Micro-level (Individual)
Basic Human needs
Food
Shelter
Clothing
Health care
Opportunity for emotional and intellectual growth
Meaningful relationships
MASLOW – hierarchy of needs
1. Physiological needs – food, water, air
2. Safety needs
3. Love and belonging
4. Esteem needs – having status and acceptance in one’s group
5. Self-actualisation
6. Needs related to cognitive understanding
One needs to satisfy basic needs first – then social needs
Human Development: Life Cycle
People develop physically, cognitively, socially, emotionally, and spiritually
over the life cycle
There are benchmarks that can be used to measure growth in each area
In socio-emotional area – Erik Erikson – 8 stages of development
His work is based on mastery of psychosocial tasks relevant to each age –
useful in determining whether expected psychological growth has taken place.
Human need can be identified in two ways –
At each stage of life individuals should be developing in certain age-
specific ways, and for this development to take place, certain
conditions must be present
To note development that would be expected at a particular life stage
but that has not taken place.
Tools to help a social worker determine whether or not development is
sufficient
Life History Grid
To graphically depict significant events in client’s life and/or the
development of significant problems through time
Understanding of life experiences during particular stage of
development may shed light in the current functioning of client
Data from variety of sources are brought together in life grid.
, Life Cycle Matrix
To graphically depict the development stage of all persons in a
household.
Use of matrix can help social worker organise his/her thoughts about the
family members and the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs
associated with particular stage of life.
Life line
Both positive and negative life events shown on two sides of the line
Schema for social history
Human Diversity
People will fulfil needs in different ways
Human diversity perspective
Social worker needs to look at: effect of culture, disability, gender, sexual
orientation etc., on development
Social worker should look at the role of environment
Social workers should have knowledge of culture of different ethnic groups
that they will work with.
Life Transitions
Three situations can lead to problems in social functioning
1. Stressful life transitions – micro
2. Communication and relationship difficulties – meso
3. Environmental unresponsiveness – micro
Stressful life transitions
1. Can result from difficulties carrying out the tasks of the developmental stages
of individuals and other social systems.
Difficulties may result from lack of opportunities – incl. opportunity to
fulfil tasks in ways congruent with one’s cultural or diversity group
2. Status change
Becoming widow/widower
Becoming unemployed
Leaving high school
entering work force
creates new role demands on people
sometimes there has been not preparation for these status changes
3. Crisis situations
When change is so great that persons and systems cannot cope and
maintain a steady state – crisis results
Basic Human needs
Food
Shelter
Clothing
Health care
Opportunity for emotional and intellectual growth
Meaningful relationships
MASLOW – hierarchy of needs
1. Physiological needs – food, water, air
2. Safety needs
3. Love and belonging
4. Esteem needs – having status and acceptance in one’s group
5. Self-actualisation
6. Needs related to cognitive understanding
One needs to satisfy basic needs first – then social needs
Human Development: Life Cycle
People develop physically, cognitively, socially, emotionally, and spiritually
over the life cycle
There are benchmarks that can be used to measure growth in each area
In socio-emotional area – Erik Erikson – 8 stages of development
His work is based on mastery of psychosocial tasks relevant to each age –
useful in determining whether expected psychological growth has taken place.
Human need can be identified in two ways –
At each stage of life individuals should be developing in certain age-
specific ways, and for this development to take place, certain
conditions must be present
To note development that would be expected at a particular life stage
but that has not taken place.
Tools to help a social worker determine whether or not development is
sufficient
Life History Grid
To graphically depict significant events in client’s life and/or the
development of significant problems through time
Understanding of life experiences during particular stage of
development may shed light in the current functioning of client
Data from variety of sources are brought together in life grid.
, Life Cycle Matrix
To graphically depict the development stage of all persons in a
household.
Use of matrix can help social worker organise his/her thoughts about the
family members and the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs
associated with particular stage of life.
Life line
Both positive and negative life events shown on two sides of the line
Schema for social history
Human Diversity
People will fulfil needs in different ways
Human diversity perspective
Social worker needs to look at: effect of culture, disability, gender, sexual
orientation etc., on development
Social worker should look at the role of environment
Social workers should have knowledge of culture of different ethnic groups
that they will work with.
Life Transitions
Three situations can lead to problems in social functioning
1. Stressful life transitions – micro
2. Communication and relationship difficulties – meso
3. Environmental unresponsiveness – micro
Stressful life transitions
1. Can result from difficulties carrying out the tasks of the developmental stages
of individuals and other social systems.
Difficulties may result from lack of opportunities – incl. opportunity to
fulfil tasks in ways congruent with one’s cultural or diversity group
2. Status change
Becoming widow/widower
Becoming unemployed
Leaving high school
entering work force
creates new role demands on people
sometimes there has been not preparation for these status changes
3. Crisis situations
When change is so great that persons and systems cannot cope and
maintain a steady state – crisis results
