Service User and Carer Participation in Social Work

Service User and C arr Participation in Social overworkIdentify, using founts, how a paid favorable doer should work in such a way as to ensure drug substance ab exploiter and dor conflict. analyse the practice f bes for working anti-oppressively with substance abusers or c bers who atomic number 18 either a washy senior(a) soulfulness and their c arr.A professed(prenominal) complaisant worker essential come on the remote somebody as an idiosyncratic and ensure that someone as opposed to generic need are assessed. In pragmatical terms this means that the approach lendn is built upon a alloy of professional pragmatism and textbook rules. This manner of approach in any suit of clothes ensures that the accessible worker after part approach the practice issues identified in an anti-oppressive and professional manner which promotes both user and carer participation. Certainly in terms of ad hominem reflection, and from the writers perspective as a white, middle course of instruction individual, integrating the theory of how adept is required to engage oneself anti-oppressively, in the potentiality of loving worker with the pragmatics of good companionable skills and an ability to put a user, such as a weakly time-worn person and their carer at ease is all the more primal where on that point are differences amongst the practitioner and the assistant user in terms of age, race, religion and call forth to name just a few founts. Therefore promoting user and carer participation and working anti oppressively with frail older users is by no means an easy task. Such a task requires an understanding of models of onerousness. Models of oppression mainly relate to the isms in spite of appearance society such as ageism, sexism, classism, racism and many others (Williams, (2002) 1), and in the scene of this question perhaps ageism and its evasion inwardly a user/practitioner place setting is the most relevant. The professional so cial worker must(prenominal) be aware that models of oppression must be understood and applied within carer/user settings in set out to promote an honest, participatory kind between the two (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental wellness coalition NHS Trust (2006) 14). This is because as Beckett and Maynard ((2005) 46) observe, the social worker often contracts with those groups within society who are the least powerful.One classic example of this for the social worker in a practice situation could be at a juncture where a frail elderly person r apiecees a stage where their needs cannot be accommodated at denture, and supported alteration options for the elderly person may need to be discussed. In this face exclusively time spent between carer and the social worker and the user and the social worker can allow both to discuss the issues at hand frankly, and decide what the best way forward might be. This ensures that in that respect is holistic user participation, as it i s Copernican that the needs of a frail elderly person are not entirely overshadowed by the scuttlebutt of the carer. This by no means implies that the carer should be ignored during a home visit, or should be excluded in any manner, but there ordain be times when it is appropriate for the frail elderly person (provided they are compos mentis) to express their viewpoint independently of those close to them (for example if they express a wish to befuddle arrangements made for a will). This will excessively bring forth the social worker an chance to spend a penny some time alone with the carer, which gives the carer an opportunity to raise concerns or to discuss issues which they would perhaps not live comfortable raising in the presence of the person who they take care of. Of course, the user participation will be important once these discussions obligate taken place, because a frail elderly person cannot be laid into supported accommodation without their co-operation and c onsent. However, it is often beneficial, where a sensitive issue should as a move between home and supported accommodation is to be broached, that a carer and a professional social worker have an opportunity to discuss the needs of the user of the attends in a setting where these issues can be spoken of frankly. This does not mean that issues should be obscure from a user or from a carer, but often in terms of facilitating anti-oppressive practice issues it is appropriate to relate to both user and carer in different ways, and and so it may be necessary to communicate with one or some other (user and carer) apiece.In this context the issue of power within society and how it relates to social inequalities must be understood. The social worker is in quite a powerful position compared to an elderly and frail service user, and therefore a professional social worker is required to appreciate how their language must be employed as a schema to engage the service user, and carer anti oppressively, and at the similar time promoting participation.To take stock of another example to illustrate this point, let us panorama at a scenario whereby an elderly person who is frail is hostile to handlings from a social worker. Here, the requirements for anti-oppressive techniques of care perish all the more important. Difficult questions become apparent in this context. Some examples are as follows What should one do whereby a frail elderly person has a carer who looks after their needs on a part time basis, and the social worker feels that there are issues of self neglect during episodes where the carer is not present? To take this example a junior-grade further, a scenario could arise where a frail elderly person, whose carer is not present, is being visited by a social worker. Let us imagine that the social worker wishes to gain entry to the house of the elderly frail person in order to assess their needs and the elderly person is suspicious and does not wish to all ow the person in. How can language be employed in this setting to promote an ethical relationship based on anti-oppressive techniques in this scenario? A simple get along would be for the social worker firstly to explain who they are and why they wish to pay a visit to the elderly person, and secondly another schema which could be employed would be to say to the service user (the elderly frail person) Can I come in for a Chat/some Tea?, rather then an overly positive explanation of why they are there for example I have to speak to you to assess whether you are capable of looking after yourself. This approach also empowers the service user, since they may feel more in look into of the interaction, and they might also be more inclined to perceive the social worker on friendly terms.To pose another critically important question here how should a social worker in this to a higher place outlined scenario handle a conflict which arises between an elderly user and the state where an e lderly person, who lacks ability to make decisions for themselves is self-neglecting and will not co-operate with a social worker who encourages them to move into supported accommodation? Two models of intervention may be employed here by the social worker, to deal with the conflict. One is the state intervention model, which may involve sectioning the frail elderly person and removing them into the care of an institution, and alternatively the social worker can pack to employ more moderate interventions which involve living support from unbidden sector groups ( Scotch Executive (2006) Section 1.3). Which one is best always depends upon the individual circumstances of the frail elderly person, and the judgement of the individual social worker1.In this context, and to continue the meetence to the particular example where a social worker wishes to gain entry to the house of a frail, elderly person for the purposes of assessing their needs, it is also important to remember that the social worker owes the frail elderly person some legal responsibilities. All social work practitioners, for example are required to adhere to the various codes of ethics which have been issued through the universal Social commission Council, which was set up in 2001. Amongst other duties, each(prenominal) of the 84000 social workers and social worker students on the Social Care register must submit to inspection by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and are required to have their own copies of their codes of conduct and also as of 2003, the Social Care Register requires that only registered social workers may get word themselves as social workers (to label oneself a social worker, and at the same time intending to deceive others in this respect is now a illegal offence) (www.gscc.org.uk). Another legal responsibility which the professional service user owes to the user and to the carer is the duty not to discriminate unnecessarily against a person on the grounds of th eir race, ethnicity, disability, and age to give just a few examples of areas which are protected by law by anti-discrimination legalisation. Research into what practice issues are important for services users including carers and the elderly which was carried out by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental wellness confederation NHS Trust suggests that the combating of discrimination and how it can lead to an oppressive relationship between service user and social worker is very important in social work practice (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) 14).In terms of both user and carer participation, the issue of confidentiality is of the farthest importance. This builds trust between user and the social work practitioner and also may lead to a feeling of empowerment by the service user, who is in the context of this question a frail elderly person. To refer back to the first example used in this essay (where the issue of perhaps assessing t he needs and views of both carer and an elderly frail person separately has been raised) where there are issues which are quite sensitive between a carer, and a frail elderly person, it is important that the confidence of both parties are respected by the social worker. It is also important to speak to each person on their terms. One classic example of this in the context of a frail elderly person, addressing the user firstly by using their formal title Miss Jones for example or Mrs Smith, as opposed to the use of first names is potentially an important strategy to employ. It is often the case that there will be a great(p) generational gap between the frail elderly person and the social worker, and this makes to concept of anti-oppressive techniques and participation techniques all the more important. Such a generational gap may make a frail elderly person perceive the social worker as more of a panic to them, and may perhaps convey to them the impression that the social worker ha s little understanding of their needs and view of the world. In this sense, also good case management and record keeping (often a legal requirement for social workers) will also facilitate user and carer participation, as well as anti-oppressive practices.In conclusion therefore there are a embarrassment of practice issues which are pivotal in a scenario where a social worker is required to interact in a professional capacity with a frail elderly person and their carer. All of these issues are intersecting, related, and sometimes contingent upon each other. The requirements for user and carer participation and for an understanding of anti-oppressive techniques are therefore complex concepts which require a pragmatic approach, integrated with a theoretic approach on the part of the contemporary professional social worker. These arguments have been supported throughout the essay through a focus upon ruminative and theoretical reasoning.BibliographyBooksBeckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2 005) Values and Ethics in Social utilization. Publisher able Publications. Place of Publication UK.ArticlesCambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) strategy for Social Work and Social Care. Publisher Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Place of Publication UK.Scottish Executive (2006) The Need for Social Work Intervention. Publisher Scottish Executive. Place of Publication UK.Williams, C. (2002) A Rationale for an Anti-Racist intro Point to Anti-Oppressive Social Work in Mental Health work Critical Social Work, 2002 Vol. 3, 1.Websitehttp//www.gscc.org.uk/News+and+events/Media+releases/Put+social+care+ affectionateness+stage+in+social+exclusion+drive.htm .1Footnotes1 See the Scottish Executive Publication for a more in depth line of models of intervention.