Putting words into pictures : the potential use of art in various different settings of social work

Abstract

Communication of information is an essential part in social work practice. This, however, can be limited at times due to various barriers encountered by social workers with their clients. In view of such communication barriers, the purpose of this qualitative research study is to explore the potential use of art amongst social workers coming from different settings in Malta. Furthermore, it aims to gather the perception of the interviewed social workers on the efficacy of art as a method of communication. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were carried out with a total of ten social workers representing different areas within the Foundation for Social Welfare Services. This research study has identified a number of barriers to communication experienced in case-work process by the interviewed professionals, which hinders effective engagement and assessment. In such instances, most of the participants were found to make use of art in social work practice and they mentioned different ways how art can be implemented into practice. Art is found to be commonly used with young children and adolescents, and it is said to be very effective in engaging potential clients and gathering significant information. Despite its effectiveness, the study has found that sometimes social workers restrain themselves from integrating the use of art in practice. This is because they fear the possibility of misinterpretation due to lack of insight and training on the utilization of art in social work. Taking into consideration the findings of this study, it is recommended that social workers are provided with appropriate training on the use of art in social work and its efficacy in facilitating communication with clients. It was also recommended to provide social workers with purposeful resources to utilize when implementing an art making or creative activity with clients. Additionally, this study recommends further research studies to be carried out about the use of art in relation to specific groups of clients and other aspects in the social work process.