power imbalance in social work practice

Did you know that with a free Taylor & Francis Online account you can gain access to the following benefits? Power differentials can never be obliterated but making positions explicit and exploring their effects enables people to make better choices in their future actions. Within the internal boundary of the relationship, there are particular expectations and understandings that relate to the ethics, purpose and functions of social work. III. The role of power in social work practice has been generally understated despite its importance to the course and outcome of the clinical process. forensic and child welfare social work practice. Based on the thinking of the sociologist, Derek Layder, it comprises five domains that impact on the . Keywords co-operative power emancipatory practice empowerment oppression power Over recent years, a dening feature of social work has been a concern with issues of power, particularly in relation to processes of oppression and empowerment (Adams, 1996; Karban and Trotter, 2000). Nor does such a presumption reflect the importance that social work places on care and concern in relationships (Tsui and Cheung, 2004). Register, Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. 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). The findings of research conducted with families engaged in the child protection system endorse the importance of transparency and reciprocity in the boundary-setting process. Whilst some race forward in streamlined running shoes, unaware of the privilege lurching them forward, others are glued firmly to the starting line. Introduction. 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. Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine. 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG. A central characteristic of the proposed model is the recognition of the reciprocal nature of the connected professional relationship. In all professional relationships, there are power imbalances and the potential for discrimination and exploitation. Well, thats simply not true. For the purpose of this paper, we will use the term client. After establishing exigency for creating an understanding of power, the editors point out that few social workers have been trained to analyze power dynamics, and even fewer have been given the space to struggle with power. 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. As Thompson (2000) highlights, to assess the degree and nature of any risk to which Ms. Evans and her family could be exposed to. View your signed in personal account and access account management features. This is seen as a necessary requirement to protect both parties, but these codes mention only what boundaries should be maintained; they pay very little attention to why and how boundaries are set. conflict. The model emphasises connection rather than separation, advocating a process that encourages mutuality. This point is reinforced by clients' appreciation of cross-boundary behaviour as an expression of personal concern (Turney, 2010). Download. Under such conditions, it is easy to see how a model based on the principle of separation is attractive, as it is compatible with, and legitimates, what are often defensive responses that emerge in anxiety-provoking situations and when acting under pressure. This paper examines the sources of power of workers and clients, and, by using a power-dependence perspective, it explores the consequences of power on social work practice. 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. This book examines both the theory and practice of power and empowerment. This resonated with me on a number of levels; I only began to understand the self-centric nature of Western culture when I lived in Chile, where the first question asked to a stranger was not the typical What do you do for a living?, but Tell me about your family. To avoid falling into such traps, our reconceptualisation of professional boundaries takes into account the broad spectrum of contemporary theoretical influences. This exploratory qualitative study analyzes second-year MSW students' perceptions of professional power in social work practice. Have you ever been overlooked for a promotion because of your gender? 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. Click the account icon in the top right to: Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. For example, in Lebanon, young people in Palestinian refugee camps raised a concern about poor lighting with a social worker. Critical Reflection on Self in Practice Social work is an inherently political role; it allows social workers to occupy a position of power and privilege via their access to resources and hierarchical structure of the social service sector. This will have a substantial influence on intervention outcomes. Cultural competence in social work practice refers to the fact that social workers: Should develop behaviors, knowledge, skills, and attitudes to work effectively across cultures False Institutional services focus on addressing the current problems that people face in their lives. 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 . To separate challenging or problematic behaviours from the individual (whilst not absolving them of responsibility). It is often the immediacy of boundary-setting decisions that perturbs practitioners, with professional encounters frequently requiring swift reactions. This article is also available for rental through DeepDyve. Traditionally, the bounds of the relationship were set by professional bodies as a way of separating social workers from their clients. Before all others, the core skill required by social work is the capacity to relate to others and their problems. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account. This stance challenges the dominant discourse in relation to boundary setting that has been historically defensive and protective in nature. A recurrent criticism of reflective, psycho-dynamically informed approaches, however, has been the potential for it to pathologise individuals and to locate the responsibility for personal circumstances entirely at the level of the individual. Experience - our experience of the world, in a job, or in a particular area of life can give us power over another. We need tangible tools we can use to fight against prejudice, to acknowledge privilege, and to redistribute power. As a response, advocates of traditional social work relationships assert that boundaries that separate professionals from their clients guard against professional misconduct and prevent unhealthy dependence or close emotional attachment (Reamer, 2003). The practice terms, critical reflection and reflection or reflectivity are interrelated in ways that aim to explain reflexivity in the profession which, in turn, can offer an enhanced understanding of reflexivity applied in research. ( 2006) 'Understanding Power and Powerlessness: Towards a Framework for Emancipatory Practice in Social Work', Journal of Social Work 6(1): 33-51. In particular, these dynamics are associated with the significance of gender and ethnicity on professional relationships, with female social workers, for example, establishing boundaries with male clients that are informed by their own early and recent experiences of men in their lives and vice versa for male social workers. It is a central theme of human services practice but, like empowerment, is often only loosely examined. 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. At the same time, it recognises, embraces and works with the ethical complexity inherent in social work practice. The following are illustrative examples. I have selected ethnicity as a grace I am drawn toward. Social work is a profession that involves relationships with individuals, between individuals, with individuals in groups, with individuals and organisations, and between organisations (Arnd-Caddigan and Pozzuto, 2008; Kadushin, 1972; Perlman, 1979; Petr, 1983; Richmond, 1899; Wilson et al., 2011). Personal information that is not relevant to the issues discussed may be considered off limits. Over time, common metaphors have evolved to describe the violation of professional boundaries such as crossing the line or blurring the boundaries and there seems to be a general consensus that social workers must put a boundary between themselves and the client. It is the quality of relationship between the social worker and the client rather than the specific model of practice that has been proven to be a strong predictor of outcomes (Coady, 1993; Howe, 1998). 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. 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 attempting to reconceptualise the boundaries of professional social work practice, there are clearly tensions operating that need to be thoughtfully responded to. Regardless of whether the relationship is voluntary or involuntary, there is an essential criterion for a professional social work relationship: it must have a purpose and function, and these form the basis of the relationship. It is argued that, in most instances, the effectiveness of social work . This intermediate self-study activity consists of 1.0 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Needless to say, practices that are unethical, discriminatory or exploitative can do much more harm than good. 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). Shibboleth / Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institutions website and Oxford Academic. As well as recognising power issues and imbalances, as the social worker l would also need to undertake a risk assessment. Given these organisational constraints, it is surprising that social work's definition and description of the social workerclient relationship have remained so vague. Authority Implications for social work research, education and practice are also examined. This paper examines professional boundaries and presents an alternative conceptualisation of boundaries in social work relationships. In this case, it is possible that the client becomes the main actor. The graces in the figure about are not an exhaustive list, and can be adapted. 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. And this is true. Discuss experiences of power conflicts and practice dilemmas. 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). At the root of the problem is a system that places the primary responsibility for enforcing anti-discrimination laws on individual workers . Or ask service users to do so. 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. 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. Such a stance requires an understanding and ability to respond to what are often invisible and unconscious dynamics operating within the relationship. If you see Sign in through society site in the sign in pane within a journal: If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society. 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. Whilst the ability to forge good interpersonal relationships is desirable, but often not essential for highly developed professions such as medicine and law, it is an absolute precondition of effective social work practice (Chu and Tsui, 2008; Chu et al., 2009; Proctor, 1982; Ward et al., 2010). The social graces, however, recognise that we are not isolated beings. church, sports and schools) with the client (Kagle and Giebelhausen, 1994). 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. 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. Search for other works by this author on: The cultural mediator: Bridging the gap between a non-Western community and professional social work practice, Caring, mutuality and reciprocity in social workerclient relationships: Rethinking principles of practice, Redefining social work standards in the context of globalization: Lessons from India, Diversity Perspectives for Social Work Practice, Use of self in relational clinical social work, Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), Code of Ethics: Australian Association of Social Workers, We don't see her as a social worker: The importance of the social worker's relationship and humanity, The Heart's Narrative: Therapy and Navigating Life's Contradictions, British Association of Social Workers (BASW), The Code of Ethics: British Association of Social Workers, Risk, instrumentalism and the humane project in social work: Identifying the informal logics of risk management in children's statutory services, The nature of practice wisdom in social work revisited, Social work as moral and political practice, The workerclient relationship revisited: Families in society, Good helping relationships in child welfare: Learning from stories of success, Service-user perspectives on relationships, Relationship-Based Practice: Getting to the Heart of Social Work. These situations demand careful consideration to determine what constitutes an appropriate professional stance. Deciding how to establish, on the spot, for example, an appropriate professional boundary when unexpectedly encountering a male partner in the course of a home visit to conduct a child protection assessment is such an instance. Arnd-Caddigan and Pozzuto (2008) view the use of self as a relational and interactional process. Similar references concerning professional boundaries can be seen in codes of ethics around the world (National American Association of Social Workers (NAASW), 2009; Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), 2010; Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board (HKSWRB), 2009). With the main mission of social workers being the enhancement of well-being and helping to satisfy fundamental human needs of persons who are poor, vulnerable, and oppressed, they can improve their practice effectiveness significantly by understanding and becoming sensitive to cultural diversity and uniqueness. Ming-sum Tsui's research interests include: social work theory and practice, social work education, supervision and professional development, and substance abuse. Applying this to the example above, the Social Graces can help us to understand the child in the context of their relationships. 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. Has a disability ever prevented you from contributing to the workplace? Some uses of power in social work not only demonstrate bad practice, but also are regarded as immoral and illegal. View the institutional accounts that are providing access. Inevitably, however, ethical questions arise in the social work relationship when moral and political imperatives are in conflict with the individual client's well-being. 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). For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. Keep me logged in (not suitable for shared devices). Cultural and individual preferences, such as ways of greeting and speaking, might be incorporated into the boundaries of the relationship. Codes of ethics for professional bodies refer to boundaries but place the power of boundary setting with the social worker and simultaneously do not offer guidance as to how boundaries can be set, other than clearly situating obvious boundary violations such as sexual relations as unethical. Conceptualising the boundaries of the social work relationship in this way enhances clients' sense of autonomy, level of participation and dignity, and has the potential to make the whole process of intervention more humane. To learn more about the Social Graces, further detail can be found below I hope they serve you well in your journey of self-reflexivity and change: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-6427.2005.00318.x, https://www.camdenchildrenssocialwork.info/blog_articles/1967-first-systemic-concept-clip-live, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259686055_%27Which_aspects_of_social_GGRRAAACCEEESSS_grab_you_most%27_The_social_GGRRAAACCEEESSS_exercise_for_a_supervision_group_to_promote_therapists%27_self-reflexivity, The professional association for social work and social workers, The Anti-Poverty Practice Guide for Social Work, Key policy resources and practice guidance, IFSW and other international social work organisations, Influencing social work policy in the Commonwealth, Review of BASW England Annual Conferences and Members Meeting 2022, BASW Cymru Practice, policy and education groups (PPEGs), The BASW UK University Social Work Education Provider Affiliation Scheme, Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for Independents, Umbrella service companies & tax avoidance scheme investigations, Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) 2020, Webinars, training courses and online events, Quality assurance in practice learning (QAPL), Support for newly-qualified social workers, Professional Support Service: Access support, Professional Support Service: Frequently Asked Questions. Understanding Power: An Imperative for Human Services. In this regard, social workers' use of self is vital to their ability to relate to clients (Ward, 2010). I have travelled around the world with no fear that I would be singled out for my skin colour; my dad, on the other hand, is too fearful to travel to America for the fear of being attacked. 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. In addition, post-structural and feminist theorists have challenged the various epistemological assumptions of social work (Mandell, 2008). Empowerment has become a well-used term across a wide variety of social work settings that involve dealing with people and their problems. Rural social work, in both developed and developing nation contexts, presents challenges to traditional notions of professional boundaries in social work practice. Explore and identify your own implicit biases by taking implicit association tests or through other means. The earlier reference to Beresford et al. I am a Social Worker, Practice Educator Mentor, and Best Interests Assessor. Whilst practitioners must learn to manage this vicarious traumatization during the course of their professional development (Sexton, 1999), being witness and connected to distress and conditions of social exclusion plays a pivotal role in the development of a better understanding of the lived experience of clients. The social graces remind us that we are like fingers which, whilst moving independently, are connected. In a group setting, or in pairs, attempt to roleplay the social graces from different perspectives.

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