Accessing Clients Strengths : Clinical Assessment For Client Empowerment

Saleebey, D. (1996). The strengths perspective in social work practice: Extensions and cautions. Social work, 41(3),

A social worker has six primary responsibilities or purposes outlined by NASW (1999). These purposes are to service a client, to provide social justice when needed, to increase and emphasize the individual worth of people, to emphasize the importance of relationships between individuals, and to have integrity and be competent when completing these purposes (NASW, 1999).

Social workers form relationships with people an assist them to live more successfully within their local communities by helping them find solutions to their problems. Social work involves engaging not only with clients but their friends and families. Social workers also work closely with organisations such as the police, local authority departments,

Abstract The roles of a social worker are many and although it may be seen to most as a simple profession, it is of great value. A social worker has to broaden his or her horizon to see things in a new perspective. One must be able to understand, empower and help individuals, families or groups to overcome some of lives most difficult obstacles. As a social worker you are supposed to be able to appreciate the perspectives of all parties involved.

Social workers form relationships with people and assist them to live more successfully within their local communities by helping them find solutions to their problems. Social work involves engaging not only with clients themselves but their families and friends as well as working closely with other organisations including the police, local authority departments, schools and the probation service.

2. Cowger, C. (1994). Assessing client strengths: clinical assessment for client empowerment. Social Work, 262 - 268.

In order to address the client’s problems and strengths Birkenmaier suggest using a “two compartment model”. “In this approach, the assessment includes a two component model in which the social worker first explores a series of questions with the client to define the problem situation (Component 1). The questions will not only help to identify the client’s strengths, but also their life experiences (both positive and challenging), and strategies for coping with adversity. Gathering this comprehensive perspective on the client’s identity can aid both the social worker and the client in formulating a perception of the client in terms of strengths, versus deficits. (Birkenmaier, 2014, pg.110)”

Empowerment and a strengths perspective which support the development of innate abilities and recognize differences in a positive manner are also helping social workers increase the individual client’s capacity to learn to use his or her own systems constructively

Utilizing strengths based perspective with clients enables social workers to focus on the client and family strengths and abilities instead of focusing on the client and family’s problems, bad behaviors and pathologies. The strengths based perspective applies six principles that guide the social worker professional in assisting client’s with the strengths based model; we all have areas of strength, but sometimes it takes an unbiased third party to notice and help others clearly see what they are capable of achieving, even in the midst of their crisis.

My understanding of the social work profession is that it is a helping profession. To me social workers help others in a variety of situations. Social workers help find and connect people with resources for food, rent, insurance, medical care. Social workers also do work fighting for social justice on the Micro, Mezzo and Macro aspect, working for individuals and family to making laws to help underserved populations. Social workers also provide education to clients for lots of reasons. Some social workers became licensed and help people with counseling that may be needed for things such as PTSD or anxiety.

The goal of the strength based approach is to empower the individual based on their past successes and to aid them in utilizing this strength to progress in a positive manner. We try to break the paradigm of defining the client by their faults or weaknesses. We as a society place names and labels on everything, we define our world and the people around us using this convention. However, marginalized people often

Social work may not be the most respected profession but it’s a recognizable one. Social workers help people or groups identify their problems, determine their skills and capacities, what they are doing well, and how that was accomplished, and then analyze ways that those strengths might be applied to the identified problems. Social workers are helping professionals.

Social workers provide professional support and wide variety of services to people who have social difficulties, and are trained to address human needs. They can work in different settings and can specialize in working with people, groups and communities, at all stages of life, from young children to older adults. The role of a social worker varies depending on what setting they are working in, like a hospital or a school.

“The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well being and help meet the basic human needs of all people with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty.” (1)

#1 A: Social work can be defined as a broad profession, with the sole purpose of improving the lives and relieving the hardships of the members of a population. Social work addresses many problems for the well being of society, including: health care, criminal justice and domestic violence, economic and public policies, child and family welfare, as well as homelessness. Social workers are trained professionals with the education and tools necessary to address problems from several different perspectives, with the intention of helping the masses and not just individuals. Social workers have the ability to inform people in need of resources available to help them achieve a wide variety of goals, whether personal social mobility, or financial independence.