The problem of many social workers is that they stand out from the crowd too much… If you come among-st poor children wearing a business suit, you will hardly get close to their hearts. You may get an attention, but that isn't really what you seek. They will not respect you, they will feel a distance between you two. It is like inviting a homeless man to your beautiful office, just to take a questionnaire.

I would go into their habitat, I would try to understand their language, think on the same wavelength as they do. I wouldn't try to present myself as someone clever, but rather act as one of them, wear things they wear and speak the way they do. That is how I would try to get closer to them.