The Department of Social Work, Mercy College,Palakkad organized educational observation visits to the Family Counselling Centre (FCC) andthe Service Providing Centre (SPC)in Palakkad on 29th July2025 as part of the academic curriculum to expose students to real-timesocial work practices and intervention models in various institutionalsettings.
The visit aimed to help students understand thefunctioning, structure, and services of key social work-related institutionsthat work for the protection and welfare of individuals and families indistress. The observation visit began with an orientation session at the Family Counselling Centre (FCC), where Ms. Dimple, the counsellor, provided acomprehensive overview of the centre's objectives and operations. She explainedthat FCCs primarily focus on resolving family disputes, addressing issues likedomestic violence, marital conflicts, and emotional problems throughprofessional counselling services. Ms. Dimple detailed the interventiontechniques used, the types of cases handled, and the importance of maintainingconfidentiality and empathy in dealing with clients. The students gained adeeper understanding of the counsellor’s role and the collaborative approachadopted with other agencies like the police and women’s commissions.
Following this, the team visited the Service Providing Centre (SPC), where Adv. Beena P.V., Legal Counsellor,gave an informative session about the structure and background of SPCs. Sheexplained that SPCs operate under the Protection of Women from DomesticViolence Act, 2005, and work in coordination with Protection Officers to offerlegal, psychological, and shelter-related support to women in distress. Shehighlighted the legal procedures followed, the coordination with the judiciaryand police, and the multidisciplinary nature of services offered. Her sessionprovided valuable insights into the legal dimensions of social work.
The visit was coordinated by Dr. Sr. Sherin Joseph, faculty member of thedepartment, along with Ms. Sruthy D.and Ms. Dilsha D., first-year MSW students. The observation visit provedto be a valuable learning experience, bridging classroom knowledge withfield-based realities, and deepening students’ understanding of professionalroles in counselling and legal support systems. The social work studentsdiscussed their doubts and clarified the concepts and functions. And also, theygot knowledge about the scope of counselling and legal support in social workpractice.
