SOCW 6121 WALDEN UNIVERSITY WK 7 Advanced SW Practice II

Initiating and Contracting With the Group

Social workers who are proposing a treatment group must think of logistical concerns such as the group size, timing and number of sessions, and processes for gaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and establishing group rules. These items may feel like routine administrative tasks, but they have the power to impact members sense of security and the success of the group as a whole. For example, if rules are externally imposed on members, rather than created from within, it may affect empowerment. If one member does not take the informed consent agreement seriously, they might freely disclose confidential information outside the group. As the group leader, the social worker is responsible for developing strategies that help everyone feel safe to share.

In this Assignment, you write the next sections of your Treatment Group Proposal, focusing on group composition, contracting, and orientation of group members.

To Prepare

  • Review the Learning Resources on the beginning stage of group work and on assessment.
  • Review your Week 6 Assignment, in which you detailed the purpose, membership, statement of need, and recruitment of your proposed treatment group.
  • Continue to draft your Treatment Group Proposal by focusing on the Composition & Contract and Orientation sections.

SUBMIT

Submit a 2-page paper covering the following sections of your Treatment Group Proposal:

  • Composition & Contract: Criteria for inclusion/exclusion, size (number in group), open/closed; contents of contract (number of sessions, frequency, time of meetings, and length)
  • Orientation: How you will address and ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and establish rules

Use the Learning Resources to support your paper. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.

Resources

  • Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Pearson.
    • Chapter 6, Planning the Group (pp. 160195) (Review)
    • Chapter 7, The Group Begins (pp. 196229)
    • Chapter 8, Assessment (pp. 230263)

    WRITE MY PAPER

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