Social work can be a rewarding career. Not only does social work allow you to build on your strengths, but it can also give you a feeling of accomplishment.
According to Forbes, social work is among the most meaningful occupations. Through social work, you can act on your passion for an issue. For example, if you advocate for mental health, you can work with individuals in a mental health facility. Alternatively, social workers wanting to help individuals with chronic health issues can work in a hospice care facility.
On top of that, social work is in high demand. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the social work industry will grow faster than average over the next seven years, with a 16% increase in employment opportunities.
However, it is worth noting that before you can reap those benefits, you must study online master’s in social work at a reputed academic institution such as Cleveland State University to learn critical social work principles.
Armed with these principles, you can help promote social change and problem-solving in human relationships. This article outlines critical social work principles you must learn to perform your responsibilities effectively in any setting.
Why are the principles of social work important?
Before examining the four fundamental social work principles, let’s first understand why it is essential. Social workers must adhere to specific guidelines to promote public welfare, like other industries.
Social work principles remind these professionals to follow ethical guidelines when performing their responsibilities. This way, they can accomplish their goals and ensure better outcomes. In short, these principles are a guideline for professionals working with different clients.
By creating specific standards, social workers can navigate professional considerations and obligations when ethical uncertainties arise. This way, they can hold themselves accountable for their actions and work towards a shared goal.
Principle of acceptance
The importance of acceptance in social work is too hard to ignore. The social work practitioner and the client must accept each other to achieve desired results. The client must accept the social work practitioner because the latter is helping the former in overcoming their problem condition.
As a social worker, an altitude of acceptance means you must learn to respect your clients without judgment. This means understanding that people from different backgrounds may not always mesh or resemble your own. It is not uncommon for social workers to over-identify with the client if there are similarities in the client’s problems, personality and circumstances.
However, doing so only does more harm than good, as overstepping in the client’s life may intrude on their rights of self-independence. It’s also important to not try to change your clients to fit your needs. This includes avoiding imposing your wants and beliefs on them even if you disapprove of their actions and behaviors.
Moreover, you must also be neutral when entering professional communication with a client. By adopting the principle of acceptance in social work, you can establish rapport and trust in resolving the client’s dysfunction without worsening their conditions.
Principle of communication
Effective communication is a fundamental component of social work. As a social worker, it’s important to understand the client’s verbal and non-verbal communication. This way, you can establish a setting for conversations and provide ample ways for clients to express their feelings and emotions.
More often than not, social workers must gain information from individuals unwilling to part with that information or who are difficult to understand. For social workers to get the necessary information, they must learn to ask the right questions and make eye-to-eye contact when speaking with clients and those involved with their care. Through this process, they can build trust and make the client feel important.
Communicating effectively also extends to knowing how to diffuse conflict. Social workers must learn not to let conflict interfere with other issues. By allowing the clients to articulate their feelings, they can ensure a smooth flow of messages and make it easier to diffuse or even avoid conflict.
Principle of confidentiality
Confidentiality is valued and demanded in any situation where sensitive information is shared or accessible. The principle of confidentiality is a solid foundation that contributes to developing a robust professional-client bond.
As a social worker, you must respect the client’s right to privacy. This means not soliciting private information from or about them. Your clients will only open up if they trust you.
Client confidentiality aims to encourage clients to share information that may embarrass or even self-incriminate them. By sharing such information, the social worker can assist the client by addressing their issues and concerns. While working with clients, you must also explain to them the limits of confidentiality.
Principle of individualization
As mentioned above, every client is unique. The principle of individualization stems from the fundamental realization that everyone is a distinct entity. As a result, their challenges and the assistance they require will differ.
Therefore, social workers must differentiate their approach to casework assistance so that you are able to address specific requirements. This way, you can cater to the different needs of each client and work toward problem resolution and value-added adjustment. By respecting a client’s rights and wants, you can make them feel understood and provide them with complete and specialized attention.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, an excellent way to apply the principle of individualization is to adopt an open and unbiased attitude so that you can deliver an accurate assessment of the client’s situation. You must also be able to maintain perspective on the issue, which will let you focus on the client as a whole and evaluate the interplay of social, physical and psychosocial factors.
Adopting key social work principles
Failing to follow these principles can significantly affect a social worker’s career. Learn more about these principles by enrolling in a social work degree program and working towards becoming a social worker today.