Methods of Social Work Dr Muhammad Ibrar 1

Introduction Every profession has a tested body of knowledge, which is capable of growth and development in order to meet changing needs. This body of knowledge should be easily understandable and communicable to those who want to practice the profession. This body of knowledge includes principles, technique, methods procedures, tools and a terminology of its own. 2

…Contd. The social work profession has also developed a body of knowledge which is growing with our changing needs and which includes certain methods and tools which have been used and tested after application for a considerable time in widely diverse circumstances. These techniques are communicable to the members of the profession through training. 3

…Contd. Social work methods are classified into six major headings. These methods are 1. Social Case Work: Helps an individual 2. Social Group Work: Helps individuals through a group. 3. Community Organization: Focus on community. 4

…Contd. 4. Social Action: is used to solve major problems. 5. Social Research: Provides basic data on social problems. 6. Social Administration: covers business and financial aspects of social work. 5

Social Case Work, a primary method of social work, is concerned with the adjustment and development of individual towards more satisfying human relations. Every individual reacts differently to his social, economic and physical environments and as such problems of one individual are different from those of another. It’s the most developed social work method which deals with the problems of an individual in his adjustment to his total environment or to any part of it. 6

…Contd. Better family life, improved schools, better housing, more hospitals and medical care facilities, protected economic conditions and better relations between religious groups help the individual in his adjustment and development. But his adjustment and development depend on the use of these resources by him. Sometimes due to certain factors, internal or external, he fails to avail existing facilities. In such situations, social caseworker helps him. Thus, social casework is one to one relationship, which works in helping the individual for his adjustment and development. 7

…Contd. The practice of casework is a humanistic attempt for helping people who have difficulty in coping with the problems of daily living. It is one of the direct methods of social work which uses the case-by-case approach for dealing with individuals or families as regards their problems of social functioning. 8

…Contd. It is primarily related with the psycho-social problems. It consists of the study of mental, emotional and social factors. Therefore, case work aims at individualized service in the field of social work in order to help the client to adjust with the environment. 9

Definition of Social Case Work Friedlander points out , social case work is a method, “which helps by counseling the individual client to effect better social relationships and a social adjustment that makes it possible for him to lead a satisfying and useful life. ” Mary Richmond (1915) “Social Case Work may be defined as the Art of doing different things with different people, co -operating with them to achieve some of their own & society's betterment. ” 10

…Contd. Gordon Hamilton has defined case work as, “Social case work consists of those processes which develop personality through adjustment consciously affected, individual by individual between man and his social environment. ” Queen (1932) Social case work is the art “of adjusting personal relationship”. Lee (1923) Social case work is the art of changing human attitudes” 11

…Contd. Raynolds (1935) Social case work is the processes of counseling with a client on a problem which are essentially his own, involving some difficulty in his social relationship. Klein (1938) Social case work is a technical method in social work…. A way of adjusting to the client to his personal problems. 12

…Contd. Hollis (1954) “Social Case work is a method employed by social worker to help individuals find solution to problems of social adjustment which they are unable to handle in satisfactory way by their own efforts. ” Perlman (1957) “Social Case work is a process used by certain human welfare agencies to help individuals to cope more effectively with their problems in social functioning. ” 13