ABSTRACT

This chapter addresses the nature of groups, briefly reviews the history of group work in social work practice, and explores the dimensions of group work that relate to types and purposes of groups. It explores the purpose of groups and the relationship of groups to other areas of social work practice along with engagement and assessment skills. The chapter focuses on the engagement and assessment of group practice and behaviors for approaching the various aspects of the process of group work through intervention, termination, evaluation, and follow-up. Using the descriptions of the several groups in the Riverton case, these exhibits give examples of the beginning phases of group processes—pregroup planning, engagement, and assessment—that illustrate the social goals/action, reciprocal, and remedial models. Actively listening to the messages group members convey to student is particularly important to the engagement and assessment phases of group work. As assessment and planning are activities that continue throughout the entirety of the group social work intervention.