A Brief History of Social Work Methods

This assignment will consist of two main parts. Word count will restrict certain areas of the essay. It is hoped, however, an overall balance can be achieved. In part one; the essay will begin with a brief history of social work methods. The essay will go on to describe what methods are and how they are made use of in social work. Following on from methods the essay will take a look at social work theories and how they can be explained. Furthermore, it will be necessary to show, and to give examples of, how methods are linked to particular theories. In comparison to how theories and methods work within social work the essay will look at the importance of theories and methods in relation to working with people who have substance issues. The main body will show evidence to support, how? Two social work methods can be successfully applied in the drug and alcohol field. It will be necessary to demonstrate how the two social work methods are chosen, and implemented in the intervention of an example case study. Interviews with service users will be used to provide clarity and an insight to how service users view social work intervention methods.

Part two of the essay will critically evaluate a single social work method used in the example case study. Specific reference will illustrate how this method has an influence and how it supports, or not, anti- discriminatory practice. In conclusion, the final part of this essay will be a reflection on the knowledge base the student has gained from the social work methods' module. It will show how comprehension of this module will instruct future practice in the social care field. Furthermore, it will, in addition, be necessary to demonstrate how the student has approached the project. T...

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...e modules in DANOS (Drug and Alcohol National Occupational Standards). The non professional is not able to draw on knowledge in the same way as a professional’s and will rely on a more common sense approach to working with service users. Howe, (1987) suggests that commonsense is a particular understand that an individual has, and the individual believes there is no other way of seeing it.

The professional social worker will also work from. A systematic skill base and evidence based practice, but also a value and ethics based practice. Values are basically how professional people should treat service users with a deep understanding of right and wrong. Vigilante (1974) (cited in Barnard, A.2008) calls values the ‘fulcrum of practice’. These values and ethics benefit the service user as they receive a professional service in the professional relationship.