SOCIAL CASE WORK PROCESS

Social Case Work process is a progressive tranction between the professional helper [CASE WORKER] and the client. It consists of a series of problem-sloving operations carried on within a meaningful relationship. Case work processs consists of following stages/steps/phases:
Pshchosocial study
Diagnosis
Treatment
Termination
Evaluation
All these stages are interwoven like threads, therefore are inseparable and continue to be overlapped througout the social casework process. Social worker by using their capabilities logically place these phase in order. Because, practically these steps are not performed in sequence, and Gordon Hamilton said they are woven in and out, one process paralleling another. For her, Intervention or treatment being with the first contact. Similarly, according to hereself, and to make changes in or her life situation resulting this understanding.
Let us examine these stage:
SOCIAL STUDY/STUDY [PSYCHO-SOCIAL INVERSTIGATION]
Social study in case work means acquiring facts. It is an exhaustive collection of facts about the client and his situation. Study is the foundation upon which the various other helping phases are built. It help to explore the actual problems and social realities of the client and their environment. It is also a crucial stage because the client makes the important decision of whether to enter into the treatment.
It begin with “Intake” and “Rapport building” when client presents the problem and applies for help to the agency. Case worker with the help of different tools collects information regarding the client and his broblem According to Richmond [1917] the case worker must secure all and every fact that taken together, through logical and inferential, would reveal the clients personality ahnd his situation for appropriate intervention [treatment]. The essential functions of the worker are to facilitate the client to participate and interact in the process.
The social case worker studies the following facts:
Case History
Nature of the probles
Client’s feelings and reactions
Client’s efforts to solves particular problems
Social conditions
In the course of studying the client in his situation the case worker is able to make initial assessment for diagnosis of the client’s current, relevant past and possible future modes of adaptation to stressful situations and to related normal living situationss. It requires the analysis of social, psychological and biological determinants of the client’s current stressful situation.
Perlman has given following contents of case work study:
The nature of problem
The cause onset and precipitants of problem
The efforts made to cope with problem
The nature of solution or ends sought from case work agency
The actual nature of agency and its problem solving means in relation to client and his problem.