Working and Evaluating with Clients

1. Working and Evaluating with Clients Chapter 10

2. Introduction • This chapter focuses on working collaboratively with the client to promote change. • Here we learn to express our knowledge, skills and values - our professional expertise.

3. Rehearsing action steps Reviewing action steps Evaluating Focusing Educating Advising Representing Responding with immediacy Reframing Confronting Pointing out endings Progress recording 12 Steps of Working & Evaluating

4. #1 Rehearsing Action Steps • We make agreements and contracts with clients to take steps for change. • In this step we help our clients practice and rehearse what they have contracted to do. • How can we rehearse action steps with clients? • Visualization • Modeling • Role play

5. Rehearsing Action Steps • Visualization • Modeling • Role play

6. Visualization:The process of imagining mental images to help create, recreate, or change awareness or behavior

7. Translate each of the following descriptions into a mental image. a familiar face a galloping horse a rosebud your bedroom a changing stoplight a newspaper headline the sound of rain on the roof the voice of a friend Visualization • children laughing at play • the feel of soft fur • an itch • a gentle breeze on your face • the muscular feeling of running • of kicking a can • Now sense (see, touch, hear, taste, smell) the above with your minds eye

8. Role Play • An instance or situation in which one deliberately acts out or assumes a particular character or role.

9. #2 Reviewing Action StepsBefore We Rehearsed What the Client Plans to Do. In This Step We Review What the Client Has Done. There are three possibilities when reviewing action: 1. The client completed the goal. 2. The client completed part of the goal. 3. The client did nothing toward the goal.

10. #3 EvaluatingOngoing Review of Progress Toward Meeting Goals. • To perform this step you need agreed upon indicators of progress. The best indicators are those obtained collaboratively which can be represented with: • Scales • Counts • Ratings • Graphs • In this step you and the client evaluate progress. Measurable objective behaviors are preferred.

11. Single Subject Design • In social work practice it is common to use single subject design research methodologies to track progress of an individual client system. • There are many variants of single subject design • The simplest is the AB design.

12. AB Single Subject Design Method A single target behavior (the dependent variable) is identified. • (A) A baseline is established. • (B) Intervention begins and the target behavior is monitored over time.

13. B Portion of an AB Single Subject Design John Doe’s Sleep Record

14. #4 Focusing • This skill is used to keep work on track concerning the task at hand. Be alert for diversions from yourself as well as the client. • You will need to determine if a diversion is productive or not (some diversions are avoidance of difficult issues). If it is not productive you will need to focus back to relevant issues.

15. #5 Educating • Social workers are trained with specific values, skills, and knowledge. An appropriate venue for social work practice is the role of educator when client deficiencies are noted. • Social workers are frequently equipped to offer education on such topics as: • Child rearing and developmental issues • Mental health • Available services and programs

16. #6 Advising • Should social workers give advice? • Yes…when the worker is clearly knowledgeable and when the client is clearly informed that it is their choice to accept or reject it. • But…as a general rule avoid advice based on personal feelings, attitudes and preferences. • Remember the clients right to self-determination.

17. Professional Advice • When you seek the services of a professional (doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc.) you usually want their advice within the narrow range of their expertise and professional ethics. • It is no different with social work practice.

18. #7 Representing • These are the actions you take on behalf of the client. • Brokering • Advocating • Mediating • In this step instead of working directly with the client you are working on their behalf, with their permission, with a third party.

19. #8 Responding With Immediacy • This step is your immediate response to the client’s reaction towards you. It includes dealing with: • Feelings • The work being done • The here and now • This step builds the relationship and models open and honest communication.

20. #9 Reframing • Giving the client a different perspective on what is happening.

21. #10 Confronting • In this step you directly confront contradictions: • What has been stated or agreed on as opposed to the actual behavior of the client. • Feelings • Infatuations • Dependency • Behavior • Manipulation • Maladaptive behavior that is harmful or illegal • Confronting can be particularly effective when dealing with issues that are specifically outlined in the contract (service plan, or treatment plan).

22. #11 Pointing Out Endings • Reminding the client that there will be an end to the work and the relationship.

23. #12 Progress Recording • This step is concerned with proper record keeping. Remember that all professional records need to be: • Legible • Accurate and professional • Dated • Signed • All of the records you keep dealing with clients are legal documents subject to being reviewed. You are accountable for what is included and excluded. • A good method for social workers is using SOAIGP.

24. SaidObservedActivitiesImpressionGoalsPlan S. O. A. I. G. P

25. Recording With SOAIGP • The SOAIGP format is useful for recording client contacts.

26. Recording: The SOAIGP Method S - said/supplemental. What the client has said or what family has said about the client. O - observations by you and other agency staff. A - activities that you do with the client, on behalf of the client, what the client does, or what others have done. I - impressions to include hypotheses, evaluations, or evaluations. G - current goals. P - plans for additional activities or steps.

27. Said/SupplementalS - said/supplemental. What the client has said or what family has said about the client.

28. ObservationO - observations by you and other agency staff.

29. ActivitiesA - activities that you do with the client, on behalf of the client, what the client does, or what others have done.

30. ImpressionsI - impressions to include hypotheses, evaluations, or evaluations.

31. GoalG - current goals.

32. PlanP - plans for additional activities or steps.

33. Review • There are twelve action steps that are performed after the initial assessment has been performed when work is underway. • These steps are usually taken after a contract for work (contract, or service plan) has been formulated. • Always remember to work collaboratively with the client, and the client system, for effective change.