The Central Role of the Therapeutic Bond in a Social Agency Setting

Abstract

• Summary: This article describes the results of a qualitative research project that was carried out in a social service agency in central Israel. The aim of the research was to identify essential elements in the creation of a positive intervention experience involving social workers and families in distress. • Findings: The main findings of the research are described and analyzed within the framework of institutional, social and political contexts, using Denzin's critical-interpretive approach. It was found that at the basis of what is conceived of as a positive intervention experienced by both families in distress and social workers alike, lies the quality of the bond that was established between these two groups. As a result of the bond, based on relations of trust and closeness, the clients experienced a significant relief from the weight of their distress and reported changes in their self-image and in their family relations. However, the work setting in the social agency — a heavy workload, extensive burdens of bureaucracy, and budgetary limitations — made it impossible for social workers to devote themselves appropriately to cultivating the bond. • Applications : The research here described also indicates that there is need for a `social dialogue' between social workers and clients in order to clarify the connection between individual family problems and the socio-political situation in Israel and to facilitate a greater role for the general public in matters concerning families in distress.

Poverty‐aware social work practice: service users' perspectives

“…Providing material solutions for the basic needs of clients is known to be a significant aspect of working with people in poverty (Krumer‐Nevo, ; Sousa & Rodrigues, ; Knei‐Paz, ), and ignoring this aspect is perceived by clients as a lack of attention (Krumer‐Nevo, Slonim‐Nevo & Hirshenzon‐Segev, ). Our study shows that the response to material needs is a significant factor in service users' experience of visibility.…”

“…In the last 15 years, the field of social work has seen a renewed interest in work with people in poverty (Deka, 2012;Craig, 2002;Krumer-Nevo, 2015), and a call for the development of innovative methods of work appropriate for this population (Krumer-Nevo, 2003;Knei-Paz, 2009;Goh, 2015;Sousa & Rodrigues, 2012). Prominent in this trend is an outlook that recognizes the political nature of the profession (Reisch & Jani, 2012) and of the phenomenon of poverty, as well as a call to base innovative modes of practice on models of critical (Forde & Lynch, 2013;Garrett, 2002;Parrott, 2014;Sheedy, 2012), anti-oppressive (Strier & Binyamin, 2010;Ward, 2009), or poverty-aware social work (Krumer-Nevo, 2015).…”

Non-problematic Situations in Social Workers’ and GPs’ Practice

“…The greater the uncertainty about the client's openness to change, motivation and cooperation, the greater the social workers' need to control the relationship with the client (Hasenfeld, 1983). Against this background, we argue that the relationship between social workers and their clients is at the heart of professional social work practice (Carla & Grant, 2009;Hasenfeld, 1983;Knei-Paz, 2009) and that control of the relationship with the client may constitute the single most important aspect of professional social work practice in non-problematic situations. It indicates that control of the relationship with the client is prior to and conditions social workers' choice and use of professional knowledge and knowledge-based interventions.…”

Conditions for helping relations in specialized personal social services – a client perspective on the influence of organizational struc-ture

“…Briefly, the central elements are that the professionals are perceived as empathetic, as expressing genuine and sincere caring, and as assuming an accepting and non-judgmental attitude in the encounter with the client (Denhov 2007;Gockel, Russell, and Harris 2008;Maiter, Palmer, and Manji 2006;McLeod 2010). Flexible social workers who go somewhat beyond formal role expectations and 'walk an extra mile' for the client are also appreciated (Beresford, Croft, and Adshead 2008;Knei-Paz 2009;Maiter, Palmer, and Manji 2006). The opportunity to regularly meet face to face and the continuity of the relationship over time are other significant aspects (Beresford, Croft, and Adshead 2008;Topor and Denhov 2012).…”