Beyond Handouts: How Social Workers and Clients are Rewriting the Rules of Assistance

Soraya Malik in Culture & Society June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the power of relationships in social work and how they're fostering real change in communities."

Traditional social assistance often casts social workers as providers and clients as passive recipients. But what happens when that dynamic shifts? This article delves into a fascinating study exploring the social representations of psychologists working in Brazilian Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS), revealing the potential for a relational approach that empowers both professionals and the communities they serve.

The research uncovers a shift from simply delivering aid to building meaningful relationships that foster social and political change. By understanding the perspectives of both social workers and clients, we can unlock new avenues for progress within social assistance programs and beyond.

This article will explore how this relational dimension is reshaping social work, fostering collaboration, and driving tangible improvements in the lives of those seeking support. Get ready to challenge your assumptions about social assistance and discover the power of partnership.

Breaking Down Barriers: The Relational Approach in Social Work

A diverse group collaboratively building a bridge, representing community empowerment.

The core of this research lies in understanding how social workers perceive their roles and responsibilities in relation to the individuals and families they assist. The study, conducted through in-depth interviews with 21 psychologists working in CRAS centers in Brazil, reveals a prevailing tension between traditional, paternalistic approaches and a more collaborative, empowering model.

Many social workers recognize the lingering effects of a historical "assistentialist" culture, where aid was often provided top-down, reinforcing dependence rather than fostering autonomy. This legacy presents a significant challenge: dismantling ingrained power dynamics and fostering a sense of agency among clients.

Acknowledging the Past: Recognizing the historical context of social assistance and its potential to create dependency.
Empowering, Not Enabling: Shifting the focus from simply providing aid to equipping clients with the tools and resources to navigate their own challenges.
Building Trust: Fostering genuine relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.
Challenging Assumptions: Moving beyond preconceived notions about clients and their capabilities.

However, the research also highlights a growing movement towards a relational approach, where social workers see themselves as partners with clients in driving social and political change. This involves:

A New Vision for Social Assistance

This research offers a compelling vision for the future of social assistance, one where relationships are at the heart of the process. By moving beyond traditional, top-down approaches and embracing collaboration, we can unlock the potential for transformative change within communities.

The findings underscore the importance of ongoing training and support for social workers, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to foster empowering relationships with clients. This includes:

Ultimately, this research serves as a call to action: to reimagine social assistance as a collaborative endeavor, where professionals and clients work together to build stronger, more resilient communities and empower individuals to shape their own destinies.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1590/1984-0292/1153, Alternate LINK

Title: O Cras Em Relação: Profissionais E Usuários(As) Em Movimento

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Fractal : Revista de Psicologia

Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)

Authors: Vinicius Tonollier Pereira, Pedrinho Arcides Guareschi

Published: 2016-04-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is the core idea behind the relational approach in social work?

The relational approach focuses on building strong connections between social workers and clients, moving away from the traditional top-down method. This method empowers clients and facilitates social and political change. The shift involves acknowledging the past, empowering clients, building trust, and challenging assumptions. This approach fosters a collaborative environment and promotes mutual respect, ultimately driving tangible improvements in clients' lives. This study was conducted with psychologists working in Brazilian Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS).

What are the main problems with traditional social assistance models?

Traditional social assistance often casts social workers as providers and clients as passive recipients. The historical "assistentialist" culture, where aid was provided top-down, reinforced dependence. The article highlights the need to dismantle these ingrained power dynamics and foster a sense of agency among clients. This includes acknowledging the historical context of social assistance and its potential to create dependence. This is crucial because it hinders the progress of individuals, families, and communities by failing to promote independence and empowerment, which is at the heart of the relational approach.

What is the significance of CRAS in the context of the study?

CRAS, or Brazilian Social Assistance Reference Centers, are central to the research. The study, which includes in-depth interviews with 21 psychologists working within CRAS centers, serves as the primary setting and source of data for this research. These centers serve as a microcosm of social assistance, allowing researchers to examine the dynamics between social workers and clients within the context of Brazilian social work. By focusing on CRAS, the research gains insight into the practical application and potential impact of the relational approach in a real-world setting.

Why is the relational approach considered important?

The relational approach is important because it offers a new vision for social assistance, one centered on collaboration and empowerment. The research demonstrates how shifting from traditional, top-down methods to a collaborative approach can lead to transformative change. This involves social workers seeing themselves as partners with clients in driving social and political change, moving beyond providing aid to equipping clients with the tools and resources to navigate their challenges. The implications are significant because this shift can unlock the potential for meaningful improvements in communities and the lives of those seeking support.

What are the key components of the relational approach, as identified by the research?

The study identified four key elements for the relational approach: acknowledging the past, empowering, not enabling, building trust, and challenging assumptions. These elements serve as a roadmap for social workers aiming to implement this approach. Acknowledging the past involves recognizing the historical context of social assistance and its potential to create dependence. Empowering, not enabling, shifts the focus from providing aid to equipping clients with tools and resources. Building trust fosters genuine relationships based on mutual respect. Challenging assumptions means moving beyond preconceived notions about clients and their capabilities. These elements work together to create a more collaborative and effective approach to social work.