Social Casework Methodology A Skills Handbook For The Caribbean Human Services Worker

This brief is a practical reference contextualizing social casework methodology in a specifically Caribbean cultural and historical context. It emerged from the experiences of human services workers and educators working in the Caribbean. The concepts of social welfare policy and programs are relatively new to the Caribbean as historically Christian-based organizations and local communities took the responsibility of caring for those in need. As social problems grew more complicated and threatened the security of the nation (e.g., gang violence), it became clear that governments of these small island states needed to provide a systematic approach in dealing with these social problems to help their citizens have a better quality of life. Social Casework Methodology: A Skills Handbook for the Caribbean Human Services Worker outlines a systematic approach that human services workers will find useful while working with clients in the Caribbean. It also is an easy-to-use text that defines social casework methodology, components of the methods, case histories, and exercises for social work students interested in working in the human services sector in the Caribbean.

Integrating social development with social work education, this book meets a crucial need for social work educators, scholars, and students. Unlike theory works which list out the skills required for the practice of social work methods but do not enable development of these skills, this manual discusses concrete exercises for the development of method-linked skills. The book carries a continuous thread of discourse on how to develop interactive work ability in individuals to ensure holistic professional development. It facilitates the inculcation of professional and global competencies essential for a social worker in a student.

This is a basic book in social casework. Its thesis is that among all the complexities within the subject matter and operations of casework there are certain constant elements, forces, and processes which give coherence and unity to its practice. Mrs. Perlman identifies and analyzes these constants and views them within the logical framework of problem-solving. In turn, problem-solving as a casework process is examined in its likeness to normal human problem-solving efforts. The result is an approach to learning and thinking about casework which is at once organized, synthesized, and imaginative. The book's usefulness is enhanced by the author's lucid and pointed style.

Originally published in 1964, this was an introduction to social casework, that is social work with individuals and families. It was written for students at the beginning of their training and, while intended for the social worker, it would also prove useful to other students of the social sciences and interesting to the ordinary citizen who wanted to know what social work could offer either to people in trouble or to those who adopted it as a career. The book was both authoritative and up-to-date at the time, in a field in which methods of training had evolved quite rapidly. To this its origin bears witness: the preparatory work was done by Miss Florence Mitchell, an experienced social worker and teacher of social casework. The book was shaped in consultation with other practitioners and teachers, including Dr Younghusband and Miss K. M. Lewis of the National Institute whose work had done so much to shape modern methods of training. The first chapter gives a picture of people who need the social worker's help. It is followed by a brief survey of methods, by three chapters of case studies and by a final chapter on social work in the social services. The book thus combines a philosophy with practical guidance.

Social work with children and families is constantly in the headlines and social workers' decisions are subject to ever increasing scrutiny at all levels. This book supports students and newly qualified social workers by suggesting practical ways in which they might thrive, rather than just survive, in practice.