Full Answer Section

• Helping clients to develop a sense of self-efficacy. This means helping clients to believe in their ability to achieve their goals. It can be done by providing clients with positive reinforcement, helping them to set realistic goals, and encouraging them to take small steps towards their goals.
• Helping clients to develop problem-solving skills. This means helping clients to identify problems, generate solutions, and evaluate the pros and cons of each solution. It can be done by teaching clients how to brainstorm, how to weigh the pros and cons of different options, and how to make decisions.
• Helping clients to advocate for themselves. This means helping clients to speak up for their needs and to assert their rights. It can be done by teaching clients how to communicate effectively, how to build relationships with decision-makers, and how to navigate the system.

Communication with clients is empowering when it is:

• Honest and transparent. Clients need to feel like they can trust their social worker and that they are getting accurate information.
• Respectful and non-judgmental. Clients need to feel like they are being heard and that their opinions matter.
• Empathetic and understanding. Clients need to feel like their social worker understands their situation and what they are going through.
• Collaborative and empowering. Clients need to feel like they are partners in the process and that they have a say in what happens.

The specific social worker skills that lead to a client’s experience of power include:

• Active listening: Social workers need to be good listeners and to pay attention to what clients are saying. They also need to be able to reflect back what clients are saying to help them to clarify their thoughts and feelings.
• Empathy: Social workers need to be able to understand and share the feelings of their clients. This helps clients to feel understood and supported.
• Problem-solving: Social workers need to be able to help clients to identify problems and to develop solutions. This helps clients to feel empowered and in control of their situation.
• Advocacy: Social workers need to be able to advocate for their clients’ rights and needs. This helps clients to feel like they are being heard and that their needs are being met.

By using these skills, social workers can help clients to discover their access to power and to take control of their lives.