Transactional Analysis Approaches within Social Work Management

Abstract

Management in the human services field traditionally draws on an entirely different skillset for social work practitioners than the clinical skills involved in their training. This paper explores the paradigm shift that is required for social workers undertaking people management roles from traditional practitioner roles. This perspective is analysed from an ethical and practice framework lens to provide practice-based recommendations. One of the key findings is that traditional psychoanalytic theories such as Transactional Analysis, can be a useful framework addition for social work practitioners to incorporate ethical and evidence-based management practices within their teams.