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ASWB SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE QUESTIONS
2025 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
1. Lisa is a social worker who has received a case referred for
possible child abuse. She realizes keeping the children safe is
her top priority. The household consists of two parents and
three children. There are steps to determine if abuse may have
occurred or if the family is at-risk. Which kind of assessment
should she use to determine the best possible assistance for
this referral?
Financial assessment
Child welfare assessment
Parent assessment
Family-centered assessment - correct answer - Family-
centered assessment
The family-centered assessment focuses on the family as a
whole with full participation. All cultures and ethnicities are
considered throughout. Families will identify their strengths,
needs and resources in an effort to develop a functioning
service plan to maintain safety and permanency.
2. Cassandra works as a case manager for Child Protective
Services. A new family she has been helping has a parent that
is starting to raise red flags. The mother is the sole caretaker
for the children but is demonstrating some peculiar behaviors.
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She has not kept consecutive doctor's appointments, has
difficulty utilizing public transportation and fails to follow
through with basic directions. This parent is always
accompanied by another adult when she leaves the home on
an errand. When Cassandra starts questioning the mother on
her background, it is discovered that she attended special
education classes and did not graduate from high school.
These factors should arouse concern in what area?
A. Child neglect
B. Child abuse
C. Intellectual limitations
D. Financial distress - correct answer - Answer: C - Parents with
intellectual limitations often demonstrate less positive child-
rearing practices. They fail to recognize their children's needs
and lack the skills to advocate for them. A social worker
should help the parents become aware of eligible community
resources and make referrals as deemed appropriate.
3. A social worker meets with a family to gather information that
will help identify patterns of parental behavior, both positive
and negative, over time. The family's strengths are
distinguished to determine protective factors that aid in
identifying resources to help the household meet its needs.
Overall requirements are addressed that affect the permanency
and safety of the children. Information gathered through other
assessments is also used to help develop a service plan or
plan for intervention. What kind of evaluation is being
described?
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A. Initial assessment
B. Safety assessment
C. Environmental assessment
D. Comprehensive family assessment - correct answer - Answer:
D - The comprehensive family assessment gathers all
background information on its members and evaluates the
home environment. Contributing factors are discussed, such
as domestic violence, lack of employment, alcohol/drug usage,
and educational background. A social worker will also collect
information on who lives in the home and the parent's culture,
health and finances.
4. A referral comes into the local Children's Protective Services in
regards to a female infant. The concerns raised by the
informant include a lack of nutrition and improper supervision.
Neighbors hear the baby cry at all hours of the night for long
lengths of time. The parents leave the home before dark and
do not seem to reappear until dawn the next day. Groceries
brought into the home are noticeably snack foods and alcohol.
The social worker responding will need to complete what kind
of assessment?
A. Comprehensive family assessment
B. Functional assessment
C. Economic assessment
D. Initial assessment - correct answer - Answer: D - The initial
assessment is the first priority with a new referral that may
indicate a child's needs are not being met. This is brief and
determines whether there are concerns of significant harm,
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neglect, abuse, and whether services are required. If a child is
found to be in need, further assessments will be completed.
5. All initial assessments should be conducted by an experienced
and qualified social worker. Before confronting the family, there
should be a plan about who is doing what and when
information can be shared with the parents. Which of the
following should be part of an initial assessment?
A. Verifying Medicaid coverage
B. Observing the child with both parents present
C. Seeing and speaking to family members as appropriate
D. Allowing the referent to sit in on all interviews - correct answer
- Answer: C - The social worker should speak to family
members as appropriate in their ideal language. Children
should be interviewed alone with the consent of the parent or
caretaker. If consent is not given, other means should be
utilized. The referent should be involved as far as obtaining
relevant information.
6. A social worker visits a home after a referral comes in about
inappropriate disciplinary techniques being utilized by a mother
of a nine-year-old boy. The child is described as out of control,
and the parent spanks him five or six times a day. The mother
has been heard screaming at the boy, and this has not helped
the situation. Shortly into the initial assessment, it is discovered
the child has been referred for ADHD testing by a counselor at
school. The mother feels her son is simply defiant and angry
ASWB SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE QUESTIONS
2025 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
1. Lisa is a social worker who has received a case referred for
possible child abuse. She realizes keeping the children safe is
her top priority. The household consists of two parents and
three children. There are steps to determine if abuse may have
occurred or if the family is at-risk. Which kind of assessment
should she use to determine the best possible assistance for
this referral?
Financial assessment
Child welfare assessment
Parent assessment
Family-centered assessment - correct answer - Family-
centered assessment
The family-centered assessment focuses on the family as a
whole with full participation. All cultures and ethnicities are
considered throughout. Families will identify their strengths,
needs and resources in an effort to develop a functioning
service plan to maintain safety and permanency.
2. Cassandra works as a case manager for Child Protective
Services. A new family she has been helping has a parent that
is starting to raise red flags. The mother is the sole caretaker
for the children but is demonstrating some peculiar behaviors.
, Page | 2
She has not kept consecutive doctor's appointments, has
difficulty utilizing public transportation and fails to follow
through with basic directions. This parent is always
accompanied by another adult when she leaves the home on
an errand. When Cassandra starts questioning the mother on
her background, it is discovered that she attended special
education classes and did not graduate from high school.
These factors should arouse concern in what area?
A. Child neglect
B. Child abuse
C. Intellectual limitations
D. Financial distress - correct answer - Answer: C - Parents with
intellectual limitations often demonstrate less positive child-
rearing practices. They fail to recognize their children's needs
and lack the skills to advocate for them. A social worker
should help the parents become aware of eligible community
resources and make referrals as deemed appropriate.
3. A social worker meets with a family to gather information that
will help identify patterns of parental behavior, both positive
and negative, over time. The family's strengths are
distinguished to determine protective factors that aid in
identifying resources to help the household meet its needs.
Overall requirements are addressed that affect the permanency
and safety of the children. Information gathered through other
assessments is also used to help develop a service plan or
plan for intervention. What kind of evaluation is being
described?
, Page | 3
A. Initial assessment
B. Safety assessment
C. Environmental assessment
D. Comprehensive family assessment - correct answer - Answer:
D - The comprehensive family assessment gathers all
background information on its members and evaluates the
home environment. Contributing factors are discussed, such
as domestic violence, lack of employment, alcohol/drug usage,
and educational background. A social worker will also collect
information on who lives in the home and the parent's culture,
health and finances.
4. A referral comes into the local Children's Protective Services in
regards to a female infant. The concerns raised by the
informant include a lack of nutrition and improper supervision.
Neighbors hear the baby cry at all hours of the night for long
lengths of time. The parents leave the home before dark and
do not seem to reappear until dawn the next day. Groceries
brought into the home are noticeably snack foods and alcohol.
The social worker responding will need to complete what kind
of assessment?
A. Comprehensive family assessment
B. Functional assessment
C. Economic assessment
D. Initial assessment - correct answer - Answer: D - The initial
assessment is the first priority with a new referral that may
indicate a child's needs are not being met. This is brief and
determines whether there are concerns of significant harm,
, Page | 4
neglect, abuse, and whether services are required. If a child is
found to be in need, further assessments will be completed.
5. All initial assessments should be conducted by an experienced
and qualified social worker. Before confronting the family, there
should be a plan about who is doing what and when
information can be shared with the parents. Which of the
following should be part of an initial assessment?
A. Verifying Medicaid coverage
B. Observing the child with both parents present
C. Seeing and speaking to family members as appropriate
D. Allowing the referent to sit in on all interviews - correct answer
- Answer: C - The social worker should speak to family
members as appropriate in their ideal language. Children
should be interviewed alone with the consent of the parent or
caretaker. If consent is not given, other means should be
utilized. The referent should be involved as far as obtaining
relevant information.
6. A social worker visits a home after a referral comes in about
inappropriate disciplinary techniques being utilized by a mother
of a nine-year-old boy. The child is described as out of control,
and the parent spanks him five or six times a day. The mother
has been heard screaming at the boy, and this has not helped
the situation. Shortly into the initial assessment, it is discovered
the child has been referred for ADHD testing by a counselor at
school. The mother feels her son is simply defiant and angry
