Lost in Translation or a Work in Progress? Developing Desistance-Informed Youth Justice Practice in the Welsh Context

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Deering ◽  
Jonathan Evans
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Youth Justice ◽  
Practice Model ◽  
Case File ◽  
Justice Practice ◽  
Lost In Translation

Abstract This article draws upon empirical research conducted within a Welsh Youth Offending Service (YOS) in 2017–2018. It captured staff responses to the introduction of AssetPlus, an assessment tool intended to complement a corresponding move to desistance-informed practice. Given that YOSs are now expected to develop practice underpinned by desistance theories, the article focuses on how desistance theories were interpreted and translated into one YOS. It was concluded that the introduction of the new practice model suffered from inadequate planning and AssetPlus assessment did little to enhance this shift. In an exercise in Utopianism, the views of practitioners and managers were sought on what constituted ‘ideal’ practice with children in conflict with the law. The researchers found some evidence of support for holistic child-centred social work practice that addressed contextual factors. The study was conducted with a small sample of practitioners and operational managers, involving seven semi-structured interviews, two focus groups (a total of eighteen respondents), case file analysis, document reading and observation. Given the size of the sample, the findings are not regarded as generalisable, but rather as raising important issues and pointers for further research.

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.

More than lost in translation? An exploratory study of social workers’ experiences working with Vietnamese wives in Taiwan

2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-338
Author(s):  
Su-Chen Hung ◽  
Wen-Shan Yang ◽  
Pei-Chih Yen
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Diverse Society ◽  
Lost In Translation

This article identifies the cultural differences and language barriers faced by Taiwanese social workers when working with families of cross-border marriages, and discusses the importance of adopting a multicultural approach in social work practice in order to cater to the urgent needs of an increasingly culturally diverse society.

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.

Social Work and Youth Justice in a Global Context

2014 ◽  
pp. 149-165
Author(s):  
Bill Whyte
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Youth Justice ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Global Challenges ◽  
Social Work Practitioners ◽  
International Obligations

Social work in youth justice is directed by international standards based on an implied socio-educative paradigm that conflicts with the dominant criminal justice paradigm in operation in most jurisdictions. This creates global challenges in establishing “child-centred” policy and practice for dealing with young people under the age of 18 years in conflict with the law. Social work practitioners, directed by international imperatives and professional ethics, operate between shifting and often conflicting paradigms. It is essential they are familiar with international obligations and operate as “culture carriers” providing an ongoing challenge to systems of youth justice. This chapter examines these issues and, in the absence of consensus or of a shared paradigm for social work practice across jurisdictions, considers what a socio-educative paradigm for practice might look like.

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.

Some reflections on social workers’ perspectives on mental health services in two cities - Sydney, Australia and Budapest, Hungary

2007 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zita Weber ◽  
Zsolt Bugarszki
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Theoretical Orientation ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Political Narratives ◽  
Travail Social ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Sydney Australia

English This article reflects on the ways in which historical and political narratives have shaped social work practice in mental health in two cities, Sydney, Australia and Budapest, Hungary. A small sample of social workers was interviewed in the two cities and their perspectives highlighted many similarities in theoretical orientation to their practice. French Cette thèse s'arrête sur les façons dont les récits historiques et politiques ont façonnéla pratique du travail social dans deux villes, Sydney en Australie et Budapest en Hongrie. Un échantillon restreint de travailleurs sociaux ont étéinterviewés dans les deux villes et leurs perspectives ont mis en lumière un grand nombre de similitudes en ce qui a trait à l'orientation théorique de leur pratique. Spanish Se reflexiona sobre la manera en que narrativas históricas y políticas han dado forma a la práctica de trabajo social en Sydney (Australia) y Budapest (Hungría). Se entrevistóa una pequeña muestra de trabajadores sociales en las dos ciudades. Sus perspectivas muestran muchas semejanzas en la orientación teórica de su práctica.

Incorporating Principles of Solution-Focused Intervention into the Generalist Practice Curriculum

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Carolyn Knight
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Practice Model ◽  
Generalist Practice ◽  
Solution Focused

Brief, solution-focused intervention embodies some of the more important and distinguishing assumptions of social work practice, most notably the strengths and resilience orientations. This practice model provides a much-needed link between the abstract arena of the classroom and contemporary social work practice. In this article, the author presents the key assumptions of this model. Through the use of a case example, the author also discusses how this model may be incorporated into the generalist social work practice curriculum.

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