scholarly journals Māori social workers’ experiences of care and protection: A selection of findings

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paora Moyle
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
World Views ◽  
Policy Initiatives ◽  
Family Group Conferencing ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Selection Of

This article explores the challenges faced by seven Māori social workers who are also members of Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) working within the child protection system in Aotearoa. Their views on what has improved for Māori whānau around recent legislation changes to family group conferencing (FGC) and newer policy initiatives such as Whānau Ora are examined. The study used a Māori-centred research approach and a thematic analysis of participants’ accounts was undertaken. From this analysis it was found that: (a) the participants walked creatively between two world views in order to best meet the needs of their own people; (b) these Māori practitioners felt over-worked and under-valued; and (c) the participants viewed the practices within FGCs as biased, demonstrating a lack of bicultural ability and contributing to significant barriers that whānau Māori experience in care and protection.

scholarly journals Social work perceptions and identity: How social workers perceive public and professional attitudes towards their vocation and discipline

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kathryn Hobbs ◽  
Nikki Evans
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Professional Status ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Public ◽  
Experience Levels ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

INTRODUCTION: A century after Abraham Flexner’s (1915/2001) infamous speech conveyed his “dismissive attitude toward social work’s professionalism,” Gelman and González (2016) reflected that social work is again at a critical juncture. The fight for recognition of social work’s professional status has been influenced by multiple factors including negative public perceptions of the occupation. In Aotearoa New Zealand, professionalisation campaigns have been far from unifying, with diverse ideas about practice standards and accountability polarising opinions. At a time that the country is grappling with mandatory registration of social workers, this research considers the ways in which social workers perceive themselves, and the profession that they identify with.METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 83 social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand were conducted. Participants were required to be eligible for social work registration. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed.FINDINGS: Several identity themes emerged during the analysis of the 83 interviews. The first theme relates to the ways in which statutory child protection social work has impacted on identity. The second, and perhaps predictable theme, is that many social workers in this study experienced significant professional marginalisation from their colleagues. The third theme emerged from participants’ views about the likelihood of mandatory registration of social workers impacting on their identity and the professional standing of social work.CONCLUSION:  Most participants in the current study believed that mandatory social worker registration may positively influence the public’s view of social workers, other professionals, and also social workers themselves. However, many participants seemed to experience levels of self-stigma – and potentially believe they are viewed more negatively by the public than they actually are. Social workers’ perceptions of their role and profession is an area that warrants further investigation.  

scholarly journals Radical practice in a risk-averse environment: Learning from ATD Fourth World UK

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-33
Author(s):  
Hannah Blumhardt ◽  
ATD Fourth World UK ◽  
Anna Gupta
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Family Relationship ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Fourth World ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
State Child ◽  
The Impact

INTRODUCTION: The escalation of coercive, risk-averse policy directives in Aotearoa New Zealand’s child and family social work sphere is undermining the profession’s potential to meet its social justice, human rights based aspirations. Social workers may need to look further afield for best practice models that facilitate emancipatory practice in neoliberal social policy environments. This article posits the radical practice of anti-poverty organisation ATD Fourth World in England (where child protection is characteristically risk-averse, individualised and coercive), as an alternative for work with families experiencing poverty and social exclusion.METHODS: We drew on the voices of ATD Fourth World activists cited in previous publications, alongside Activists(a-d) interviewed specifically for this article, and Activist(e) who contributed at a roundtable discussion on a previous project. Interviews focused on ATD Fourth World’s approach to working with families in poverty; three distinctive aspects emerged: the organisation’s philosophy on poverty, and its collaborative and relational family support model. We contrasted these three aspects with state child protection policies in Aotearoa New Zealand and England.FINDINGS: The often inflexible, top-down nature of state child protection policies, coupled with an atmosphere of policing, control and disregard for the impact of poverty, constrain social workers and families alike, eroding the crucial social worker/family relationship underpinning best practice. ATD Fourth World’s approach suggests that genuine strengths-based practice relies on nuanced understandings of poverty, a commitment to advance families’ wishes, and trusting relationships grounded in human dignity and commonality.CONCLUSION: The Aotearoa New Zealand reforms may amplify coercive, risk-averse tendencies in the state’s child protection system. Child and family social workers could consider adapting aspects of ATD Fourth World’s approach to resist or mitigate these coercive aspects and steer the reforms’ implementation in more emancipatory directions.

scholarly journals Cross-disciplinary supervision amongst social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Hutchings ◽  
Lareen Cooper ◽  
Kieran O'Donoghue
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Knowledge Practice ◽  
Developing Knowledge

Cross-disciplinary supervision is occurring amongst social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand and it is regarded positively. However, the findings of this research involving 54 social workers who are members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) indicates there is a) no clear understanding of what constitutes cross-disciplinary supervision; b) potential for issues to arise and c) a need for guidelines. The results are discussed in terms of developing knowledge, practice competence and accountability in relation to the practice of cross-disciplinary supervision and a framework for cross disciplinary supervision is presented. 

scholarly journals Promoting positive interactions between midwives and obstetricians at the primary/secondary interface

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Rachel Cassie ◽  
Christine Griffiths ◽  
George Parker
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Maternity Care ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Health Board ◽  
District Health ◽  
Interprofessional Communication ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

Background: Interprofessional communication is a critical component of safe maternity care. The literature reports circumstances in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas when interprofessional collaboration works well between midwives and obstetricians, as well as descriptions of unsatisfactory communication between the two professions. Aim: To explore and define effective collaboration between midwives and obstetricians at the primary/secondary interface in maternity care, in order to generate suggestions to foster positive collaboration. Method: Eight primary care midwives, three obstetricians and two obstetric registrars from a single District Health Board in Aotearoa New Zealand were interviewed about their interactions at the primary/secondary interface and their understanding, and use, of the Referral Guidelines. The theoretical perspective was Appreciative Inquiry. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Results indicate usually positive interprofessional interactions. Dominant emergent themes are the need to negotiate differing philosophies, to clarify blurred boundaries that sometimes lead to lack of clear lines of responsibility, and the importance of three-way conversations. Of the three themes, this article focuses on three-way communication between midwife, obstetrician/registrar and woman. Participants reported that, when effective three-way communication between woman, midwife and obstetrician occurred, philosophical difference could be negotiated, blurred boundaries clarified and understanding of the respective roles of the LMC midwife and the obstetric team promoted. Participants value the Referral Guidelines but report some limitations to their applicability. Conclusion: Effective three-way communication promotes good maternity care. This study has identified ways to support optimal communication.

Still doing what we do: Defining social work in the 21st century

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Staniforth ◽  
Christa Fouché ◽  
Michael O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Indigenous Perspectives ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Work Education

• Summary: Members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) were asked to provide their definition of social work. Over 300 responses were analysed thematically in order to determine if practitioner views corresponded to recent shifts in social work education and theory which emphasized the importance of social change, strengths based perspectives and the importance of local and indigenous contexts. • Findings: The findings demonstrate that while there was some recognition of social change and strengths-based perspectives in the definitions of social work provided, that those working in the field remain focused on ‘helping individuals, families and groups’ engage in change. Respondents did not, for the most part, acknowledge local or indigenous perspectives in their definitions. • Applications: Results from this study may be useful for social work professional organizations, and social work educators, students and future researchers who are interested in the definition of social work and its scopes of practice.

Social Work and Its Complexity in Aotearoa New Zealand

2020 ◽  
pp. 16-36
Author(s):  
Shahul Hameed ◽  
Anthony Raman
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The People ◽  
The Social ◽  
Chaotic Nature ◽  
Developed World

The Social workers need to call on a broad range of sources of bodies of knowledge and respond to the complexity and its chaotic nature of situations arising in social work profession. There appears to be dire need to consider the use of (a) the theoretical knowledge into practice by being more caring and supportive with the aim of (b) disentangling the various elements of a complex system and enhancing the resilience both of the people involved and the social and organizational systems that they are inter-twined with people lives. The current acknowledgement of the bi-cultural framework by the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) is no doubt a positive move towards infusing indigenous practice frame work into dealing with the chaotic nature and complexity of the social work profession in New Zealand but still remains to be seen in actual social work practice .The purpose of this chapter is to attempt to explore the potential of infusing Indigenous bodies of knowledge into practice against the background of the complexity nature of the social work profession in a developed world like New Zealand.

Zooming in: Social work supervisors using online supervision

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 126-130
Author(s):  
Jason Rushton ◽  
Jo Hutchings ◽  
Karen Shepherd ◽  
Jude Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Supervision ◽  
Online Supervision ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Social Work Practitioners ◽  
Online Group

A group of geographically dispersed social work practitioners who provide professional supervision responded to an invitation put out through the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) networks to be part of an online group in late 2015. Seven members committed to meeting for one hour every eight weeks using the online meeting platform, ZoomTM. This viewpoint provides an opportunity to share our experience of the development and process of this group, with its potential for ensuring a safe reflective space and ongoing professional development. 

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