FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant?

For folks who don’t know, the Family Service Centre (FSC) was designed to be the one stop centre to cater to the psychosocial needs of the community, kind of like how polyclinics cater to the biological wellness aspect, how the community centres cater to the community cohesion needs (and most times socio recreational needs) of the community within a fixed boundary. Hence there are about 37 FSCs catering to residents within specific boundaries within Singapore’s community.

 

Ideally, community programmes and initiatives, as well as expertise in dealing with these psychosocial needs such as financial difficulties, emotional stress, child protection issues, etc, should be focused within the realm of the Family service centre’s purview. Being placed in the community, the FSCs are best placed to assess the unique needs of the residents living in the area, the struggles faced by grassroots leaders, and the remedial preventive and developmental needs of the community.

 

However, in discussions I have with other professionals, grassroots leaders, and members of the public, the general sense I seem to get (of course I may be wrong), is that FSCs are perceived to be less useful within the context of supporting the community. Grassroots leaders prefer to “solve” the cases themselves (using template-like interventions such as referring them for short term assistance and then referring the client to the community development council for longer term support). Schools talk about how social workers are unable to fit the school’s goals of ensuring that children attend school. Financially distressed clients feel that FSCs are not as useful as the CDCs in obtaining the required financial assistance for them to function normally in the community and so on. Of course I’m playing the devil’s advocate here by pulling our certain negative “preconceptions”, but these are some real life comments that I hear that really irk me (especially since I’m from an FSC).

 

After some pondering, I wonder whether these are some possible factors that may be propagating these mindsets and perceptions.

 

1.     1. Social workers focusing too much on supporting the role of the client with little regard for dialogical conversations across agencies, and stakeholders.

 

This is a controversial statement, especially since we have been trained to support and advocate for our clients needs and combat social injustice, especially when we question certain interventions they are linked to by the other systems in the environment. In the process of advocacy, we may be blind to occasions where we step on too many toes within the community, and inadvertently severe certain ties that are useful to the agency.

 

What I’m thinking is not that we should advocate less for our clients. Of course, we need to be client centred, yet also be aware of the different views and positions of the different organizations and stakeholders we are working with. By knowing their positions, we can truly form a collaborative structure towards supporting our clients, yet maintain a stable and supportive relationship with our community partners. Hence they would have positive impressions of the work social workers are able to do, and would tap on the FSCs for future collaborations. In turn we would be able to tap on these partners for support in terms of our programmes.

 

 

2.     2. Shifting of focus towards more remedial casework intervention for FSC specialization.

The current shift is towards Social Workers in FSCs becoming more focused towards providing remedial work in casework and counseling services, and lesser emphasis on doing preventive and developmental programmes in the community.

 

My thoughts on the fact that Social Work has to involve a three pronged approach within the three realms (Remedial, Preventive, and Developmental) aside, this shift also narrows and limits the role of social work within the community’s lens. Developmental and Preventive programmes are essential not only to prevent those in the community who are able to function from falling into possible dysfunction and vulnerability, they also decrease the visibility of the FSC amongst the 80% of the community who do not need remedial services.

 

 

3.     3. Proliferation of centralized bodies and specialized organizations catering to respectively to the “universal” and “unique” needs of the community

 

Resources directed to centralized bodies to cater to needs of the larger community, typically in the realm of financial assistance and elder case management, subject the FSCs to a loss of “power” and influence in dealing with these very needs within the community.  One might question the motives of the setting up of such organizations, whether they are well-intentioned responses, or political plays?

 

Is it ineffective to divert such resources within the management of the FSCs who would be able to identify specific community nuances, and identify gaps in service delivery to ensure that assistance is provided? What factors affect the choice of national centralization over constituency level centralization? And would it be more effective to link specialized organizations within the community to the FSCs to increase increased integration of services which are manageable within the constituency level?

 

Granted these aren’t easy questions to answer. But I wonder what governs and dictates the different choices made.

 

 

4.     4. Hesitancy to work with community partners.

 

General thoughts that come in working with the community is the feeling that it is just too challenging due to the conflicting and differing mindsets and agendas held by members in the grassroots community. The truth is, that it in impossible for FSCs to ignore the impact of community work  in order to ensure visibility of programmes and services, collaborations in service delivery of casework services and programmes. The perceptions of how useful the FSC is is very much dependent on our community partners which include the Residents’ Committees, Community Centres, Schools, Student Care centers etc.

 

The motivations behind my grouses are also personal. I feel a sense of pride of social workers positioned in the FSCs, workers who forgo the higher salary and promotional structures that can be accorded to bigger organisations such as hospitals. However in face of the  vast potential for FSCs to do more in Singapore's society, we are possibly faced by limitations in the environment that also reinforce certain mindsets that we have of making a difference.  

Of course these are my personal views (feel free to disagree with them), but I do count myself thankful that I am in an organisation that promotes community visibility and effective collaboration. 

It does take many hands to clap (synonymous with the oft overused many helping hands approach), and the perceived effectiveness of the FSCs are dependent also on the social workers running them. Perhaps we may be able to live up to the dreams and ideals of the creators who conceptualized this model of service delivery, or risk being marginalised as defunct white elephants in the community. 

Comments

[Shan]

Fareez, I was thinking that social workers are supposed to be helping the most vulnerable, weakest and poorest in the society. So developmental and preventive programmes thou crucial as you correctly pointed out can me provided by other bodies rather than FSCs. For me, FSCs should be working to help those who are already in some problematic situation or dysfunction(Remedial it might be). What do you think?

Peace,
Shan

[Fareez]

For me the relationship between preventive, remedial and developmental programme is an overlapping one. In any case, I connect that it may not be necessary for FSCs to be involved in non remedial work, but integration is crucial to ensure appropriate level of support. Hence, is the climate conducive for clients identified through the preventive and developmental modalities and effectively linked to remedial services?

Another thought I have, is that these services complement each other. For example, youths may not readily share their problems and difficulties within a remedial setting, but through the provision of developmental and preventive programmes, a safe environment can be set to discuss any problems they might be facing.

Idealistically we can opt for a variety of organisations providing the different spectrum of services within the common goal of collaborative work (which may be difficult within a competitive framework). Or we can opt for a centralised Multi service centre within constituencies to meet the wholistic psychosocial needs of the community (which was tried and failed).

[acifyjanessa]

cheap rip dvd to avi to your friends for promotion code

[cheap jordan shoes]

you did nice work your post is awesome its increase my knowledge.the post is best i can never read before this type of post nice sharing

[XQtvbPtj]

[url=http://www.8r8g8jO13AQwn4g0x6oxI5.com/]XQtvbPtj[/url]
XQtvbPtj http://www.8r8g8jO13AQwn4g0x6oxI5.com/
XQtvbPtj

[fPnogyJU]

fPnogyJU http://www.vI9R6hgA726X5aec1oNv64.com/
[url=http://www.vI9R6hgA726X5aec1oNv64.com/]fPnogyJU[/url]
fPnogyJU

[HnriDlvk]

HnriDlvk http://www.7No3Hpts3m72GC2qK91yD9.com/
[url=http://www.7No3Hpts3m72GC2qK91yD9.com/]HnriDlvk[/url]
HnriDlvk

[整形美容]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM 整形美容 http://www.feimeizx.com/index.html 整形美容

[pig]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM pig http://www.japan-guide.com/ pig

[CHEAP RAY BAN SUNGLASSES]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM CHEAP RAY BAN SUNGLASSES http://www.2013sunglassessale.com CHEAP RAY BAN SUNGLASSES

[prada bags]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM prada bags http://prada.com.cool4buy.com/ prada bags

[chanel outlet]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM chanel outlet http://www.donategames.org/chaneloutlet.html chanel outlet

[chaussures christian louboutin]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM chaussures christian louboutin http://www.louboutineboutique.com/ chaussures christian louboutin

[BUY WOW GOLD]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM BUY WOW GOLD http://www.wgtwowgold.com/ BUY WOW GOLD

[群发]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM 群发 http://www.jitesi.com/gscraper/explain/ 群发

[整形]

FSCs: Bastion of the profession, or potential white elephant? - DO NO HARM 整形 http://www.xichan.cn/ 整形

[sac à main lancel]

Mr Menary asked if any of what the two men said had ever happened. Lancel said: "Absolutely not."

[Ignipintuix]

Great delivery. Solid questions. Maintain the amazing effort. affordable auto insurance quotes

[longchamp bags outlet]

I have no idea how you do this but I’m completely fond of this blog.

[coach outlet stores online]

Bg6 coach outlet store online

[Gucci Outlet]

Volunta Light Serisi

[GUCCI BAGS]

FTP ChonSinProTeam

[chanel bags]

13077226952it

[GUCCI OUTLET]

Client reaches his goal and competes in his first triathlon Encompass Lifestyle Education Blog

[Herve Leger Dress]

Las reglas de comunidad en Redes Sociales