Seminar International Seminar The Art of Assessment Die Kunst der Bedarfsermittlung in der Sozialen Arbeit

The assessment of the circumstances and needs of users is probably the most important part of social work. In the publication that gave the seminar its title, Laura Middleton has called it an art. Without adequate information about the life situation of a client the whole process of planning and implementing a care plan is in danger of failing. Good professional assessments can be crucial for connecting needs and services and to provide information for designing and improving services. The way information is gathered and interpreted can differ significantly, depending on user groups, age, the degree of a disability, but also on professional approaches and national trends in health and social care. While in some welfare states modern diagnostic approaches, unstructured interviewing and the interpretation of biographies are seen as pathways to assess needs, in others the term -diagnosis- and connected concepts are unpopular in social work and professionals rely on more or less formalized guidance and frameworks for assessments. In risk related areas in many countries even actuarial approaches may be used. On the other hand the value of professional assessments is questioned where self-assessments are introduced or where users can opt for direct payments or personalised budgets and chose the services they prefer. The international seminar aims to provide an overview of developments in Europe in this particular area of social work. Participants of partner universities will present papers on different aspects of assessments. This may include national approaches in social care, recent trends, experiences, dilemmas and obstacles, professional and academic discourses or the relevance of assessments in social work education as well as teaching methods. The seminar will be held in English; perfect language skills are not required though. A translation service will be offered. FB 04 Sozialwesen Uni Kassel SS2007 Prof. Dr. Hansen Eckhard