Social work is both a profession and an academic discipline. Its aim is to enhance the quality of life and well-being of individuals, families, couples, groups, and communities. It does this through the provision of clinical and concrete services, community organizing, social administration, research, and policy work. Social work can be defined as a professional activity of assisting individuals, groups, or communities to develop or restore their capacity for optimal social functioning and creating the social conditions necessary to achieve this goal. Regardless of whether a given social worker practices on a clinical, community, or policy level, his or her work will typically include the following core functions: (a) engagement, (b) assessment, (c) service planning, (d) implementation, (e) monitoring and evaluation, (f) counseling, and (g) ...