The Partnership Model in Human Services: Sociological Foundations and Practices

by Darling, Rosalyn Benjamin

• ISBN13: 9780306462740
• ISBN10: 0306462745
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-04-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

This book provides students and practitioners with a theoretical and methodological foundation for implementing client- and family-centered 'partnership' approaches in human services. Unlike other texts in the field, the author integrates the principles and practices of sociology with applied work in the helping professions and shows how key sociological concepts can be used to explain the nature of clients' perspectives and expand client opportunities.

Table of Contents

I. BACKGROUND AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
The Partnership Approach: A Sociological Model of Practice	3	(14)
The Verstehen Approach in Sociology	4	(1)
The Partnership Approach	5	(3)
The Partnership Model and Sociological Practice	8	(4)
The Partnership Model and Grounded Theory	12	(1)
The Structural Approach in Social Work	13	(1)
The Contribution of Sociological Theory and Methods	14	(2)
Chapter Summary	16	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	16	(1)
Changing Practices in Human Services	17	(22)
An Illustrative Study: Parents of Children with Mild Mental Retardation	17	(5)
The Status Inequality Perspective	18	(3)
The Partnership Approach	21	(1)
The Shift toward a Partnership Perspective	22	(12)
Education	22	(4)
Social Work	26	(2)
Psychology/Mental Health	28	(2)
Health Care	30	(2)
Other Services	32	(2)
When Is Sociological Intervention Appropriate?	34	(1)
Chapter Summary	35	(1)
Exercise	35	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	37	(2)
Theoretical Foundations I: Social Structure	39	(28)
The Organization of Human Service Agencies: Bureaucracy and Its Consequences	41	(11)
Advantages for the Service User	43	(1)
Disadvantages for the Service User	44	(6)
Total Institutions: An Extreme Form of Bureaucratic Organization	50	(1)
Newer Organizational Forms	51	(1)
Opportunity Structures: Preexisting Organizational Constraints Affecting Service Users	52	(2)
Roles: The Expected Behaviors of Service Providers and Service Users	54	(10)
The Professional Role	55	(2)
The Client Role	57	(2)
Conflict between Client and Professional Role Prescriptions	59	(2)
New Roles for Clients and Professionals	61	(3)
Chapter Summary	64	(1)
Role-Play Exercise	64	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	65	(2)
Theoretical Foundations II: Social Process	67	(28)
Definition of the Situation	67	(6)
Definition of the Agency	69	(1)
Definition of the Problem	70	(3)
Eliciting the Client's Definition of the Situation	73	(1)
Language: The Basis for Understanding	73	(2)
Taking the Role of the Other	75	(1)
Role-Playing	76	(6)
Playing the Professional Role	77	(2)
Playing the Client Role	79	(3)
The Client's Self-Concept	82	(6)
Components of the Self-Concept	82	(2)
Labeling and Stigma	84	(4)
Self-Presentation by Clients and Professionals	88	(1)
Chapter Summary	89	(1)
Suggested Exercises	90	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	91	(4)
II. THE CLIENT'S SOCIAL WORLD AND METHODS FOR DISCOVERING IT
The Social World of the Service User	95	(26)
Clients' Resources, Concerns, and Priorities: Areas for Professional Focus	95	(8)
Information	96	(1)
Material Support	97	(1)
Informal Support	98	(3)
Formal Support	101	(2)
Socioeconomic and Subcultural Diversity	103	(15)
A Note on Gender	103	(1)
The Influence of Social Class	104	(2)
Ethnic Variation	106	(9)
Implications for Professionals	115	(3)
Chapter Summary	118	(1)
Suggested Exercises	119	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	120	(1)
Identification Techniques I: Observation	121	(22)
Ethical Issues	122	(2)
The Principle of Confidentiality	122	(2)
Client Autonomy in Special Situations	124	(1)
The Right of Refusal	124	(1)
Choosing a Method	124	(5)
Qualitative versus Quantitative	124	(2)
Which Method Should Be Used?	126	(3)
Suggested Exercise	129	(1)
Observation in Practice	129	(10)
Entering the Setting	130	(3)
What to Observe	133	(2)
Recording Observations	135	(2)
Advantages and Limitations of Observation	137	(2)
Chapter Summary	139	(1)
Suggested Exercise	140	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	141	(2)
Identification Techniques II: Interviewing	143	(32)
Types of Depth Interviews	144	(1)
Constructing an Interview Schedule	145	(12)
Types of Questions	146	(6)
Asking Good Questions	152	(3)
Question Sequence	155	(2)
The Interview Process	157	(10)
The Interview Situation	157	(2)
Interviewing Techniques	159	(2)
Some Difficult Situations	161	(2)
Recording Methods	163	(4)
Some Special Interviewing Situations	167	(3)
Conducting Group Interviews	167	(2)
Conducting Telephone Interviews	169	(1)
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Interviews	170	(1)
Chapter Summary	171	(1)
Suggested Exercises	171	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	173	(2)
Identification Techniques III: Questionnaires	175	(36)
When Are Questionnaires Useful in Human Services?	176	(4)
Developing Questionnaires	180	(26)
Characteristics of a Good Instrument	180	(1)
Designing an Instrument	180	(25)
Reliability and Validity	205	(1)
The Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of Questionnaires	206	(1)
Advantages	206	(1)
Disadvantages	207	(1)
Chapter Summary	207	(1)
Suggested Exercise	207	(1)
Suggestion for Further Reading	208	(3)
III. MODELS OF INTERVENTION AND EVALUATION
Linking Identification and Intervention: Developing and Implementing Service Plans	211	(30)
Selecting Methods	211	(2)
Client Choice	211	(1)
Cultural Appropriateness	212	(1)
Time Constraints	213	(1)
Developing Action Statements	213	(20)
Determining Resources, Concerns, and Priorities	213	(1)
Writing Action Statements	214	(2)
The Process of Plan Development: Case Illustrations	216	(17)
Locating Resources and Creating Opportunities	233	(7)
Locating Existing Opportunities	235	(2)
Creating New Opportunities	237	(3)
Chapter Summary	240	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	240	(1)
Social Change, Social Problems, and the Limits of Intervention	241	(16)
Social Change I: Needs Assessment	241	(3)
Using Secondary Sources	242	(1)
Conducting Surveys	243	(1)
Convening Focus Groups	243	(1)
Conducting Interviews and Gathering Anecdotal Evidence	243	(1)
Social Change II: Grant Proposals	244	(4)
Social Change III: Community Organization and Political Action	248	(3)
Establishing a State-Level Entitlement for Early Intervention: The Case of Pennsylvania Act 212	248	(3)
The Limits of Human Services: Can Human Services Solve Social Problems?	251	(5)
The Relationship between Human Services and Social Problems	251	(3)
The Process of Problem Analysis	254	(2)
Chapter Summary	256	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	256	(1)
Service Evaluation	257	(30)
The Nature and Purposes of Evaluation Research	257	(3)
Definitions and Scope	257	(1)
Underlying Principles	258	(1)
The New Emphasis on Accountability	259	(1)
Determining Outcomes	260	(5)
The Relation between Service Activities, Outputs, and Outcomes	260	(2)
Satisfaction with Services	262	(1)
Status Changes	263	(2)
Client-versus Agency-Level Outcomes	265	(1)
Methods	265	(11)
Observation	266	(2)
Interviewing	268	(2)
Questionnaires	270	(6)
Some Methodological Issues	276	(4)
Group versus Single-Subject Designs and the Issue of Sampling	276	(1)
Experimental Evaluation and Control Group Designs	277	(1)
Selecting Methods	278	(1)
Validity and Reliability	279	(1)
Reporting and Using Evaluation Results	280	(2)
Communicating Findings	280	(2)
Linking Evaluation and Planning	282	(1)
Chapter Summary	282	(1)
Suggested Exercises	283	(1)
Suggestions for Further Reading	284	(1)
Review of the Process of Partnership-Based Practice	284	(3)
References	287	(14)
About the Author	301	(2)
Index	303