Client Assessment

Assessment Paper Outline
University of British Columbia
Breyanna Hiebert

Client Identification & Agency Context

For my third-year practicum placement I am working as a social worker at Chimo Community Services, a community service agency in Richmond, BC. I have been placed in the Outreach & Advocacy program, which provides services to support clients in areas like housing and benefit applications, legal issues, obtaining important documents, and general advocacy. As a social worker, I work in case management and am assigned clients who have complicated and difficult situations, working to coordinate services to meet their individual needs.

Sharon is a 55-year-old woman who has been coming to the agency for six months. She was recently …show more content…
The metatheory that will guide my assessment is ecological systems theory. Sharon is influenced by many systems that interact with one another and as a social worker we must analyze the impact of these systems on Sharon. In Sharon's microsystem, she has her immediate family, available finances, and her current housing. At the mezzosystem level, she has her extended family, workplace, and health and social service providers. Considering the exosystem level, Sharon is impacted by the health authority and her insurance companies for her disabilities. At a macrosystem level, Sharon is impacted by governmental policies regarding funding and benefits. I will work with the client in each of these systems levels and address change that holistically impacts the client in all areas of her …show more content…
At the agency, we work from a problem-solving model in the Outreach & Advocacy program due to the nature of our work that exists entirely to help clients solve their issues. While undertaking case management with Sharon, our work together will be centred around helping her apply for benefits and finding appropriate referrals for her health concerns, thereby applying a problem-solving model. In recognition of some of the pitfalls of the problem-solving perspective, I will be using empowerment theory to ensure that I am facilitating the process of the client being able to eventually manage her own affairs and achieve her goals, like she was able to before she came to the agency. Empowerment will be utilized in this relationship by building on Sharon's strengths, engaging in consciousness-raising, and allowing her to direct her priorities as the focus of our relationship. By using problem-solving and empowerment as theoretical frameworks to guide my practice, I anticipate building good rapport and a productive relationship with this

Show More