workers who supervise or consult with other social work practitioners should be
competent, fair, and respectful in evaluating supervises. Social workers who function as
educators, field instructors, or trainers, should likewise posses the competencies to
perform in that capacity. Social workers who are engaged in labor management disputes,
though allowed to engage in organized action to improve client services. Should carefully
examine issues and consider the consequences their actions may have on their clients
before taking a specific course of action. Social workers should ensure that the
documentation of client records is accomplished in a manner that is accurate, timely;
sufficient; appropriate and relevant to the delivery of services; and reflective of the kind of
services provided.
Social workers should adhere to their commitments to their employers and
employing organizations. They should conserve and not misappropriate funds.
Ethical Responsibilities as Professionals
Social workers should have the necessary competencies to do their job. If they are not
competent enough, they should seek education to gain the knowledge and skills required
of the profession. They should also keep up with current and relevant knowledge to social
work.
Social workers should have the necessary competencies to do their job. If they are
not competent enough, they keep up with current and relevant knowledge relevant to
social work.
Social workers should not practice, condone, collaborate, or facilitate unjust and
prejudicial treatment of different groups of people on the basis of race, ethnicity,
nationality origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age,
marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical disability
(NASW 1999)

When personal problems and mental health difficulties affect a social worker’s
performance and the interest of clients, he or she must seek professional help

Social workers should uphold honesty and avoid encouraging participating in, and
being associated with fraud and deception. They should avoid misrepresentations – that is,
they should be clear about which actions and statements they make as a private individual,
as a social work professional, or as a representative of a social work organization or
agency. They should also ensure that the qualifications they present are accurate and
should also only take credit for their own work and contributions.

Ethical Responsibilities to the Social Work Profession

Social works should maintain and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of
social work. They should also engage in activities that promote respect for the profession.
Such activities include research, teaching, consultation service, legislative testimony,
community presentations, and participation in professional organizations. It is also the
responsibility of social works to add to the knowledge base of social work by engaging in
research and in the morning and evaluation of policies, programs, and practice
interventions.

Ethical Responsibilities to the Broader Society

Social workers should advance the general well-being of society and the development of
the people and communities. They should also engage the public to participate in shaping
policies and institutions and provide professional services in public emergencies, such as
earthquakes and typhoons.
They should be also advocate to ensure fair and equal access to resources and
opportunities-especially for the vulnerable, marginalized, disadvantaged, and oppressed-
through and political action. They should also actively support conditions and policies that
respect cultural and social diversity and promote social justice.

Assessment
Fill each blank with the correct answer.
1. As a _______________, a social worker helps resolve arguments and disagreements
among client systems in conflict.
2. As a _______________, a social worker provides guidance to clients and assist them
in solving problems and in making life-changing decisions.
3. As a _______________, a social worker identifies and organizes human, material,
technical, and financial resources to help address the needs of their clients.
4. As a _______________, a social worker speaks on behalf of their clients to promote
fair and equitable treatment or to gain access to resources.
5. ________________, social workers provide case management for promoting health
and disease prevention, among others.
6. ________________, is defined as the use of professional roles, methods, and skills
for implementing planned change in diverse settings.
7. As a _______________, a social worker links client systems – such as individuals,
families, groups, and communities – to needed and services.
8. As an ______________, a social worker teaches clients to help gain knowledge and
skills to address their problems.
9. Practitioners in the field of ________________ reach out to people in need in the
increasingly interdependent global community.
10. The _______________ sets the ethical standards every social worker, no matter
their function, practice setting, or clientele, must adhere to