What I Offer

Social Work Theories

Task Centred Practice

A problem-solving model. It is outcome orientated. People learn by doing.
Problem areas: 'Clarify and define in explicit behavioural terms'. (V. Coulshed,1988)


1 Inadequate resources
2 Problems in social transition
3 Dissatisfaction in social relations
4 Interpersonal conflict
5 Role performance
6 Problems with formal organizations
7 Reactive emotional distress.



What is wrong?
Explore the problem. Brainstorming, Who, Where, When, What How, Why?
Establish themes and patterns
Establish priority - what the client perceives / statutory / legal process.

Goals
What is needed? - A Win Win Outcome?
Defining success needs to be agreed on the outset. The clients view needs to be achievable and obeservable. (Is the 'success ' measurable by a third party?)


Tasks
Small Feasible - Understandable.

1 Enhance commitment - Review potential beliefs. Reinforce and encourage realistic assessment of benefits.
2 Implement clear tasks - Detail of work.
3 Analyse and assess obstacles.
4 Model - rehearsal.
5 Summarise, by re-stating the task.


Focus on the coping capacity of the client's and the client's perception.
Emphasise the role of the client.
Encourage the client to be active.
Write an agreement.

Records and Endings : To Review, Inform, Clarify, Provide an Account.

Family Systems Theory (FST)

The FST intends to keep the family unit central to the process, while opening up the options for the different concurrent forms of therapy. FST is particularly interested in the relationship between family members their communication and their interaction.
Goal
To restructure the family organisation, so as to change the unhelpful patterns of relating to one another.


Principal Method of Intervention:

Linking Questions to Hypothesis. Creates a purposeful and coherent interviewing pattern.

e.g.
When J says X What does your wife do?
What do you think your daughter thinks?
How do you think you could behave differently?


4 Stages:

1 Social Stage: Getting to know all. Clarifying aims.
2 Establishing ground rules: Formalize an hypothesis.
3 Interaction stage: Be directive. Be focused. Check Attitudes, Assumptions and Culture.
4 Ending: List tasks to be achieved. Set time limit.

In Assessment

1 What are the problems in the situation?
2 Who are the persons who will benefit?
3 What are the goals from each one's perspective?
4 Who or what has to be changed or influenced?
5 What are the tasks and roles of the worker? (Vickery, 1976)

Starting the process of change :

Quality of the Therapist


'Curiosity orientates the therapist towards neutrality and facilitative enquiry rather than bias and inference' (Chechin, 1988)

All parties should be seen on the first interview. Seeing a person alone in the beginning can make it difficult to include others later. (J Haley)

Seating arrangements of the family sometimes clarify the organization of the family.

A Triadic arrangement is when for example, parents join together in a coalition against the child who becomes a scapegoat.

Dysfunctional relationships occur when boundaries become rigid.

Coalitions are formed against another person or generation.

i.e. Grandparents.

Less involved parties should be dealt with first to increase their involvement. Questioning

Naïve Questions
Reporter-Type Questions
Hypothetical Questions. 'What if…? (An ideal situation.)

Circular Questioning, Asks, one family member to comment on the relationship / behaviour of two others. Eg.Who do you think is closest to your brother/ mother/ father?

Devils Advocate Approach '…I could be wrong but…'

Challenge negative thoughts '…You say you're always depressed…Your diary doesn't indicate this'.

'When this happens…What does A, B, C do? Who will be most / least upset? Motivation to Change

Directly- Agree on a Goal.

Indirectly- lead the family to talk about difficulties. I.e. Ask, what has already failed…try something new'.

Be precise 'I want you to do this…'

Note: Strengths and family co-operation- Workers resistance.
Termination / Evaluation Check list

1 What are the goals of Family Therapy? Whose goals? Are they Agreed / Achievable? How are they articulated?
2 What constraints / choices are there? I.e. resources / policy / legal.
3 How will the process of evaluation empower the family?
4 How will you know the goals have been achieved?
5 How will the family members know? How will any agency know?


Crisis Intervention

Decision making is central to crisis theory.

Chinese - Danger and opportunity
Greek - Decision.

Goal 'to replace blind ugly passion with enlightenment and tolerance, chaos and panic with order and safety, helplessness and despair with a sense of hope'. (O'Hagan, 1986)

Key concept is homeostasis to maintain control of ones' emotions and to cope with ones' personal circumstances. The worker's task is to help the person develop new / effective coping mechanisms.

Acute problems make clients responsive to change.
'Corrective Changes Forces'. (Goldberg and Walker, 1977) Assessment: Two basic dimensions: Subjective - Relates, to the Inner State: Coping Methods - Emotional Impact - Attitude.

Objective - consists of External Factors (PSC model) Social Resources for Coping: Location Class Gender. Focus on the Positive: Be Clear / Flexible. Remove any Barriers to Communication.
Avoid taking over.

The worker will need to have formed some form of firm opinion about what kind of crisis this is: Status Quo V Change Conflict .
Intervention Delay tends to be costly 'flight or fight' syndrome.
Risk Factors Include:
* Focusing or exposing one individual.
* Vulnerable clients want immediate, visible results.
* Moving from one crisis to another.
Families have 'The greatest impact upon the production, maintenance and resolution of a particular crisis'. (Umana et al.1980 )

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