What does the term "micro practice" refer to in social work?

The term "micro practice" in social work specifically refers to interventions that concentrate on individuals or small groups. This approach emphasizes the direct, face-to-face interaction between the social worker and their clients, allowing for personalized support and tailored interventions that address the unique needs and circumstances of each individual or small group.

Micro practice is foundational to social work as it enables practitioners to build rapport, conduct assessments, and implement intervention strategies that are sensitive to the client's experience, strengths, and challenges. This level of practice often involves counseling, advocacy, case management, and other direct forms of service delivery.

In contrast, strategies targeting larger systems and policies represent macro practice, which is distinct from micro practice. Work with communities and organizations signifies a mezzo level of practice, focusing on group dynamics and community engagement rather than individual cases. While group therapy and counseling techniques can be utilized within micro practice, they are not comprehensive enough to define the term on their own, as micro practice encompasses a wide range of individual-focused interventions. Thus, the emphasis on tailored, individual or small group interventions aptly defines micro practice in social work.