Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 14 (5): 703-711, 2013 ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.14.5.2128 Corresponding Author: Mehmet Zafer Dan , Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Turkey. 703 The Historical Development of Social Work Practice With Individual Mehmet Zafer Dan and Amra K rbaç 1 2 Departmant of Social Work, Sakarya University Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Turkey 1 Sociologist, Turkey 2 Abstract: The method of social work with individual (social case work) has emerged before social work with group and community work methods, as a planned intervention process for the realization of professional applications. Social work with individual method, as social work with group and community work methods came about and developed in England and the USA. Applications of social work with individual method differed greatly in parallel with the age’s changing psychological, socio-economic and cultural conditions in the process. Previously, only with clients in problem areas arising from the structural and individual reasons such as poverty, dependency and guilt, issue-oriented vocational studies were conducted. It was thought that the problems arose from individuals and the environmental factors weren’t taken into consideration. Then, with the changing circumstances and the diverse problems as a bio-psycho-social being, an individual is considered to be a living being who forms interactions in the community and who are affected by these interactions. The idea of not only the individual but also environmental factors and even the processes of non-functional interaction between the individual and the environment caused the problems gained importance in social services and science environment. In this study, as the oldest method of social work in the history, social work with individual is examined under the influence of currents of thoughts and cyclical factors. Also, from the emergence of social work as a discipline and a profession to the present day, how the social workers who are representatives of this profession, carry out their professional activities to guide their clients is outlined in this study. Key words: Social work Social services Social worker Social work with individual Historical perspective INTRODUCTION method which must be consulted in all social work Nowadays, social workers conduct professional work-social work with group and community work. studies to develop and change the condition of As the other methods of social work, social work with individuals, groups and local communities composed individual uses the processes of help, problem solving of children, the young, the old, families, people with and communication consciously. The only difference is disabilities, women under difficult conditions, asylum that it is based on one-to-one professional relationship seekers and migrants, patients in need of medical and and interaction with clients. It is often used in the psychiatric help, alcoholics, drug addicts, homosexuals, diagnosis and treatment of the situation of individuals criminals and the poor [1]. who need help. In other words, social workers benefit As a method of social work, social work with from social work with individuals effectively to perceive individual shares all the overall principles and values of the special circumstances in clients’ living conditions, the social work. In practical terms, the general practice determine their needs and consequently help them in principles of the social work guide the practices of social areas that they need [3]. work with individuals [2]. The focal point of social work with individual is The method of social work with individual having the family members who have various relations with their professional intervention techniques for individuals is a neighbourhood. According to this, overcoming the activities and other professional methods of social