Sanctified Snake Oil, is an article that explores the persuasiveness of untested theories and the dangers that it inflicts on social work. What is snake oil? Snake oil is a solution to a scientific problem that has not been adequately tested and that is also used inappropriately. There are six snake oil paradigm’s. The first one discussed is issue framing. This when the subject is framed so that no one can go against it or it can not be opposed. Issue framing is presented in a way to gain authority and acceptance from the audience. The second snake oil paradigm is concept stretching, this is an exaggeration to a problem which makes the problem seem worse than what it actually is. The third on is denial, which is when the victims deny abuse
In Righteous Dopefiend, Bourgois and Schonberg delve into the lives of homeless drug addicts on Edgewater Boulevard in San Francisco. They highlight the moral ambiguity of the gray zone in which these individuals exist and the institutional forces that create and perpetuate their condition. The authors liken the experience of the daily lives of the Edgewater homeless to living in an everyday “state of emergency” (2009:21). Throughout the course of their work, they expose the conditions of extreme poverty that the homeless experience, the institutional indifference towards their suffering and the consequences of their crippling addictions. Bourgois and Schonberg describe the Edgewater homeless as a ‘community of addicted bodies’ driven by a communal need to avoid the agony of heroin withdrawal symptoms and held together through a “moral economy of sharing”. (2009: 6) The “webs of mutual obligation” that form as a result of their participation in this system are key to the survival of the Edgewater homeless as they attempt to live under conditions of desperate poverty and police repression.
Popple, P. R, & L. Leighninger. (2011). Social Work, Social Welfare, and American Society. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Morales, A., Sheafor, B. W., & Scott, M. E. (2012). Social work: a profession of many faces. (12th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Rengas, S. (2010, August 13). Theories of Social Work. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.slideshare.net/srengasamy/theories-of-social-work
Most social workers in North America start their promising career with a social service organization armed with a burning desire to solve a social problem, contribute to society, or anything noble in purpose. They are usually in the forefront in any crusade against oppression committed to a marginalized group. However, when such oppression is however against the social workers even within the organization where they work, it is ironic that they seem to be silent about the situation. A lot of North American social workers experience this form of oppression because it works clandestinely. Consequently, an examination will be made to explain that operation and to scrutinize the arguments why social workers need to be aware of the existence of
Professionalism in the social work field goes beyond licensure and expertise (Cournoyer, 2014). According to Cournoyer (2014), social work professionalism encompasses the concepts of integrity, self-efficacy and knowledge, self-understanding and self-control, and social support (Cournoyer, 2014). Embedded in social work professionalism is the person-environment perspective, which posits that our personal attributes, interactions and relationships with others, and environment influence a social worker’s practice. Cournoyer stresses that it is a social worker’s responsibility to acknowledge and regulate his or her personal biases, ideologies, and beliefs when working with clients in order to prevent them from negatively impacting the therapeutic
Today there are institutional review boards that are designated to approve and monitor research studies to ensure ethical standards are being met (Dudley, 2011, p. 45). As social work practice becomes more evidence-based, the worker will have an increased obligation to advocate for conducting and consuming research that aligns with ethical standards. A practicing social worker can help ensure the ethical treatment of their clients by empowering them to take an active role in their treatment decisions and goals. Three important mandates of the Council on Social Work Education that are directly relevant to research are adhering to the values and ethics of social work, promoting an understanding and commitment to diversity, and promoting human rights and social and economic justice (Dudley,
Netting, F.E., Kettner, P.M., & McMurtry, S.L. (2008). Social Work Macro Practice, 2-34. (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.
Thompson, N (2005) Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice, Palgrave, MacMillan (Second Edition) Hampshire (Supplementary Course Reader)
Theory has been defined as, “an organized set of assumptions, beliefs, or ideas about particular phenomena in the world (Teater, 2015).” Theory is used to understand and explain possible and perceived instances, behaviors and outcomes (Teater, 2015). Social workers use theory in order to understand, as well as, introduce interventions and solutions to their client’s individual situation. It is important for students entering into the social work profession to have a base knowledge of theories, with basic understanding of their similarities and differences to appropriately apply theory in practice. The theories which will be focused on in this paper include Systems Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Theory.
This paper highlights the unique contributions that social workers can bring to the field by using diagnosis in clinical social work. Though it has been debatable whether it is significant in the practice being that social workers are not doctors, but rather clinicians. Some people believe that social workers should practice diagnosis in clinical social work while others feel that it’s unjustified. This paper will explore the pros and cons to diagnosis in clinical social work practice through the history of social work, DSM, labeling, misdiagnosis. While applying strength perspective and empowerment in Clinical Social Work Practice. As a result, Social workers are competent to diagnosis patients, due to their level of education that has taught the ways of assessing, diagnosing and providing counseling to clients through the code of ethics.
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.
A social worker must have the knowledge and skills to apply to intervention strategies that can address key issues through a wide range of tools (Miley, O’Melia & Dubois 2013, p. 7). To devise an intervention plan for the case study, Miley’s (2013, p. 112) four step model is utilised.
Wilson, K. et. al., 2011. Social Work ' Introduction to Contemporary Practice'. 2nd ed. Essex, England.: Pearson Education Ltd .
The social work profession is defined as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people (ISFW, ‘Global Definition of Social Work’, 2016).” The definition may be true about the profession but it is more in depth than just that. To me, the profession’s primary focus is to help others through life as much as we can while letting them make their own choices and guiding them. In society, social workers are utilized in many different nonprofit and government roles. They serve the community in many different ways from monitoring parent visits to helping people through mental illnesses. Human beings are so complex and things that happen