Relevant social work skills

A social worker using the task-centred approach has to be able to instil confidence, trust and hopefulness. These are promoted by positive engagement, and active and accurate listening.

The service user needs to feel that she is understood and the social worker can demonstrate this using a systematic communication style. The social worker needs to be responsive to the client by reflecting back and interpreting the client views accurately.

There needs to be flexibility in negotiation between social worker and service user. The social worker has to be able to engage the skills and abilities of the service user, whilst at the same time injecting a level of realism into the goals and timescales agreed upon.

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