196-411 Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families

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Subject Description:

This subject is focused on social work intervention in direct family-based practice. In particular it is concerned with extending the student's ability to make a competent psycho-social assessment upon which a feasible plan of intervention can be based and by which the outcome of casework intervention can be evaluated.

A pluralistic approach will be taken to the understanding of the individual within the context of the family, social networks and the broader societal setting. Throughout the series students will be introduced to a range of theoretical frameworks relevant to casework intervention. Emphasis will be placed upon the student's capacity to critically evaluate theory and to use the casework process itself as a method of generating knowledge from practice. Issues relating to the worker-client relationship and to value and ethical questions in day to day practice will be explored, and the organisational context and the service network within which social casework is practised will also be considered.

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Prescribed Texts:

• Hepworth, D and Larsen, J, Direct Social Work Practice, (4th ed.) Brooks/Cole, Ca. 1993.
• Turner, F J (ed), Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theoretical Approaches, (3rd ed.) The Free Press, New York 1986.
• Hartman, A and Laird, J, Family-Centred Social Work Practice, The Free Press, New York 1983.