Social work recording has long been recognized as a vital
component of
professional and competent practice in agency, private, and
community settings.
A Process Recording in social work education is a written
format designed to provide a structure
for the student to become aware of and gain a greater
understanding of themselves in the
process of intervention with an individual client or target
system. As a learning tool, a process
recording assists the student in assessing the degree to
which they are achieving their learning
objectives during their interactions with individuals and/or
groups. A process recording is holistic
in that it incorporates the skills, theories and
interventions learned in other social work courses,
particularly direct practice courses. There are many types of process
recordings. The two
formats utilized by George Mason University are the Direct
Service Process Recording for and the
DEAL Process Recording.
The field instructor uses the student’s process recording as
an evaluation tool to gauge the
student’s growth and development as a professional social
worker. The Field Instructor’s
observations, noted in the process recording, provide an
opportunity for the student to gain
experience in the use of consultation and to critically
analyze and improve their practice skills.
WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK RECORDING?
The Social Work Dictionary (1995) defines “recording” as
The process of putting in writing and keeping on file
relevant information about
the client; the problem; the prognosis; the intervention;
the progress of
treatment; the social, economic, and health factors
contributing to the situation
and the procedures for termination or referral (p.
317).
The social work record should also emphasize the client’s
strengths and solutions for
change. The dictionary acknowledges that there are many
types of social work recording
and the type used may depend upon factors such as agency
requirements, the social
worker’s theoretical base, style and type of
intervention. Kagle (1991), describes
that
“social work records
Individualize and typify the client, the need, the situation
and the service
transaction. Link goals, plans and activities to the
assessment of the client-needsituation and to the resources available.
Facilitate the delivery of services to or
on behalf of the client. Through the process of making the
record, which involves
reviewing, selecting, analyzing and organizing information;
and through the
product, the record, itself, which becomes an important
resource in
communication about the case Therefore, the purpose of
social work recording is to provide:
Accountability to the client, the organization and to relevant legislation
Evidence of facts gathered, assessment, intervention and outcome
On-going essential information
A
clear statement of social work involvement on an on-going basis
Relevant information for future social work involvement and continuity of
care.
Information about the role of social work in an interdisciplinary team
Documentation for the purposes of research and program evaluation
Purpose of
Recording
According
to experts, recording in social casework
serves
the following purposes:
It
aids practice
It
aids administration
It
aids teaching and supervision
It
aids research
Benefits of Recordings:
• Teaches the student how to listen and attend to critical
points of a conversation
• Increases the student’s awareness of skills utilized and
names them
• Provides a forum for the student to assess their practice
and identify areas of strength, to
include the WAY a student sees things, the WAY a student
understands, and the WAY a
student might conduct the intervention differently in the
future
• Gives the student an avenue to be honest about what they
were feeling/how they
reacted during a session
• Improves the student’s ability to recall information
• Creates a supervisory bond as discussion of the client
interaction takes place
• Gives the student permission to self-reflect directly
after a client interaction for
professional development
RECORDING OUTLINE FOR GROUP PRACTICE
Group Process Recording Outline
A. Information about
the Group
Group Name:
Group Type:
Date of Group:
Group Members
Present:
B. Purpose of the
Group/Meeting
1. Write a
brief statement on the overall purpose of the group
a. This statement is include only in the first
process recording, or it there is an agreed upon change in the group's overall
purpose.
2. Write a
concise statement about the goals of the meeting of the group being recorded.
a. How
were these goals perceived by the group?
b. How
did you perceive these goals?
c. What are the similarities or differences between the
group's perception of these goals and yours?
C. Group Process at
the Meeting
1. Initial
Observations
a. Describe briefly, in general terms, the
physical and emotional climate at the beginning of the group meeting.
b. Describe briefly your initial impressions of
the attitudes and feelings of the group members at the beginning of the
meeting.
c. Describe any significant changes in the
appearance or feelings or attitudes of the group members since the last
meeting.
2. Group
Member Interaction (Group Process)
a. Describe
what went on within the group during its meeting. For example:
(1) Describe
the means of interaction, e.g., program activity, discussion, debate, tasks,
etc.
(2) Describe
the feeling reactions of the members to this interaction.
(3) Describe
your feeling reactions to this interaction.
b. Describe the effectiveness, vitality, and
responsibility of the group's members during the
interaction.
c. Describe
your role in the group's interaction.
d. Describe the ways the group moved toward attainment of
its goals.
e. Describe how the group's members dealt with obstacles to
attainment of the meeting's
goals.
D. Analysis of the
Group Meeting
1. Describe
your understanding of the nature of the interaction of the group members,
including you, at this group meeting.
2. Indicate
the theoretical or other knowledge, learned in your other courses, that helps
you to understand the process and content of this group meeting.
3. On the
basis of your analysis, what is your current assessment of:
a. the
stage of the group's development,
b. the commitment of the group members to the group's purpose,
c. the
climate and tone of the group,
d. if relevant, discuss specific roles played
by individual group members and how they impact the group process.
E. Plan for the Group's Next Meeting
1. Write a
brief statement of the plan for the next meeting of the group.
a. Explain how the members of the group,
including you, arrived at this plan.
b. Explain how the plan relates to the purpose of the group.
2. Describe what you and the other group
members are to do prior to, and in preparation for, the next group meeting.
F. Analysis of the
Student Social Worker's Practice
1. Discuss
your use of social work practice knowledge and skills during the group meeting.
a. What
specific social work skills and/or techniques learned in your practice courses,
did you use
during the group meeting?
b. What
were the strengths and weaknesses in your practice during the group meeting?
An outline for group recording
- Relationship to Agency
How does your group relate to the overall mission and purpose of the
agency? What kind of staff and
administrative support exists for this group?
Is this an ongoing service of the agency?
- Client Population
Identify the specific population for whom the group
serves. What are their common
needs? How did you become aware of these
commonalities you have identified? What
factors influenced your choice of a small group approach?
- Goals and Objectives
What are the goals/objectives
for your group?
- Theoretical Background
What theoretical knowledge/concepts will be needed to work with the
group?
- Main Themes
What are the expected themes/issues to be pursued
in the group?
- Proposed Activities
What are the proposed programs and/or activities?
- Membership
What are the criteria for membership in your group? How will group members be selected and/or
recruited? How will they be informed or
screened for the group?
- Role of Worker
What will be your initial and ongoing role in this group? How will you work together with a co-leader
to maximize effectiveness?
- Diversity Issues
Are there any racial, ethnic or sexual diversity issues related to the
client population, worker(s) or agency orientation? How will these issues relate to group
functioning?
- Size of Group
What is the preferred and actual size of the
group? What is your rationale for the
size of the group?
- Physical Structures
Where will meetings be held? What
factors were considered in selecting this location? What will be the length and frequency of the
meetings? How long will group last?
- Recording
What types of forms are needed?
What type of record keeping is required?
Who needs to be kept informed of client progress?
- Evaluation
What is the plan for evaluating the service given? Who will be involved? By what criteria and method will service be
evaluated? Indiana
University School
Tips for writing Process Recordings:
• Write a draft immediately after the session so
you capture the dialogue and your gut
reactions accurately
• Give yourself 30-45 minutes after an interview to
write the process recording (you may
need more time depending on the intensity/length of
the session)
• For the analysis section, reflect on what you
have learned in your social work courses
(theory, direct practice, human behavior) and how
it relates to your interaction.
This type of recording is performed when the
student has a face-to-face interview with an
individual, family or group. The student may also use this format in
conjunction with a direct
telephone contact with an individual client.
Direct Service Process Recordings:
Process recording in this context is a detailed
word for word exchange between the student and
the client.
It would be prudent to recount this exchange as soon as possible in
order to
accurately retain information. If there is an opportunity to use an audio or
video recorder, then Process Recording
permission to record from the client is necessary,
and their consent should be documented.
In
the case where you will not be electronically
recording, it would be helpful to take notes in a
manner that does not detract from your engagement
with the client.
Process Recording as a DEAL Format:
In circumstances where the student is attending
and/ or facilitating an agency or community
meeting, observing an event, such as a legislative
vote, or performing administrative tasks, a
narrative DEAL format in process recording is used
to document student observations and
interactions.
PROCESS RECORDINGS SERVE
THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS:
A. They are primarily useful as a
teaching learning tool. The process recording helps the
student to recall
the interview in an objective manner, and to see
the interview in a different
light. By providing an approximate text
of the interview, the process recording allows the
Field Instructor to
follow the interview, see the steps taken by the student,
and then either
affirm the process or
suggest alternative approaches for future reference.
A Field Instructor
may see problems or issues that a student may
not pick up on, and thereby may alert the
student to different directions for
the future.
B. Process recordings do give the
pertinent information that assures appropriate followup in
case the student is
not available in a time of crisis.
C. An important learning experience for
students is learning about themselves, particularly in
their relationships with other people.
Through process recording, the student learns how
he/she relates to other people.
Space is reserved in the process recording format for
the
student to identify his/her feelings
relating to interactions with clients (see col. 3 on sample).
Through the use of the process
recording, the Field Instructor can assist the student
in
understanding his/her feelings
and behavior in interactions with clients.
Types of Recording
From the literature available on casework recording
no
clear cut classification of records on the basis of
their
types is available. However, for our understanding
we
can give the following classification of recording.
(a) Process
(b) Summary (c) Verbatim (d) NonVerbatim
Process Recording
Process recording is a form of recording used
frequently
by the caseworker. In this type, the process of
interview
is reported and is a rather detailed description of
what
transpired with considerable paraphrasing. It
preserves
a sequence in which the various matters were
discussed. It includes not only what both the
worker
and the client said but also significant reaction
of the
client and changes in mood and response. In this
the
interview and observation go hand-in-hand. It may
be
verbatim or non-verbatim reproduction.
Summary Recording
Summary is a good device for organising and
analyzing
facts. Summary points into meaning and relative
importance of material gathered. A careful summary made
at appropriate intervals reduces bulk, clarifies
direction and saves the workers, time. Summary is
commonly assumed to be a review or recapitulation
of
material that has already appeared in the record.
It
may be either topically arranged or may appear as
condensed chronological narrative.
Mrs. Sheffield has defined summary in social
casework
recording as “A digest of significant facts in the
client’s
history which has previously been recorded”.
Summary
could be a diagnostic summary, periodic summary or
closing summary.
The closing summary is a summary made at the time
the case is closed. To be most effective it should
be
written by the worker who was responsible for the
case
at the time of closing.
The periodic summary is simply the summary of
material
previously recorded and is made at more or less
regular
intervals or at the end of more or less definite
episodes
in the family history.
Verbatim Recording
It is reproduction of factual data in the individual’s
own
words. It is commonly used in casework because of
its
accuracy and objectivity. However, it should not
become
a mechanical reproduction of information because
casework as an art requires an intelligent
selection
and rearrangement of material. As a part of
training of
the worker, verbatim recording may be of value in
developing objectivity.
Non-verbatim /narrative recording
Narrative recording has been and still is a
predominant
style of recording. It is the style found in
newspapers
and magazines. It is the way we speak of the day’s events, it is the way we write letters, and
it is the ways
we keep diaries. Narrative form of recording is
preferred
for reporting acts of practical helpfulness, events
and
most collateral visits or conferences. It may be
used for
the contents of the interview in all instances
except
when the process itself and use of relationship
have
special significance.
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