Which statement best describes the functions of social work?

• A. Prevention (providing timely services); Restoration (address impairment and disability); Remediation (eliminate or ameliorate social problems)
• B. Diagnosis, prescription, pharmacotherapy
• C. Only long-term therapy with individuals
• D. Policy making without client interaction

Answer: (A)

Social work aims to enhance well-being by addressing problems at multiple levels, not just treating individuals in isolation. The functions described as prevention, restoration, and remediation capture this wide scope: preventing problems before they become serious, restoring functioning when impairment occurs, and remedying social problems by tackling their underlying causes and barriers. Prevention involves early intervention and providing timely services to reduce risk factors. Restoration focuses on helping people regain skills and independence after disability or impairment, often through rehabilitation, supports, and connections to resources. Remediation targets broader social problems—like poverty, housing, discrimination, or lack of access to services—through advocacy, policy work, and systemic changes that remove barriers.

This framing aligns with social work practice across micro, meso, and macro levels, from individual counseling and case management to family and group work, and up to community organizing and policy development. The other options lean toward a medical model (diagnosis, prescription, pharmacotherapy), imply an overly narrow scope (long-term therapy with individuals only), or suggest policy work without client interaction, which misses the collaborative, client-centered, and systemic nature of social work.