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Kerala Plus Two Social Work (DHSE) study materials
Kerala Plus Two Social Work (DHSE) study resources

Kerala Plus Two Social Work (DHSE) practice questions

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Question 1Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The Charity Organisation Society (COS), founded in London in 1869, is remembered in social work history mainly for which contribution?

  1. Introducing the casework approach with friendly visiting and systematic assessment of need Correct answer.
  2. Establishing the first university-based professional training programme for social workers
  3. Pioneering group work methods in settlement houses for immigrant communities
  4. Creating the first statutory child protection legislation in Britain

Explanation

The COS developed individualised investigation of applicants, coordinated voluntary relief to avoid overlapping charity, and used 'friendly visitors' who assessed each family's circumstances. This organised one-to-one helping is regarded as an early root of social casework. Its emphasis on distinguishing the 'deserving' from the 'undeserving' poor is also widely critiqued in social work education.

Question 2Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The Settlement Movement, represented by Toynbee Hall in London, differed from earlier charity visiting because settlers:

  1. Focused exclusively on the psychological treatment of individual clients
  2. Restricted their work to religious conversion of the urban poor
  3. Distributed relief only after verifying the applicant's moral character
  4. Lived in the neighbourhood alongside residents and worked on shared social reform Correct answer.

Explanation

Settlement workers took up residence in poor urban areas, ran clubs, adult education and campaigns for housing and factory reform alongside local people. The model emphasised structural causes of poverty and reciprocity rather than distance between giver and receiver. This is why the Settlement Movement is linked to social group work and community organisation traditions.

Question 3Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

In the history of Indian social work education, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, is significant because it:

  1. Was the first Indian university to offer a doctorate in sociology
  2. Was founded to train rural health workers under the Community Development Programme
  3. Was established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work Correct answer.
  4. Originated as a government department for prison reform

Explanation

TISS began in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, the first school of professional social work in India. It later expanded into a multi-disciplinary social science institution. Its founding marks the institutionalisation of professional social work training in the Indian subcontinent.

Question 4Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

Mary Richmond's 1917 book 'Social Diagnosis' is regarded as foundational because it:

  1. Introduced the term 'empowerment' into professional social work literature
  2. Proposed that social work abandon casework in favour of community action
  3. Argued that charity should be administered only by the state
  4. Systematised evidence gathering and inference in social casework practice Correct answer.

Explanation

Richmond set out a structured process of collecting social evidence, comparing it and drawing inferences before planning intervention. This gave casework a professional knowledge base drawn from medicine and social investigation. It is a landmark in the development of social work method and professional identity.

Question 5Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The philosophical position that each person has inherent worth and the capacity to change, which underpins social work's respect for the individual, is best described as:

  1. Deterministic view that behaviour is fixed by early environment
  2. Utilitarian calculation of the greatest good for the greatest number
  3. Humanistic belief in human dignity and potential Correct answer.
  4. Paternalistic protection of clients from their own decisions

Explanation

Social work philosophy rests on the conviction that every person possesses inherent dignity and capacity for growth, regardless of circumstances. This humanistic stance grounds the principle of acceptance and non-judgemental practice. It contrasts with approaches that reduce people to their problems or environment.

Question 6Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The principle of client self-determination in social work practice means that the worker should:

  1. Decide for the client whenever the worker judges the choice unwise
  2. Support clients in making their own informed choices, even where the worker disagrees Correct answer.
  3. Allow clients to decide everything, including matters outside the agency's mandate
  4. Leave all decisions to the client without offering information or options

Explanation

Self-determination affirms the client's right to make decisions about their own life, with the worker providing information and support rather than directives. It operates within legal and ethical limits, so it is not unlimited. The value reflects respect for human dignity and personal autonomy.

Question 7Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

A social worker learns that a client has disclosed a plan to seriously harm a neighbour. Applying the ethical principle of confidentiality, the worker should:

  1. Publish the disclosure in the agency's public newsletter to warn the community
  2. Disclose the minimum necessary information to protect the identified person, within legal limits Correct answer.
  3. Maintain absolute confidentiality regardless of the risk to the neighbour
  4. Share the full case file with the neighbour so they can decide what to do

Explanation

Confidentiality in social work is not absolute; it is limited by the duty to protect others from serious harm and by legal reporting requirements. The ethical standard is to reveal only what is necessary, to the appropriate person, for the protective purpose. Over-disclosure beyond that is itself a breach.

Question 8Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

Within social work values, the principle of 'acceptance' requires the worker to:

  1. Receive the client with warmth and respect while retaining the right to evaluate behaviour Correct answer.
  2. Endorse every action and attitude the client presents
  3. Accept all clients referred, regardless of the agency's service mandate
  4. Avoid ever discussing the client's behaviour with them

Explanation

Acceptance means treating the person with dignity and without moral condemnation, while the worker may still assess behaviour and its consequences. It is about the person's worth, not approval of every act. This distinction allows honest work on problems without rejecting the client.

Question 9Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The social work value of 'individualisation' is best illustrated by which practice?

  1. Treating all clients identically to guarantee fairness
  2. Assessing each family's particular circumstances rather than applying one standard plan Correct answer.
  3. Referring every case to the same senior worker for consistency
  4. Assigning every client in a category the same intervention package

Explanation

Individualisation recognises that each person and situation is unique and requires a tailored assessment and plan. It guards against rigid categorisation of clients by label or stereotype. Uniform packages and identical treatment deny the particularity the value demands.

Question 10Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

A social worker's personal religious convictions conflict with a service user's right to a particular lawful service. According to professional ethics, the worker should:

  1. Refuse service and explain that the worker's conscience takes priority over the user's rights
  2. Separate personal values from professional role and ensure the user receives appropriate service or referral Correct answer.
  3. Persuade the user to adopt the worker's religious position before proceeding
  4. Continue the case while quietly withholding information the user might act on

Explanation

Professional ethics require that personal beliefs not be imposed on service users, who are entitled to lawful services delivered without discrimination. Where a genuine conflict exists, the worker should arrange an appropriate referral rather than abandon the user. Withholding information to steer choices breaches informed consent.

Question 11Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The ethical concept of 'informed consent' in social work requires that the client:

  1. Receives adequate information about the service, risks and alternatives before agreeing Correct answer.
  2. Consents once at intake and is not consulted again during intervention
  3. Signs any document the agency requires as a condition of service
  4. Agrees to whatever plan the worker considers professionally best

Explanation

Informed consent means voluntary agreement given after the person understands the nature of the service, its possible risks and benefits, and available alternatives. It also requires that the person has the capacity and freedom to refuse. Consent is an ongoing process, not a single signature.

Question 12Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

Which statement best captures the goal of social work at the developmental or preventive level?

  1. Replacing community institutions with professional services
  2. Strengthening people's capacities and social systems before problems become acute Correct answer.
  3. Providing relief only after a family has broken down completely
  4. Concentrating resources on curative treatment of individual pathology

Explanation

Developmental and preventive social work aims to build individual and community capacities, improve systems and reduce the conditions that generate problems. It shifts effort upstream, for example through awareness, education and community organisation. Residual, curative work addresses problems after they arise and is only part of the profession's goals.

Question 13Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The social work goal of 'social justice' is most directly expressed when a worker:

  1. Maintains neutrality on all policy matters affecting client groups
  2. Advocates for fair access to resources and challenges discriminatory policies affecting clients Correct answer.
  3. Restricts services to clients who comply with the agency's expectations
  4. Prioritises the agency's reputation over the client's entitlements

Explanation

Social justice in social work means working for equitable distribution of resources, rights and opportunities and opposing discrimination and oppressive structures. Advocacy on behalf of marginalised groups is a core expression of this goal. Neutrality in the face of injustice and agency self-interest both undermine it.

Question 14Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

A worker who helps a client group prepare and present its own demands to a local authority, rather than speaking for them, is practising:

  1. Paternalistic casework
  2. Empowerment-oriented practice Correct answer.
  3. Residual welfare provision
  4. Diagnostic advocacy

Explanation

Empowerment practice builds the capacity of clients to act on their own behalf and to influence decisions affecting them. The worker's role shifts from speaking for people to supporting their voice and skills. This contrasts with paternalistic approaches that decide for clients and with relief-focused residual welfare.

Question 15Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The ethical principle of 'respect for persons' in social work implies that the worker should:

  1. Treat clients as ends in themselves rather than merely as means to agency targets Correct answer.
  2. Prioritise the worker's professional standing over the client's wishes
  3. Treat clients politely while using them to meet performance indicators
  4. Defer to any request a client makes without discussion

Explanation

Respect for persons, drawn from Kantian ethics, holds that human beings have intrinsic worth and must not be used merely as instruments for other goals. In practice this means agency targets cannot justify treating clients as objects. Politeness without this underlying regard does not satisfy the principle.

Question 16Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

Which of the following is an example of a 'dual relationship' that raises an ethical concern in social work?

  1. The worker becomes the client's landlord while continuing as their counsellor Correct answer.
  2. The worker refers a client to a specialist service with the client's consent
  3. The worker documents case notes in the agency's electronic record system
  4. The worker attends a training workshop with colleagues from other agencies

Explanation

A dual or multiple relationship exists when the worker holds another significant role with the client, such as landlord, employer or relative, alongside the professional one. Such overlap risks conflicts of interest, exploitation and impaired judgement. Ordinary collegial, referral and recording activities are part of normal practice and create no such conflict.

Question 17Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The historical shift from 'charity' to 'social work' as a profession is best explained by:

  1. The decision of charities to stop giving any material relief
  2. The growth of systematic method, training and an ethical code for helping practice Correct answer.
  3. The abandonment of casework in favour of purely political activity
  4. The replacement of all voluntary effort by state bureaucracy

Explanation

Professionalisation involved developing methods such as casework, group work and community organisation, establishing training institutions, and adopting codes of ethics and standards. These developments distinguished a profession from diffuse charitable impulse. Voluntary effort continued alongside state provision rather than disappearing.

Question 18Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution are relevant to social work philosophy because they:

  1. Grant fundamental rights enforceable directly through writ petitions
  2. Commit the state to welfare goals such as reducing inequality and securing livelihood Correct answer.
  3. Establish the professional licensing system for social workers
  4. Define the code of ethics for voluntary organisations

Explanation

The Directive Principles set out welfare-oriented aims, including adequate livelihood, equal pay, protection of vulnerable groups and reduction of inequalities. They express a constitutional commitment to social justice that aligns with social work's goals. They are not directly enforceable as fundamental rights and do not regulate professional licensing or ethics codes.

Question 19Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The Gandhian concept of 'sarvodaya' is often linked to social work in India because it emphasises:

  1. The greatest happiness of the largest number through cost-benefit calculation
  2. Charitable relief limited to members of one's own community
  3. The welfare and upliftment of all, especially the poorest and most excluded Correct answer.
  4. Professional casework conducted only by trained graduates

Explanation

Sarvodaya means the welfare of all, rooted in non-violence and the upliftment of the last person in society, including through voluntary constructive work. It resonates with social work's commitment to the marginalised and to community-based change. It is not a utilitarian calculus, nor is it sectarian charity or a method restricted to trained professionals.

Question 20Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

A social worker employed by a government department is instructed to close a family's case for administrative convenience despite continuing unmet needs. The most ethically defensible response is to:

  1. Tell the family to complain publicly against the department without further assistance
  2. Continue unofficial support using agency resources without any record
  3. Record the unmet needs and pursue appropriate appeal or referral channels while informing the family Correct answer.
  4. Close the case quietly to avoid conflict with the supervisor

Explanation

Ethical practice requires documenting assessed need, informing clients of their position and using legitimate appeal, supervisory or referral routes to secure services. This respects both accountability and the client's right to be informed. Quiet compliance abandons the client, while undocumented use of resources breaches agency accountability.

Question 21Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The ethical principle of 'non-maleficence' in social work means that the worker should:

  1. Always choose the option that produces the greatest total benefit
  2. Avoid interventions likely to cause harm and weigh risks before acting Correct answer.
  3. Refuse to intervene in any situation where harm is possible
  4. Do good to clients regardless of the risks involved

Explanation

Non-maleficence is the duty not to inflict harm, requiring careful assessment of the risks of an intervention before proceeding. It complements beneficence, the duty to promote welfare, but is a distinct obligation. Avoiding all intervention whenever risk exists would make practice impossible and neglect the duty of care.

Question 22Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

Which feature most clearly distinguishes a profession from an occupation in the context of social work?

  1. Employment within a government department
  2. Working with people who are poor or vulnerable
  3. Payment of a regular salary for services rendered
  4. A body of systematic knowledge, training and a self-regulating ethical code Correct answer.

Explanation

Professions are characterised by specialised knowledge, formal training, standards of competence and a code of ethics enforced by the occupational group. These features support public trust and accountability. Salaried employment, government service and working with vulnerable people are shared with many occupations and do not by themselves make a profession.

Question 23Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

The value of 'confidentiality' in social work is best understood as:

  1. A courtesy that the worker may set aside at personal discretion
  2. An absolute promise that no information will ever be shared
  3. A duty to protect client information, subject to defined legal and ethical exceptions Correct answer.
  4. A rule that applies only to written records, not spoken information

Explanation

Confidentiality obliges the worker to safeguard information entrusted by clients, while recognising lawful and ethical exceptions such as risk of serious harm or statutory reporting. It applies to both written and verbal information. Treating it as an absolute or a discretionary courtesy misstates the professional duty.

Question 24Introduction to Social Work: history, philosophy, values, ethics and goals

A student on field placement is asked by a client for the student's personal phone number to arrange meetings outside the agency. The most appropriate response is to:

  1. Decline and redirect contact through the agency's agreed channels and supervisor Correct answer.
  2. Provide the number to build rapport and trust with the client
  3. Provide the number but ask the client to keep it secret from the agency
  4. Ignore the request and end the placement contact with the client

Explanation

Professional boundaries and agency procedures protect both clients and students, so contact should be arranged through agreed channels under supervision. Giving a personal number creates boundary and safety risks and bypasses accountability. A secret arrangement would compound the breach, and withdrawing contact entirely would abandon the client.

Question 25Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

In social casework, which principle requires the worker to recognise and respect the client's right to make their own choices and decisions?

  1. Self-determination Correct answer.
  2. Acceptance
  3. Confidentiality
  4. Individualisation

Explanation

Self-determination is the principle that clients have the right to decide their own goals and course of action, even when the worker disagrees. The worker's task is to enlarge the client's capacity to choose, not to choose for them.

Question 26Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A caseworker tells a client, 'I hear that losing your job has left you feeling worthless.' Which interviewing skill is being demonstrated?

  1. Advice giving
  2. Closed questioning
  3. Reflection of feeling Correct answer.
  4. Summarising

Explanation

Reflection of feeling restates the emotional content the client has communicated so that the client feels understood and can explore the feeling further. The worker names the emotion rather than asking for facts or offering a solution.

Question 27Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

According to the stages of group development commonly used in social group work, during which stage do members typically test boundaries, depend on the worker and experience uncertainty about belonging?

  1. Forming Correct answer.
  2. Norming
  3. Adjourning
  4. Storming

Explanation

In the forming stage members are polite, anxious and dependent on the worker while they work out what the group expects. Conflict and role negotiation become prominent later, in the storming stage.

Question 28Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which statement best describes the primary purpose of community organization as a method of social work?

  1. Facilitating therapeutic change in a small face-to-face group
  2. Providing direct material relief to individual families in crisis
  3. Diagnosing and treating individual personality problems through one-to-one interviews
  4. Helping a geographic or functional community identify needs and mobilise its own resources for collective action Correct answer.

Explanation

Community organization works with communities as units, helping members identify common needs, plan together and mobilise internal and external resources. It is a macro method, not individual or small-group treatment.

Question 29Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Social action as a method is best distinguished from conventional community organization by which feature?

  1. It works only with individual clients in a clinical setting
  2. It seeks structural change through organised pressure and mobilisation of the disadvantaged Correct answer.
  3. It relies solely on written surveys to assess needs
  4. It avoids any involvement with government authorities

Explanation

Social action aims at changing unjust structures and policies by organising affected people to exert pressure, for example through campaigns, advocacy and negotiation. Community organization more broadly may also focus on service coordination and consensus building.

Question 30Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A caseworker shares a client's HIV status with a colleague who has no involvement in the case, because the colleague asked out of concern. Which principle has been breached?

  1. Self-determination
  2. Non-judgemental attitude
  3. Confidentiality Correct answer.
  4. Worker self-awareness

Explanation

Confidentiality requires that information disclosed by a client be shared only for professional purposes and with the client's informed consent, or where the law mandates disclosure. Sharing with an uninvolved colleague out of curiosity is a breach.

Question 31Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

The 'intake' phase of the casework process is primarily concerned with which task?

  1. Terminating the service relationship
  2. Recording the case for supervision
  3. Evaluating the long-term outcomes of intervention
  4. Determining whether the agency can appropriately serve the applicant and beginning a helping relationship Correct answer.

Explanation

Intake is the first contact in which the worker gathers basic information, clarifies the request and decides whether the agency is the right setting. It also begins the relationship and prepares for psychosocial study.

Question 32Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A worker plans a group for adolescents in a children's home with the explicit aim of improving their social skills through planned activities and guided interaction. Which type of group work does this best illustrate?

  1. Social group work with a developmental purpose Correct answer.
  2. Casework with a collateral contact
  3. Social action
  4. Community organization

Explanation

Social group work uses planned group experience and guided interaction to promote members' social functioning and development. Here the group itself is the medium of help.

Question 33Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

In group work, the term 'group dynamics' refers to which of the following?

  1. The forces of interaction, cohesion, conflict and influence operating among members Correct answer.
  2. The physical setting in which meetings are held
  3. The worker's case records about each member
  4. The written constitution governing the group

Explanation

Group dynamics describes the interactive forces within a group, such as cohesion, norms, roles, conflict and leadership, that shape member behaviour. The worker uses these forces purposefully to facilitate change.

Question 34Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A community worker helps residents of a coastal ward form a federation of neighbourhood associations and negotiate with the municipality for drainage repairs. Which method is being used?

  1. Community organization Correct answer.
  2. Group psychotherapy
  3. Social casework
  4. Case management

Explanation

The worker is helping a community identify a common problem, build structures and mobilise to negotiate with authorities, which is community organization. The unit of work is the community and its organisations.

Question 35Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which of the following is a classic model of community organization in which the worker's role is mainly that of enabling and guiding community members to plan and act for themselves?

  1. Social treatment
  2. Locality development Correct answer.
  3. Psychosocial diagnosis
  4. Behaviour modification

Explanation

Locality development emphasises democratic participation and self-help, with the worker enabling residents to identify needs and act collectively. Social planning and social action are the contrasting models in the same framework.

Question 36Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

In social action, the tactic of 'advocacy' typically involves which activity?

  1. Conducting psychotherapy with families
  2. Writing case histories for supervision
  3. Providing direct counselling to individual clients
  4. Pleading or arguing on behalf of affected people to influence decisions and secure rights Correct answer.

Explanation

Advocacy means representing or supporting affected people in order to influence decision-makers and secure entitlements or rights. It may be done with or on behalf of the group, depending on their capacity.

Question 37Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A caseworker notices that she feels unusually irritated by a client who reminds her of a family member. She discusses this in supervision to prevent it affecting her work. This best illustrates which casework principle?

  1. Worker self-awareness Correct answer.
  2. Resource mobilisation
  3. Client self-determination
  4. Confidentiality

Explanation

Self-awareness is the worker's capacity to recognise their own feelings, biases and reactions so these do not distort the helping relationship. Supervision is a standard setting for developing this insight.

Question 38Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which of the following best describes the technique of 'clarification' in casework interviewing?

  1. Recording the client's exact words for the file
  2. Giving the client direct advice on what to do
  3. Helping the client restate a vague or confused message so its meaning becomes clear Correct answer.
  4. Ending the interview when the client becomes emotional

Explanation

Clarification helps the client make a vague or ambiguous statement more explicit so that both worker and client understand the message. It is a listening skill, not an advice-giving one.

Question 39Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A group worker notices that two members dominate every session while quieter members rarely speak. Which group work skill is most relevant to address this?

  1. Regulating communication so that participation is more balanced Correct answer.
  2. Replacing the quiet members
  3. Terminating the group early
  4. Ignoring the pattern to preserve spontaneity

Explanation

The worker uses their role to regulate communication, for example by inviting quieter members, setting norms about airtime or using structured activities. This protects the group's developmental purpose.

Question 40Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

The principle of 'individualisation' in casework requires the worker to do which of the following?

  1. Apply the same standard treatment plan to all clients with the same diagnosis
  2. Treat clients only as members of a social category
  3. Recognise each client as a unique person with a distinctive situation and response pattern Correct answer.
  4. Avoid recording personal details about the client

Explanation

Individualisation means seeing each client as a unique human being rather than as a case type, and tailoring help to their particular circumstances. It counters rigid categorisation and stereotyping.

Question 41Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of the community organization method?

  1. The individual unconscious is the focus of assessment
  2. The community itself is the unit of work and the focus of change Correct answer.
  3. The worker acts as an expert who decides on behalf of residents
  4. Therapy is delivered to a closed group of clients

Explanation

Community organization takes the community as the client system and works to improve its capacity, relationships and services. Participation of community members is central, so the worker enables rather than decides for them.

Question 42Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A community worker uses a participatory rural appraisal exercise in which residents draw a map of local services and rank their priorities. This is best described as which phase of community organization?

  1. Group norming
  2. Termination and withdrawal
  3. Case evaluation
  4. Community needs assessment Correct answer.

Explanation

Participatory appraisal tools such as mapping and ranking help a community identify and prioritise its own needs, which is the assessment phase of community organization. The emphasis is on residents analysing their own situation.

Question 43Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which statement most accurately captures the relationship between social casework and social group work as methods?

  1. Both aim to improve social functioning, but casework works primarily through one-to-one relationship while group work uses group interaction as the medium of help Correct answer.
  2. Casework is used only in hospitals and group work only in schools
  3. Casework is clinical and group work is purely recreational
  4. Group work is a subtype of casework

Explanation

Both are direct-service methods sharing the goal of enhancing social functioning, but they differ in the medium of help: the individual relationship in casework and planned group interaction in group work. Neither is a subtype of the other.

Question 44Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

In the problem-solving model of casework, the worker's role is best described as which of the following?

  1. Referring every client to another agency without further work
  2. Solving the client's problem on the client's behalf
  3. Diagnosing the client's unconscious conflicts
  4. Helping the client mobilise their own capacities to work on a defined problem Correct answer.

Explanation

The problem-solving approach treats the client as an active partner who works on a defined problem with the worker's support, mobilising personal and environmental resources. The worker facilitates rather than solves for the client.

Question 45Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A social action campaign seeks to change a discriminatory local practice by organising affected residents, building alliances with sympathetic groups and using public campaigns and negotiation. Which sequence best reflects a sound social action process?

  1. Identify the issue and affected people, build organisation and alliances, plan strategy, act and negotiate, review outcomes Correct answer.
  2. Act publicly first, then assess whether an issue exists
  3. Negotiate first, then identify the issue, then build alliances
  4. Build alliances only after the campaign has ended

Explanation

Sound practice begins with identifying the issue and the affected constituency, then building organisation and alliances before planning and acting. Reviewing outcomes closes the cycle and informs further action.

Question 46Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which of the following best explains why the principle of 'acceptance' does not require the worker to approve of every client behaviour?

  1. Acceptance means receiving the client as a person of worth while still being able to discuss behaviour critically Correct answer.
  2. Acceptance means avoiding any discussion of the client's difficulties
  3. Acceptance requires the worker to endorse all client decisions
  4. Acceptance applies only during the intake phase

Explanation

Acceptance is the worker's non-judgemental reception of the client as a person, which is compatible with honest discussion of problematic behaviour. It separates the person's worth from their actions.

Question 47Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

A group worker is planning a group for women survivors of domestic violence. Which planning decision is most consistent with sound social group work practice?

  1. The group should have no stated purpose so that it can evolve freely
  2. Members should be assigned to the group by the police without their consent
  3. Confidentiality should be left to members to decide individually
  4. Composition, purpose and ground rules should be set with attention to members' safety and readiness, and participation should be voluntary Correct answer.

Explanation

Group work planning considers purpose, composition, ground rules and safety, and respects members' voluntary participation. For survivors, confidentiality and physical and emotional safety are especially critical.

Question 48Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

Which feature most clearly distinguishes community organization from social action in practice?

  1. Community organization does not involve community members
  2. Community organization emphasises consensus building and participation, while social action may use confrontation and pressure to redistribute power Correct answer.
  3. Community organization is always conducted by government officers
  4. Social action never involves planning

Explanation

Community organization typically stresses participation and consensus in improving services and capacity, whereas social action more readily uses confrontation and pressure to challenge unequal power. The methods overlap but differ in emphasis.

Question 49Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

In casework recording, a 'process record' is best described as which of the following?

  1. A detailed narrative of the interview including the worker's interventions and the client's responses Correct answer.
  2. A list of agency addresses
  3. A one-line summary of the final outcome
  4. A financial statement of the client's income

Explanation

A process record captures the flow of an interview, including what the worker said and did and how the client responded, which makes it valuable for supervision and learning. It differs from brief summary records.

Question 50Basic Concepts and Methods of Social Work (casework, group work, community organization, social action)

In social casework, the principle of 'self-determination' means that the worker should primarily do which of the following?

  1. Decide the client's goals for them so that progress is faster
  2. Respect and support the client's right to make their own choices about goals and actions Correct answer.
  3. Persuade the client to follow the plan the agency considers most suitable
  4. Withhold information about available options to avoid confusing the client

Explanation

Self-determination is the casework principle that clients have the right and capacity to make their own decisions, so the worker supports informed choice rather than directing it. The worker may offer information and help clients weigh alternatives, but the final decision about goals and actions rests with the client.