Social Network Mapping

Social network mapping is a structured way to assess a client's personal social network by listing the people in it, organizing them by life domain, and rating each relationship for the kind and direction of support it provides, its closeness, and how often and how long contact occurs. Developed for social-work practice by Elizabeth Tracy and James Whittaker as the Social Network Map and accompanying grid, it turns the often-vague question of who is in a client's life and what they offer into a visual and tabular assessment that guides support-focused intervention.