196-411 Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

196-310 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 and 196-319 Supervised Professional Practice 1.

Semester

Contact

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.

Assessment

Written assignments of up to 5000 words or equivalent.

Prescribed Texts

• Hepworth, D, Rooney, R H and Larsen, J, Direct Social Work Practice. (5th ed.) Brooks/Cole, Ca. 1997.
• Turner, F J (ed), Social Work Treatment: Interlocking Theoretical Approaches. (4th ed.) The Free Press, New York 1996.
• Turner, F J (ed), Differential Diagnosis and Treatment in Social Work. (4th ed.) The Free Press, New York 1995.