Future proofing child protection social work

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 202-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Shemmings
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Secondary Trauma ◽  
Working Alliances ◽  
Helping Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Skills ◽  
Lasting Change

Purpose How might the profession of child protection social work be “future proofed”, i.e. remain intact and of value beyond its present existence? The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This is a discussion/“think piece” paper, in which the author argues that foregrounding the art and science of helping relationships is a way forward. Recognising and promoting the centrality of helping relationships is the direction in which the author believes (or is it hopes?) social work should head, because “more of the same” is not, in the author’s view, possible to sustain for much longer. Treading the well-worn but pot-holed path of box-ticking, endless risk assessment and perfunctory statutory visiting is likely to lead to continuing problems retaining social workers and, for those who do stay, increased burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary trauma, each of which interrupts or delays the development of working alliances with family members. Findings Growing reliance on thresholds and checklists to assess risk has served to increase referrals. As a result, social workers spend much of their time on triaging and filtering rather than working with the children and families that most need help and protection. Further, it is not what is in the practitioner’s toolkit that matters: rather, it is a defined set of personal skills and qualities that tips the balance to achieve lasting change. Thus, in order to “future proof” social work, we would do well to deepen our understanding of how helping relationships can lead to lasting change. Supporting social workers in this work is not just the responsibility of individual practitioners and their professional bodies, action also needs to be taken at governmental and managerial levels. Originality/value This is a discussion/“think piece”.

The impact of the institutional environment and experience on social entrepreneurship: a multi-group analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezlika M. Ghazali ◽  
Dilip S. Mutum ◽  
Haleh Hakim Javadi
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study presents a framework for integrating distinct perspectives on social entrepreneurship by combining institutional theory with the social entrepreneurship intention model. The framework assesses the relationships between social support and the perceived feasibility and desirability of social entrepreneurship, the relationships between social support and the institutional environments of social workers, and the moderating role of prior experience of social work and volunteering.Design/methodology/approachThe model was tested using 266 validated responses from an online and paper-based survey distributed among social workers. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data, and multi-group analysis was conducted to examine the moderation effects.FindingsThe findings indicate that experience moderates the relationships between the regulatory and cognitive environments, cognitive environments and social support, and social support and perceived feasibility. Experience negatively moderates the relationship between the normative environment and social support.Practical implicationsActive government involvement in the form of incentives and financial support would encourage the creation of social ventures.Social implicationsEducational programmes are also necessary to help raise awareness and increase the familiarity and knowledge of potential social entrepreneurs.Originality/valueThe study analyses the effects of institutional environmental components, recognised as highly influential on the development of social entrepreneurship, as well as the impact of perceived social support on the antecedents of the perceived desirability and feasibility of social entrepreneurship. It also addresses how social work experience modifies these relationships. Contrary to previous studies, the findings suggest that increasing social work experience isolates entrepreneurs from their environment.

scholarly journals Containment: Exploring the concept of agency in children’s statutory encounters with social workers

Childhood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Morrison ◽  
Viviene Cree ◽  
Gillian Ruch ◽  
Karen Michelle Winter ◽  
Mark Hadfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Children’S Agency

This article examines children’s agency in their interactions with social workers during statutory encounters in a child protection context. It draws from a UK-wide ethnographic study. It finds that much of social workers’ responses to children’s agency in this context are best understood as a form of ‘containment’. In doing so, it offers an original and significant contribution to the theoretical understanding of children’s agency, as well as its application in social work practice.

Can using a servant-leadership model of supervision mitigate against burnout and secondary trauma in the health and social care sector?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl Mahon
Keyword(s):  
Servant Leadership ◽  
Compassion Fatigue ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Secondary Trauma ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Core Characteristics

Purpose This paper aims to set out a model of servant leadership that can be infused within a supervisory setting to mitigate employee burnout and negative stressful experiences in the health and social care sector. Design/methodology/approach A brief targeted review of the literature was undertaken to assess the prevalence of burnout in the health and social care sectors. The supervision literature was also explored. The outcomes associated with servant leadership were also distilled, focusing on employee well-being. Findings Research suggests that burnout and related concepts such as secondary trauma and compassion fatigue impact these professions disproportionately. At the same time, servant leadership is suggested to mitigate some of these factors. The author presents a conceptual model of servant leadership supervision consisting of an ideographic model of servant leadership, Servant Leadership Scale-28 (SLS-28), using the most recent meta-analysis defining this construct, and previously validated measures in the extant literature to inform its design. A Servant Leadership Supervision Scale (SLSS) is also presented aligning its use to several of the core characteristics of servant leadership practice. Research limitations/implications In doing so, the author proposes that this approach will help reduce burnout of health and social care sector employees. Limitations are considered in light of the conceptual paper and no primary data. Practical implications A model of servant leadership supervision that can be infused into health and social care supervision. Originality/value This is the first model of servant leadership supervision articulated for the health and social care sector.

Recruiting and Engaging Men as Fathers in Social Work Practice

2014 ◽  
pp. 235-260
Author(s):  
Joseph Fleming ◽  
Andrew King ◽  
Tara Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Engaging Men ◽  
Current Knowledge Base

Evidence in the research literature suggests that men are usually not engaged by social workers, particularly in child welfare and child protection settings. Mothers also tend to become the focus of intervention, even when there is growing evidence that men can take an active and important role in a child's development in addition to providing support to the mother and family. Whilst there have been some promising developments in including men in social work practice internationally, there remains a gap in the research regarding the engagement of men as fathers in Australia. Given the growing relevance of the topic of fathers, the purpose of this chapter is to add to the current knowledge base, to support social work students and practitioners to engage with men in their role as fathers, and to offer an evidence-based practice model that may assist social workers in their work with men as fathers.

scholarly journals Embodied Social Work Practice Within Risk Society

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 673-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Smeeton ◽  
Patrick O’Connor
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Extreme Risk

This paper critically discusses the limitations of theorising social work from psychological and sociological perspectives and argues that phenomenology offers more opportunity to understand the embodied experiences of service users and social workers themselves. The paper argues that psychology and sociology have a limited analysis of being-in-the-world, which ought to be social work’s primary consideration. The paper offers an overview of the sociology of risk before embarking on an extensive description and discussion of Heidegger’s and Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology applied to the lived experience of child protection social workers working within risk society. The argument is put that phenomenology is a useful tool for understanding the lived experience of social work practitioners. Findings: The authors conclude that embodied social work practice containing fear and anxiety can be thought of as akin to taking part in extreme risk sports and that this is an unhealthy experience that is likely to skew decision-making and adversely affect the lives of social workers and service users. Applications: The authors argue that phenomenology can enhance understanding of practice and decision-making and offers insights into the lived experience of social workers. Phenomenology is useful for helping social workers negotiate risk-saturated environments, through a focus on meaning.

scholarly journals The contemporary refocusing of children’s services in England

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel Parton ◽  
Sasha Williams
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Coalition Government ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protection Policy ◽  
Conservative Government ◽  
Social Reaction ◽  
Child Protection Policy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the changes in child protection policy and practice in England over the last 30 years, in particular to critically analyse the nature and impact of the “refocusing” initiative of the mid-1990s. Design/methodology/approach Policy analysis. Findings While the period from the mid-1990s until 2008 can be seen to show how policy and practice attempted to build on a number of the central principles of the “refocusing” initiative, the period since 2008 has been very different. Following the huge social reaction to the death of Peter Connelly, policy and practice moved in directions quite contra to the “refocusing” initiative’s aims and aspirations such that we can identify a refocusing of “refocusing”. Such developments were given a major impetus with the election of the Coalition government in 2010 and have been reinforced further following the election of the Conservative government in May 2015. Originality/value The paper places the changes in child protection policy and practice in England in their political and economic contexts and makes explicit how the changes impact on the role and responsibilities of professionals, particularly social workers.

Social work: a “forgotten” piece of the integration jigsaw?

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Real Risk ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Professional Leadership ◽  
Managing Risk

Purpose – The article seeks to analyse the potential contribution of social work to integration debates. Social work has tended to be seen as marginal to these discussions despite the potential of social work expertise and leadership to help forge effective approaches to joined-up care. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how social work is well positioned to help lead and support practice focused change across social care and health. It also seeks to show how professional leadership can be a powerful vehicle for changing professional and organisational cultures. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on practice and research evidence to demonstrate the proposition that social work can make a powerful contribution to debates about integration. Findings – Three things could help build the cultural capital that is a pre-requisite to building integrated and joined-up approaches. First, the author needs to invest in developing the role of social workers and GPs working together as local professional and practice leaders. Second, there is a real risk that in any discussion about professional leadership and partnership, the author eclipses the singularly critical importance of engaging and involving users and carers in non tokenistic ways. Finally, the author needs to utilise better social work’s skills and knowledge in managing risk, building resilience and promoting social inclusion. Research limitations/implications – Further evaluation and research is needed about the potential for GPs and social workers to develop joined-up approaches to care for and support older and disabled people. Practical implications – Social workers need to be provided with the tools, support and space in which to develop their practice leadership role, including but not exclusively with GPs. Originality/value – This paper does not purport to offer any specifically originally research but rather some reflections on how social work expertise might better contribute to integration debates.

Review of websites of particular use to social work students and social workers

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 2-7
Author(s):  
Kellian Clink
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Library Science ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Web

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a rationale for seeking out and making federal, state and non-governmental Web sites available to social work students and social workers and describe a number of valuable resources, primarily from the non-governmental agencies, as they can be more difficult to identify. Design/methodology/approach – Resources included here include those that illuminate policy issues in general followed by those dealing with specific populations or issues. They have been identified both by systematic study and the serendipity that results from 27 years of experience seeking resources for undergraduate and graduate students in social work. Findings – These Web sites provide timely and authoritative information of particular interest to social work students or practitioners: first, Web sites that help illuminate policy and practices related to supporting low income people; and then, Web sites focusing on specific (geographically or topically) information needs. Research limitations/implications – The author is most familiar with sources that have been useful to undergraduate social work students and graduate students in a program that focuses on rural social work. Practical implications – The information in the Web sites described is timely and authoritative and should be part of the resources that are made known to students, faculty and practitioners in this discipline to inform their work. Social implications – Not every library can afford to subscribe to the valuable research presented in social work journals. Nor can they afford to purchase every book that might be valuable to social workers. They can, however, be knowledgeable about Web sites that present good, data-rich information as well as models of successful programming and services. In addition, it seems valuable for social workers in one state to build on the ideas that other practitioners are utilizing in another state. These Web sites often provide that kind of cross-pollination. Originality/value – While the organizations that create these Web sites have been around for decades, the literature in library science focuses primarily on collection development activities around books, electronic books and journals, while the Web sites which are free, authoritative and timely get a lot less attention.

scholarly journals Does reflective supervision have a future in English local authority child and family social work?

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 164-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wilkins
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Underlying Assumption ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reflective Supervision

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the underlying assumption that social workers need reflective supervision specifically, as opposed to managerial or any other form of supervision or support, and to consider whether our focus on the provision of reflective supervision may be preventing us from thinking more broadly and creatively about what support local authority child and family social workers need and how best to provide it. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides an argument based on the author’s own research and a selective review of the literature. Findings Reflective supervision has no future in local authority child and family social work because: first, there is no clear understanding of what reflective supervision is; second, there is no clear evidence for its effectiveness; and third, sizeable proportion of local authority child and family social workers in England do not receive reflective supervision and many never have. Originality/value The paper challenges the received wisdom about the value of reflective supervision and advocates exploring alternative models for supporting best practice in child and family social work.

scholarly journals Social workers’ power of entry in adult safeguarding concerns: debates over autonomy, privacy and protection

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 312-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Stevens ◽  
Stephen Martineau ◽  
Jill Manthorpe ◽  
Caroline Norrie
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore debates about the powers social workers may need to undertake safeguarding enquiries where access to the adult is denied. Design/methodology/approach The paper takes as a starting point a scoping review of the literature undertaken as part of a study exploring social work responses to situations where they are prevented from speaking to an adult at risk by a third party. Findings A power of entry might be one solution to situations where social workers are prevented from accessing an adult at risk. The paper focuses on the Scottish approach to legal powers in adult safeguarding, established by the Adult Support and Protection Act (Scotland) 2007 and draws out messages for adult safeguarding in England and elsewhere. The literature review identified that debates over the Scottish approach are underpinned by differing conceptualisations of vulnerability, autonomy and privacy, and the paper relates these conceptualisations to different theoretical stances. Social implications The paper concludes that the literature suggests that a more socially mediated rather than an essentialist understanding of the concepts of vulnerability, autonomy and privacy allows for more nuanced approaches to social work practice in respect of using powers of entry and intervention with adults at risk who have capacity to make decisions. Originality/value This paper provides a novel perspective on debates over how to overcome challenges to accessing adults at risk in adult safeguarding through an exploration of understandings of vulnerability, privacy and autonomy.

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