Social Work Case Study

2. What attributes of the effective practitioners in public welfare did you see in Tim’s dealing with Fannie Mae, Jolene, and the boys? Social welfare addresses the general well-being of individuals and families; social workers oversee national programs and systems that deliver social, health and public welfare services, which are intended to enhance the person’s quality of life and to help him or her, achieve the desired standard of living. According to Romanyshyn and Romanyshyn (1971), social welfare can be viewed as the “first line support to enable individuals to cope successfully with a changing economic and social environment and to assure the stability and development of social institutions” Tim display attributes of genuineness,

The approach Tim uses is quite different from the system used in Trinidad and Tobago. Tim, being assigned to the case linked all the necessary resources for his clients; whereas, in Trinidad and Tobago the social workers can only do so much for their client. Social work and the social welfare system are both directed by separate government ministries. The social work profession falls under various ministries, for example psychiatric social work constitutes under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare constitutes under the Ministry of Social Development. Drawing from my practicum experience at the Psychiatric Department at San Fernando General Hospital the social worker and doctors would determine if a patient is suitable for public assistance; the patient is then sent to the social welfare office whereby a needs assessment is conducted and a home visit by the social welfare officer. In many instances these social welfare officers are not qualified to deal with the underprivileged; allowing unnecessary stigma and judgement of the client. Clients are often turned away although they have a doctor’s a report. It can be recognized that Tim had resources that were readily available for him to network on behalf of his clients unfortunately the system in Trinidad does not permit such comfort for the social workers in service

This involves systematically examining survival skills, abilities, knowledge, resources and desires that can be used in some way to help meet client goals (Saleebey, 1996). The helping process from initial contact, goal identification, assessment and intervention to evaluation has the underlying assumptions that human beings have the capacity for growth and change (Weick, 1992), knowledge about one 's situation (Early & GlenMaye, 2000), resilience (Garmezy, 1994) and membership (Walzer, 1983). The major focus in practice from the strengths approach is collaboration and partnership between social workers and clients. Other methods include environment modification and advocacy (Early & GlenMaye, 2000). Tim explained to the students that he “tell the folks what he can do and what he can’t” Tim further explained that “I make it a policy never to do anything for the clients that they can do for themselves”. Tim identifies his clients’ strengths and work around that to enhance and empower them. Although, strength based proposed to work with the clients’ strength it must be elaborated that the approach must be a partnership with both client and social worker; it is a collaborative approach. People are seen as being experts on their own situation (Poertner & Ronnau, 1992; Saleebey, 1992c; Sullivan & Rapp, 1994; Weick et al., 1989) then