Social work is never, nor could it ever be, done alone. It is a social skill, a social service and a society endeavor. We work to support each other in the field, help one another to brainstorm effective efforts, and implement evidence-based practices that stem from the research of many.
Social workers use a series of steps to help clients resolve their problems. These steps include: collecting information about the client (assessment), making sense out of the information (diagnosis), collaborating with the client to develop a plan to change the problem (the treatment plan), and determining whether the process has been helpful (evaluation).
The type of helping relationship that we develop with our clients is a direct reflection of how the social work process will help the individual or group with which we are working. In my mind, it is imperative that a positive and cooperative relationship is developed between the social worker and their clients. This is done through showing empathy, genuine authenticity, and unconditional positive regard for the client. This is the recipe of a true helping relationship.
In Community Practice: Theories and Skills for Social Workers, they discuss the difference between task and process which are both key to accomplishing the objectives of a group. Task is the subject or content of what is on hand to discuss or address. The process is the dynamics of the group’s interactions and nature of developed relationships. For a group to be successful, both task and process need to be attended to. Both task and process are accomplished through the stages of group development known as: forming, storming, norming, and performing. These stages can be linear but are often cycled back through from one stage to the next as the group carries onward from one meeting to the next. A successful group is one that tends to the agreed upon task while supportive relationships develop along the way.
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