The significance of empowerment and partnerships within the purview of Essay

The significance of empowerment and partnerships within the purview of the Social Work practice - Essay Example Also I will review the code of ethics and its impact on the practice of Social Work. Through the use of various literatures, I will examine the use of skills and values in Social Work practice as it affects service users, carers and other professionals. The Social Work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, Social Work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to Social Work. (Bolton, 2003:2). It applies to Social Work practitioners and educators in every region and country in the world. In a similar vein, Wikipedia Encyclopedia (2006) states that a Social Worker is a "professionally trained person employed in the administration of charity, social service, welfare, and poverty agencies, advocacy, or religious outreach programs". Social Workers are employed by health agencies or just work voluntarily with communities; however a large number of Social Workers are employed by the government. I. Child, family, and school social workers: these are the workers who find foster homes for abused or neglected children. They also provide assistance to parents teaching them how to care for their children better. Most Social Workers in schools work as 'guidance counsellors' and offer students and teachers advice about learning, behavior and social problems, like bullying or shyness. II. Medical and public health Social Workers: these are the Social Workers who work in the health sector directly or indirectly helping people who are sick or who have had health problems for a long period of time. They give advice families about how to deal with their sick. III. Mental health and substance abuse Social Workers: clinical social workers as they sometimes called help people who are challenged with mental illness, upset feelings, or drug or alcohol abuse. They organize sessions involving talking- therapy with people in order to identify their problems and teach classes about how to make a budget, deal with anger, or get other life skills. No matter their focus, most Social Workers spend the day in an office and some are volunteers who have their own businesses or hold other job but have a passion for the work. Skills in Social Work. A skill is defined as the "ability to do something well and is usually gained through training or experience" (Encarta, 2005). Skills in Social Work can therefore be described as the relevant experience or ability needed to perform the functions of the profession. In her book Social skills, author Pamela Trevithick (2000) writes that "skills can be used in practice to enhance effectiveness and help