Posted: December 27th, 2014

Social Work and Service-User Perspectives Social work education is concerned with knowledge, skills and values. Discuss the role of values in social work and social care practice.

Assessment Briefing
Social Work and Service-User Perspectives
Social work education is concerned with knowledge, skills and values.  Discuss the role of values in social work and social care practice. You may wish to concentrate

on a particular service-user group.  You should make reference to the development of the role of social work and welfare provision (3,000 words)
To be handed in on 27 January 2014

The first task to complete in writing to this question, is to decide which service-user group you would like to write about.  The following list is not exhaustive, but

should help you to think about a group:
•    Children in Care (Looked After Children)
•    Children with Disabilities
•    Care Leavers
•    Adults with Physical or Sensory Disabilities
•    Adults with learning difficulties
•    Adults with mental health issues
•    Older People
•    Refugees and Asylum Seekers
•    Survivors of Domestic Violence
•    Informal Carers

The following plan is just a suggestion, and if you can think of a different way of writing that is fine, as long as you make sure you answer the question.

Introduction
Chose a definition of social work and use to explain how social work is a mixture of knowledge (such as legislation, theory), skills (such as communication,

assessment) and applying values. Then set out your aims for the assignment.  (E.g. In this assignment, I will set out the values required to work with [chosen

service-user group].  I will define the service-user group.  I will also consider the ways in which social work values can support practice with this group).
Introduce your chosen service-user group
Explain that social work has developed to support vulnerable and marginalised people. (Remember to use some of the discussion about the history of social work from

Chris Yianni’s session).
Define your service-user group and how social work might be involved with supporting/assessing/protecting them.  (Again use material from your teaching sessions).

Social Work and Discrimination
You need to acknowledge that one of the key features of the groups of people that social work are engaged with is, that they can be marginalised and discriminated

against within wider society.  Discuss discrimination in relation to your service-user group.  (For example, you could use statistics to show how looked after children

achieve educationally, or you could show how people with disabilities are less likely to be in full-time employment, you could discuss attitudes to domestic violence

or immigration, ageism, etc. etc.).  It might be useful to refer to Thompson’s PCS model to consider the different dimensions of discrimination.
Define anti-discriminatory practice – you can use an academic definition, but make sure you also explain it in your own words.
Anti-Discriminatory Practice and your service-user group
You need to consider the issue of power in relation to social work practice and the service-user group, and again Thompson’s PCS model might help to discuss the

influence of your work with a service-user.  You might also want to look at Dominelli’s discussion as oppression and the continuum.
When discussing structural discrimination, you should also make sure you include any theory of particular relevance to your service-user group (e.g. consider social

and medical models of disability, feminism, anti-racism, issues of risk, child-centred practice)
Demonstrating Values in Social Work Practice
As you move towards a conclusion, you need to start to think about how values integrate in knowledge and skills.  In order to demonstrate that you have considered the

dimensions of prejudice and discrimination, you will need knowledge to support your practice, so that work is based on evidence rather than assumptions.  You will also

need skills, such as ensuring you have good time-management, recording, assessment skills, which will support your values.
Conclusion
What have you learnt from writing this assignment?
References
Make sure you have included a full list of any references used, and that you stick to the MMU Harvard Referencing System.

Assessment Feedback
You will receive feedback that will cover:
•    Presentation/Structure
o    Have you set out your work properly and proof-read it thoroughly?  Are arguments and ideas presented clearly, accurately and coherently? Does your work

demonstrate that you have planned your writing?
•    Content and Analysis
o    Have you chosen appropriate material for discussion?  Is the question answered in full? Can you show that you can analyse work appropriately? Have you provided

evidence of evaluation?  Have you included theoretical perspectives?
•    Use of Sources
o    Have you demonstrated appropriate reading around the area?  Is the Harvard System of referencing used?
•    Anti-Discriminatory Practice
o    Does your writing demonstrate an understanding of the importance of social divisions, issues of power, justice and inequality in relation to the question?
•    Areas for Development

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