ASSIGNMENT

Assignment

Assignment

Introduction

Social workers help people and their families adjust to problems in their lives such as serious illness, child abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, handicaps, juvenile delinquency, and anti-social behavior. However, to have powers and duties to better serve the people in problems, a social worker needs to be registered under a Local social work authority. A registered social worker can exercise the powers and duties provided by the law to serve the individuals in need of help. We have to determine the duties and powers of a registered social worker for the given case of Josie, a single parent, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). The first section of this essay will list the duties (imposed by law) in which a Local Authority is legally required to undertake and also the powers (element of discretion) they may have in relation to Josie.

PART 1:

List and justify the use of the duties and powers, if any, which a social work authority may have in relation to Josie and discuss how and why you would use them in this case.

Josie is a single parent of four children, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that causes damage in nervous system. The person suffering from multiple sclerosis might have difficulty in walking, muscle spasticity, eye problems, fatigue and emotional outburst. Due to such physical manifestations caused by MS we can term Josie as a disabled person as stated in the National Assistance Act 1948. Under this act it is the duty of the local social work authority to provide support and advice for the person who is disabled.

The first duty of the local social work authority is to carry out an assessment of needs for Josie. The (s.47) of the National Health Service & Community Care Act (NHSCCA) 1990 binds the local authority to conduct such need assessment. Upon the completion of need assessment, it can be determined as to what services are on hand with the authority to care for Josie. On an instant basis the local social worker authority have the power to provide Josie with any service that they consider appropriate before the completion of assessment or even before any assessment is carried out.

The National Health Service Act 1977 implies a duty on the local authority to care for the household needs of a disabled person. The authority therefore has a power to decide for meals arrangement for Josie, nurse services for her better care and laundry services for Josie (Cull & Roche, 2001, 38).

If the authority considers that Josie cannot continue to live in her home due to the circumstances of her disease, they have the power to put Josie in another suitable accommodation with home adaptations for her disease. Josie can be provided with hand rails, support aids, wheelchair and such other adaptations for support.

Under the National Assistance Act 1948, (s.29) a Local Authority has a duty to coordinate “social work services and domiciliary advice and support for disabled people in its area” (Cyngor ...