LESSON 1 - SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION  Social Functioning problems may be caused by

these factors:
SOCIAL WORK’S FOCUS OF CONCERN 1. factors inherent in the person
 Wernes Boehm – “Social Work seeks to  Physical condition
enhance the social functioning of individuals,  Attitudes
singularly and in gorups by activities focused  Values
upon their social relationships which constitute  Perceptions of reality
interaction between individuals and their 2. factors in the situation or environment
environment”  Lack of resources or
 William Schwartz – “the general assignment for opportunities
the social work profession is to mediate the  Expectations that are beyond
process through which the individual and society the individual’s coping
reach out to each other through mutual need for capacities
self-fulfillment” 3. Both factors inherent in the person and factors in
 William Gordon – “The central focus of social the situation or environment
work traditionally seems to have been on the
person-in-his-life-situation complex---a  Social Work intervention is always directed
simultaneous dual focus on man and his toward enhancing or improving the individuals’
environment” social functioning through any of the following
 Harriet Bartlett – “Social functioning is the ways:
relation between the coping activity of people 1. Change strategies directed toward the individual
and the demand from the environment” 2. Change strategies directed toward the
 Louise Johnson – “Social workers involved environment
when individuals are having difficulty in 3. Change strategies directed toward both the
relationship with other people; in growing so individual and environment
as to maximize their potential and in meeting
the demands of the environment” FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL WORK
1. Rehabilitative Function
“The ultimate goal of social work practice is the  This is referred to as restorative curative and
enhancement of social functioning of individuals” remedial function.
 To assist individuals and groups to identify and
Social Functioning means the interaction between resolve or minimize problems arising out of a
the individual and his situation or environment. disequilibrium between themselves and the
 Social Environment – is a network of environment.
overlapping social systems and social situations  The curative aspect of social work seeks to
including ecological systems, cultures and remove factors which have caused the
institutions. breakdown in the person’s social functioning.
 Social Situation – is an impinging segment of  The rehabilitative aspect tries to put back the
social environment. It is smaller and more person to a normal or healthy state of social
immediate than social environment. functioning.
 One example of the curative
* Dual focus of Social Work: aspects is helping a girl who
1. How people cope with their life tasks engages in prostitution for living
2. Demands made by situations or environment to change her ways through a
counselling relationship and
 Social Role – defined as the socially recognized effecting necessary changes in
pattern of behaviors and activities expected from her home or environmental
an individual occupying a certain position in conditions. The rehabilitative
society. aspect could involve helping her
 Social Functioning is what results from the avail herself of opportunities for
interaction between the two forces – the schooling, skills training, and
individual’s coping capacities and the demands legitimate employment.
of his situation/environment. 2. Preventive Function
 To identify potential areas of disequilibrium
 The social worker’s “job assignment” involves: between individuals or groups and the
 Mediating (Schwartz) environment in order to prevent the occurrence
 Matching (Gordon) of disequilibrium. This is referred to preventive
 Striking a balance between function of social work which involves the early
people’s coping ability and discovery, control and elimination of those
situational/environmental conditions or situations which may have harmful
demands (Bartlett) effects on social functioning.
 Example of this function includes:
o Counseling on pre-marital and designed to enable individuals, groups and
other family problems communities to meet their needs and to solve
o Sex Education of the youth to the problems of adjustment to a changing
prevent early marriage, sexual pattern of society and, through coordinated
abuse action, to improved economic and social
o Working for the enactment of conditions, and is connected with an organized
laws and policies that would social work agency which is supported partially
help prevent abuse of women or wholly from government or community
and children. solicited funds.
 A “social work agency” is a person, corporation
3. Developmental Function or organization, private or governmental, that
 To seek out, identify and strengthen the engages mainly and generally, or represents
maximum potentials in individuals, groups and itself to engage in social welfare work, whether
communities. The aim is both to help the casework, group work, or community work, and
individual make maximum use of his own obtains its finances, either totally or in part, from
potentials and capacities as well as to further the any agency or instrumentality of the government
effectiveness of available social or community and/or from the community by direct or indirect
resources. This social work aspect usually has solicitations and/or fund drives, and/or private
an educational aspect. endowment.
 Examples of this function:
 Skills training/ livelihood program for I. ARTICLE I - Definition of Terms
unemployed II. ARTICLE II - Organization of the Board of
 Day Care/Supplemental feeding Examiners for Social Workers
 Housing project for informal settler III. ARTICLE III - Examination and Registration of
 Alternative Learning System Social Workers
IV. ARTICLE IV - Registration of Social Work
SOCIAL WORK is PREVENTIVE Agencies
The goal of prevention practice is to prevent V. ARTICLE V - Sundry Provisions Relative to the
major problems of living. Before the problem exist Practice of Social Work
the prevention must be implemented to avoid the
problem. FIVE ELEMENTS AS CONSTITUTING THE
SOCIAL WORK is RESTORATIVE DISTINGUISHING ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSION
Social workers restore the social function of 1. Systematic Body of Theory
their clients. It is mostly used on the victims of such The skills that characterize a profession flow
crimes or calamities. form and are supported by a fund of knowledge that has
been organized into an internally consistent system
SOCIAL WORK is DEVELOPMENTAL called a body of theory.
Social work is one of the agents of change
for the better society, they initiate for the better Theory serves as a base in terms of which the
goals, better purposes better things to do to reach professional rationalizes his operations in concrete
the social development. operation.
Three types of Knowledge:
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4373  Tested Knowledge – is knowledge that
 AN ACT TO REGULATE THE PRACTICE OF has been established through scientific
SOCIAL WORK AND THE OPERATION OF study; research
SOCIAL WORK AGENCIES IN THE  Hypothetical Knowledge – still has to
PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES undergo transformation into tested
 “Social Work” is the profession which is knowledge
primarily concerned with organized social  Assumptive Knowledge – practice
service activity aimed to facilitate and strengthen wisdom
basic social relationships and the mutual
adjustment between individuals and their social 2. Professional Authority
environment for the good of the individual and of Extensive Education in the systematic theory of
society. discipline provides the professional with a type of
 A “social worker” as used in this Act is a knowledge which the layman does not have.
practitioner who by accepted academic training Has the belief that the professional person is
and social work professional experience competent to help him and has the know-how to assist
possesses the skill to achieve the objectives as the client with his need or problem.
defined and set by the social work profession,
through the use of the basic methods and 3. Community Sanction
techniques of social work (casework, group Expressed in the professional-community
work, and community organization) which are relationship.
The community sanctions a profession’s  Shelter
authority by way of giving it certain powers and  Clothing
privileges.  Exercise, sleep, rest
 Daily Living Needs – those are related to man’s
Profession’s control Powers and Privileges: functions as social and intelligent beings.
a. Training centers  Psychological Needs:
b. Admission into the profession 1. Esteem Needs – the need for
c. Standards for professional performance achievement, for strength, for
d. Profession – is usually given the privilege of acceptance, for reputation, for status or
controlling practice standards on the assumption prestige
that the lay community is not in a position to 2. Need for self-actualization – the need
render judgment over the performance of the for self-fulfillment to realize
members in a profession. potentialities, to become what one is
e. Board for Social Workers of the Professional capable of becoming
Regulation Commission is the proper body to 3. Cognitive Needs – the needs to know
whom complaints about malpractice can be and understand, curiosity, the need to
reported. understand the mysterious, the need to
tackle the unknown
4. Regulative Code of Ethics 4. Esthetic Needs – the need for symmetry
This code serves to check possible abuses order, system and structure
which can arise out of a profession’s exercise of 5. Spiritual Needs – the need to worship a
authority and its accompanying powers and privileges. higher being
a. Informal Code – is unwritten but
carries the weight of the written MASLOW’S THEORY - presents a hierarchy of need
prescriptions. meeting which would lead to the individual’s
Consultation – is the practice of inviting a development
colleague to participate in some aspect of the
work being done in relation to client’s need.
Referral – is facilitating a client’s access to a
colleague who can provide help other than what
the worker can or is already providing.

5. Professional Culture
The interactions of social rules required by the
formal and informal groups generate a social
configuration unique to the profession.
The culture of a profession consists of its values,
norms and symbols.
 Social Values – refer to the basic and
fundamental beliefs of a professional group,
practically the reason for its existence.
 Professional Norms – are the accepted
standards of behavior of doing things which
guide the professional in various situation.
 Symbols of a profession – are its “meaning-
laden items” including emblems, insignias,
dress, history, its idioms and vocabulary and its
stereotypes of the professional, the client and
the layman.

NEEDS AND PROBLEMS Problem is usually referred to as a need that is not met
Need is a condition or situation in which or cannot be fulfilled. It is a condition or a social situation
something necessary or desirable, is felt by the that has been evaluated by persons as undesirable and
individual. Needs are basic to human existence there is a basis for the evaluation. Whatever form it may
and therefore, they should be met. come about, a problem affects the social functioning of
the individual.
Common Basic Needs:
 Survival Needs – biological and material needs Problem is any difficulty experienced by the client that
necessary to sustain life: causes tension and worries. This may hamper the
 Air normal social functioning of the person especially if not
 Water given appropriate action.
 Food
“Needs are basic to human existence and therefore, they
should be met while Problem is a unmet need. When a
person’s need has not been met or there are obstacles
to its fulfilment to the person’s capability to function
satisfactorily is threatened or impaired, it becomes
problem.”

References:
 Review Notes of Social Work
 Social Welfare and Social Work
By: Thelma Lee-Mendoza copyright 2003
Published by Megabooks Company