Any time a social worker makes a visit to a home, they more often than not believe that a child is in some form of danger at the home. Suspicion of danger for a child can be the result of a phone call from somebody who is either genuine or not, out of malice or real concern. Most of the first-time visits by social workers are the result of these calls to the social services offices.
Since there is no way to know whether a call was malicious or genuine, it is the duty of a social woke to investigate allegations of likely abuse. This prompts a visit to the home in question and it is here that problems might arise. Problems are caused by a possible lack of expertise on the side of the social worker on how to go about the investigation. However, first visits can be treated and are often treated with suspicion by the concerned family. The social worker’s progress in a case depends on the encounter he has on that first visit. A social worker can therefore expect to either be received warmly or with hostility.
Families have every right to treat social workers with suspicion. Some social workers are treated politely though but this does not mean that they are treated as friends. At times, the family feels that they are not willing to admit the worker at their home and therefore send him away, asking him to come at a later time. This is just one of the reactions they could have. On the other hand, they might be courteous and polite and accept the investigation (Guidelines on handling home visits from social workers).
Families are also likely to ask for some form of identification to prove that the worker is genuine. They could make the worker identify himself to their satisfaction and go on to note down this identification. If the family is not satisfied with the identification, they could ask the worker to leave.
Some families are not likely to answer any questions from the social worker on that first visit. They insist on written questions and claim that this is so that they are not misunderstood or misinterpreted. The decision of whether one is going to talk to a social worker or not is sole with the interviewee. A worker can do nothing about it.
In the higher social classes, families might insist on tape-recording or video-recording the visit. This is to ensure that there is no misunderstanding between the verbal and the written report. The family will therefore choose the spot where they want the social worker to sit. If the worker objects to this, they are made to leave before an attorney is contacted.
These reactions are for the more rational families who intend to prove that they cannot be easily trapped by the worker. It shows that unless the worker has some solid allegations, they will have so much of their time wasted that they will not be willing to bother the family again.
On the other hand, the more hostile families could involve the worker in a verbal and even physical fight. They will not appreciate an intrusion into the home and its affairs and could even go the extra mile and murder the worker so that they are not exposed. In a situation where there is confrontation, the worker might be able to defuse the situation by remaining calm, has control over the situation without seeming intimidating, and applies techniques for anger reduction. The family might also be frightened into silence by this visit.
In West Virginia, a social worker was killed in one of her scheduled home visits as reported by the National Association of Social Workers in the region. Brenda Lee Yeager disappeared when visiting the home of a young couple and their infant. This called for the protection of social workers by the law. Earlier in 2006, a social aide, Boni Frederick was also killed in Henderson on a home visit (First things first).
The reactions differ depending on culture as might be evident above. Among the more civilized communities, the family might decide to go the rational way and handle the visit politely. The high social class will also choose a systematic approach where they are in control. The more hostile and reserved communities could turn aggressive towards the social worker.