2. Read the article about social workers’ activities. Why is the job of a social worker so important?

SOCIAL WORKER: JOB DESCRIPTION AND ACTIVITIES

A social worker works with people who have been socially excluded or who are experiencing crisis. Their role is to provide support to enable service users to help themselves. They maintain professional relationships with service users, acting as guides, advocates or critical friends.

Social workers work in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures, supporting individuals, families and groups within the community. Settings may include the service users' home, schools, hospitals and other public sector and voluntary organizations.

Qualified social work professionals are often supported by social work assistants. They also work closely with other health and social care staff.

Typical social work activities in USA are quite different. Over 50 % of social workers work with young people and their families. They may also work with young offenders; people with mental health problems; school non-attenders; drug and alcohol abusers; people with learning and physical disabilities; the elderly.

Government legislation focusing on the integration of health and social work services means that social workers often work in multidisciplinary teams.

Multidisciplinary teams consist of staff from several different professional backgrounds who have different areas of expertise. These teams are able to respond to clients who require the help of more than one kind of professional. Multidisciplinary teams are often discussed in the same context as joint working, interagency work and partnership working. Multidisciplinary teams have evolved at varying speeds in different parts over the past 30 years or so in response to imperatives of central government. Social workers are increasingly working within multidisciplinary teams, such as youth offending, community mental health and community learning difficulty teams.

The tasks of the multidisciplinary teams of social and health care workers typically involve:

– undertaking and writing up assessments (often with medical staff), which meet specified standards and timescales;

• conducting interviews with service users and their families to assess and review their situation;

• offering information and counseling support to service users and their families;

• organizing and managing packages of support to enable service users to lead the fullest lives possible;

• recommending and sometimes making decisions about the best course of action for a particular service user;

• liaising with and making referrals to oilier agencies;

• participating in multidisciplinary teams and meetings, for example, child protection, mental health;

• maintaining accurate records and preparing reports for legal action;

• giving evidence in court;

• participating in training, supervision, and team meetings.

3. Read the article again. Answer the questions.

1. Who does a social worker deal with?

2. In what settings and within what framework do social workers work?

3. What professional relationships do social workers maintain with service users in the USA?

4. What are the typical functions of social workers?

5. Why does Government legislation welcome social workers to work in multidisciplinary teams.

6. What is a multidisciplinary team?

7. What activities do social workers carry out with young people and their families?