CHAPTER FOURISSUES RELATED TO ASSESSMENT AND PLANNINGThe Practice of Generalist Social Work (2nd ed.)

Key Ideas

Assessment and planning in practice often is not a straightforward process.

There are many issues and dynamics related to the agency, clients, and outside systems that can impact assessment and planning processes and that need to be considered.

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The Agency Perspective

Administrative tasks Accountability Financial constraints

Documentation Record-keeping and what information to

include

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The Client Perspective Involuntary, mandated, and nonvoluntary clients Engagement with involuntary clients

Prepare yourself to deal with a variety of emotions coming from clients

Explore how clients see their situations Legal and power issues

Avoid making assumptions about clients’ situations

Help clients see situations from the perspectives of others and anticipate legal processes

Create transparency around the unequal power dynamic between social workers and clients

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The Client Perspective Client anger and skills for working with

anger issues

Recognize and control your own feelings of tension, anger, and defensiveness

Avoid returning angry or hostile comments Acknowledge clients’ strengths in a genuine

way Focus on alternatives that are realistic to

clients Avoid moralizing or lecturing

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The Client Perspective Client crises: What constitutes a crisis?

When, because of a stressful situation and/or a precipitating event, a system, such as an individual or family, that has had a satisfactory level of social functioning develops a state of disequilibrium, or loses its steady state. Coping mechanisms that have worked in past situations no longer are working, although there is usually some considerable struggle to cope.

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The Client Perspective Steps in crisis intervention

Assess crisis including lethality, danger to self or others, and immediate psychosocial needs

Rapidly establish rapport Identify the issues pertinent to clients Use active listening skills to deal with clients’

emotions Explore alternatives by identifying clients’

strengths and previous successful coping mechanisms

Establish and implement action and follow-up plan© 2011 Taylor & Francis

The Client Perspective Suicide assessment

Focus questions on thoughts clients might have about death and suicide

Ask if clients have a plan, time frame, and method

Assess the lethality of the method Know and assess risk factors for suicide Know legal and agency procedures for

responding to high- and low-risk clients

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The Social Worker Perspective Painful events and triggers

Recognize that painful events will occur in practice Be aware of personal signs of trauma and burnout Get help and support Practice self care

Use self as resource Understand shared power Focus on practical goals Develop support systems Develop a healthy lifestyle

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