Systems/Ecological Approach in Social Case Work
Social work is an outreach program where most the participants are voluntary people who are willing to make difference in their community through the public service. The volunteers are considered as selfless people that can also create a great impact on the other people’s lives. Although there are many popular programs that introduced in every government, people always seek for the aid of the social workers because of their action and approach regarding their biggest dilemma. However, there are many approaches that proposed to make a great impact on the social works and their effectiveness in servicing the society.
The ecological approaches are not entirely taken as theories but rather a combination of ideas from various disciplines which are all focuses on the individuals or groups together with their environment. The collaboration of the disciplines gave birth to the popularity of ecological approach in the social work. Since the social work focuses on the improvement of an individual, the aid of the ecological approach intentionally improves not only the life of an individual but also their environmental condition and situation. The collaborative effects of the two, functions as one and that are to treat the individual alone but in the process of adaptation. The ideas involved in the ecological approach is borrowed from the scientific disciplines such as ecological science, evolutionary biology, ethnology, anthropology, ego psychology, stress theory, gestalt psychology, role theory, humanistic psychology, general systems theory, and the dynamics of power relationships (Godlaski, 2008).
Limitations of Ecological/System Models
Despite of the benefits of the application of ecological approach in the social works, there are still recognized limitations that might create effectiveness in the social work. By focusing on the professionalism and the environmental intervention, the core of the social work and its function might be drawn in a complexity between its interaction between the environment and the individuals. Through the collaboration of the ideas from various principles, the social workers should address the levels of the systematic performance which is being challenges by contemporary social critics. Due to the various disciplines, there are chances that the ideas might clash against the other and weakens the system.
Among the various tests regarding the effectiveness of the ecological approach, the issues of socio-political orientation, environmental domain transaction, and lack of comprehensive critical perspective are emphasized. The individual determinism as characterized in the ecological system which is related to human development can be minimized or completely disregarded. For there is a concept of nature, the original connection of an individual with his family, organization, and society has a possibility to be affected (Besthorn and McMillen, 2002).
Training and Development
Social work must continue the development and its interaction with the concept of ecological approach because the most of the professional responsibilities are flowing from them. In recognizing the current societal issues, the social works are highly recommended to go under the future training and be involved in the practice learning. The training of the social worker plays an important in the development of the individuals that needs their help and therefore, they were expected to provide the highest quality of the social work and services (Duffy, 2006). Most of all, the social work and the use of the ecological approach can lead to the reintroduction regarding the essence of care in which they are compelled to deliver in the society.
The ecological approach focuses on the growth and improves the relationship of the person and his environment. With the help of a professional, through the positive life experiences and that is the social working process empowers and revives the human ethics. Through the life courses encountered by every individual, there should be a feeling of accommodation between the growth of the human being and their environment and this is the center of the ecological approach.
Besthorn, F. H. & McMillen, D. P., 2002. The Oppression of Women and Nature: Ecofeminism as a Framework for a Social Justice Oriented Social Work. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, Vol. 83, No. 3 [Online] Available at: http://www.ecosocialwork.org/papers/ecofem007.pdf [Accessed 19 March 2010].
Duffy, J., 2006. Participating and Learning Citizen Involvement in Social Work Education in Northern Ireland Context, A Good Practice Guide [Online] Available at: http://www.swap.ac.uk/docs/projects/citizenni_rpt.pdf [Accessed 19 March 2010].
Godlaski, T., 2008. Ecological Approaches [Online] Available at: https://www.uky.edu/SocialWork/courses/sw620-401/Ecological-Approaches.pdf [Accessed 19 March 2010].
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