Chapter 5
Preparing
I.Preparatory Reviewing
A.Preparatory reviewing—involves examining and considering information available to you and your agency before an initial contact with another person (Kadushin, 1983)
B.Exercise 5-1: Preparatory Reviewing
C.Box 5.2: Telephone Intake Report
II.Preparatory Exploring
A.Preparatory exploring—involves asking questions about a prospective client and the situation
B.Exercise 5-2: Preparatory Exploring
III.Preparatory Consulting
A.Preparatory consulting—involves seeking advice from a social work supervisor or colleagues concerning an upcoming visit with a prospective client or other person
B.Exercise 5-3: Preparatory Consulting
IV.Preparatory Arranging
A.Preparatory arranging—involves logistical preparation for a first meeting
B.Exercise 5-4: Preparatory Arranging
V.Preparatory Empathy
A.Preparatory empathy—involves “putting oneself in the client’s shoes and trying to view the world through the client’s eyes” (Shulman, 1984)
B.Box 5.3: Preparatory Empathy: Preliminary Thoughts
C.Exercise 5-5: Preparatory Empathy
VI.Preparatory Self-Exploration
A.Preparatory self-exploration—a form of self-analysis or introspection through which you, a human being who happens to be a social worker, identify how you might be affected by your interaction with this particular person, this specific issue of concern, and this unique situation
B.Exercise 5-6: Preparatory Self-Exploration
VII.Centering
A.Centering—involves organizing your personal thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations so that they do not interfere with the performance of your professional obligations and delivery of social services
B.Exercise 5-7: Centering
VIII.Preliminary Planning and Recording
A.Preliminary planning—before meetings, contacts, and interview with clients and other people with whom you interact, ask yourself questions such as the following
1.Why is this meeting occurring?
2.What is its overall purpose?
3.What do I hope to accomplish through this meeting?
4.What is my tentative agenda?
5.What might be the other person’s agenda?
6.What would I consider to be a successful meeting?
7.What are my functions or roles in this meeting?
8.How do I wish to begin?
9.What things should I say?
10.What questions should I ask?
11.What kind of interactional process would I like to see?
12.How would I like the meeting to conclude?
B.Types of interviews
1.Information-gathering interviews—you encourage people to discuss their views and feelings about themselves, their preferences and strengths, issues and goals, and the situation
2.Information-giving interviews—you share needed or useful knowledge
3.Assessment-forming interviews—you arrive at an assessment, diagnosis, evaluation, or conclusion
4.Change-making interviews—you attempt to influence movement or change somewhere within a targeted system
C.Recording
1.Telephone intake form—basic information is recorded
2.Face sheet—more extensive form involves recording identifying characteristics of a person-issue-situation, preliminary description of the issue of concern, occupation, family role, address, and phone numbers
D.Exercise 5-8: Preliminary Planning and Recording
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