ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how the basic assumptions of the ecological perspective on human behavior have been applied in social work practice with diverse natural social networks. It deals with a discussion of questions and challenges related to the historic social work commitment to improve client environments. The ecological approach to social work practice examines conditions that support or interrupt the balance or goodness-of-fit between people and their environments. Ecological theorists suggest that environments need to be more nutritive or supportive and offer a goodness-of-fit between minority individuals and their environment. Although the social work literature related to social class and ecologically oriented practice with natural social networks is limited, it does contain intriguing findings that have important implications for practice. The ecological perspective on human behavior emphasizes the importance of client empowerment as a vehicle for strengthening competence in affecting the goodness-of-fit between self and the environment at all systems levels.
