What are some of the issues relating to the field of social work in Singapore? What should social workers in Singapore do, the challenges they face and how to achieve a work-life balance? I am glad that the visits to Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Center (THK FSC) @ MacPherson and WINGS Counseling Center (WCC) answered these questions and allowed me to gain a deeper knowledge of the field of social work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayOn several occasions, it has been mentioned and emphasized that inter-agency cooperation is vital in the social service sector. For example, the COE would coordinate its services with other agencies, such as submitting cases to the FSCs for services that fall outside its expertise, and the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore would coordinate their efforts to develop an information and communication technology plan for effective service delivery in the social service sector (IDA, 2013). I agree with the highlighted statement as all efforts will be coordinated effectively and efficiently to meet the needs of the people, as I believe that no single agency can do everything on its own. Likewise, I assume that the practice of coordinating efforts also applies to social workers, where the Code of Professional Ethics for Social Workers (SASW, 2004, p. 4) states that social workers should cooperate across various disciplines to effective service delivery due to individual needs. specific skill. This practice is essential because social workers can leverage strengths from other disciplines and even within their own agency to help the client. As I believe that social workers are not superheroes who can solve every problem presented, for the benefit of clients and for their needs to be met competently and quickly, different skills from various professions need to be brought together. I didn't really focus on current issues such as money and the migrant population, but they focused on the issue of youth which is much more close to my heart and dysfunctional families. I completely agree with Mr. Lau Hon Shin, a WINGS advisor, when he said that prevention is better than cure when it comes to youth problems. It is worth noting that our government focuses a lot on preventive methods such as attractive and engaging youth programs and fundamental methods to keep young people in school, such as the Technical Education Institute and Northlight School , to keep them away from trouble and develop them comprehensively. These comprehensive interventions on youth problems should be given high priority, as these problems are one of the main causes of the vicious cycle of intergenerational dysfunctional families. However, in my opinion, although there are many interventions aimed at youth issues, they fail to effectively reach everyone who is in need or at risk. Mandatory school programs for at-risk youth might not engage and effectively engage all rebellious youth who are in their freedom-desiring stage when they were forced to attend these sessions. Also, speaking from a youth perspective, I think a youth would tend to hide their pain and problems or share them with their peersnearest ones and may not know where or who to turn for help, or how to do so. . As a result, it is extremely difficult for parents, teachers, or school counselors to identify at-risk youth, especially those with thoughts of self-harm. Baumrind (1991) stated that parents are a part of oneself and that attachment to family beneficially facilitates adolescent development (p. 60). Just like her, I believe that good parenting skills and a strong family really make a difference in the lives of these young people, because I always strongly believe that to solve a problem, you have to commit and start from the core or the interior, of their family. Furthermore, I believe that the programs created should respond to the character, needs and desires of each young person. Although it will be tedious, the personalized intervention will suit and best benefit the child. Likewise, social workers and programs should help young people discover their potential, see their strengths, gain self-confidence, and solve their own problems with supervision and support. As cliché as it may sound, young people are the future of this nation, they are capable agents and useful partners of social workers. So this brings me to the next point of dysfunctional families, a problem that is one of the many causes behind youth. problems. Ms. Adilah from THK FSC mentioned that most customers who came forward only to ask for financial assistance are the most common problems. However, there are many other underlying issues hiding behind a dysfunctional family. So I think it's essential to build good relationships with customers and show that we believe in them; only with a good relationship will the client trust the social worker. Therefore, all social workers need to be persistent, as some clients might not resolve their problems all at once. Following on from the previous point, many social workers may have instances where clients do not listen or heed the advice they suggest. The visits once again emphasized social work's signature term, client self-determination. Essentially, I believe the role of a social worker is to discover the client's strengths and build on them. They should not focus too much on the mistakes made or the weaknesses, but give importance to finding the strong points. Additionally, according to SASW (2004), the role of the social worker is also to provide all necessary information for clients to make an informed decision and take note of the affirmation of the client's right to self-determination (p.3). I believe social workers empower their clients by respecting their abilities, making their own decisions, and striving to solve problems. Social workers do not just spoon-feed them, but guide clients and make them agents of change in their own lives. Based on the experiences shared by various social workers, social workers would encounter many challenges that could affect the service provided. An example would be countertransference, when a social worker's unconscious emotions or feelings toward the client might leak in and interfere with how he or she handles certain issues. Although countertransference is inevitable, I believe social workers should recognize and report these issues to their supervisors or colleagues so they can receive guidance in handling these issues. Subsequently, Mr Lau stressed self-care.