Examining Best Practices in Macro Social Work Essays

Examining Best Practices in Macro Social Work SWU411 March 8, 2013 Abstract The concept of â€Å"best practice† is widely used in business management, healthcare, and in the social work field to mean the most efficient and effective way of doing things: ways that use the minimum of resources and yet return the optimum results. In the context of professional social work, often there are built-in tensions between the pressure for efficiency and the need to respect the individuality of clients and to work at their pace. Social workers must take into account the complexity and the difficulty of tasks where there are no straightforward actions which could promote the welfare of one person or group without possibly causing harm, or†¦show more content†¦Ferguson (2003) put it succinctly, when stating that â€Å"[t]his requires a broadening of the concept of evidence-based practice to include qualitative research methods and the experience of professionals, service users and the production of ‘practice-based evidence’† (p. 1005) . The greatest difficulty in arriving at the best practice given any specific situation, is that â€Å"in looking for and attempting to remedy the causes of individual and societal ills, we have overlooked a fundamental technique, namely, understanding,†¦the process by which the practitioner seeks totally to apprehend human beings, their inner minds and their feelings, and the way these are expressed in their outward actions and achievements† (Rodwell, 1987, p. 323). This is especially true when given a macro-level situation, since it requires that â€Å"understanding† be applied to a larger group than one social worker is likely to personally examine. Consider the problem-centered approach utilized during the Charity Organization Society (COS) movement where the initial assessments were developed based on â€Å"the identification and testing of eligibility of clients according to agency rules and procedures,† ([emphasis added], p. 232). They placed the cause of a problem—such as poverty—on the individual rather than looking at it from a broader ecological systems perspective, such as theShow MoreRelatedPsychology and Understanding Human Behavior1745 Words   |  7 PagesAdolescent Development in the Social Environment Gender and Sexual Orientation | | Details | Due | Points | Objectives | 1 2.1 Describe the social, biological, and psychological development of an individual during adolescence. 2.2 Analyze individual and family interactions associated with adolescence. 2.3 Explain the social constructs of gender and sexual orientation. | | | Reading | Read Ch. 6 of Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment. | | Read MoreWhy Does The Council On Social Work Education?1078 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelop evidence based practices. Evidence based practices provide the best social work skills for individuals, groups and agencies. Research provides a solid base of documented skills for social workers to use. 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