Critical Social Work Theoretical Frameworks Social Work Essay

captious sociable Work Theoretical Frame counterfeits complaisant Work EssayIntroductionThe essay shall research and analyse the theoretical underpinnings and key elements of precise kindly subject area. The account shall then describe discernment in amicable work employ contexts and consider how faultfinding amicable work theories like Marxism, Feminism, Radical Social work and Post Modernism extradite mold exercise. A range of values ranging from personal, nonrecreational, institutional, organisational or agency, political, ghostly and cultural inevitably feature and must be dealt with in dress. Over and above this lies the companionable justice, emancipatory agenda vehicle by anti-oppressive nuzzlees. Empathy is required and the social histrion must be in the clients shoes (Egan, 1998). Theoretical bases and approaches enable practitioners to cross social break ups and be with the client in a supportive way in an accountable and ethical manner. Vast energy mus t be invested to dispel and challenge both the personal and the structural dominant forces of oppressive put ons. The author shall go about to demonstrate how theories have shaped the response approaches to service deli rattling(prenominal) and contributed to pro practice.Critical Social Work Theoretical FrameworksThe emergence of Socialism, Marxism, Liberalism and Conservativism shaped the uphill social professions at the turn of the twentieth century totally and reshaped the manner in which life was understood. How the social, political, economic shaped that honesty became core in conceptualising reality and the way humans reacted to the world around them. In most cases socially constructed realities could be explained by the material realities if one was to look at the world through a Marxist perspective. The 1960-70s interpretation of social problems, described as the rediscovery of s go offtiness. Marxist principles understood the world as socially divided by class, rend ering rough classes more susceptible to poverty than others as economically determined by having no control of the means of production. Marxist theory locates class struggle as a means of redressing this kind of socio-economic imbalance and the inequality The core elements in this phase were modes of production and federal agency, the equality that came with the package and the desire for change, social change could besides be achieved through class struggle.The human position could thus be understood as driven and controlled by the external, in this case the poor as the oppressed group desired change. Social works role involves working with peoples lives, social problems centred on poverty and disadvantage and the core business involves establishing balance, social constancy and social justice. Intervention without challenging social exclusion, inequality and poverty has proved to be insufficient but traditional social work pathologised the single.At the earliest phases soci al work was more about maintaining public order and suppressing civil unrest and class struggle rather than getting d consume to the core issues of poverty alleviation and challenging the sources and reasons for the differences that affected the people. Norms of behaviour and lifestyle for the people were determined by the eligibility criteria as the beneficiary elements of philanthropic intercessions more than rights driven determinants.Radical social work emerged to instil that it was in fact a political activity. Social work should be about supporting those in sine qua non, challenging inequality and social change, not social control dealing with material realities. With radical social work emerged the community element in social work, conscious raising approach, bit-by-bit incremental change in the border and oppositional activism. As the profession developed minute social work begins to understand oppressive forces and work to reconstruct effect imbalances (Thompson, 2007 Dominelli, 1988 Braye and Preston-ShootRadical social work had been too minimalistic and was criticised for over focussing on class and paying no attention to other forms of inequalities. Bhatti- Sinclair (2011) argues that social players remain connected to human rights, ethics and values and continuously seek a sharper perceptiveness of how to apply theoretical concepts found in universal humanitarian principles, professional ethics and national law, policy and procedure. (xii) Inclusivity and citizenship be the main targets in critical social work practice as opposed to viewing people as collective groups (Glaister, 2008). Anti-oppressive practice thereby pursues social justice and challenges practice discrimination and oppression bluntly. Engagement with social reality must involve critiquing of social systems and structures, and rate platforms for social change and difference. The approach has an ethical commitment to social justice by exposing inequalities and challengin g unequal power dynamics in society. The manner in which society functions has structures that can either oppress or liberate some social groups. As the practitioner works, there is undoubtedly the challenge of professionally compliant.Social Work Practice ApproachesCritical social work practice at all ages uses with how other people on the other social, cultural, religious divide are understood by us. Understanding diversity and how personal views and values are located must be a constant reflective professional commitment. Personal or societal perceptions are shaped over time or driven by historical and socio-political realities/ environss must be understood. Where stereotypes have been shaped over time in individuals a professional operational base must be adopt. Braye, S Preston-Shoot, M (2003) challenge hypocritical professionalism by public debate that personal values and attitudes will al ways be there, the issue is that they should not affect effective service delivery. This is the heart of critical social work practice being able to transcend the personal and being a professional.Social work can challenge or maintain status quo and that social workers are invested with power to care and control. In the context of what shall be discussed later about assessments, Braye Preston-Shoot (2003) state that,Preparation for and review of practice requires workers to understand themselves, their relationship with and blow on others, and their strengths and weaknesses in relation to maintaining a professional role (2003135).Respect is necessary both when working with service users and fellow colleagues. As explored in Thompsons model PCS, Social work must explore the personal, cultural and structural dimensions of discrimination, and how these come together, and can be challenged in different ways (Dominelli, 2009). Social work must not reinforce oppression, discrimination or any inequality. Social work can reinforce patriarchal and other oppressive syste ms and power relations.There are social realities that social work either challenges reinforce, statistically ethnic minority groups generally experience higher rates of unemployment, live in poorer housing, have poorer health, lower levels of schoolman achievement, higher rates of exclusions from schools and are over-represented in prison statistics. Families who are from black and ethnic minority groups are more likely to be referred to childrens social work services, receive support services later, and children are more likely to go into the care system. There are other forms of prejudice, inequality and discrimination which can hybridize, and these can affect people in many different ways. In light of these objective realities, what could be the drivers of such realities? What ideas are generated about the social group and how could this impact on a practitioners judgement when dealing with an individual from BME groups.The identical applies when working with Unaccompanied As ylum Seeking Children, awareness of professional responsibility and a social justice approach when conducting an age assessment must be the practice base. The Human rights and child rights must be fascinately accorded without discrimination. Another example is that of go blaming in a child protection cases. Feminist theory has challenged this gendered approach to problem solving where the female is mostly at the centre of the problem yet ignores the men from the social causal matrix. As a result of critical social work a shift has developed where the whole domestic environment and people must be part of the issue at hand. If all are not challenged this practice reinforces the interests of some groups over others and oppresses women.Assessment ProcessMiddleton (1997) describes assessment as part of the intend agenda involving gathering and construe information in order to understand a person and their circumstances. It involves making judgements based on information. (Middleton, 19975). The play here involves respect for the individuals values, their core identity and judgements are made without being judgemental. Selective and stereotypical considerations must be avoided, labelling and categorising people and overlooking their identicalness and can allow elements of discrimination to permeate the butt against which must otherwise not be affected by individual values and perspectives. As argued by Clifford (1998) it is important that social workers check their individual biases and promise that these do not affect the manner in which they undertake assessments.In direct link with critical social work, assessments must be informed by critical theory to enhance a equilibrate, just and anti-oppressive assessment process. Personal views held by the social worker must not occupy any space in the assessment process for the sake of justice, fair access to services anti-discriminatory practice.Parker and Bradley (2005) argue that a balanced approach of an asse ssment involves wisdom, skills, appreciation of diversity and systematically applied knowledge in direct practice. Service users must feel that they benefit from the assessment process for it to be effective (Addock, 2001) and the social worker and family members must collectively contribute to the process. This involvement enriches the process and eliminates subjective approaches to the assessment.Social work practice and critical approaches intersect the worker must be conscious of their personal beliefs and values and strike a responsible, ethical and professional balance in the manner the assessment and intervention is conducted and be honest and explicit with service users. (Parker Bradley, 2005 7). Extensive knowledge of the service users environmental and living systems and the wider systems that impinge on them must be key determinants in assessments (Parker Bradley 200513) .Service user involvement is empowering and demonstrates citizenship and self driven responsibility as human worth.Understanding power dynamics in assessmentsPower relations inherent in the social work process must be carefully managed and ensure a balanced contributory approach whereby an exchange model would can adopted to acknowledge that the service users are experts of their situations. Service users and social workers exchange ideas, information and ways forward to make a difference and find alternative ways of approaching as collective partners (Parker Bradley, 200514). In terms of skills this involves actively listening to service users being available for them, a professional and non-judgemental or non directive approach, like a shot and honest talk and social justice pursuit. (Parker Bradley, 2005).Child centred assessments must be informed by child development theories, ecological approaches, ensuring equality of opportunity, involvement of families and an interagency approach ensures collective creative interventions. When working with unaccompanied asylum seeking c hildren for example, Culturegrams help in analysing the impact of stopping destine in the lives of those individuals and families being assessed (Parker Bradley, 200550-53). This can be very useful when working with BME groups as well as refugees and asylum seekers in a broader context. Values of the families and individuals are explored and these help shape the nature of the intervention where the individual shapes the course of the intervention as opposed to it being driven by the powerful professionals.Multiculturalism and social workMulticulturalism is a 21st Century challenge as citizenship recognition and integration a modern society characteristic. Critical multiculturalism suggests that social workers need to intellectually engage with the issues of difference and citizenship, in a manner that detaches practice from monoculturalist norms (Powell, 2001146). Social workers are practically challenged to interrogate the value assumptions of their approach and assess principle s and values they use in practice. If social workers are to avoid narrative repression, they need to be capable of challenging discursive hierarchies of meaning in their practice. (Powell, 2001146). This captures the reflexive component in the intervention. This involves challenging the very systems that they use and lobby for the change in structural elements that could be oppressing the very people they would be working with.Feminist social work engages in redressing gender inequalities, this could be the mother blaming attitude that it challenges. Critical social work engages a need for awareness by practitioners, a transformation of cultural attitudes around race relations, gay rights and the relationship between sexuality, culture and power and of the need for anti-discriminatory practice (Powell, 2001149). In order to meet the professional demands of the profession, social workers must seek guidance and close the gap between personal values and professional practice. This mus t make constant reference to human rights, equality, discrimination and racialism (Bhatti- Sinclair, 2011). Fook (2000) argues that expert critical social workers are able to name critical knowledge which challenges and resists all forms of domination.Anti-racist practiceDominelli (2008) points out that anti-racist practice beyond that presented in Thompsons (2007) PCS model by emphasising on its interactional nature. For Dominelli (2008) racism is a multidimensional form of oppression over and above discrimination Institutional and Cultural racism are structurally associated and viewed as less evil than the personal racism which society frowns upon, yet the is no better racism. If practitioners hand over responsibility of BME issues to BME staff this may be problematic as it may result in a lack of obligation by fair social workers to anti-racist practice and reinforce difference. Institutional practices must be professionally compliant (Bhatti- Sinclair, 2011128) at their own l evel.Treatment of black families/children hits them every day and there are challenges that the social workers have to deal with in the face of these ingrained stereotypical views of the good white family and the bad black family. Dominelli (2008) argues that challenging how white people perceive black families is only possible within positive trusting relationships. Nomadic settlers fall into the same category where as the minority ethnic groups where stereotypical assumptions exist that can influence the social work process.To work with individuals on the autistic spectrum requires knowledge and understanding of autism. Knowledge of the conditions characteristics, the basic understanding of the triad of injustices is necessary for use in the social work process. The individuals must not be viewed as unwilling to engage due their limited social interaction skills but must be understood and appropriate communication systems used. For example, instead of talking through an assessmen t fork over boards, games of their interest, familiar environments and using their preferred mode of communication would help to involve them, engage them and remove a possible stereotypical view that they cannot make decisions. If this process does not involve them, the likelihood is that anti-oppressive practice would have been failed. Good practice recognises individuality and this permeates through the social work process.Assessment process in practiceThe authors work experience with a forty year old autistic man in Coventry stands as a unique example of the complexness of service user involvement and creativity aimed at raising the level of positive outcomes in reviewing a care plan. The only established access point for his contributions was when he was away from home, on the bus. During any travel by bus, he livened up and opened up, expressed his views about the service he was receiving and it was the best time to evaluate the support care plan, conversationally in a bus. W orking around the individuals world helped the social care provider to reach out to the very important needs that an office based assessment could not achieve. The bus environment had no powerful/powerless unequal binary dynamic in it. It was his comfort zone. Failure to recognise individual likes, obsessions and sensory issues in autistic individuals can hinders the social work process. Effective assessments can only be possible when the service user is located at the centre of the process by use of approaches that promote social change and justice.Challenging discrimination in practiceChildren are often described as vulnerable, innocent, in need of protection and lacking experience. If not carefully approached the child may be sidelined from the assessment process and overshadowed by adult ideas. If it is around abuse in the home, it is the childs experience and not the adults experience that must take precedence with the child as the expert. The Lamming Report accentuate the ne ed to see the world through the eyes of the child. The role of the social worker in practice is to challenge discrimination, exclusion of socially excluded groups like children. Children have been looked at as subjects and the critical approach locates them as able to shape and voice. Failure to recognise children and the social workers relatively powerful position practitioners reinforce oppression. The critical practitioner engages service users to facilitate the telling of their stories in the assessment process.Law is used to counter oppressive practice and sets out operational parameters for professionals to deal with racism and be aware that discrimination is unlawful (Race relations Act 1976 Equality Act 2006, Bhatti- Sinclair, 2011).To overcome the practice challenge, social workers have looked up to anti-racist advocates for guidance on methods and models which respond ethically, effectively and efficiently to daily challenges and dilemmas (Bhatti- Sinclair, 2011).Training and existing regulatory bodies like the HCPC enable practice to be justice based by requiring professionalism by the workforce through compliance and guidance. The Professional capabilities Framework requires the worker to Recognise and manage the impact on people of the power invested in your role (PCF 33) and standards of development calls on the need to recognise the power dynamics in relationships with service users and carers and be able to manage those dynamics appropriately (SoPS 2.8). Formalised assessments aid in injecting consistency Crisp et al (2005) argues that the absence of a formalised assessment framework results in subjective assessments. Professionally trained and skilled workers enhance a fair assessment. Assessments must not just look at behaviour, but also the cause of the behaviour in a holistic way in order to make correct judgements and this is achieved through service user participation in the process. Milner Byrne, (2002) postulate that the assessment t here is need for mapping before planning the assessment journey. This involves knowing the child, engaging them and drawing their strengths in order to shape appropriate support (Dominelli Payne, 2002).InvolvementEffective anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice must be gaunt from practice intelligence, applied research and service users involvement. Empowering practice has an involvement and integration component as opposed to exclusion practice approaches by lack of appropriate language and culture awareness (Bhatti- Sinclair, 2011).Structurally, well planned and coordinated assessments and interventions involve the service user and must respond sensitively to their needs.Awareness of our own prejudices and olden experiences and ideas must be non-threatening to clients (Lindsay, 2010) .Interactive polarisation between the social worker and client can undermine social work effectiveness whereupon families and individuals are pathologised either as unreachable or resistant. Positiv e communication enhances the relationship building (Kaprowska 20105) which is the key to an accurate assessment.Individuals with disabilities often argue that social workers assessments of them emphasise more on impairment and less on being seen as human, instead assessments must explore their individual abilities. In addition when working with individuals who use minority languages it can become a barrier for an accurate assessment hence the need to plan assessments for these individuals with full awareness of this key communication element in order to ensure the service users involvement. This could be necessitated by translators or minority language speaking social workers. Similarly, when working with the elderly, assessments must detect abilities and not reinforce ageist stereotypes, shared power and agreed direction principle.ConclusionThe concept of critical practice locates the social worker as an active participant in a process of interpreting and understanding relationship s and communication that must cut across difference. Over and above assumptions, prejudices, personal beliefs, structural frameworks the critical practitioner must be reflexive and set-aside(p) in an empowering way whilst being aware of personal and socio-cultural origins and belief systems and challenging all forms of oppression. Appropriate skills and knowledge must be incorporated for the social work process to be effective.