INITIATING AND CONTRACTING WITH THE GROUP

Social workers who are proposing a treatment group must think of logistical concerns such as the group size, timing and number of sessions, and processes for gaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and establishing group rules. These items may feel like routine administrative tasks, but they have the power to impact members’ sense of security and the success of the group as a whole. For example, if rules are externally imposed on members, rather than created from within, it may affect empowerment. If one member does not take the informed consent agreement seriously, they might freely disclose confidential information outside the group. As the group leader, the social worker is responsible for developing strategies that help everyone feel safe to share.
In this Assignment, you write the next sections of your Treatment Group Proposal, focusing on group composition, contracting, and orientation of group members.
PROMPT:
Composition & Contract: Criteria for inclusion/exclusion, size (number in group), open/closed; contents of contract (number of sessions, frequency, time of meetings, and length)
Orientation: How you will address and ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and establish rules
Recap on the previous proposal with the addition.
References
Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Pearson.
Chapter 6, “Planning the Group” (pp. 160–195) (Review)
Chapter 7, “The Group Begins” (pp. 196–229)
Chapter 8, “Assessment” (pp. 230–263)