Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Seite 78

Practice Issues

Communicating Critical Information in Joint Case
Management
Injecting that missing conversation is often helpful for joint case management.
Take the case of a single mother who cares for a young child with physical
disability and had inpatient care for mental health issues after causing hurt
and violence to her elderly mother. Her condition stabilised and she was
discharged with information given to her on how and where to get further
help. However, there were missing conversations and the child’s social
worker in school was not informed of the episodes of violence at home. The
mother had a relapse and caused severe harm to her child.

Consult and Use the Counsel of Others
There is wisdom in and from experience. Therefore, it is crucial to consult
and use the counsel of others by having that missing conversation. People
in the social sector are usually generous with their advice and counsel.
Oftentimes, individuals with experience and expertise do not offer their
views and counsel because they are simply not asked. It is also useful to tap
on individuals who may not currently hold a designation that denotes the
area of expertise or subject matter that you are interested in. Persons with
rich experiences have much to offer when they are approached.

Know the Facts and Manage Information
Knowing facts and getting accurate information saves time and builds
credibility and confidence. Having to recheck information slows things
down. As far as possible, go right to the source to get the information in
order to ensure accuracy.
After which, take the time to review that information well before presenting
it. Effective people are respected because they have good information
at their fingertips. If they don’t have it, they know where to find good
information quickly. Those who are perceived as one who guesses do not
give off a sense of reliability.
However, modern technology gives easy access to information and it is
critical to evaluate the information. In a book, “The Information Diet, ” author
Clay Johnson 1 lays out the case for conscious discerning and consumption
1

Clay Johnson (2012). The Information Diet: A Case for Conscious Consumption. CA: O'Reilly
Media.
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