©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Contracting Chapter 11 Social Work Skills Workbook...

©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ ©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole PublishingCole Publishing

ContractingContractingChapter 11Chapter 11

Social Work Skills WorkbookSocial Work Skills Workbook

Barry CournoyerBarry CournoyerIndiana University School of Social WorkIndiana University School of Social Work

Supplements Developed by Patricia Clark, Northwestern State Supplements Developed by Patricia Clark, Northwestern State University of LouisianaUniversity of Louisiana

IntroductionIntroduction

The contracting process begins during the The contracting process begins during the exploring phase and continues throughout exploring phase and continues throughout the assessment process. the assessment process.

It culminates in a service agreement or It culminates in a service agreement or contract for service.contract for service.


Skills especially applicable to contracting Skills especially applicable to contracting include the following: include the following: – reflecting an issuereflecting an issue– reflecting hypothesesreflecting hypotheses– identifying an issueidentifying an issue– clarifying issues for work.clarifying issues for work.– establishing goalsestablishing goals– developing an action plandeveloping an action plan– identifying action stepsidentifying action steps– planning for evaluationplanning for evaluation– summarizing the contractsummarizing the contract


Reflecting an IssueReflecting an Issue

Reflecting an issue is a form of empathic Reflecting an issue is a form of empathic listening.listening.

Reflecting shows the client that you Reflecting shows the client that you understand his experience and his understand his experience and his perspective about the issue.perspective about the issue.– Clients are generally more willing to work with Clients are generally more willing to work with

workers that they know understand their workers that they know understand their feelings.feelings.


Reflecting HypothesesReflecting Hypotheses

Clients’ thoughts about the factors Clients’ thoughts about the factors associated with an issue of concern are associated with an issue of concern are explanatory hypotheses.explanatory hypotheses.– They are the client’s explanations for the They are the client’s explanations for the

existence and persistence of problems.existence and persistence of problems.


When workers empathically communicate When workers empathically communicate their understanding of clients’ explanatory their understanding of clients’ explanatory hypotheses, clients not only feel heard and hypotheses, clients not only feel heard and understood, they also feel like genuine understood, they also feel like genuine collaborators in the helping process.collaborators in the helping process.– Reflecting an explanatory hypothesis does not Reflecting an explanatory hypothesis does not

necessarily indicate agreement.necessarily indicate agreement.


Clients’ thoughts about what should be Clients’ thoughts about what should be done to resolve their problems and done to resolve their problems and achieve their goals are achieve their goals are change-oriented change-oriented hypotheseshypotheses..– Workers should empathically reflect clients’ Workers should empathically reflect clients’

change-oriented hypotheses in order to change-oriented hypotheses in order to demonstrate understanding and respect.demonstrate understanding and respect.


Clients’ hypotheses do not necessarily Clients’ hypotheses do not necessarily remain fixed and unalterable. remain fixed and unalterable. – Clients often develop more sophisticated, Clients often develop more sophisticated,

more accurate, and more relevant explanatory more accurate, and more relevant explanatory and change-oriented hypotheses as they and change-oriented hypotheses as they collect more information, reconsider facts, collect more information, reconsider facts, engage in change-focused activities, and engage in change-focused activities, and monitor outcomes.monitor outcomes.


Identifying an IssueIdentifying an Issue

Occasionally the worker may decide Occasionally the worker may decide to identify an issue that the client did to identify an issue that the client did not mention during the exploration not mention during the exploration process. process.


This may happen when:This may happen when:– There is an area of concern that relates to the There is an area of concern that relates to the

presenting problem that was either not presenting problem that was either not noticed or not mentioned by the client. noticed or not mentioned by the client.

– The worker has a somewhat different The worker has a somewhat different perspective regarding a problem or issue that perspective regarding a problem or issue that the client has introduced.the client has introduced.

– The situation is immediately life-threatening.The situation is immediately life-threatening.– Services are involuntary.Services are involuntary.


Clarifying Issues for WorkClarifying Issues for Work

The issues for work are derived from those The issues for work are derived from those the client has identified, those the worker the client has identified, those the worker has contributed, or some negotiated has contributed, or some negotiated combination of the two.combination of the two.

These agreed-upon issues for work These agreed-upon issues for work provide a context for all subsequent provide a context for all subsequent professional activities.professional activities.


Establishing GoalsEstablishing Goals

Setting effective goals is the second Setting effective goals is the second critical element of the contracting process. critical element of the contracting process. – Goal setting is a vital step toward change.Goal setting is a vital step toward change.– Goals are the aims toward which the social Goals are the aims toward which the social

worker and client direct their cognitive, worker and client direct their cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and situational actions.emotional, behavioral, and situational actions.


The SMART format is often used in The SMART format is often used in writing goals. SMART stands for:writing goals. SMART stands for:– SpecificSpecific– MeasurableMeasurable– Action-orientedAction-oriented– RealisticRealistic– TimelyTimely


Egan’s criteria for effective goals:Egan’s criteria for effective goals:– Stated as accomplishmentsStated as accomplishments– Stated in clear and specific termsStated in clear and specific terms– Stated in measurable or verifiable termsStated in measurable or verifiable terms– Realistic Realistic – Adequate, if achieved, to improve the Adequate, if achieved, to improve the

situationsituation– Congruent with clients’ value and cultural Congruent with clients’ value and cultural

systemssystems– Time-specific Time-specific


Developing an Action PlanDeveloping an Action Plan

Action plans address the questions Action plans address the questions of of whowho, , whatwhat, , wherewhere, , whenwhen, and , and especially especially how how the worker and the the worker and the client will pursue the agreed-upon client will pursue the agreed-upon goals.goals.


Identifying Action StepsIdentifying Action Steps

When a goal is too large to accomplish When a goal is too large to accomplish through a single action, it can be broken through a single action, it can be broken down into action steps.down into action steps.

Identifying action steps involves Identifying action steps involves determining determining what will be done, when, and what will be done, when, and by whom. by whom.


– Client tasks Client tasks are action steps that clients are action steps that clients take during the intervals between your take during the intervals between your meetings.meetings.

– Worker tasks Worker tasks are those that the social are those that the social worker completes before the next worker completes before the next meeting with the client.meeting with the client.


– In-session tasks In-session tasks are procedures, are procedures, activities, or intervention techniques that activities, or intervention techniques that the worker or clients undertake during the worker or clients undertake during meetings. meetings.

– Maintenance tasks Maintenance tasks are regularly are regularly occurring personal or situational occurring personal or situational practices or activities that become practices or activities that become routine and serve to promote long-term routine and serve to promote long-term change. change.


Planning for EvaluationPlanning for Evaluation

Social workers are responsible for Social workers are responsible for evaluating progress toward problem evaluating progress toward problem resolution and goal achievement. resolution and goal achievement.

The choice of evaluation method must The choice of evaluation method must consider the clients’ capacities and consider the clients’ capacities and resources.resources.

Failure to evaluate progress may Failure to evaluate progress may constitute negligence or malpractice.constitute negligence or malpractice.


Progress toward goal attainment can Progress toward goal attainment can be measured in several ways.be measured in several ways.– Goal-attainment scaling (GAS)Goal-attainment scaling (GAS)– Frequency counting Frequency counting – Subjective ratingsSubjective ratings– Rapid Assessment Instruments (RAIs)Rapid Assessment Instruments (RAIs)


Summarizing the ContractSummarizing the Contract

Summarizing the contract Summarizing the contract involves a involves a concise review of the essential elements concise review of the essential elements of the service agreement that the worker of the service agreement that the worker and the client have constructed.and the client have constructed.


©2011, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Contracting Chapter 11 Social Work Skills Workbook...

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