Social Work as an Integral Part of the States Policy - Essay Example

? Social Work Social Work Social work is a profession that promotes social change, solves problems in human relationships, empowerment and liberation of people to enhance their well-being. Social workers utilize theories of human behaviour and social systems to intervene at points where people interact with their environments. Principles of social justice and human rights are fundamental principles upon which social work is applied and implemented. Social work deals with social care by safeguarding and providing support for children, young people and their families, and vulnerable adults, their relatives and caregivers. In the United Kingdom (UK), there have been statutory registration, regulation and conduct standards for social workers. Social work is a professional endeavour that seeks to work in partnership with frequently disadvantaged and marginalized persons in order to increase their choice and control over their own lives. This paper seeks to highlight the powers and duties of social workers in the UK by highlighting on a given case study. The paper will also give an account of various legislations that might apply to the given case study, and any social work intervention that might apply to the case. The National Health Services & Community Care Act of 1990 was passed as a legislation that was meant to guide how the UK National Health Service should assess and provide care (Hill, 2010 p29). These guidelines set out needs, requirements and circumstances as the basic stipulates that are to be followed in the provision of health services. The local authority under which Bill’s family lives in is tasked with assessing their need for social care and support and appropriates the required assistance accordingly. A social worker should be able to note the family’s dire need for social care and support by virtue of Bill’s inability to cope with all his family’s needs single-handedly. Through a competent assessment through a social worker, Bill’s family should be accorded social care and support because the assessment should be able to prove their eligibility (Lishman, 2007 p180). This is part of the powers and duties that social workers are accorded to enable them effectively carry out their task of protecting the less privileged in society. If a social worker assesses the situation in Bill’s home and suspects or establishes the children are at risk, then they are empowered by law to take steps to safeguard their welfare. This is according to Section 47 of the Children Act of 1989 (Hill, 2010 p21). The case study pertaining to this paper addresses Bill jolly a father of four children; three daughters and one son. Bill’s employment was terminated due to the redundancy of his skills in his particular profession, which made him an unemployed sole provider of his family. He receives some support from his extended family although he asks never asks for their help or assistance. From a social worker’s perspective, Bill Jolly’s situation is indicative of an individual who needs adequate attention with respect to social work principles (Cournoyer, 2007 p84). This is becauseas a social worker, one should ensure that those persons they are involved in evaluating are sufficiently endowed in their ability cater for their responsibilities (Ferguson, Lavalette& Whitmore, 2005 p128). A social worker should confirm that Bill Jolly’s employer adheres to the laid down procedures and policies that guide remuneration of redundant employees in UK. The Redundancy Payment Acts of 1967 – 2007 stipulate a minimum entitlement of a redundancy payment for employees under contractual terms of employment with their employer (Gambrill, 2012 p45). This means that an employee who is not permanently employed should receive compensation if their employment is terminated before their contract expires. A social worker should evaluate Bills situation and determine activities in which Bill can engage in and positively affect his life. An individual like Bill should be encouraged to engage in activities that will earn him some money and at the same time relieve his stress levels. A social worker dealing with Bill’s situation should endeavour to make sure that Bill acquires a means of earning some extra money apart from what he receives from the state and relatives. Bill’s stress levels could be accentuated by an inability to adequately provide for his family at present, yet he was able to do so before. Securing Bill a meaningful activity that sets him at ease will positively reflect on the wellbeing of his entire family. A social worker should be able to identify, through their training and experience, stress factors that accentuate people’s suffering and disadvantages in society (Aldgate, Seden& Rose, 2007 p128). Bill’s wife Jodie Jolly has learning disabilities, which are exemplified by her inability to deal with figures and communicate effectively. Although there is no official diagnosis for Jodie’s condition, a competent social worker should recognize that Jodie’s condition amounts to disability and should entitle them to more government funding. A social worker should strive to ensure that Bill’s family receives the appropriate support and funding from the state due to their disadvantaged status. This can be interpreted to mean that Jolie’s condition leaves Bill as the only able and capable adult in the family. When Bill’s responsibility to his family is negated due his skills being redundant in the work place, this diminishes his ability to cater for his family’s needs and wants. A social worker should be to recognize this by the fact Bill’s extended family lends out a helping hand to his family because they acknowledge that the family needs help. UK’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 has been repealed by the Equality Act 2010 which is civil rights legislation that protects people disabilities from discrimination and bias due to their conditions (Goosey, 2012 p238). Social workers should ensure that the Equity Act 2010 legislation is fully functional in Bill’s family with regard to Jolie’s condition and the implications it has on her and the family. By doing this, a social worker can ensure that the disadvantage that her condition poses to the wellbeing of her family is alleviated. This is because the act accords people like Jolie specialized treatment and mechanisms of coping with the society’s reaction to their condition, and how to best cope with the situation. Chelsea and Primrose go and appear in school dirty and un-kept, which is an indication of neglect and lack of adequate and proper care by their parents Jolie and Bill. To a social worker, this should be an illustration of the level of problems that the family is experiencing. This is because it is not normal for children to go school when dirty and un-kept. This is an indication that these children might be going through more unfavourable experiences at home that are not beneficial to their wellbeing. In the UK, there is government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF, 2010) statute that requires everyone who is contact with children to report any instances and suspicions of child abuse and neglect (Cocker & Allan, 2011 p281). A social worker should follow the guidelines laid out in the statute to determine if these children are actually being neglected or being exposed to unfavourable conditions at home. Ascertaining whether these children are being abused or exposed to unsuitable conditions, a social worker should careful not to contravene the laid down rules. These rules state that consent should be sought from the children’s parents before any investigating takes place (Williams, 2008 p200). In the case where a social worker fails to get consent from the children’s parents, they should decide whether it is in the children’s’ best interest to investigate. If the problem lies on the parent’s inability to appropriately care for their children, a social worker should help them through education and instruction on how to better care for their children. If this does not work, a social worker should consider recommending to the social services the removal of these children from the care of their parents to more suitable environments (Johns, 2011 p93). Chelsea’s appearance at school with bruises on her face is a clear indication that she experiences some problems at home with regard to physical abuse. This can also be an indication of unsuitable environment in their home, which exposes her injurious implements and appliances. Her parents might be tasking her with difficult activities that put her at risk. A social worker should investigate the cause of her bruises in order to determine if Chelsea is being abused or exposed to injurious conditions (Cleaver et al. 2011 p74). Establishing the cause of her bruises could help save her from future and more harmful conditions.Children from Bill’s family that are sent school exhibit signs of neglect, this should be an indicator to a social worker that even the other children, Eddie and Madrid, might be also undergoing neglect. Since Eddie and Madrid are too young, they might be going through insufferable conditions, which they can not protest or voice. A social worker should the older children’s situation as indicators of what the younger children are going through. Social work is an integral part of any state’s policy that considers the welfare of its citizenry a priority. This is because social work is an effective and efficient way of ensuring that a government’s policies especially those that are aimed at availing social services to the people. Social work acts an effective monitoring tool that provides crucial information to the policy makers regarding the effectiveness of their policies in the community. Through social work, communities are given the chance to address issues that affect their livelihoods directly, and expedite the implementation of remedial measures. Bibliography Adgate, J., Seden, J. & Rose, W.Enhancing Social Work Management: Theory and Best Practice from the UK and USA. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 2007. Cocker, C. & Allan, L.Advanced Social Work with Children and Families. Illustrated Edition. 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