Importance Of Empathy In Social Care

What is social care, it is hard to define social care as there is no collectively agreed definition. The Irish Association of social care gives a basic definition. “Social care is a profession committed to planning and delivery of quality care and other support services to individuals and groups with identified needs” (Lowlar and Share 2009) Social care is not just an ordinary job, nor is it something done on a voluntary, armature basis. Social care workers work with a broad range of groups children, young people, people with disabilities and people of all ages, who have special ‘needs’ or vulnerabilities. Social care workers can also work in a wide range of disciplines’ within the health care sector, such as nursing, social work, counselling,

It is the ability to be able to put yourself in their shoes and have an awareness of what they are feeling, how they are affected by certain situations and how they perceive their world. According to Miller (2015) empathy is a vital requirement for any social worker.

Active listening

According to (Talking therapy 2014) active listening means using a set of skills that encourage the person you are listening to talk, to help them feel heard and understood. It is called ‘active’ because you intentionally do things to help them feel able to talk, and because you engage with all your attention on what the speaker is saying, how they are acting, and how they are feeling.

Teamworking

According to Lowlar and Share (2009) the ability to work independently and as part of a team is a necessary quality for any social worker, as social workers are often required to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Teamwork offers benefits to both the organization and the client or service user. One of the main benefits of group work or a team environment is the ability to share ideas among the group. Perhaps there are several possible approaches to a project, and as an individual, a care worker may be unsure of which to take. However, as a team, the members can each contribute pros and cons of approaches to tasks and methods to accomplish key goals. This kind of collaboration benefits the project by liaising with the wider

You also need a host of interpersonal and personal qualities to help affect positive change for people from all walks of life, with the ability to reflect and build on these qualities as the needs arise. However the learning gained from the educational requirements of a social care worker not only help you to empower other people in their life but can empower you with the knowledge to make positive changes in your own