Module 2: Termination
This assignment is designed to develop knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes
toward demonstrating the following competencies:
Council on Social Education (CSWE) 2015:
Social Work Competencies & Practice Behaviors
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
Description Social workers understand that intervention is an ongoing component of the
dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of,
diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social
workers are knowledgeable about evidence-informed interventions to achieve
the goals of clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human
behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this
knowledge to effectively intervene with clients and constituencies. Social
workers understand methods of identifying, analyzing and implementing
evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals. Social
workers value the importance of inter-professional teamwork and communication
in interventions, recognizing that beneficial outcomes may require
interdisciplinary, inter-professional, and inter-organizational collaboration. Social
workers:
Practice Behaviors critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and
enhance capacities of clients and constituencies;
apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-inenvironment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions
with clients and constituencies;
use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice
outcomes;
negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and
constituencies; and
facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreedon goals.
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Assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is for students to learn the skills necessary for effective termination with
clients, agency, field instructor, and social work program.
Learning Objectives:
• Plan for terminations with clients, agency, field instructor, and social work program.
Learning Activity:
• Read: The following case example (from Birkenmaier, J. M. and Berg-Weger, M. (2018). The
Practicum Companion for Social Work: Integrating Class and Field Work, 4th Edition) Pearson
Education, Inc. Chapter 10: Termination: The Beginning of an End, [p. 231].
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and
CommunitiesAssess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
Description Social workers understand that evaluation is an ongoing component of the
dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of,
diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Social
workers recognize the importance of evaluating processes and outcomes to
advance practice, policy, and service delivery effectiveness. Social workers
understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and
critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in evaluating outcomes. Social
workers understand qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating
outcomes and practice effectiveness. Social workers:
Practice Behaviors select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes;
apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-inenvironment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the
evaluation of outcomes;
critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program
processes and outcomes; and
apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro,
mezzo, and macro levels.
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• Respond: to the two discussion questions below and submit your responses in a short
(approximately 1 page) reflection.
1. What is your assessment of this situation, and what strategies can you suggest to Corina
regarding her interactions with Chad and the group?
2. What are some of your thoughts and feelings related to terminating with your clients? Agency?
Field instructor? Social Work Program?
Additional Resources related to terminating with clients in social work practice:
• Birkenmaier, J. M. and Berg-Weger, M. (2018). The Practicum Companion for Social Work:
Integrating Class and Field Work. 4th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 10: Termination
• The importance of closure. Summer 2010 issue of THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER (Vol. 17, No. 3).
Retrieved from: http://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/The_Importance_of_Closure/
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Case Example: Corina Tells Her Group She Is Leaving and Receives a Tough Response
Corina begins to plan for her departure from the adolescent group at her practicum. She has discussed
the pending termination with her field instructor and developed a plan to transfer responsibility for the
group to another practicum student, who will be continuing his practicum for the next semester. The
teens had been informed at the outset that Corina was a student who would be leaving at the end of the
semester. Corina implements her plan for terminating her involvement with the group by raising the
issue several weeks prior to her departure. The week following this discussion, in which specific
information was provided to the teens about the transition, Corina notes that Chad, a 15-year-old who
ran away from home and who has a history of truancy and burglary, is sullen and unresponsive and
refuses to make eye contact with her. Corina had found Chad to be a challenge throughout his stay at
the facility. She felt that he wanted to open up and turn his life around, but she had become frustrated by
her unsuccessful (but persistent) efforts to help him achieve that goal. Corina was mystified by Chad’s
behavior this week, and when she tried to talk with him after the group, he lashed out at her and stated
that it did not matter that she was leaving.
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Module 2: Completion
This assignment is intended to foster the development of knowledge, values, skills, as well as cognitive and affective processes.
in the direction of demonstrating the following competencies:
2015, Council on Social Education (CSWE):
Competencies and Practice Behaviors in Social Work
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Government Agencies
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Communities
Description Social workers understand that intervention is a continuous process.
a dynamic and interactive process of social work practice in collaboration with and on behalf of
diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social
workers are knowledgeable about evidence-informed interventions to achieve
the goals of clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human
behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this
knowledge to effectively intervene with
