Cognitive Personality

102390 Social Work Practice Methods 1 SESSION 5 | WORKSHOP II Assessment and Inter viewing in Social Work 1 2 Assessment • What is it? • When do we assess? • What do we consider? • What are the tools we can use? What is an Assessment in Social Work? – Information gathering and history taking – Seeking the client ’sperspective of the presenting issue – Building aholistic view of the social environment – Assessing relevant factors contributing to the presenting issue (including structural factors) – Seeking collaboration with the client as an active participant – Community Profiling – Community Assets and Planning – The first phase but not a finite one 3 4 What do we ‘Assess’? • We can consider: – Family of origin – Current relationships & children – Work/study – Social functioning & support – Medical history – Significant emotional issues – Drug & alcohol use – Impact of presenting issue on the client's life – Strengths and capacity What do we consider? – Contact with welfare/social work services – Risk factors e.g. suicide ideation, child protection issues – History of mental health – Social milieu e.g. social, religious, family and cultural involvements 5 6 Biological Assessment • Medical issues -acute or chronic medical problems • Medications or any other treatments • Neurology and the brain • Genetics –“genogram” • Basic demographics Psychological Assessment • Mental well -being and mental illness –any mental health issues • Cognitive functioning and self -awareness • Perception and appraisal • Coping response • Beliefs and philosophy of life 7 8 Social Assessment • Family –immediate and extended • Friends and potential support • Neighbourhood and the community • Community organisations • Occupation, job • Leisure activities and associations • Socioeconomic status Spiritual Assessment • If necessary • Creed, beliefs and religion • Philosophy of life/belief system • Religion of childhood (if different) • Religion or spirituality different from larger society 9 10 Cultural Assessment • Race, ethnicity • Age • Gender or sexual orientation • Language differences and barriers (if necessary) • Immigration status • Ethnic enclave and community Some Defining Lines Assessment involves the formulation of professional judgments, opinions and interpretations regarding a particular situation. Underpinning everything you might read about assessment is the assumption that the process calls for an understanding of theories and values that inform professional opinion. (Weber 2006:138 in O’Hara & Weber eds. 2006) 11 12 When Do We Assess? • At the request of the client • At the request of a service • When crisis presents or a decision needs to be made Structure of Assessments • Micro -skills of Interviewing • Confidentiality and Duty of Care • Presenting Issues • Strengths • Life Domains • Risks • Tests, Measurement Tools • Analysis • Planning • Evaluation 13 14 How? • Face to face interview • Telephone interview • Online • Using previous assessments • Using templates or standardised tools –‘scripts’ versus ‘professional discretion’ Assessments Over Time – Measuring Outcomes • Standardised measures are standardised tools that are used to collect routine data on outcomes of care and the case mix of consumers using a standardised protocol • There are clinician -rated measures and consumer -rated measures 15 16 Eco -map for Social Work Assessment Eco -map • A visual tool that provides structures for discovering the client’s context • Placing individuals in their current social context from an ecological perspective • Focusing on the family’s relationship with its external environment Genogram for Social Work Assessment Genogram • A diagram that describes family relationships for two or three generations. • Providing a historical picture of the family and the links across generations • Useful for determining the family’s strengths and discovering their resources 17 18 Although social work involves a great deal more than interviewing, social workers spend more time conducting interviews than any other single activity. It is the most important and most frequently used social work skill. (Kadushin & Kadushin , 2013, p.3) Inter view in Social Work A person -to -person interaction that has a definite and deliberate purpose that is recognized and accepted by both participants. (Kadushin & Kadushin , 2013, p.6) Definition of an Inter view 19 20 • Listening –active/empathic listening, not merely hearing • Open -ended and closed -ended questions –using Ecomap/Genogram • Clarification Questions • Paraphrasing • Furthering Inter view Techniques Active Listening • Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages; to hear something with thoughtful attention • Active listening allows you to make sure you hear the words and understand the meaning behind the words • You can go beyond listening to understanding 21 22 Empathic Listening Empathic listening is • hearing both the content and the feelings that an individual communicates and • reflecting that perception to the individual so that they feel understood. Develop Active Listening Skills • Keep an open mind • Definite intent to listen • Focus on the speaker • Verbal and non -verbal encouragers • Feedback loop to ensure accuracy • Don't interrupt and don't impose your "solutions" 23 24 Skills in Questioning • One of you key objectives when you meet with a client is to gather information. • Asking an open ended question -your questions should sound natural and have a flow. • Ask questions to ensure understanding. • Try to feel what the client is feeling. The Solution -focused Inter view • Motivational or solution -focused interviewing, using client strengths and resources rather than expert -directed problem discussions and answers. • Focus on what is possible and changeable rather than on what is impossible and intractable. (De Jong & Berg, 2013) 25 26 Solution -focused Inter viewing Skills • Recognise past successes and strengths • Look for exceptions/Exception questions • Copy previous personal successes or the successes of other admirable people • Use the “miracle question” or some variant • Goal -Setting Phases: See the lecture notes “Interviewing using a Strengths -based Approach” Miracle Questions • See the lecture notes “Interviewing using a Strengths - based Approach” 27 28 Exception Questions • See the lecture notes “Interviewing using a Strengths - based Approach” Additional Resources for Inter view • De Jong, P & Berg IK (2013). Interviewing for Solutions , 4th edn , Cengage Learning, Belmont. • Gast , L. E. (2014). Mastering communication in social work from understanding to doing. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. (Available online) • Kadushin , A., & Kadushin . G. (2013). The social work interview (5th ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. (Available online) • Wright, B. (2007). Interpersonal skills: Skills for caring. Keswick England: M&K Update. (Available online) 29 30