Social Worker–Client Relationships: Social Worker Perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social worker–client relationship practice has always been and remains central to contemporary social work purpose and identity. The professional “helping relationship” can and does enable change and alleviate distress. Nevertheless, what happens in social worker–client relationships remains unclear warranting research attention. This article reports on a qualitative study that explored the lived experience of social worker–client relationships with 16 social workers employed in child and family welfare services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Findings confirmed the centrality of social worker–client relationships for achieving client outcomes and revealed a distinctive practice approach where the social worker–client relationship is seen as the workspace for the intervention, and the social worker acts as relationship-building agent. Overall this constitutes a distinctive practice approach perhaps usefully described as social work relationship praxis (SWRP). The findings are discussed with reference to the literature and implications for research, practice, and education are outlined. IMPLICATIONS This study valorises the centrality of the social worker–client relationship for achieving client outcomes. A relational paradigm needs to be elevated in social work education to prepare students for practicing relationally. Development of social work practice theory needs to embrace relational views of “the self”.