4. Types of Service Users
Voluntary clients
People who have chosen to seek help from a social service
worker
Involuntary clients
Those who are legally obligated to accept services
(Hick, 2010, p. 83)
4
5. Social Service Work with Individuals
“People may be embedded in a web of connections with others
and with the institutions of society, but every life is
experienced uniquely, and its quality is determined solely by
the person living it (Jaco, 2002. p. 255)”.
5
6. Terminology
“Casework with individuals refers to a method of social work
intervention in which the worker intentionally creates a
helping relationship with a client that enables dialogue,
interaction, and influence to occur, with the purpose of
effecting positive changes in client thought feeling or action,
or in the social environment he or she inhabits (Jaco, 2002, p.
257)”.
6
7. Clinical Social Work
“a newer term for this same activity [casework], but one that
includes clearly linking clients to resources, coordinating
services, and advocacy (Swenson, 1995 as referenced in Jaco,
2002, p.257)”.
7
8. Direct Practice
Similar to above but “helping interventions at the micro-level
provided to individuals, couples, families, in contrast to indirect
or macro level practice which takes place at the community or
policy change (Jaco, 2002, p.257)
8
9. Therapy
“work in which social and psychological means are used to
enable individuals (single or in family or formed groups) to
cope with environmental, interpersonal and/or intrapsychic
dilemmas – and the interactions among these- that are
causing personal distress (Woods & Hollis, 1990 as quoted in
Jaco, 2002, p. 257)
9
10. Shared Elements (Jaco, 2002, p. 257)
Concern for internal and external life of the client
Concern for the manner in which these interact
Goal to strengthen the client to cope with pressures and
demands from within and without
Purpose of achieving a sound level of functioning
10
12. Theory
“[A] theory is an attempt to explain. It is, in short, a framework
for understanding. It is a set of ideas linked together to help
make us make sense of particular issue or set of issues
(Thompson, 2000, p.22).”
12
13. Critical Self-Reflection (Hick, 2010, p. 97)
Critical self reflection – “knowledge about ones self
(Mullaly, 2002, as quoted in Hick, 2010, p.97)”
It is important for SSW to “understand how their
own identities, beliefs, and their professional and
personal lives are shaped by forces in society such
as the media, parental influence, educational
institutions and social structures (Hick, 2010, p.
97)?
13
15. Family
• Types of families - traditional, blended, single parent, same
sex, other….
• Family issues – divorce, separation, domestic violence, child
welfare, adoption
15
16. Definition of Family
The Vanier Institute of the Family defines “family” as:
Any combination of two or more persons who are bound
together over time by ties of mutual consent, birth and/or
adoption or placement and who, together, assume
responsibilities for variant combinations of some of the
following:
Physical maintenance and care of group members
Addition of new members through procreation or adoption
Socialization of children
Social control of members
Production, consumption, distribution of goods and services, and
Affective nurturance — love
(Vanier Institute, 2012)
16
17. “Family Portrait” (Statistics Canada 2006)
8,896,840 families up 6.3% from 2001
• 6,105,910 married up 3.5% from 2001
• 1,376,865 common-law up 18.9% from 2001
• 1,414,060 lone-parent families up 7.8% from 2001
17
18. Families in Canada (Statistics Canada 2006)
Family Type 2001 2006
Married 70.5% 68.6%
Common-law 13.8% 15.5%
Lone-parent 15.7% 15.9%
Same-sex couples
(includes married
couples)
n.d. 0.6%
18
19. What are the implications from the
research? (Statistics Canada, 2006)
• 2006 was the first time unmarried (51.5%) outnumbered
married people
• 20 years ago only 38.6% were unmarried
19
20. What are the implications from the
research? (Statistics Canada, 2006)
2001-2006 11.8% increase in one-person households
2001-2006 11.2% increase in couples without children
aged 24 and under
2001-2006 0.4% increase in couples and children aged
24 years and under
20
21. What are the implications from the
research? (Statistics Canada, 2006)
• 2006, 43.5% of the 4 million young adults aged 20-29 lived in
the parental home – 20 years ago the figure was 32.1%
• Ontario is 51.5% (next only to N-L at 52.2%)
21
22. Common Family Stages (HealthLinkBC, 2012)
Independence
Coupling
Parenting
Launching adult children
Retirement
22
23. Vanier institute Fact Sheet Fathers in
Canada (June 2012)
Total Number of Father in Canada 8.1 million
Lone Parent Fathers 338,000
Stay at Home Dads (2 parent families) 54,000
Stay at home parents who were fathers 1984 & 2008 3% & 10%
Average time spent daily caring for children 3.1h
Average daily time spent performing paid work 6h
Proportion who claim to be more involved with their children than
their father was
75%
23
24. Vanier Institute Fact Sheet Mothers in
Canada (May 2012)
Total number of mothers in Canada 9.2 million
The number of mothers with children under the age of 18 living with
them
3.9million
Employment rate for mothers with school aged children 1976 and 2009 39% - 73%
The amount of time spent daily by mother in unpaid work 4.6h
The amount of time spent daily by women caring for children 0 - 4 6.6h
The median net worth of lone parent families headed by a female – the
lowest of any family type (2009)
$17,000
The extent to which, on average, women without children out earn
women with children – this gap increases with the number of children
12%
24
26. Coupling Stage (HealthLinkBC, 2012)
Developing a new family together
Adjustments to relationships with friends & family
Committed to making it work
Needs of another to consider
26
27. Parenting (HealthLinkBC, 2012)
Ability to communicate well, maintain your
relationships, and solve problems are tested
Provide a safe, loving, and organized
environment
Divorce, & extramarital affairs
27
28. “Empty Nest” (HealthLinkBC, 2012)
Children leave home - "empty nest”
Developing adult relationships with your children
Spouses may no longer feel compatible
Health and energy levels decline
Caring for aging parents
28
29. Retirement (HealthLinkBC, 2012)
New family members – grandchildren
Children marry or divorce
Caring for elderly parents
Physical & mental abilities may decline
Financial or social status decline
Death of family members
29
30. References
HealthLinkBC. (2012). Family life cycle. Retrieved August 24, 2012 from
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/content/special/ty6171.html
Hick, S. (2010). Social work in Canada: An introduction. Toronto, ON.,
Canada: Thompson Educational Publishing.
Jaco. M. (2002). Individual treatment. In F. Turner (Ed.), Social work
practice: a Canadian perspective (pp. 255- 269). Toronto : Prentice Hall.
Ridgely, E. (2002). Family treatment. In F. Turner (Ed.), Social work
practice: a Canadian perspective (pp. 270- 281). Toronto : Prentice Hall.
Statistics Canada. (2006). 2006 Census: Families, marital status, households
and dwelling characteristics. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/070912/dq070912a-eng.htm
The Vanier Institute of the Family. ( 2012). Definition of the family.
Retrieved July 4, 2012 from h
ttp://www.vanierinstitute.ca/definition_of_family
30
