SKPW2143 KEMAHIRAN KOMUNIKASI UNTUK KERJA SOSIAL

SEMESTER 2 SESI 2012/2013 DR. EZARINA ZAKARIA ezaz@ukm.my

Providing information - orienting & responding

Information provided must be clear and contextrelated 5 kinds of information :
i) factual information ii) information about boundaries iii) explanations iv) opinions and proposals v) emotional information- responding with empathy

Factual information
Information that can be verified
Facts and figures Much of information we pass on to service users Services, charges for services, explain entitlement, legal position,information to make choices Written information to support what we have said

Information about boundaries

Making a self assertion without hostility

Boundaries can be moved

Explanations
Relates to private thought
Internal to social worker

Not evident to other people unless been told by the Social Worker
Client need to hear about it to understand what you are doing. Classed as personal explanations

Opinions and proposals

We need to couple the provision of factual information wth opinions and proposals= to help people make decisions
Proposals = immediate issues, possibilities and choices, not as something clients ought to do.

Distinguish between opinions and facts is important 1)personal encounters, 2) written communication and 3) contacts with other professionals.

Opinions and proposals

Professional shorthand = opinions
his health is deteriorating her parenting skills are improving

Factual information needed

he has lost weight, his lungs are congested and he is finding it hard to breathe she is giving the children a hot meal every day and gets them to school on time more than 3 times a week.

Emotional information
Empathy = core skill
Communicates that we understand client's concerns and know how they feel Has cognitive elements=using words to name feelings. Genuine understanding of person's emotional state.
C: i've decided, I'm going to go to college SW : that'wonderful, you look really lit up!.

Emotional information
C: I went to the housing, and the man asked me all sorts of personal questions, in front of all these people, like why couldn't live with my mom anymore. SW: It sounds very embarrassing, and you look kind of disgusted and angry about how you were treated

Emotional information
C:And then they told me that they don't think the baby will see,and she won't be able to hear, and she'll never walk.
SW: That's devastating news, it must be overwhelming to think of her like that.

Emotional information
C: It's so difficult, just watching him get weaker and more confused, and less able to do the things he used to enjoy. I wish I could make the world stop so he didn't get any worse.

SW: You love him so much, and yet you can't stop this happening to him. It is so sad.

Emotional information
Statement empathy needs real emotional connection. "that must be ery difficult for you" "I understand how you feel"

Energy level
If you can't think of the right emotional word, say something a bit vaguer but with feeling. "I can see this has really affected you"

Not sure about the intensity of emotion

Better to acknowledge the more intense emotion. Energy level

Gathering information-asking and answering questions

We gather information through asking three different kinds of question:1) narrow questions 2) broad questions 3) inner-person questions
(Simon and Agazarian, 2005)

Narrow questions
Helpful in obtaining factual information and yes/no answers Allow to offer alternatives Simple narrow questions are easy to understand
SW : How long have you lived here? C : Three years SW : Do you like living here? C : Its okay. SW : Do you prefer living alone or would you rather share? C : I prefer living alone

Narrow questions
Sometimes called closed questions. Are easy to answer on paper. In person : 3 or more questions make clients feel like they are being interrogate.
Can be alleviated with = friendly non-verbal behavior and an explanation about why SW are asking the questions. I need to ask you a few questions now to make sure we have your details correct. Is that okay?

Narrow questions
Should be limited when discussing personal topics discourage client from expanding on their story. SW : When did you realise you were gay? C : When I was 13. SW : Are you comfortable with your orientation? C : I am, now. SW : Do you mix mainly with gay or straight people? C : Oh, both. SW rarely spend an entire session on fact findingbroad questions should usually be used

Broad questions
Help you to learn more about the person Elicit more expansive answers Invite explanations, ideas, opinions, proposals or suggestions They may take the apparent form of an imperative or command, but the tone shows that they are not.

Broad questions
How are you managing your finances now? What would improve your situation? Tell me about what made you get in touch with us How can I help?

Broad and narrow questions

As you begin to understand the persons situation both broad and narrow questions will enable you to work towards an agreed goal.
When would you like to start looking for voluntary work? (narrow) What kind of voluntary work interests you? (broad) Is that type of work available locally? (narrow)

Inner-person questions
The narrow and broad questions seek facts and ideas, but when they are used to elicit feelings, they become inner-person questions.
Are you as sad as you were last time we met? Are you angry with me right now? When you think about leaving your partner, how do you feel? How are you feeling now about living alone?

Leading questions
Useful for journalist but not to social work. Journalists frequently use them with politicians
You are going to raise taxes, arent you? Dont you think it would be better just to admit it?

Indicate the answer the speaker wants to hear, and try to coerce the other person into agreement. Impedes communication Should be avoided in social work.

Leading questions
Dont you think it would be a good idea to go to the family centre? Youd feel safer, wouldnt you, if we gave you one of these alarms?

So, you will be all right now, wont you?

Leading questions
If you feel the impulse, turn it around so that you are offering choice, and be honest if you have an opinion or proposal.
I think you might enjoy going to the family centre (opinion). There are lots of activities for the children and for the parents too (facts and figures). It is very friendly (opinion). I could go with you and you could see for yourself before deciding (proposal)

THANK YOU

DR EZARINA ZAKARIA

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