Last Updated on November 26, 2023 by Team TSW

Being a scientific profession, social work has its own methodology. Traditionally two methods of social work are primary and secondary. Primary methods are social case work, social group work and community organisation. Secondary methods are social action, social welfare administration and social work research. Observe the given Picture.

From the above picture we can understand that there are primary and secondary methods in social work. The primary methods make interventions directly with the clients. At the same time the secondary methods indirectly assist the primary methods and also help the clients. Let us examine each method.

Introduction

Social work which emerged out of the need to provide poor relief in a systematic manner gradually grew into a semi – profession or profession having expert knowledge and technical skills for effective provision of help to needy. In the initial stage it was concerned with helping people to solve their psycho – social problems which obstructed their effective social functioning. In course of time, it was realized that social living as it operates at the practical plane had three distinct and noteworthy levels: of individual, group and community.

There was need for dealing with them separately by developing three different methods of social casework dealing with individuals, social group work with groups and community organization with communities. In course of time, they were accepted as the three primary methods of social work. It was also realized that while providing social work help by using these three methods, there was always a need for providing some social/welfare services and gathering validated knowledge, and this realization finally culminated into development of two subsidiary/ auxiliary methods of social work namely, social welfare administration and social work research.

In course of time it was seriously felt that since psycho-social problems have their roots in faulty social structure and system, and any client facing these problems cannot, be held responsible for his/her problems, there was need for evolving and including some weapon in the armoury of social work which could play a significant role in bringing about desired changes in society, and thus emerged social action as an auxilliary/secondary method of social work.

Primary Methods

The primary methods are those methods which directly help the client to solve his/ her problems. The following are the primary methods of social work.

Social Case Work (Working with individuals)

Social case work is a unique method of problem-solving. It helps an individual to solve his psycho-social problems. Here the social worker is concerned with individual problems only. Here interventions come at the individual level. Professionally trained Social Worker helps a client with particular problems. Social case work is a primary method of social work.

It is concerned with the adjustment and development of the individual towards more satisfying human relationship According to Bowers, “Social casework is an art in which knowledge of the science of human relations and skills in human relationships are used to mobilise capacities in the individual and resources in the community, appropriate to better adjustment between the client and all or any part of his total environment.” In social case work a person with a problem comes to a place/agency where a professionally trained worker helps him through a given process. Social case work has four components-person, problem, place and process.

Read Social Casework: Definition, Concept and Assumptions in detail.

Social Group Work

In social group work, intervention takes place at group level. The social worker assists the members of a group to develop capacities and potentialities. The leadership qualities and personality traits of the group members are developed by organising programmes. The growth and development of the group members are promoted in social group work.

Social group work is a method of social work which develops the ability to establish constructive relationships in individuals through group activities, Group experiences are essential to human beings. Group work helps individuals in groups in social agency settings. The members of the group are helped by a Group Worker who guides the group members’ interaction in programmes. The group interaction helps an individual to develop oneself in accordance with abilities and capacities. The individuals are empowered to mobilise their available resources for their own betterment.

Read Social Group Work: Definition and Concept in detail.

Community Organization

Social work intervention at community level is termed as community organization. The community organization organises its resources to solve the basic needs of the community with the participation of the people. The community identifies the problems and resources with the help of a community organizer (professionally trained social worker). The problems like water scarcity, sanitation, poverty. unemployment, pollution, educational needs etc. are usually dealt within community organization.

As a result of the continuous interaction under the guidance of a common organizer among the community members develop confidence to achieve their needs or objectives and through cooperative and collaborative attitudes and practices in the community.

Read Community Organization: Definitions, Concept and Meaning in detail.

Secondary/Auxillary Method

Secondary methods are those methods which are intended to support the primary methods of social work. In the secondary method the worker indirectly deals with the client’s problem. The secondary methods of social work are social action, social welfare administration and social work research.

Social Action

Social Action is a secondary method of social work. It finds solutions for mass social issues through propaganda, public opinion and collective support. The solutions  to mass issues are found by legal means and non violent activities. The mass issues like dowry, environment issues, gender issues etc, are addressed through this method.

Mary, E. Richmond was the first social worker and writer who coined the word social action in 1922. She states that social action is the mass betterment through propaganda and social legislation. Social action is an individual, group or community effort within the framework of philosophy and practice of social work. The aim of social action is to achieve social progress, modification of social policies, initiating social legislation and welfare services.

Read Social Action: Definition, Concept, Objective and Tools in detail.

Social Welfare Administration

Social welfare administration transform social policy into action. This method makes use of scientific and administrative techniques in planning. implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the welfare programs.

Social welfare administration is a process of organization and administration of an institution/organization/project. Social welfare administration refers to those activities which are for the systematic execution of social policies. It includes Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Co-ordinating, Reporting and Budgeting (POSDCORB). It is a dynamic art taking human and physical resources available and blending them to the achievement of some required goals. The aims of social welfare administration are the progressive achievement of the well being of human beings.

Social welfare administration requires specialised knowledge. The administrator should possess sufficient knowledge regarding the agency’s aims, programs, methods of social treatment and social resources. Such knowledge enables the administrator to perform his task.

Read Social Welfare Administration: Meaning, Definitions and Concept in detail.

Social Work Research

Let us examine the issues like domestic violence, child abuse, migrant labour etc. In order to understand these problems we must have scientific and systematic methods to find out their various causes and solutions. Social work research tries to analyse the causes behind social issues and helps the professional to solve the problems. Social work research is a systematic approach to assess the effectiveness of social work interventions. This may be done by an evaluation of the situation prior to and after the intervention.

Social work research is the systematic and scientific enquiry of a social phenomenon or a social problem. This will help to find out the real problem and to formulate specific intervention strategies to solve that problem. Social work research is different from social science research because it is basically action-oriented research which supports the problem solving process. Social work research tries to say how things happen. It helps to collect necessary facts which will direct towards solutions.

Read Social Work Research: Concept and Scope in detail.

Other Classification

Social work methods have another classification namely micro, mezzo and macro, Micro means dealing with the problems of individuals and families, mezzo means dealing with the problem of group. Macro means dealing with the problem of a communities.