Social Work Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Sam's Case

This report provides a social work assessment of Sam's case, focusing on the application of task-centered practice (TCP) and solution-focused approach (SFBT) to address his challenges related to unemployment and financial difficulties. It explores the stages of TCP, highlighting how a social worker can identify target problems, set goals, and facilitate interventions to support Sam. The report also examines SFBT, emphasizing its goal-oriented nature and the use of specific questioning techniques to help Sam recognize his strengths and envision a problem-free future. Furthermore, the report analyzes how the problem clarification stages in social work can be altered by applying a solution-focused approach, and it considers the application of SFBT in different scenarios, such as if Sam were Maori, Asian-born, or gay, acknowledging the impact of cultural and social factors on intervention strategies. The report emphasizes the importance of clear communication, empowerment, and tailored approaches in providing effective social work support.

Running head: SOCIAL WORK ASSESMENT
Social Work Assessment and Intervention
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Application of Task centered practice or TCP in context of Sam...................................................3
Use of Solution focused approach in context of Sam’s life event...................................................5
Changes of the problem clarification stages in the work of a social worker by applying Solution
focus approach.................................................................................................................................6
Application of solution focused approach according to the different situations of Sam.................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
Social work refers to an academic discipline as well as a profession that provide concern
to the individuals and their families during their difficulties. Various agencies are associated with
social works. In order to give a better life to the people by supporting them financially and
emotionally social workers play a major role. However, a number of practices are involved in the
social work to understand the psychology of individuals (Rubin & Babbie, 2016). This study
deals with the life event of Sam that leads them to feel more stress in his life. On the other hand,
Task centered approach and Solution focused approach will be addressed in this section to
understand the critical situation of Sam and his family.
Application of Task centered practice or TCP in context of Sam
Task centered approach or TCP is a popular practice that enhances collaborative work
between the service users and the service providers. Application of such theory is done by the
social workers to generate the behavioral ideas and cognitive approach to support the individuals
in their difficulties (Doel & Marsh, 2017). This practice motivates the service users and
individuals are able to be independent if they have been suffering from issues for a long time.
According to the case study, Sam is a 34-year-old father of two children. However, he has lost
his job recently and is not able to pay the family bill. On the other hand, he has not shared his
difficulties with his partner. This present situation leads Sam to be worried regarding his family
situation. Hence, the social worker of community social service agency can apply TCP to
provide support to Sam to recover his critical situation.

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TCP has four stages the first stage enables the social worker to identify the target
problem. After identification of the target problem, the goal is set to deal with the problem. In the
context of Sam TCP helps the social worker to identify his issue that is created for his
unemployment as Sam is worried about the financial condition of his family. Then the social
worker will understand that emotional and financial support is necessary for Sam to overcome
his situation. Stage two enables both Sam and the social workers to make a contract between
them to facilitate the changes in the service user's life by making a proper schedule. Step three
enables the social workers to take several sessions over how to deal with Sam to mitigate his
stress (Paciello et al., 2016). Therefore, stage four allows the social worker to measure the
success of the social work intervention in the context of Sam.
The current situation of Sam leads him to face difficulties in his life. However, Sam
wants to be a good provider of his family. Hence, loss of his job brings a critical situation for
him as he is unable to give financial support to his children. This present situation leaves a
negative impact on Sam's body and mind that is dangerous for him. Hence, application of TCP
practice will be an effective approach to release Sam from his crisis (Turner, 2016).
Application of such model enables the social worker to get a clear idea of the current
problem based on which he or she can understand that emotional support is the prime
requirement for Sam in his present crisis. TCP practice includes short timescale that will allow
Sam to be more committed in multiple tasks. During the session of TCP practice, the support
worker will able to give the task to the service users that increases their engagement, which
keeps aside themselves from their worries (Roozeboom, 2014). Therefore, the social workers
will able to improve the skill of Sam that makes him deal with his present issues by increasing
his confidence level. However, TCP practice is a strength based approach that makes a clear

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communication between the service users and the service providers (Murphy, 2015). Such clear
communication enables Sam to share his issues with the social worker and gives him relief as
well as the proper idea to overcome his issues. Well, support can be provided by the support
workers in TCP that allows Sam to take control over his life despite accepting issues. Sam feels
hesitation to share his issues with his partner that leads him to face more stress. Hence, TCP
practice can reduce such issue by developing a collaborative work between Sam and the social
workers thorough and effective communication.
Use of Solution focused approach in context of Sam’s life event
Solution focused approach or Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) is another vital
practice that is applied by the social workers to support the vulnerable people (Pichot & Dolan,
2014). This is a collaborative approach based on the specific goal. However, by applying such
approach the social workers are able to make the psychotherapeutic change in client's condition
by keeping them in direct observation. This approach gives the client to express their problems
without any hesitation. Hence, the social worker can develop a positive culture for Sam to
exhibit his worries about his life. SFBT is a goal oriented approach and the aim of such therapy
is to support individuals who are facing difficulties in their present life (Gingerich & Peterson,
2013).
Application SFBT allows the support workers to focus on the present situation of Sam
rather than the past. Therefore, the social worker of the community agency finds tools to cope
with the present challenges by using their skill which enables them to make changes in Sam’s
situation. Practitioner encourages the individuals to imagine their future and to carry out
collaborative work to achieve their goals (Kim, Brook & Akin, 2016). In this therapy, the social

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worker will give the specific type of questions to Sam, which helps them to understand his
present situation and his current need. Such questions enable Sam to recognize his strength and
skill to cope with this adverse situation. However, unemployment leads Sam to lose his
confidence and belief and he is feeling helpless. Thus SFBT is effective for him to envision his
near future by answering miracle questions. Such questions enable people to think about a
problem free life, as a result, the people are able to take immediate action to bring changes in
their life (Neipp et al., 2016). The social worker can use scaling question in this therapy to assess
the present condition of Sam. This enables him to listen to the story of Sam's life and to provide
the possible solution regarding this issue. SFBT practice empowers the vulnerable people by
motivating themselves. In the case of Sam, it uses of SFBT enables the social worker to
empower him to regain his confidence and make the necessary decision such as the search for a
new job to get rid of the stress of unemployment.
Changes of the problem clarification stages in the work of a social worker by applying
Solution focus approach
Solution focused approach is an effective practice in the social work to deal with the
problem of individuals (Ateş, 2016). In the case of Sam, it has been found that he has been
suffering from the poor financial condition due to loss of his job. Hence, the social worker is
associated with this vulnerable person to solve his problem by using TCP and SFBT approach.
However, in the TCP approach, the social worker will be able to identify the problem by taking a
long conversation with the client (Creswell et al., 2017). However, through the normal
interaction, the social worker will not able to understand the exact issues and needs of the service
users. Hence, the solution based approach allows the social worker to ask a variety of questions
to Sam through which the social worker is able to detect the core area of his problem and

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depression. Other social practices easily identify the problem of the clients, however, often there
is no account of the solution of the identified problem. Hence, SFBT approach includes the
solution besides identification of the problem.
Traditional process in the social work provides support to the clients to recover their
present condition however, solution focused approach makes changes in the working pattern of
the social worker (Metcalf & LPC-S, 2017). Problem clarification is the vital stage while
providing support to an individual. Hence, if the social worker is not abale to a clear idea
regarding the pain areas of the individuals then it is difficult for them to develop the solution for
such problem. According to the case scenario, it is necessary for the community social worker to
understand the psychological condition of Sam to give him support. Hence, by providing specific
questions in SFBT approach such social worker can identify that only the unemployment is not
the single reason of Sam's depression besides that inability of Sam to share his problem with his
partner is another reason of his stressful situation. Such clear assessment and problem
clarification stages regarding the work of such community worker can be changed by the above
way through the application of solution focused approach.
Application of solution focused approach according to the different situations of Sam
Maori refers to the indigenous people live in New Zealand. Their origination is eastern
Polynesia. Such people have adopted many aspects of the Western culture. However, racial
discrimination and workplace bullying are very common with Maori as they are the group of
indigenous people (Balon, 2014). Hence, if Sam was Maori then application of solution focused
approach will be changed for him. In this situation, the community social worker can apply

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SFBT practice to understand the effect of racial discrimination on Sam's mind that may be a big
reason for his unemployment.
Workplace bullying might lead Sam to lose his job as he is a Maori. On the other hand,
due to ethnic discrimination, he is not able to get a better job and his family fails to get proper
support from the society as Sam belongs from a minority group. Identification of such negative
factors associated with the current satiation Sam can be possible by the application of SFBT. As
a solution to this situation, the community social worker needs to provide social support to Sam
and his family by make a good communication between Sam's family and the society. Therefore,
by applying such theory this social worker will be able to establish optimistic approach, which is
a vital part of SFBT theory (Coady & Lehmann, 2016). This approach enables the social worker
to change the view of the people regarding Maori, as a result, they will able to accept the cultural
differences and to support Sam's family in his difficulties.
Asian born people prefer to speak in their own language that creates a big problem during
communication (Hsu, 2017). However, if Sam is Asian-born then the community worker needs
to give value to his local language to identify his problem. SFBT process is based on the theories
of language. Hence, by applying this approach the social worker is able to give priority to the
mother tongue of Sam in order to detect his problem and to develop the solution.
Application of solution focused approach will be different if Sam was a gay. However,
social discrimination often occurs with gay in workplace and society (Balon, 2014). Hence, this
might be a reason for Sam's unemployment. Hence, by applying SFBT practice the community
social worker can develop the solution based on the life event of Sam. Emotional support can be
provided to Sam by this theory. This will encourage Sam in order to cope with his difficulties.

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Conclusion
The entire piece of work highlights on the application of TCP and SFBT in social work.
However, the case study reveals that TCP and SFBT practices are effective for Sam to improve
his situation. Due to loss of job Sam has been suffering from mental stress as well financial
difficulties. On the other hand inability of sharing his problem with his partner is also affecting
his mind. Hence, the community social worker will able to give him support by using these two
theories. SFBT is helpful to identify the problem through ask questionnaire to the client that
enables the service provider to develop solution according to the problem. It has been found that
development of the solution is crucial besides the recognition of the problem that can be done
through the application of SFBT theory.

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