Being Helpful

I have previously written about how different people present themselves differently when coming to look for social workers, and how regardless of circumstances we try to assist the client. But this recent article in TOC bothers me enough that I need to write about it.

Several allegations have been made in the main article as well as in the comments. I have no wish to polarize the comments as many of them do show sympathy for the client mentioned in the main article, by offering concrete suggestions and wondering aloud what wider social changes are necessary for similar situations to be prevented in the future. Generally I find the comments to be fair.

To what extent do we subsidize people's choices?

And how do you explain to your hopeful client, sitting in front of you, you wishing to help him, that his previous actions have compounded his problems to such an extent that merely signing over some money to him will not assure his long-term stability? How do you survey with him his barriers to a successful life? A single consultation will not be enough. People take a long long time to readjust their expectations =)

And, of course, we cannot rely on hearsay to judge this man even before we have met him and he has spoken with us. In person. For an extended period of time. About 45 minutes is the normal length of an in-person conversation. 30 minutes is the bare minimum.

I have had fairly long conversations with clients during which it transpired that their children are earning quite a bit and yet the client does not wish to ask for financial support from them. We are social workers, not ATMs in disguise. If there is some longstanding issue with the client's family relationships, we would like to know so that we can offer help. The client's quality of life remains always important to us. It's not always financial assistance that will alleviate the issues <- this is faintly heretical to some of our clients - again the bit about managing expectations. What we would like to do most often, when time permits, is to provide education in the ways of the world so that our clients can fledge.