Experiences of Domestic Violence among Newly Arrived Afghan Women in Australia, a Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rojan Afrouz ◽  
Beth R Crisp ◽  
Ann Taket
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Afghan Women ◽  
The Voice ◽  
Inductive Analysis

Abstract The voice of Afghan women has been little heard, particularly in Australia and other western societies, despite the considerable number living in those societies. The main aim of this study was to understand Afghan women’s experiences of domestic violence and their perceptions about the extent of domestic violence among the Afghan community in Australia. The study involved semi-structured interviews with twenty-one Afghan women who had been living in Australia between six months and ten years. The interviews were conducted in either Farsi (Persian) or English according to participant’s preferences. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive analysis of the data was used to explore details and build main themes. Some women spoke about their experiences of domestic violence, mainly psychological and emotional violence. Although women insisted that domestic violence was prevalent and widespread in both contexts, many remarked that Afghan women were less vulnerable to physical violence in Australia than in Afghanistan. This article concludes with a number of implications for social work practice based on the study findings.

Purchasing Power and Self-Determination: Social Worker Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Bailey ◽  
Debbie Plath ◽  
Alankaar Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Purchasing Power ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Management Approaches

Abstract The international policy trend towards personalised budgets, which is designed to offer people with disabilities purchasing power to choose services that suit them, is exemplified in the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This article examines how the ‘purchasing power’ afforded to service users through individualised budgets impacts on social work practice and the choice and self-determination of NDIS service users. Social workers’ views were sought on the alignment between the NDIS principles of choice and control and social work principles of participation and self-determination and how their social work practice has changed in order to facilitate client access to supports through NDIS budgets and meaningful participation in decision-making. A survey was completed by forty-five social workers, and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with five of these participants. The findings identify how social workers have responded to the shortfalls of the NDIS by the following: interpreting information for clients; assisting service users to navigate complex service provision systems; supporting clients through goal setting, decision-making and implementation of action plans; and adopting case management approaches. The incorporation of social work services into the NDIS service model is proposed in order to facilitate meaningful choice and self-determination associated with purchasing power.

scholarly journals The Use of Metaphor as an Important Tool for Understanding Oppression

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Hillock
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Written Assignments ◽  
Systems Of Domination

Using an anti-oppressive practice (AOP) theoretical framework and an exploratory qualitative research design, featuring semi-structured interviews and written assignments, a group of ten social workers were asked to describe their understandings of the concept of oppression. The study found that, in the case of these particular social workers, they used metaphor as a key conceptualization process to more vividly describe and understand the concept of oppression within their social work practice. This article analyzes eight categories of metaphor themes the participants used to explain their understanding of oppression: (a) pressure; (b) earth; (c) quest; (d) nature of society;  (e) seeing; (f) building; (g) dancing; and (h) water. The research findings are intended to open up dialogue and thinking about the concept of oppression, increase our knowledge base and understandings of oppression within social work practice, and assist the social work profession to build a stronger conceptual framework for understanding and naming oppression with the end goal of assisting social workers to better respond to and resist systems of domination.

Managing Risk in the Pro-Empowerment Era of Mental Health Care: A Cross-Cultural Study of Social Work Perspectives in Hong Kong and Sydney

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jialiang Cui ◽  
Limin Mao ◽  
Christy E Newman ◽  
Chi Kin Kwan ◽  
Kari Lancaster
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Assessment Guidelines

Abstract Risk management and empowerment have become key features of social work practice. Despite their increasing salience, relatively little is known about the perspectives of mental health social workers regarding how they navigate competing risk management approaches in modern practice that supports empowerment. The socio-cultural influences on risk management have also received insufficient attention in social work research. Focusing on these issues, this paper explored the perspectives of social workers in two geographically and culturally distinctive settings (i.e., Hong Kong and Sydney). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with frontline social workers and were analysed using thematic analysis. Similar views were expressed by participants in both settings regarding assessment of clients’ readiness for risk-taking. Differences were identified in their practices of negotiating the perspectives of other key stakeholders and can be attributed to the influences of distinctive cultural and socio-political contexts. These insights may contribute to the development of more systematic, localised and practice-based risk assessment guidelines for mental health practitioners working towards the empowerment of clients.

scholarly journals Applying anti-oppressive approach to social work practice in Africa: reflections of Nigerian BSW students

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomon Amadasun ◽  
Tracy Beauty Evbayiro Omorogiuwa
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose As the next generation of social workers in a continent bedecked by oppressive customs, it is cardinal that the voices of social work students be heard. This study aims to share the reflections of Nigerian BSW students about anti-oppressive approach to professional practice. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted among fourth-year social work students at one of the elite universities in the southern region of Nigeria. Findings Results reveal that, although willing to challenge oppressive practices, social work students are ill-equipped to apply anti-oppressive approach to social work practice in Nigeria. Research limitations/implications This study makes an important contribution to the field and to the existing literature because the findings have broader implications for social work education in Nigeria. Practical implications In enforcing the suggestions of this study, it is expected that social work education will become able to produce competently trained students who are only knowledgeable about anti-oppressive social work but are equally prepared to address Nigeria’s myriad oppressive practices that have long undermined the nation’s quest for social development. Social implications The application of the anti-oppressive approach to social work practice is integral to ridding society of all forms of overt social injustice and other forms of latent oppressive policies. Originality/value Suggestions are offered to Nigerian social work educators toward ensuring that students are not only well equipped in the understanding of anti-oppressive social work but also ready to apply this model to professional social work practice following their graduation.

Cross-cultural application of self-in-relation theory

2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chu-Li Julie Liu ◽  
Cheryl Regehr
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Social Categories ◽  
Self In Relation ◽  
Taiwanese Women ◽  
Travail Social

English The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the manner in which ‘selfinrelation’ theory applies to Asian (Taiwanese) women. The findings indicate that participants' perceptions of self and others vary based on distinctive social categories. Implications for culturally appropriate social work practice, in particular the working alliance, are addressed. French L'objectif de cette étude qualitative est d'analyser la façon dont la théorie du 'sentiment de soi en interrelation' s'applique aux femmes asiatiques de Taïwan. Les résultats indiquent que la perception des participantes à l'égard de soi ou des autres varie en fonction de diverses catégories sociales. D'après ce constat, l'auteur analyse comment adapter la pratique du travail social du'point de vue culturel et il se penche tout particulièrement sur l'alliance thérapeutique. Spanish Este estudio cualitativo examina de qué forma la teoría 'el-sí-mismo-en-relación' ('self-in-relation') es aplicable a mujeres asiáticas de Taiwán. Los resultados indican que las percepciones de las participantes acerca de sí mismas y otros varían según categorías sociales distintivas. Se examinan las implicaciones para el trabajo social, en particular para el establecimiento de la alianza trabajador-usuario.

scholarly journals Incorporating spirituality and religiosity In social work practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miryang Choi
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Religious Dimensions ◽  
Social Work Practitioners

This study aims to critically examine the current social work practice which is based on dominant western epistemology and positivism, and which often excludes spiritual and religious aspects of clients. Drawing on Critical Race Theory and a holistic approach from the Indigenous perspective for the theoretical framework, this study challenges the dominant research method of random sampling for research. This study adopts a phenomenological approach which seeks a deep understanding of how three social work practitioners with racially and culturally diverse backgrounds view spiritual and religious dimensions in social work practice, and how they integrate these aspects into their practice. With semi-structured interviews, the findings of the study indicate the essence of the experience of social work practitioners who incorporate spirituality and religiosity in their practice. The findings indicate the need for thoughtful discussions on how to incorporate spirituality and religiosity in social work practice without allowing exclusion and harm through religion.

scholarly journals Conceptualization of Culture and Ethnicity within Social Work in Two Indigenous Communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-30
Author(s):  
Reidunn Håøy Nygård ◽  
Merete Saus ◽  
Shanley Swanson Nicolai
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Family Life ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Us

This qualitative study compares social work in Sami communities within Norway and Native American communities in Montana in the US. A total of 39 social workers were interviewed. We investigated the conceptualization of culture and ethnicity, as well as the implications of these constructions for a culturally adequate social work practice. We find that social workers in Sápmi conceptualize culture and ethnicity as hybrid and fluid, while the social workers in Native American communities have a more fixed and static conceptualization. When working in Native American communities, social workers’ theme of inequality among groups, and the continuing effect of assimilation on family life. Among social workers in Sami communities in Norway, little attention is given to power relations among ethnic groups. These differences in construction affect both the framing and the legitimacy of culturally adequate social work within these two contexts.

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