Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 1) | страница 50

Social Work and First Principles

Assessment and empowering people to do things
for themselves
In working with adults, a social worker’s aim is generally not to do things
to people, or for them, but to enable and empower people to do things,
take decisions, and manage their lives, including taking risk, for themselves.
Contrary to what most befrienders and volunteers might do on behalf of
individuals, social workers recognise the importance of the individuals
making decisions and help them by providing them with good information
and support.
Assessing needs and making evaluations of situations are basic to social
work practice. In doing this, where a person has complex or multiple needs,
the social worker’s analytical skills enable them to conduct in-depth and
comprehensive exploration of those needs. Defining these complex needs
can be difficult as it is not always possible to identify the full extent of needs.
For example, older people and very young children do not always present their
needs accurately on first or subsequent contacts. It is of course very helpful
for early intervention if complexity is recognised early so that information and
advice service can be given in a timely manner. It is also essential that the
individual, carers and significant others are fully involved with the social worker
in developing the care and support plan, in identifying priority outcomes, in
assessing risks to be managed, and in suggesting informal resources that may
complement state provision.
Social workers are needed when the complexity of an individual’s or a family’s
circumstances require assessment, decision-making and intervention that are
responsive to a range of interacting factors. These factors may be bio-social,
emotional or psychological and they will often be unpredictable and may
arise where there is conflict within a family. What is also often different in
social work practice is the intentionality of social workers to identify strengths
in people and tapping on them to help people to take charge of their lives
and to live purposefully in the community.

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