The case social work It is a methodology within the discipline of social work based on intervening at the individual or family level to ensure that they adapt to their social environment. In this methodology, it is essential to carry out a personalized follow-up that concludes with an improvement in independence, autonomy and social integration..
This modality of social work was created by Mary Richmond, who published several books between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th in which she theorized about the matter, in addition to formulating her methodology and the techniques to apply to achieve the final objectives..
Among other aspects, social workers who follow this method make available to individuals all the necessary resources to improve their situation. Among the principles that govern the discipline are those of individualization, acceptance and non-prejudging.
The methodology seeks to train subjects, integrate them into the social environment and empower them. Some of these objectives are of a purely individual nature, such as strengthening the personality, while others, such as trying to improve the socio-economic situation, are framed within more general changes..
The social case work model tries to ensure that the subjects it treats receive full assistance to help solve their problems..
Social workers are responsible for ensuring that these subjects can access the services available in each place. Likewise, they must control the results of their intervention.
The first theorist of social case work, Mary Richmond, defined this discipline as "the art by which an action is carried out with and for different people collaborating with them to achieve at the same time their improvement (progress) and that of society".
Richmond pointed out the main characteristics of social work with cases in 1922, in his book “Individual social case”. In this work he affirmed that it was the "set of methods that develop the personality by consciously and individually readjusting the person to their social environment."
All social work methodologies, including casework, use knowledge from other sciences. In addition, it has also developed its own research methods and systems.
In almost all cases, the social worker focuses on understanding people, which encompasses both needs and difficulties.
Treating subjects individually and personalizing follow-up and possible treatments is the most important feature of casework social. In this way, the social worker places the person in a central place to which personalized attention must be paid..
In addition, the care plans must also be personalized, including the objectives, each of the actions and the evaluation by the professionals..
The caseworker must pay close attention to the social environment in which the person or family he is treating lives. The objective is to study the environment and its relationship with the person in order for the latter to be integrated.
Professionals who carry out social casework should never make judgments about the subjects of their intervention. Likewise, they have to maintain respect and confidentiality of the information they receive..
The main purpose of this type of social work is to achieve the development and maintenance of the subject's personality. To do this, the worker analyzes social relationships made up of individual factors and those of the environment to try to improve them.
Case social work tries to get the individuals or families it treats to improve their training in every way. This is intended to give them access to the resources they need.
Helping people to integrate into their social environment is one of the most important objectives of this discipline. Thanks to the different actions that the worker performs, the subjects can escape the marginality of being isolated from their environment in every way.
This concept refers to the acquisition of confidence in their own capacities of individuals from disadvantaged sectors in order to be able to fight to improve their situation in areas such as politics, the economy and their self-determination..
The very characteristics of case social work cause the methodology to change depending on the person being helped. However, in a generalized way, three steps can be established:
The first stage within the methodology of this type of social work is the collection of information about the subject, their social environment and their situation..
Normally, it will be the person who is being assisted who offers the most relevant data about their socio-economic situation and their family. In the same way, he will also explain what his problems are, which can range from unemployment to an illness that affects his way of life, past a bad family relationship.
It is common for the social worker to need several interviews with the subject in order to have all the important information. In addition, you can also use other direct or indirect sources to collect the data you need.
With all the data collected, the social worker must make a diagnosis of the situation of the person they serve. This diagnosis is essential so that the professional knows what meaning to give to their performance, directing their help in the right direction.
The process that leads to the diagnosis involves understanding the nature of the problem, taking into account the personality of the subject and their relationship with their environment..
Treatment consists of offering the necessary services to solve the problems detected in the diagnosis. The solutions proposed by the professional must have the approval of the person being assisted.
These treatments can have different objectives. Some will be oriented to achieve psychological changes in the person, such as the improvement of self-control, the development of the personality or the own identity, or the reinforcement of self-esteem..
Other solutions can be aimed at transforming the way in which the person relates to their close environment. This includes improvements in marital or child relationships or changes in the way they behave at work or school.
Finally, solutions related to the basic needs of the person can also be proposed, from homelessness to sick care, through job search, education or medical care.
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