Needs, Problems, and Provisions in Social Work

• Module 2 discusses the concepts of needs, problems, and provisions in social work.
• The module aims to provide a full understanding of these concepts, differentiate between them, and distinguish their various forms in society.

Framework

• Society addresses human needs and problems through social welfare institutions.

Concept of Needs

• Needs signify an imbalance or gap between the current situation and a more desirable one.
• Needs can be seen as the difference between what is and what ought to be.
• A determination can be made by studying a situation.
• Considering if the need exists, who has it, how many are affected.
• It is important to consider people's attitudes, reasons for the need, its significance (economically, socially, aesthetically), and potential consequences of inaction.
• Research and value judgments determine what "ought to be".
• Needs are identified by examining the actual, the possible, and the valuable through situation analysis.
• The problem's significance is indicated by the nature and extent of the need.
• Program objectives should target changing people and conditions to be valuable and possible.
• People require recognizing the gap between the actual, possible, and desirable.
• People need to value achieving the desirable to motivate change.
• There can be resistance to change due to a lack of interest, with people comfortable in their current state.

Categories of Needs

• Physical needs: Food, clothing, housing, and activity.
• Social needs: Group status, affection, belonging, spiritual, aesthetic needs, acceptance, and achievements.
• Integrative needs: Relate oneself to something larger, like a philosophy of life.
• Felt needs: Consciously recognized needs.
• Unfelt needs: Unrecognized needs that must be recognized.
• Research shows adults are often unaware of important needs.
• Basing programs solely on felt needs is insufficient.

Concept of Problem

• A problem disturbs or hurts the help seeker in their current life situation.
• It is typically a personal or task-related difficulty.
• Partialization and focus are important, making overwhelming problems manageable.
• Identifying a problem implies awareness of a physical, social, psychological, or intellectual situation is undesirable, difficult, and solvable.
• Sociologists view social problems as undesirable conditions.

Types of Problems

• Immediate Problem: The client's primary concern, causing current difficulty.
• Underlying Problem: Perpetuates the immediate problem.
• Working Problem: Contributory factors hindering remedy and prevention, requiring attention.
• Presenting Problem: A threat to the client's or others' welfare, as perceived or experienced.
• Partialization separates and prioritizes problems for the helping relationship.

Concept of Provision

• Provision is how society meets the needs of its members.
• This occurs through individual/group efforts and major societal institutions.
• Institutions include family, church, government, and economic entities.
• Forces bring about change in these institutions.
• Social agencies provide help as part of a network.