Work with Families by Social Services: Outcomes, Intervention Strategies and the Role of Social Workers – A Review of the Literature

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services has developed a comprehensive reform of the work of the Social Service Departments. The reform program proposes a family-centered approach to service delivery through “family social workers” to assess family needs and to develop and manage coordinated care plans across local social services.

This review examined the professional literature on working with families in different countries, including:

  • tools used to measure outcomes for families served by public social services
  • intervention strategies of social services with families
  • the roles of social workers in their work with families.

The review of the various tools of Outcome Measurement (OM) revealed the importance of evaluating a range of outcomes reflecting different aspects of family life.

The examination of intervention strategies with families revealed that, like Israel, several other countries have initiated policy changes towards a more family-centered approach during the last decade. The information emerging from this review on the intervention strategies with families in other countries and on the role of professional social workers in service systems reveals a number of important issues, which may prove significant in formulating policy in this area in Israel, including finding the right balance between direct treatment and case management, promoting multi-system cooperation and more.

The findings of the review were presented to senior staff of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services and  are used to inform the policy development and implementation of the reform, including the construction of OM tools.

The review of the literature was written at the initiative of the Research, Planning, and Training Division, as part of the “Outcome Initiative”, and the Personal Social Services Division of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services. The report was written with the funding of the Research, Planning, and Training Division.

Citations in the professional and academic literature

Hidalgo Lavié, A., Simonovich, J., & Ben-Nun, M. (2016). Trabajadores Sociales en Israel: protagonistas y testigos del cambio social en la población árabe. Análisis de grupos de discusión y entrevistas a profesionales de los servicios sociales en Galilea y Haifa. Comunitania: revista internacional de trabajo social y ciencias sociales11, 91-111.

הצעה לציטוט באנגלית:
Fass, H. & Cohen-Navot, M.  (2012). Work with Families by Social Services: Outcomes, Intervention Strategies and the Role of Social Workers – A Review of the Literature. RR-593-12. Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. (Hebrew)