Finding the words: Social work from a developmental perspective

Dialogue is at the heart of social work. In conversations with the professional, clients speak out about their pains and sorrows, and about their hope and beliefs. The conversation is the place where social worker and client try to find new words to express these emotions. In doing that, they construct new meanings and create new perspectives. The role of dialogue in child development is used to understand this underlying process of social work. It shows how children learn to use language as an instrument to organize their world. The role of social workers is similar to that of parents, to help their clients to find the words that enable them to reposition themselves. As soon as they become the author of their life story again, they will be better able to reconstruct their lives.