ASSESSMENT
Prepared by: JONAIDEN K. KAMBAT, RSW
What is
ASSESSMENT?
MAX SIPORIN defines assessment as “a
process and a product of understanding on
which action is based. The process involves
the collection of necessary information and its
analysis and interpretation in order to reach
an understanding of the client, the problem,
and the social context in which it exists.
What is
ASSESSMENT?
(cont.)
It should be emphasized that the ultimate purpose of
assessment is to provide understanding necessary for
appropriate planning.
The specific product of such understanding is the agreement
between the client and the worker as to the “problem to be
worked on.”
The worker is expected to write an Assessment Statement for
the identified problem.
TAKE NOTE!
In the past, an assessment statement
was referred to as a “diagnosis” or
“social diagnosis.” These terms,
however, connote illness or abnormality,
and tend to imply that one person rather
than the two makes the decision as to
what the problem is and does not project
the process that is involved.
Thus, Assessment Statement appears in
most social work literature and seems to
also be the preferred term in the field of
practice today.
The term “assessment” is preferable to
the term “diagnosis” for the ff. reasons:
1 “assessment” does not have the connotation of illness or disease;
“assessment” unlike “diagnosis” does not give the impression that
2 only one, an expert, is involved in defining the problem; and
“assessment” clearly projects the process that took place in
3 defining the problem.
INITIAL CONTACT(S) WITH THE CLIENT:
INTAKE. The initial contact between the client and the worker
may come about in different ways:
The client initiates the contact. An individual, a couple, a group,
or representative of an organization or community may, on their
own, seek the help of an agency social worker about the
WALK-IN
concern or problem for which they think the worker is in
CLIENTS
position to help.
The client is referred to the worker or agency by some
interested or concerned party – a relative, neighbor, teacher,
REFERRED etc. Sometimes, clients like legal offenders are merely forced to
CLIENTS secure help. They are called “involuntary clients.”
The worker reaches out to the potential clients and offers
his/her services. Many of our agencies do such “outreach”
REACH-OUT efforts because few people are aware of existing community
CLIENTS agencies and the services they offer or many are too shy, or not
adequately motivated to seek help.
THE INTAKE PROCESS
INTAKE is the process by which a potential
client achieves the status of a client.
ON THE CLIENT’S PART: this involves the
presentation of the self and the problem or
need as he or she is experiencing it.
ON THE WORKER’S PART: this involves
some assessment of the client and the
problem and whether or not the agency is in a
position to help him/her.
THE INTAKE
PROCESS
(cont.)
A good intake interview should provide the client with adequate
understanding of the agency and its policy and program in
relation to his need or problem, as well as the responsibilities
and obligations from both client and worker.
The worker should be perceptive about the client and make an
effort to help him/her understand what the agency can do to
solve the problem or improve his/her life situation, thru ways that
are not immediately recognizable but which you can point out
during the intake process.
THE INTAKE
PROCESS
(cont.)
The intake process may end either with you or the client deciding not to
proceed, or the client committing to have client status and you
committing your agency to provide services. When the latter occurs, an
initial engagement may be said to have taken place.
This is a very important time, for this is when you are given opportunity
to lay the foundation for a positive interaction with the client which is
essential to the helping process.
From the initial contact, with any system, you should already
consciously apply knowledge and skill, as well as professional values
and principles.
THE INTAKE
PROCESS
(cont.)
In work with small groups, you may choose between conducting individual
intake or group intake, sometimes, both. Much depends on the setting and
the nature of the problem.
No formal intake is done when the client is a large collectivity like a
community. However, during the initial community assembly, you should
see to it that the equivalent of an intake process that is undertaken with
individuals and families or small groups is also done.
A record that must be kept that approximates what is found in an Individual
Intake Form: community identifying information, presenting problem and
circumstances relating to this, background data and other pertinent
information obtained during the initial contact with the community.
THE
PROBLEM
1. Knowing the Presenting Problem
During the initial contact or intake process, the
client or some significant other party who has
identified and individual, family, or group as
having a problem that is a threat to their own, or
others’ welfare, usually states the problem as it
is being experienced or perceived.
This is called the “presenting problem.” This
may be described or stated as symptoms
(anxiety, lack of motivation, etc.) behavioral
configurations (marital discord, poor school
performance, unemployment, etc.) or as needs
(housing, money, etc.).
Knowing the…
(cont.)
Regardless of how the contact between the you and the client is
initiated, you should start with what the client sees as the
problem.
Problems could be: a “dysfunctional behavior” or “pathology,” a
need, issue, question or difficulty that relates to human
functioning and is being brought forth for study and action by the
worker and the system.
“Start where the client is?” The “felt-need.”
Later, as more data are gathered, it may be reformulated or
changed, with his/her participation.
What happens when the client has many
problems which are presented at the same
time?
During the initial contact or intake, they should be heard as presenting
problems that have to be explored, with you obtaining as much information
about each problem being presented.
The exploration will unavoidably touch on goals, usually immediate ones
that will provide some relief from the problem the client has presented.
You should take careful noted of these as they are not only provide clues
about the client’s motivations for seeking help but also help you to begin to
assess whether there is a fit between the client’s expectations and what
service the agency can offer.
Your skill in communicating, relating and interviewing, are essential from
the very start along with such positive characteristics as sensitivity,
genuineness, and empathy.
2. Defining the Problem for Work
The following statement by Compton and Galaway
underscores the importance of this activity.
“We cannot possibly overemphasized the point that effective
work depends on appropriate problem identification. The way you
define the problem will define what data are collected and will
dictate what are sees as appropriate answers. This step must be
right or all else fails. There can be no engagement between the
client and the worker without a common understanding of what
they are about together from the client’s frame of reference. This
does not mean that you should set aside your definition of the
problem. It means that you and the client must spell out both
definitions and agree an ordering of the problem for work.”
Defining the…
(cont.)
The same authors refer to the problem-for-work as “the place of
beginning together,” which, in specific terms means any or all of
the following:
a. the problem or part of the problem that the client system feels
is most more important or a good beginning place;
b. the problem or part of the problem that in the worker’s
judgment is most critical;
c. the problem or part of the problem that in the worker’s
judgment can most readily yield to help;
d. the problem or part of the problem that falls within the action
parameters of the helping system.
Two (2) social work techniques are
particularly useful during the problem
definition:
PRIORITIZATION. Means that you have to consider the problems in order
of importance so that the most important is addressed ahead of another or
others.
PARTIALIZATION. Refers to the process of separating from the universe
of problems of the client the specific problems that are to become the focus
of the worker-client attention.
*These two can be used interchangeably. However, it may be more
appropriate to use “prioritizing” when the client’s problems are not very related
and can be dealt with “one after the other,” and “partializing” when the
problems are related but a choice has to be made which “part” to attend to
first.
DATA
COLLECTION
A variety of sources are available from which to obtain
the information that is necessary in assessment.
1. PRIMARY SOURCES. The most direct means of
gathering data is through personal interviews using
carefully planned questions. The client and other
systems are the primary sources of such data.
Individual and group interviews may be used.
2. SECONDARY SOURCES. Reading records, reports
and documents, studies and evaluations and other
written materials like written documentation with
other professionals are often available for use. How
reliable are the data they provide, or how competent
and objective were those who prepared them should
be carefully considered.
The following are some principles of data
collection:
1. The clients should be the primary source of information although not
necessarily the only source.
2. The data you collect should be related to the problem at issue.
3. You should not acquire information that you would be unwilling to share
with the client.
4. The client should be informed about the source being used to obtain
information. There are also certain kinds of information that can be
obtained only with the client’s consent.
5. Most data should be obtained only after the problem-for-work has been
identified and the worker and client have agreed on what data need to be
gathered.
TAKE NOTE!
The four (4) major event or activities
that take place before the worker writes
an Assessment Statement are:
a) Initiating contacts with the client/Intake
b) Knowing the Presenting Problem
c) Defining the Problem-for-Work
d) Data Collection
WRITING AN
ASSESSMENT
STATEMENT
The following are the three (3) components of an
Assessment according to Maria Neil McMahon’s idea:
a) Opening causal statement: who has the problem, what
problem is, and what is the cause (immediate cause that
may have resulted from a series of factors)
b) Change potential statement: the maintenance of
resolution of a problem are dependent on three
interdependent factors: problem (e.g. who are involved,
how long, to what extent?), person (e.g. strengths and
weaknesses) and environment (e.g. resources,
constraints).
c) Judgment about the seriousness or urgency of the
problem: the extent to which it is a life-endangering
matter for the person concerned, in which case it
requires immediate attention even if the change
potential is low.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ASSESSMENT
1. It is ongoing.
2. It focuses on understanding the client in the situation and in providing a
base for planning and action.
3. It is a mutual process involving both client and worker.
4. There is a movement within the assessment process.
5. Both horizontal and vertical explorations are important.
6. Assessment identifies needs in life situation, defines problem, and
explains their meanings and patterns.
7. Assessment is individualized.
8. Judgment is important in assessment because many decision have to be
made.
9. No assessment is ever complete.
THANKS!
PREPARED BY:
JONAIDEN K. KAMBAT, RSW
[email protected]
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