Introduction
A social worker is a professional who organizes the provision of household, material, moral, and legal assistance to vulnerable parts of the population. The obligations and objects of the social worker are associated with constant communication with people (Thompson, 2016). Their primary responsibilities include identification of families, individuals, population groups in need of social assistance and services, and providing counseling and specialized support to clients (Thompson, 2016).
Since regular verbal interaction is the central part of the job, a social worker must show professionalism throughout the whole process of communication. They must understand and be able to apply professional ethics, theory, and methodology of social work, and the basics of social assistance and welfare (Thompson, 2016). Both clients and professionals face challenges when having the first encounter and it is critical to overcoming them in order to achieve successful and effective communication.
Social Workers’ Concerns
During the first contact, a client might be reluctant to start transparent communication. It is the first concern any social worker must overcome because effective verbal interaction is the basis of social assistance (Thompson, 2016). To have a psychological effect on the client, the social worker needs to possess both verbal and non-verbal techniques (Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney, & Strom-Gottfried, 2016).
They also must observe the client, paying attention to their oral and gestural reactions to see how the client perceives them. The second concern is the negative impact the client’s problems might have on the social worker. At first encounter, the worker might experience a shock which may impede the further process. A professional must be able to avoid having negative emotional states that may arise from learning about the client’s issues. These psychological conditions may have a direct impact on the performance of social workers.
Clients’ Concerns
Clients, too, have their own reasons to be concerned about the first interaction with a social worker. They vary from one person to another, but the most common ones are related to trust: an ethical dilemma regarding confidentiality, and doubts about the competency of the worker (Thompson, 2016). At the first meeting, the client and the worker do not know each other well, so the client may feel uncomfortable about sharing their problems (Thompson, 2016). On the other hand, if the client chooses not to share, the social worker may not be able to help (Thompson, 2016). Uncertainty about the skills of the worker also may pose hindrances to effective communication (Hepworth et al., 2016). These challenges may disrupt the whole process and lead to failures.
Possible Ways to Improve the First Contact
Social workers must always be professional regarding their attitudes, communication, and ethics. They must approach clients with mild manners and clearly explain who they are and what objectives they want to accomplish. An open discussion on the worker’s behalf will facilitate the overall process and increase the client’s trust in the specialist’s skills and expertise. Professionals must also be ethical: they must not give away confidential information to third parties
Conclusion
With the growing number of risk groups and vulnerable communities, the role of a social worker in contemporary society is rising in importance. A modern social worker must not only possess the required communication skills but also must be able to apply psychological methods for the benefit of people. As the demand for such workers is rising, so are requirements. For relevant and qualified help, it is necessary to have trained professionals.
References
Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2016). Empowerment series: Direct social work practice: Theory and skills. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Thompson, N. (2016). The professional social worker: Meeting the challenge. London, UK: Palgrave.