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Building relationships

The importance given to relationships in social work

For many years, relationships have been important in social work. This has been described in different ways - in terms of The Casework Relationship, as therapeutic social work (Sudbery 2002) and as 'relationship-based social work' (Trevithick 2003).

The communication 'bridge' that relationships provide acts as a vital link - or point of human connection - across two worlds: the world of the social worker and the world of the service user, carer or other person.

The Casework Relationship

One of the earliest and most influential texts in this field was entitled The Casework Relationship by Felix Biestek (1957), a US academic, who defined the casework relationship as 'the dynamic interaction of attitudes and emotions between the caseworker and client, with the purpose of helping the client achieve a better adjustment between himself (sic) and his environment' (p. 17).

The Communication Bridge

Negative life experiences and events, such as hardship, adversity and being let down by others can leave people unhappy, mistrustful, confused, bewildered, upset, depressed, empty, powerless, hopeless and despairing.

Most people want to feel better about themselves, others and the world around them but do not know how to bring about this change. They need the help of others.

Positive life experiences and events can leave people feeling optimistic, confident, energised, empowered, hopeful, fulfilled, determined and motivated.

Positive experiences can give rise to a sense of hope and possibility about ourselves, others and the world about us and this openness and sense of confidence can lead to other positive experiences.

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Building relationships

In order to help people move from where they are, to where they want to be, you will need to be able to use a range of communication skills.

These skills involve being able to communicate understanding, care and concern and the capacity to explain events, provide encouragement, allay fears, contain anxiety, and provide practical help and support in ways that help to build trust and a confidence.

For some people, change is not possible without some form of help - they need a travel companion who can provide not only the maps but also directions - for at least part of the way.

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Building relationships

These communication skills cover a range of different personal qualities and professional attributes and when used together can help you to choose the right methods to create strong meaningful relationships.

Other important qualities could be added to this - for example in different situations, some qualities are likely to be more important than others, such as being patient when people are confused and don't understand what is being communicated.

Before you explore the different qualities and attributes, take a moment to think about the general qualities you think that social workers should possess and why?

When you are ready click 'next' to find out more.

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Building relationships

In building successful relationships you must have a combination of good personal qualities and strong professional attributes. To find out more about what makes up these areas, click on the buttons below.

Personal qualities

The ability to demonstrate and communicate

Click on the words above to explore the different personal qualities.

You can also read a service user's account below to see how the good personal qualities of a social worker can really make a difference.

"When I came out of prison I felt I had nothing. My kids had been put in care and didn't want anything to do with me. My mum was dead and my dad was off with another woman somewhere up north. I started to take the stuff again (crack/cocaine) because that's the only way I know how to keep the pain down - to numb out on it. Then one night, near to midnight it was and pouring with rain. I was working the streets ('selling sex') to feed my habit (drug addiction) and this van rolled up and someone jumped out and asked if I'd like a coffee and something to eat. I was new to the town but I'd heard of this van. It goes out every night to give food and drinks to girls who work the streets. It was freezing and I was cold, wet and hungry so I jumped at the chance and it was great.

I sat there - with this social worker who was a project outreach worker who looked younger than me - and I just talked and talked and talked. It's a long time since I've sat with someone so kind and caring - I felt she was on my side and that she really wanted to understand - wanted to understand what was happening to me. It's hard to understand somebody else but she really tried. We got on so well that I begged her to come to the housing with me the next day but she said that she couldn't because she had other appointments that she couldn't change. That's not what I wanted to hear, but it was honest . . . Instead, she gave me information on where I needed to go to get help and said that she'd be back on the van the next night if I wanted to talk some more. I don't know her name or maybe I've forgotten it . . . but I remember her kindness on that horrible wet night."

Personal qualities

Empathy


Empathy describes the capacity to imaginatively enter into the life and experiences of other people. It is not humanly possible to be 'in another person's shoes' but it is possible to imagine with a degree of accuracy the thoughts and feelings that others might be experiencing.

Personal qualities

Warmth


Warmth describes an emotional connection and kindness that raises the temperature between people in ways that puts individuals at their ease and leads to a more relaxed, comfortable and trusting exchange.

Personal qualities

Courage


Courage indicates a strength of purpose and commitment to stand up for what we think to be 'right', or to defend a particular position even in difficult circumstances or situations.

Personal qualities

Openness


To communicate that we are open to other people is to demonstrate a flexibility and a willingness to engage with new perspectives and experiences. It requires a groundedness yet at the same time the capacity to be moved and changed by others.

Personal qualities

Honesty


To be honest indicates integrity and a commitment to be truthful. It also implies a capacity to communicate this truthfulness in ways that are thoughtful and sensitive to other's perceptions of events.

Personal qualities

Reliability and consistency


Reliability and consistency link to notions of dependability and predictability. All these attributes help people to trust and to feel safe in ways that reduce defensive behaviour and enable real contact to be made.

Personal qualities

Care and concern


To communicate care and concern is to demonstrate we are moved and compassionately involved in the plight of others. It communicates that we are looking out for people in ways that promotes their best interests.

Professional attributes

The ability to demonstrate and communicate

Click on the words above to explore the different professional attributes.

You can also read a social worker's thoughts below regarding the need for strong professional attributes.

"In addition to personal qualities, social workers are also expected to demonstrate specific professional attributes. These overlap with practitioners' personal qualities, but they are used differently because the relationship is located within professional boundaries and principles that are central in relation to social work values and professional ethics.

The notion of professional boundaries enables social workers to differentiate between behaviour that is acceptable in a social context from behaviour that is not acceptable within a work context, where expectations are different."

Professional attributes

Knowledge


Knowledge describes the understanding that is gained through theories, concepts and practice wisdom and how this understanding helps practitioners to recognise events taking place and people and their social contexts. It is this understanding that informs social workers' judgements, decision-making and action.

Professional attributes

Skills


Skills have been described as knowledge in action. They involve actions that can be taught, that acquire economy of effort when used repeatedly and that are usually organised to meet a specific objective (Trevithick 2005:63). An example of the economy of effort acquired when perfecting a skill can be seen when driving a car. Someone new to driving is likely to find the experience tiring and demanding, whereas an experienced person can usually drive with little effort.

Professional attributes

Professional boundaries


Professional boundaries are important in social work, as in all other areas of professional activity, because they enable us to identify the responsibilities that lie within a particular role or task and to differentiate these roles and tasks from other activities that lie outside social work. In addition, professional boundaries enable us to identify those areas of work that are the responsibility of certain individuals or other professions. For example, the warmth that people communicate in their personal life may include intimate comments or physical contact, such as a hug. In a professional context, personal comments or touching would not normally be considered appropriate. Or again, we may allow ourselves to be late when meeting a friend - whereas lateness would not normally be acceptable in a work context.

Also, working within clear professional boundaries can help us to identify important elements of behaviour. For example, an interview located within clear boundaries will start and end on time which then allows us to identify if an individual is late and to explore what is happening when lateness is a feature of the interaction.

Professional attributes

Social work values


The term social work values and ethical principles describe the approach that we bring to our work which involves demonstrating a respect for service users, an acceptance of the individual as he/she, encouraging and promoting self-determination, adhering to the rules of confidentiality and, whenever possible, challenging inequality and discrimination. 'These are principles relating to how the social worker regards and treats other people and can be found both in the literature relating to the values of the profession . . . and in the social work codes of ethics of the majority of countries.'(Banks 1998, p. 216).

Professional attributes

Professional ethics


Professional ethics comprise the more or less formalized principles, rules, conventions and customary practices that inform professionals’ treatment of their clients, each other, and their relations with society at large. . . . Professional ethics may be prescribed in written codes, which the individual professional may be required to adhere to upon penalty of disciplinary action or disqualification.'(Clark 2000: 273).