Professional Communication Skills in Social Work Book

Preface xv

Acknowledgements xvii

PA R T O N E A Brief History of Social Work

1 History of Social Work

Section One: Formation of Social Work in England

Elizabethan Poor Laws

Impact of America’s Civil War

Thomas Bernard

Octavia Hill

Section Two: Formation of Social Work in America

America’s Social Welfare Programs

Social Welfare of the Late 1800s, Early 1900s

Boston’s Charity Organizations

New York’s Charity Organization Society

Section Three: Important Contributors to Social Work

Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr

Mary E. Richmond

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal Plan

Section Four: Definition and Characteristics of Social Work

Defining Social Work

Characteristics of Social Work

Dimensions of Social Work

Section Five: The Social Work Milieu and Context

What Is Social Work?

What Does a Social Worker Do?

Why Are Professional Communication Skills Pertinent to the Profession?

P A R T TWO Professional

Written Communication

2 Communicating About Yourself

Section One: Expectations and Practice Exploration

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: The Job Search

Today’s Job Market

Education

Demographics of Interest

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Writing a Resumé and Cover Letter

Traditional Resumé

Traditional Resumé Guidelines

E-Resumé

E-Resumé Guidelines

Resumé Styles

Cover Letter Guidelines

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Four: The Interview

Preparation

Nonverbal Communication

Appearance

The Appointment

Follow-Up of the Interview Process

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

3 Finding and Communicating Current Knowledge

Section One: Research Topic and Resources

Choosing a Research Topic

Resources

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: The Traditional Library

The Library of Congress

The Dewey Decimal Classification System

Source Legitimacy Guidelines

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Web-based Resources

Search Strategies

Reliability of Sites

Section Four: Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

What Is a Peer-reviewed Journal Article?

Components of a Peer-reviewed Journal Article

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Five: Writing Tips and the APAWriting Style

Writing Tip

American Psychological Association (APA) Style

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Six: Tips on Getting YourWriting Published

Preparing, Planning, and Submitting

Expectations

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

PA R T T H R E E Professional Verbal

and Nonverbal Communication

4 What Are Verbal and Nonverbal

Communication Skills?

Section One: The Significance of Verbal Communication

Voice Tone and Intensity

Verbal Content and Civility

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: The Significance of Nonverbal Communication

What is Nonverbal Communication?

Social Rhythms

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: The Significance of Nonverbal Behavior

Body Language

Section Four: The Framework of “Decoding” Client Nonverbal

Behavior Communication

The Use of PERCEIVE

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

PA R T F O U R Professional Communication

in Supervision, Confidentiality,

and Client Documentation

5 Communicating in Supervision

Section One: The History of Social Work Supervision

What Is Social Work Supervision?

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Role of Supervisor and Preparing

for Supervision

Knowledge and Skills

Monitoring and Evaluating

Administrative Duties

Strengths of a Successful Supervisor

What If the Supervisor Is a Nonsocial Work Practitioner?

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Role of Practitioner and Getting the Most

Out of Supervision

Role of the Social Work Practitioner

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Four: Problem Solving in Supervision

The Concept of “Balance”

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

6 Communicating about Confidentiality

Section One: What are Right to Privacy, Confidentiality,

and Privileged Communication?

Defining Right to Privacy, Confidentiality, and Privileged

Communication

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Threats and Exceptions to Maintaining Client

Confidentiality and Privileged Communication

Threats to Client Confidentiality and Privileged Communication

Exceptions to Maintaining Client Confidentiality and Privileged

Communication

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Waiver of Confidentiality or Privileged

Communication

What Is a Waiver?

Consent for Release of Information

HIPAA: Notice of Privacy Practices

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

7 Communicating about Clients

Section One: The Purpose and Importance of Accurate Case Note

Documentation

The Purpose for Case Notes

The Importance of Accuracy

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Types and Content of Case Note Recordings

Narrative (Process Recording)

Problem-Oriented Recording (POR)

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Risk-Management Guidelines for Case Note

Documentation

Risk-Management Guidelines

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

PA R T F I V E Communicating with Clients

8 What Is Cultural Diversity?

Section One: Essential Characteristics of Culture

Defining Culture and Subculture

Challenges in Developing Multicultural Competence

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Developing Multicultural Competence

NASW Code of Ethics Cultural Competence and Social Diversity

The Road to Multicultural Competence

What Is Cultural Relativism?

Communication Reminder

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Cross-Cultural Model of Practice

Client Individualism

Becoming Culturally Sensitive

Grounded Knowledge Base

What Is Ethnocentrism?

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

9 Client Spirituality and Empowerment

Section One: Spirituality, Religion, and Secularism

Defining and Contrasting Spirituality, Religion,

and Secularism

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Tenets of Social Work with Spirituality

The How-To’s of Spiritually Sensitive Practice

Controversial Issues of Spirituality in Social Work

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Defining and Understanding Empowerment

What Is Empowerment?

Principles of Empowerment

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Four: Strategies for Fostering Client Empowerment

Understanding Power and Powerlessness

Believing in Client Abilities

Encouraging Client Problem Solving

Empowerment Guidelines

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

10 Communicating with Clients Using Professional

Questioning Skills

Section One: Defining Closed- and Open-ended Questions

Closed-ended Questions

Open-ended Questions

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Communication Cycle and SkillBuilding of Client

Questioning

Communication Cycle of Client Questioning

Skill Building of Client Questioning

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Three: Multicultural and Gender Interviewing

Multicultural Interviewing Skills

Gender Interviewing Skills

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

11 Client Reflection

Section One: What Is Reflection?

Defining Reflection

Reflection Skills

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Understanding the Styles and Applications

of Reflection

Reflection of Content

Reflection of Feeling

Reflection of Thinking or Meaning

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

12 Communicating with Clients Using Positive

Confrontation and Information-Giving

Section One: Defining and Building Positive

Confrontation Skills

Defining Positive Confrontation

Building Positive Client Confrontation Skills

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Types of Information-Giving Responses

Orienting Statement

Instructions or Directions

Feedback

Alternative Perspective (Reframe)

Informational Statement

Maximizing Client Information-Giving

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

13 Communicating in a Rural Setting

Section One: What Is a Rural Community?

Characteristics of the Rural Community

Communication in a Rural Community

Applying What You Have Learned

Section Two: Ethical Issues in a Rural Community

Community Involvement and Gossip

Confidentiality in Rural Communities

Applying What You Have Learned

Chapter Summary and Conclusion

Key Words and Concepts

References

PA R T S I X Professional

and Successful Communication

14 Putting It All Together

Section One: A Professional Resumé and Cover Letter

Development of a Professional Resumé

Development of a Professional Cover Letter

Section Two: Professional Social Work Communication Components

Research in Social Work

Verbal Communication

Nonverbal Communication

Body Language

Section Three: Applying Professional Communication Skills

to the Social Work Practicum

Communication in Supervision

Communication in the Helping Role

References

Index