Recording- In social work practice recording has been given paramount importance. In social case work detail investigation of an individuals personality performed through interviews. Recording is a tool to organize scientifically and systematically all the relevant information related to the client. Records serves various purpose such as, recorded information is useful for learning purposes, it gives an opportunity to reflect back upon our interactions and to identify the wrong committed by us.

Recording helps in organizing the information and observation. It helps in developing knowledge and literature. It helps in administrative and research purpose. It is useful for teaching purpose, recording is useful for evolution and recording offers constructive criticism for the writer and the reader both.

TYPES OF RECORDING –

Process recording –
it is a detailed form of recording. Everything that takes place during a client in contact, including the workers feelings and thinking is noted down. It is extremely useful to the social workers striving to further develop understanding and skills in difficult situation in which the worker is developing new skills.

Summary recording –
Summary records are short and easy way to use, it includes entry data, social history, a plan of action, periodic summaries of significant information, action taken by the worker and a statement of what war accomplished as the case gets closed. Summary records are important in situations where long term, ongoing contact with the client and a series of worker may be involved and provide a picture of what happened with the client.

Problem oriented recording -
It is a contemporary kind of recording used in interdisciplinary setting. Problem oriented records contain four parts. First there is a data base that contains information pertinent to client and work with the client. This includes such things as age, sex, marital status etc. Second is a problem list that includes a statement of initial complaints and assessment of the concerned staff. Third are plans and goals related to each identified problem. Further are follow-up notes about what was done and outcome of the activity.