Learning from clients.

A defining characteristic of social work as a profession is its focus on the individual in context, on the dual concern with promoting individual well-being and social justice. Social workers promote social justice and social change on behalf of clients, using the term "clients" inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities (NASW, 2000). At its best, social work practice and knowledge development are based on recognition of and responsiveness to client perspectives in the pursuit of social and economic justice. Despite a commitment to this dual purpose for social work in the United States, the two concerns are often treated as if they are either unrelated or even in competition with one another (see, for example, Centennial Issue of Social Work, 1998; Specht & Courtney, 1994). This false dichotomy or polarity, the "micro-macro divide" as this phenomenon has come to be known, has fueled heated debates, inspired practice approaches, and influenced curricular reforms in ou r profession. Indeed, I find myself reluctant to highlight one or the other side of this divide for fear of misrepresenting our larger purpose. As illustrated, however, in the classic study by Tony Maluccio (1979), Learning from Clients, we have much to gain from focusing attention on the perspective of those we serve. This issue of Social Work is organized on the premise that we have much to learn from clients. It brings together a series of articles designed to explore and illuminate client perspectives. Many professions claim a concern for clients, but social workers have organized much of their thinking and acting toward making decisions informed by client perspectives. There are at least three ways that client perspectives are important to social workers. First, it is axiomatic that social work practice "starts where the client is." We know that ethical and effective practice is based on the worker learning from clients, on the client feeling understood, on the worker's response to the client's definition of the problem, and on the client's involvement in developing and seeking a solution. Second, the perspective of the individual, group, or organization is important because social workers often have the opportunity to "give voice" to or to recognize and legitimate clients' concerns. Social workers have access to those who may have been silenced, ignored, or diminished by social institutions or practices. At the same time, they have access to the social institutions that can bring recognition and resources to their concerns. Finally, the perspective of clients is significant because the fundamental goals of our profession are to promote human well-being and social justice. To promote social justice, our response to individuals must consistently focus not only on their perspective, but also on their perspective in the multilayered social context in which they live. The voice of service users--our clients--is significant because it helps us stay true to our purpose, to live up to our ideals and standards. Starting Where the Client Is We learn very early as social workers that we must "start where the client is." There are several reasons for this. First, client concerns, perspectives, and definitions of the problem provide the most relevant direction and focus for our work. Second, although it is only beginning to be documented empirically, we know that when we focus on issues of greatest concern to clients and provide the services they say they need, our work is more effective (for example, see McLellan et al.; 1997 Smith & Marsh, 2002). In the lead article in this issue, "Toward an Actor-Centered Social Work: Re-visioning 'Person-in-Environment' Through a Critical Theory Lens," Kondrat describes the challenges inherent in taking the client's perspective in social work. She takes the position that, although we have been interested in frameworks such as the ecosystems perspective that seeks to incorporate the individual within the larger context, "Social science and social work literature have long been plagued by a conceptual disconnecti on between theories of individual action and interaction, on the one hand, and theories of society and social change on the other. …