MSW students’ perspectives on learning in a social work practice in mental health course: a qualitative research study

This article examines how mental health social work practice can move outside the hegemony of the medical model using approaches that honor the centering of social justice. By using the philosophical analysis of epistemic injustice and the ethics of knowing, I move out of the traditional psychiatric and psychological conceptual frameworks and discuss new guiding principles for practice. In the context of the radical tradition in social work and the impetus to blend theory with practice, I consider the use of narrative and anti-oppressive approaches to center social justice principles in individual dyadic work as well as in wider systems family and community work and policy advocacy. I evaluate these approaches through the principles of epistemic justice and discuss the importance of a relational collaborative approach where honoring the client and exploring lived experience are central to both the concepts of testimonial justice, hermeneutic justice and anti-oppressive practice.

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Roles of Positive Psychology for Mental Health in UK Social Work Students: Self-Compassion as a Predictor of Better Mental Health

The British Journal of Social Work ◽

10.1093/bjsw/bcz149 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (7) ◽

pp. 2002-2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Y Kotera ◽

P Green ◽

D Sheffield

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Work ◽

Social Work Students ◽

Work Practice ◽

Social Work Practice ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Self Compassion

Abstract Despite high shame about mental health symptoms among UK social work students, positive psychological approaches to their mental health have not been investigated in depth. Emotional resilience has been a core skill in social work practice; however, its relationship with mental health is still unclear. Therefore, the primary purposes of this cross-sectional study were to (i) examine the relationships between mental health and positive psychological constructs, namely resilience, self-compassion, motivation and engagement and (ii) determine predictors of mental health in UK social work students. An opportunity sampling of 116 UK social work students (102 females, 14 males; 96 undergraduates, 20 postgraduates) completed 5 measures about these constructs. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Mental health was associated with resilience, self-compassion and engagement. Self-compassion was a negative predictor, and intrinsic motivation was a positive predictor of mental health symptoms. Resilience did not predict mental health symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of self-compassion to the challenging mental health of UK social work students; they caution against the overuse and misunderstanding of resilience in the social work field.

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Social work with offenders

Social Work ◽

10.1332/policypress/9781447356530.003.0011 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 173-190

Author(s):

Terry Bamford

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Child Care ◽

Social Work ◽

Work Practice ◽

Social Work Practice ◽

Children And Families ◽

Monitoring And Surveillance ◽

The Impact ◽

Preparatory Work

It is often assumed that child care legislation is a response to scandals and inquiries from the 1948 Children Act to the Children Act 2004. This chapter looks in detail at the preparatory work preceding legislation and demonstrates that the impact of scandals has been greater on securing parliamentary time than it has in shaping legislation. The impact has been greatest on social work practice. Attention and activity have been skewed away from direct work to provide assistance and help towards risk assessment and risk management. There has been a consequent emphasis on the monitoring and surveillance of families and individuals. This shift is true in mental health as well as child care. It is timely to consider whether this shift in practice has made children and families safer.

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