Support: a necessary condition for change

Judith C. Nelsen, DSW, is Associate Professor and Director, Social Treat ment Division, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago Circle. Support is one of the most familiar Protection This is the first, most and perhaps least understood concept primitive type of support. Protection in social work practice. It is unmeans that one person more or less clear whether support is something sotakes over for another to ensure the cial workers give or something clients other's survival or well-being in some feel in response to social workers' acarea of functioning. People are not al tivity. Sometimes the term is used to ways able to take care of themselves, describe a form of practice that is They obviously cannot during infancy "supportive," as contrasted with one and childhood. Infants and children that is "insight-oriented," although who do not receive protection may die research suggests that no such or may fail to thrive.1 The adolescent dichotomy exists.1 In studies of indistill needs protection in the form of vidual, family, and group treatment, someone to help make decisions and to supportive behavior on the part of set limits from time to time. The re practitioners, such as showing warmth tarded, senile, or psychotic adult may or empathy, has been found necessary need protection, as may people usually if not sufficient in itself to help clients capable of functioning on their own be change. Research has also shown that half but unable to deal adequately with the support implicit in practitioners' some particular situation. An example approval or other positive reinforceis a person hospitalized for surgery who ment can powerfully influence clients.2 cannot get the doctor to explain what Still, the support offered by social will happen. Crisis theory suggests that workers seems to be broader than these adults may need protection when their examples. As the profession defines its coping efforts threaten to fail.4 practice more precisely for teaching Social work procedures that protect and research, the varieties and uses of clients include obtaining resources, support should be examined closely. advocacy, and other interventions This article explores four different into clients' environments. These are types of support social workers may intended to help clients in ways they offer clients. Each type is intended to cannot help themselves. A worker may meet a different need on the part of the secure foster placement for a battered client. The article also examines some child or may call a man to try to per prerequisites for workers' effective use suade him to have marital counseling of supportive procedures, such as when his wife cannot persuade him. A workers' favorable attitudes toward form of protection occurs when social support and feelings of being supported workers intervene with other profes in their settings. Finally, the article sionals to facilitate better service for suggests a framework for assessing clients. For example, the client whose clients' need for support and describes doctor will not explain what will hap ways to help clients who refuse support pen before and after surgery would be or rely on it too heavily. A concluding relieved if a worker convinced the statement notes implications for redoctor to do so. Social workers protect search. clients by setting limits during inter views and through contact with respon