A Comparative Study of a“ Caseworker’s Self-Reflection” and the“ Principles of Casework”

「ケースワーカーの自己反省」と「ケースワークの原則」比較論

A Comparative Study of a“ Caseworker’s Self-Reflection” and the“ Principles of Casework”

Felix P. Biestek published The Casework Relationship in 1957. Five years earlier, in 1952, Mary Overholt Peters, Field Representative of the Oklahoma State Department of Public Welfare, published “Notes from a Social Worker’s Journal” in an American journal of public welfare (April issue).
This paper is an attempt to compare the two publications, which are still widely read by frontline social workers. The author was interested in the fact that they appeared in the same period.
The result found that 10 of the 11 items in Peters’ article share common themes with Biestek’s Principles of Social Casework in The Casework Relationship. Second, none of the caseworker’s relationships with fellow caseworkers and supervisors in Peters’ article were applicable to Biestek’s Principles. The Principles of Casework represent the principles of the caseworker’s attitude toward their clients. Therefore, they understandably do not touch on the relationship with their colleagues.
On the other hand, no section of“ Notes from a Social Worker’s Journal” mentions the principle of confidentiality. Regarding this issue, Mary Oberholt Peters, author of“ Notes from a Social Worker’ s Journal,” must have been naturally aware of the responsibility as a civil servant to protect the confidentiality of clients’ private information, as she was the liaison officer for the Public Welfare Department of the State of Oklahoma in the US.
Finally, as for the connection between Peters’ article and Biestek’s Principles, it seems that practicing social work according the latter and reflecting on the practice based on the former will help improve the quality of social work as the reflection will lead to better practices.

Creators UCHIDA Mitsunori

[EISSN]2189-4825