As a professional, their power is developed from their expertise, knowledge and ascribed powers. Furthermore, as the social work profession gains greater recognition in developing countries, such as China and India, there is need for an inclusive and representative approach to the conceptualisation of social work knowledge and the use of self (Yan and Tsui, 2007; Alphonse et al., 2008). Empowerment has become a well-used term across a wide variety of social work settings that involve dealing with people and their problems. In 1990 in the UK the case of 'The Pindown Experience', which occurred in the county of Staffordshire, came to the public and media attention. This interaction speaks volumes of institutionalised racism. Cultural differences, leading to disparities in moral and political outlooks, further complicate the relationship. As the model illustrates, the successful resolution of professional boundary issues is a skilled and multifaceted activity and can depend on achieving a balance between personal privacy, the safety of vulnerable individuals and the protection of the wider public (Doel et al., 2010, p.8). I am a Social Worker, Practice Educator Mentor, and Best Interests Assessor. Jenny R. Yang and Jane Liu The promise of our nation's anti-discrimination laws has not been fully realized because our current enforcement and legal system has failed to confront the fundamental power imbalance underpinning the employment relationship. I have always been referred to by my first name at work; my dad, on the other hand, has been called by racist nicknames which have stuck. To safeguard against such violations, the concept of professional boundaries is advocated, yet the construction of these boundaries is presented as if it is rudimentary for everyone. If the tendons in one finger are strained, and it becomes less mobile, there is likely to be an impact on the others. In this way, issues arising from individual intervention may see a client and social worker working together within the community to protest and develop community action. For example, a younger person coming into an industry may have more up to date knowledge and more useful skills than an older person, so there can be a power imbalance. George Floyds last words, as he was murdered, will haunt us forever. Thats the beauty of the graces; they are fluid. Alexander and Charles (2009) argue that the difficulty of balancing the need to relate to clients and the ideals of professional behaviour can make the position of social worker untenable when placed within the traditional notion of professional boundaries. These disciplinary practices are ways by which power is exercised throughout society, often manifesting in social relationship. A central characteristic of the proposed model is the recognition of the reciprocal nature of the connected professional relationship. Moreover, the model itself requires research to evaluate its effectiveness in order to refine the methods for negotiating relationships in specific contexts. The graces in the figure about are not an exhaustive list, and can be adapted. In attempting to reconceptualise the boundaries of professional social work practice, there are clearly tensions operating that need to be thoughtfully responded to. When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Social work theorists have used Foucauldian theory to question the role of the expert and the nature of truth in social work relationships and the potentially disempowering effects of such concepts (Hartman, 2000; Healy, 2005). inherent power asymmetry in social work can lead to worker uncertainty at best, and a toxic and abusive culture at worst. At the same time, it recognises, embraces and works with the ethical complexity inherent in social work practice. Skills associated with narrative approaches and systemic family systems work are especially pertinent to the model, as they are respectful of the diverse stories that all parties bring to the encounter and facilitate the process of relationship-building through restorying (Vetere and Dowling, 2005). Through a reflection into parallel practice, power, control, boundaries, and responsibilities, this paper emphasizes the significance of Self in supervisory moments to effectively engage in competent supervision. The new approaches that have arisen from this critique, such as narrative therapy, seek to avoid pre-judgement by giving greater voice to marginalised clients through collaborative working. We need tangible tools we can use to fight against prejudice, to acknowledge privilege, and to redistribute power. But do you dare to ask yourself the following? Recent reconceptualisations of these approaches, however, have addressed these criticisms (Ruch, 2010). I explore the use of power and professional authority, value dilemmas resulting from my role as both a social work student and a youth justice worker, and deontological and teleological issues arising from tensions between professionals with differing objectives. This will require the expertise of the social worker to facilitate the participation of the client within their mandate. Understand the purpose of professional supervision in health and social care or children or young people work settings 1.1 Analyse the principles, scope and purpose of professional supervision I am going to analyse the principles, scope and purpose of supervisions. I created this motivational and educational blog focused on empowering social workers and providing content about social work, personal development, mental health so that we can increase awareness and have conversations about social work, personal . As it is a broad concept . When I was studying at university, I could see that my lecturers were keen to highlight power imbalance and the importance of recognising this in social work practice. Implications for social work research, education and practice are also examined. Further developments in humanistic psychology and structuralism have led to the introduction of client-centred approaches (Rogers, 1980) and the systems approach to social work represents an attempt to combine these different perspectives (Petr, 1983). Such a stance requires an understanding and ability to respond to what are often invisible and unconscious dynamics operating within the relationship. Over time, social work theorists have developed sophisticated processes to address the power imbalances and instances of exploitation and discrimination that may arise in relationships with clients. Given this changing practice landscape and the recognised shortcomings of traditional notions of professional boundaries, conceptualising boundaries in social work contexts that are conducive to these emergent professional purposes is a timely and important undertaking. Integral to these traditional models are professional boundaries that separate the professional from the client and concentrate on what the boundary is, rather than why it is needed and how it is created. Adopting a positive, relationship-based and inclusive attitude to professional boundaries opens up exciting possibilities, particularly as little is known about the impact on practice of inclusive boundaries (Doel, 2010) or instances in which practitioners went the extra mile for clients (de Boer and Coady, 2007). However, empirical research has shown little variation in the effectiveness of the array of approaches. Download. There are personable and intimate aspects to the relationship that share many of the qualities of friendship (Beresford et al., 2008; Doel et al., 2010). There are inherent issues of power and accountability when, for example, male social workers counsel women who have experienced male violence or white social workers advocate the ethnic minorities rights of black clients. Empirical evidence has indicated, however, that social workers are not selfless givers: they receive psychological benefits from their professional relationships with clients (Lazar and Guttmann, 2003). There is a balance between recognising that some students will have had limited experience of working in organisations or with the particular service user group, so will be nervous and anxious, and assessing whether a student might not be appropriate for the team or agency. In addressing ethical dilemmas in court-mandated social work practice, the authors consider several threats to informed consent, including the difficulty in accurately predicting the risks and benefits of social work intervention, the power imbalance between the worker Patrick O'Leary, Ming-Sum Tsui, Gillian Ruch, The Boundaries of the Social Work Relationship Revisited: Towards a Connected, Inclusive and Dynamic Conceptualisation, The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43, Issue 1, February 2013, Pages 135153, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr181. The social graces align with the BASW 80:20 campaign, which champions relational practice, with the desire to reverse the ratio of social workers spending 80% of the time at their desks, and just 20% with service users. When applied to social work practice, Marxist theory offers several implications. Facilitate a constructive discussion on power conflicts and imbalances in placement settings. The term Social Graces, Rowland explained, is a mnemonic to help us remember some of the key features that influence personal and social identity (see figure 1), as developed by John Burhnham, Alison Roper-Hall and colleagues (1992). The presumption that rational objectivity is achieved through the creation of professional distance or separation suggests that, somehow, relationships can be managed in such a way as to preserve discrete professional boundaries. The emergence of post-structural approaches to social work has led to a more critical appraisal of the complex nature of relationships with people who are oppressed or marginalised and has contributed to a concerted effort to challenge reductionist understandings of professional relationships to better cope with the diversity and uniqueness of people's individual circumstances (Ruch, 2005). Social workers often grapple with difficult professional and systemic power dynamics with both service users and the other professionals they encounter in multi-agency working. In order to get to grips with the Social Graces tool, I consulted with Rowland Coombes, a family systemic psychotherapist, and a clinical lead at the Centre for Systemic Social Work. 1. If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institutions website, please contact your librarian or administrator. Not after a decade of austerity, which saw poverty skyrocket to 1.2 million up from 41,000 in 2010. On the one hand, it has been suggested that the traditional representation of professional boundaries reinforces power imbalances and tends to undervalue the personal exchange required to engage with clients meaningfully (Bird, 2000; O'Leary, 2004). Lundy (2004), basing her views on the work of Moreau (1989), highlights the importance of the worker-client relationship in social work generally and the need to increase client power within this relationship. Social workers and clients may decide to position particular types of behaviour or attitudes outside the boundary of their relationship. Social work aims to encourage self-determination and promote social justice and the relationship between the social worker and the client is the starting point for realising these goals. I explore the use of power and professional authority, value dilemmas resulting from my role as both a social work student and a youth justice worker, and deontological and teleological issues arising from tensions between professionals with differing objectives. Of course, the proposed model represents a starting point: it must be adjusted to fit particular contexts and needs, and to reflect contemporary developments in social work. The boundaries stipulated in the social work code of ethics and literature are referenced as if they possess a universal meaning. Countering this presumption, our positively orientated boundary-setting model, based on the creation of boundaries that establish connections within professional relationships, is more in keeping with the contemporary ethos of social work. . For example, if the client is a man who has abused women, it might be agreed that sexist attitudes and language will be challenged. This power imbalance can impede therapy when societal power dynamics, such as race, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, and HIV status are taken into consideration. Social workers often come from the dominant cultural group; therefore, relationship forming with clients from minority groups requires an understanding and critical appraisal of dominant taken for granted views of the world. This will have a substantial influence on intervention outcomes. Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. Recent serious cases, such as Baby Peter Connelly, have highlighted the importance of close, yet purposeful, relationships and the crucial role they can play in a child's safety or even survival. Unsurprisingly, boundary issues, in a variety of international contexts, are often difficult to negotiate. Many of the experts in this canvassing said power dynamics play a key role in technology development and social and civic innovation and have substantial impact in regard to broad societal issues. Yet, the creation and management of the boundaries of the social work relationship have received little attention: these boundaries are usually assumed and are modelled on more general conceptions of professional boundaries. Psycho-dynamic and post-structuralist perspectives conceive the social work relationship as a process in which both clients and workers are affected by developments and clients observe that social workers have a greater emotional influence when they are truly present and understood. Current research on the social work relationship will help to inform the construction of the boundaries of the social work relationship that are transparent, considered and acceptable. For example, the British Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (BASW, 2002, p.6) states that social workers have a duty to set and enforce explicit and appropriate professional boundaries. Consider which of the graces mostly influences your relationship with a service user. There are numerous contested terms (client, service user, consumer) used to describe the people with whom social workers work. In all professional relationships, there are power imbalances and the potential for discrimination and exploitation. Power matters for those who have it and for those who lack it. It is the professional responsibility of social workers to take the lead in the formation of an effective and ethical relationship, but the development of boundaries needs to include client participation. Anti-Oppressive Practice primarily traces its roots back to the realm of social work where it has been applied at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels in order to do things like mitigate power imbalances between social workers and their clients as well as the power imbalance between their clients and society at large. Yet, for something so Social workers in rural communities are often also involved in other social activities and community organisations (Pugh, 2007). Underlying this reconceptualisation is the belief that the social work relationship is unique: it has qualities in common with other associations such as friendships, but it is a distinct relationship that cannot be extended in the same realms as family or intimate relationships (Turney, 2010). Professional associations might use the model to better elucidate the distinctiveness of the professional boundaries in social work relationships. And what of power? They must limit the personal disclosure, expectations, extent, duration and focus of the relationship; there must be some terminal points to the engagement (Turney, 2010). As well as recognising power issues and imbalances, as the social worker l would also need to undertake a risk assessment. For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription. Patrick J. O'Leary holds professorial appointments at Griffith University, Australia, and the University of Southampton, UK. 's (2008) research in the field of palliative care highlighted how clients most valued the friendship of their social workers and underlines how important the use of self is for effective practice. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. As the previous paragraph highlights, a distinctive feature of the model is its acknowledgment of the permeable and dynamic nature of professional boundaries. Power also exists in the form of the client. Social workers are often proponents of specific models, claiming that they are highly effective and closely compatible with the aims of social work. Her research and teaching interests lie in the fields of relationship-based and reflective practice. 14, No. Hi there! Setting the ethical parameters of the social work relationship, Reconceptualising the boundaries in the social work relationship, Implications for social work theory, practice, education and research, Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), 2010, Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board (HKSWRB), 2009, Receive exclusive offers and updates from Oxford Academic, Copyright 2023 British Association of Social Workers. This book attempts to provide curriculum and pertinent information to create opportunities for human services professionals to grow and learn in a variety of settings, such as continuing education units, job trainings, supervision, and undergraduate and graduate classrooms. student placements. Enter your library card number to sign in. Boundaries, therefore, need to be set to clarify the scope of the relationship and the type of exchange that would promote desired outcomes (Doel, 2010). Advocates of narrative therapy encourage collaboration with clients and maintain that the traditional notion of professional boundaries disempowers clients (Bird, 2000). Gillian Ruch is a senior lecturer in social work in the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at the University of Southampton. Reamer (2003) suggests a risk-management protocol to deal with such boundary issues. The model outlined here draws on and adapts these ideas to reconceptualise professional boundaries in social work. This is particularly important in non-Western societies such as the Middle East and Africa, where professional socialisation may create barriers to social work practice (Al-Krenawi and Graham, 2001). The outer circle of the model encompasses those aspects of professional relationships that are unethical, non-negotiable and consequently located outside of the relationship boundary. These experts highlighted the discrepancies they see in regard to who has access to power . The study of ways that professional power is perceived in social work practice is limited. About this essay. Whilst successful protocols would ensure transparency in social workers' dealings with clients, their creation does not incorporate client negotiation. These skills are particularly important in statutory social work where the potential for professional interventions and boundaries to be imposed on individuals and families rather than negotiated with them is heightened, on account of the anxiety-provoking circumstances being addressed. View the institutional accounts that are providing access. By closing this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies. All students should be aware that social work practice is made up of a network of power relationships and as a student you too are in an unequal power relationship with your practice educator - you are being assessed. Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. In social work, reflexivity has further been developed and applied in practice contexts. For example, in Lebanon, young people in Palestinian refugee camps raised a concern about poor lighting with a social worker. Applying this to the example above, the Social Graces can help us to understand the child in the context of their relationships. In addition, post-structural and feminist theorists have challenged the various epistemological assumptions of social work (Mandell, 2008). The model offers a process for negotiating the relationship between social work researchers and clients. The Social Graces challenge the idea of a fixed personality. In doing so, it is far easier to identify (and work on) our own prejudice, or indeed on our own privilege. The book then elaborates further on the various ways that power relations manifest and present in clients seeking care across human services settings. Anti-Oppressive Practice in Mental Health. Erin Roark Murphy, LMSW, Understanding Power: An Imperative for Human Services, Social Work, Volume 62, Issue 4, October 2017, Pages 373375, https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swx039. No. And this is true. Arnd-Caddigan and Pozzuto (2008) view the use of self as a relational and interactional process. Re-conceptualisation of the Professional Social Work Boundary. not give sufficient attention to asymmetrical power imbalances between actors nor the structural contradictions curtailing the expression of individualized . The same could also be said for interprofessional relationships where the sources of power differentials, including the broader social, cultural and professional systems, produce and reinforce the power imbalances . Race, power and privilege. Understanding Power: An Imperative for Human Services. Personal information that is not relevant to the issues discussed may be considered off limits. Power hierarchies can create an imbalance in patient-provider relationships. Traditional Conceptualisation of Professional the Boundary. This article serves only as a brief introduction to a tool which is far richer and deeper than has been outlined here. Within the fields of family therapy and counselling, Bird (2000) and O'Leary (2004) have suggested an alternative model for professional boundaries. Have you ever felt too intimidated to disclose your sexuality to colleagues? The editors to Understanding Power: An Imperative for Human Services begin the book with a thorough overview of power dynamics and theories of power relations, targeted toward human services practitioners across disciplines (that is, social workers, psychologists, counselors, occupational and physical therapists, and medical professionals). In fact, Howe (1998) suggests that the way social workers understand their clients and work with them is the best demonstration of the profession's capacity to connect and unite. True Beyond our own shores, global events remind us that equality is but a distant dream. Suggestions to minimise, challenge and overcome such issues. In our proposed model, we place the social worker and the client at the centre of a set of boundaries that promote connection and the use of self, rather than separation and professional distance. One of the responses to managing these demands has been the construction of professional boundaries. To complicate matters further, consideration must be given to variables such as gender, class, culture and sexuality that shape the complex dynamic of the social work relationship. This book examines both the theory and practice of power and empowerment. Social workers are now required to be more reflective and accountable in their relations with clients. Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in. Social work is at the forefront of professions that address the ontological need for relationships and respond to the breakdowns of personal and societal relationships. Ethical codes reiterate that social workers must have professional boundaries in their relationships with clients (BASW, 2002; NASW, 2008; AASW, 2010; HKSWRB, 2009). Larson, G. (2008). Social workers must continually reflect on their role, purpose and function in order to achieve a connection with clients and insights into their experience. Anti-oppressive practice is an interdisciplinary approach primarily rooted within the practice of social work that focuses on ending socioeconomic oppression.It requires the practitioner to critically examine the power imbalance inherent in an organizational structure with regards to the larger sociocultural and political context in order to develop strategies for creating an egalitarian . The concept can helpfully underpin teaching about relationship building and boundary setting. And few can, no matter the amount of hard-work, realistically, close that gap. View your signed in personal account and access account management features. Gould (1990) and other scholars have warned of the dangers of Foucauldian approaches to social work that would effectively eliminate any claim of expertise. This may invoke greater discussion with clients about how the relationship might differ from their experience with other professionals. Defining the social work relationship: political, therapeutic, participatory or mutual? Rate the graces on a linear scale of 1-10, 1 being that they impact you only a little, 10 being that they impact you significantly. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but keep at it. Anti-oppressive practice is a concept, a theory, and an approach used in practice in the social work field. Psycho-dynamic perspectives located at the individual end of the theoretical continuum have been pivotal in defining social work relationships as primarily therapeutic in nature (Sudbery, 2002). Putting the need for the social graces into a cultural context, Rowland explained that in our western, capitalist society, we have often tended to think of ourselves first and foremost as individuals, rather than as a cohesive unit. Return to Article Details Issues of power in social work practice in mental health services for people from Black and minority ethnic groups Issues of power in social . The earlier reference to Beresford et al. For example, cultural practices such as sharing tea or meals with clients may play an important role in developing the social workerclient relationship. 1.1 Practise in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics and manage ethical . Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. How many times as a social worker did I hear the dreaded phrase He/she is a challenging child. What Rowland says next is music to my ears especially as someone who understands the pressures on social workers to produce Ofsted-pleasing statistics, reach targets, and tick the boxes required for inspections: The graces are about process, not procedure. conflict. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). Essential Theory for Social Work Practice is an engaging and readable text, with a distinctively realistic and honest approach to the realities of everyday practice. Ming-sum Tsui's research interests include: social work theory and practice, social work education, supervision and professional development, and substance abuse. There is room for reflection and correction. I explore the use of power and professional authority, value dilemmas resulting from my role as both a social work student and a youth justice worker, and deontological and teleological issues arising from tensions between professionals with differing objectives. This essay "Power Dynamics and Social Work" discusses the power of social workers, which are developed through their professional function, social role and interaction with clients.
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