RELATIONSHIP-BASED THINKING AND PRACTICE IN SOCIAL-WORK

Relationships with the users of social work are increasingly seen in p rocedural, legal and administrative terms. However, research studies e xamining both client satisfaction and intervention effectiveness regul arly find that the psychosocial qualities of the worker-client relatio nship are a major component in the success or otherwise of the service offered The case is made that the psychological selves of both practi tioners and users acquire many of their characteristics, including per sonality, esteem, efficacy and defensive behaviours, within relationsh ips throughout the lifespan. The level of social understanding and soc ial competence that people develop depends on the quality of their rel ationship history. if poor relationships are where psychosocial compet ences go awry, then good relationships are where they are likely to re cover. This observation as major implications for the quality, charact er and skill of the relationship experiences offered to clients by soc ial workers.