scholarly journals Counselling in social work: A legitimate role?

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-27
Author(s):  
Petro Booysen ◽  
Barbara Staniforth
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Thematic Data

INTRODUCTION: Social work roles can sometimes be considered to sit on a continuum between a community work/social change perspective and a therapeutic work perspective. One perspective could be preferred above the other, at a particular time and in a particular context, or both perspectives could be supported. This article explores the legitimate function of counselling in social work in Aotearoa New Zealand.METHODS: Data were obtained sequentially through 16 in-depth interviews and four focus groups in a qualitative PhD study. The respondents were practising social workers from various ethnicities and fields of practice represented in Aotearoa New Zealand. Both the interview and focus group data were analysed using a general inductive and thematic data analysis method.FINDINGS: The data demonstrate a relationship between counselling and social work, that social workers regularly use counselling skills and that social workers have a need to develop their clinical skills. Rigid boundaries between the two professions can have adverse effects for clients at times when multi-skilled professionals are needed; participants in this study are calling for ethicality and accountability in this regard.CONCLUSION: The findings from the data confirm the legitimacy of counselling in social work and have implications for social work practice, education, and continued professional development.

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.

scholarly journals Aotearoa New Zealand social workers and their views of inclusion of animals in social work practice – A descriptive study

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 8-25
Author(s):  
Polly Yeung ◽  
Nicole Robertson ◽  
Lucy Sandford-Reed
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Exposure Level ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

PURPOSE: Given the benefits of the human–animal bond (HAB), animals are being used in a range of social work settings. It is important to gain a more in-depth understanding of social work practitioners’ knowledge and actions in these interactions. The purpose of this study was to examine the views and knowledge of social workers in relation to the HAB in Aotearoa New Zealand. METHODS: A survey using an online portal was administrated to qualified social workers via professional and community networks to assess their exposure, level of knowledge, support, training, and barriers to animal–human relations. RESULTS: A total of 140 questionnaires were used for analysis. The results, similar to findings from Canada and the United States, indicate that social workers seemed to have high exposure to information about the benefits of HAB and understanding of the connections between animal abuse and child abuse/domestic violence. Only 68% have included animals in their social work practice. The vast majority have had no specific training in HAB. Untested or untrained animals were also reported to have been used in social work intervention practice. The lack of clear workplace policies, support and professional training in HAB were key barriers that inhibited the inclusion of animals in practice. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of understanding over how to include HAB in practice has serious implications for social work. HAB continues to influence and contribute to the lives of families and individuals and social workers have a duty to develop general awareness and knowledge of the benefits to human health and wellbeing of interacting with animals.

Social Work and Its Complexity in Aotearoa New Zealand

2016 ◽  
pp. 93-113
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.

scholarly journals Five years in the news: A media analysis of Child, Youth and Family in two daily newspapers (2008–2012)

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Barbara Staniforth ◽  
Elizabeth Beddoe
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
Victims Of Violence

INTRODUCTION: This article describes a subset of data relating to the term “Child Youth and Family” from a media analysis of two major Aotearoa New Zealand newspapers from 2008 to 2012 and reports on the major themes emerging from a qualitative analysis of these articles.METHODS: A search was conducted within the online versions of the New Zealand Herald and the Otago Daily Times for the years 2008 to 2012 on the search terms: “social work,” “social worker” and “child youth and family.” A qualitative thematic analysis of 1,512 articles within the data set “child youth and family” was conducted.FINDINGS: Child Youth and Family (CYF) content overwhelmingly made up the largest sub-set of the data and within that subset, the reporting was principally related to crime and abuse. Social workers were seen mainly as receivers of referrals and of removing children and placing them in “care.” There was little mention of intervention or treatment.  There were many reports of the ways things went badly in the process, and at those times social workers were reportedly at the forefront. CONCLUSION: The CYF content presents a limited view of social work, with potential implications for the scope of social work practice being limited to removal of children, and a reduction in the acknowledgement of the wider scope of treatment and intervention. There is also an emphasis on criticism of social workers when children are the victims of violence that occurs within a wider socio-political context. 

scholarly journals Caught between a rock and a hard place: Social work in non-government organisations

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashleigh Price
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Principles And Standards ◽  
Constructivist Epistemology

INTRODUCTION: Non-government organisations (NGOs) make a significant contribution to social service delivery in Aotearoa New Zealand. The purpose of this research is to understand how government policy impacts social work practice in non-government organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand. How NGO social workers apply and maintain ethical principles and standards in the current socio-economic climate was explored. The study aimed to increase understanding of how NGO social workers remain dedicated to the pursuit of social justiceand social change in their day-to-day practice, within conflicting policy environments and the government’s social investment approach.METHODOLOGY: A qualitative research methodology informed by a constructivist epistemology was adopted as the research strategy for this study. The interest was in exploring personal perspectives so qualitative in-depth interviews were carried out with five experienced NGO social work practitioners.FINDINGS: Thematic analysis of the research data found that contemporary NGO social work is a practice characterised by a sense of powerlessness. From this sense of powerlessness, five sub-themes were identified: freedom and powerlessness; the application of the principle of social justice at a macro level; professional dissonance; issues of funding and resourcing constraints as a result of neoliberal economic policy; and finally, different realities and a notion of othering.CONCLUSION: This research found that the social justice element of social work practice may be at risk should the dominant neoliberal social policy environment remain in existence.

scholarly journals Lifting the veil on the government’s regulatory agenda for the social work profession in Aotearoa New Zealand

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Howard Randal
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Veil ◽  
Foucauldian Theory

INTRODUCTION: The article discusses the two contrasting agendas evident when statutory registration for social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand was introduced in 2003 – that of the professional association and that of the government.METHOD:  The approach taken draws on a longitudinal research study of the aspirations for statutory registration held by a sample of members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZSW). In addition, the motives behind the professionalisation strategy introduced by the principal government social work service are examined and analysed applying Foucault’s concept of governmentality.FINDINGS: The qualitative analysis of the data shows that the profession, although aspiring to having some role in statutory registration, also held concerns about its implications. By way of contrast, the professionalisation strategy adopted by the government social work service shows it was driven by public service performance, fiscal and risk management imperatives.CONCLUSIONS: The application of the Foucauldian theory of governmentality to the data and findings shows that the introduction of statutory registration is a manifestation of the managerial and statutory controls adopted by government and a means of governmentality. This has resulted in the government holding the upper hand in providing public accountability for social work practice thereby perpetuating its hold over the profession with the risk that the ANZASW is left in its wake. 

Pōwhiri: a safe space of cultural encounter to assist transnational social workers in the profession in Aotearoa New Zealand

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wheturangi Walsh-Tapiata ◽  
Helen Simmons ◽  
Litea Meo-Sewabu ◽  
Antoinette Umugwaneza
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Safe Space ◽  
Moral Obligations ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Cultural Encounter

The Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand (Māori) believe that, when any visitor or guest arrives in their land, that they should be invited and welcomed. This helps to establish a relationship between those of the land and those who have chosen to live in this land. New Zealand's population is increasingly multi-ethnic and inclusive of a broad range of transnational social workers and yet there are very few programmes or frameworks that assist them to navigate these borders. Instead, transnational social workers are left to struggle when they arrive and struggle further when they find themselves working with the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand. Social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand is informed by understandings of indigeneity and moral obligations to Te Tiriti ō Waitangi, the founding document of New Zealand society. For ‘responsible hosts’ fostering positive relationships, a process of cultural encounter is needed for transnational social workers whereby they can be better integrated into their new country, their communities and into their work as social workers.

scholarly journals Putting human rights at the heart of social work practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 84-89
Author(s):  
Neil Ballantyne
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Response Format ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
International Human

This commentary was published by the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2019. ANZASW invited the author to respond to several questions on the topic of human rights. In 2019, Neil was the inaugural winner of the John Fry Memorial Supreme Award for Quality and Innovation in Social Work for his work as a Palestinian human rights defender. The article is structured in a question and response format.

scholarly journals Social workers' perception of practice with lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGBs) in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-78
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Onyedikachi George ◽  
Prince Chiagozie Ekoh
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Depth Interviews

People from Low-to-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Nigeria, irrespective of differences in beliefs and sexual orientation, face similar challenges in terms of living standards, access to resources and quality of life. However, people who have been ‘othered’ on the basis of their nonconformity to heteronormativity face additional challenges. The existence of the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act (SSMPA) of 2014, which criminalizes the normalization of homosexual ‘lifestyles’ and the persistence of a homophobic socio-political climate in Nigeria, exposes lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGBs) in Nigeria to unique difficulties. Although social workers are expected to work, guided by the values of social justice and respect for human rights, with the vulnerable and oppressed in society such as LGBs, the socio-political contexts they operate in can limit how well they do this work. This paper seeks to explore the views of social workers on social work practice with LGBs in Nigeria, with qualitative data obtained from 12 professional social workers using in-depth interviews that were thematically analysed. Findings show that social workers’ perception of practice with LGBs in Nigeria is influenced by existing policies in the country, in addition to cultural and religious beliefs. Some social workers also view LGBs through a medical perspective of homosexuality being an illness, which can affect their work with this population. Recommendations from the study include developing a contextualized ethical code that addresses practice dilemmas and further research centred on the experiences of LGBs and social work practice, as this is one of the few studies on social work practice in Nigeria with this population.

scholarly journals Practice in a Pandemic: School Social Workers’ Adaptations and Experiences During the 2020 COVID-19 School Disruptions

2021 ◽  
pp. 104438942110098
Author(s):  
Michael S. Kelly ◽  
Rami Benbenishty ◽  
Gordon Capp ◽  
Kate Watson ◽  
Ron Astor
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
School Social Work ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Virtual School ◽  
School Social Workers ◽  
Traditional Practice

In March 2020, as American PreK-12 schools shut down and moved into online learning in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there was little information about how school social workers (SSWs) were responding to the crisis. This study used a national online survey to understand how SSWs ( N = 1,275) adapted their school practice during the initial 2020 COVID-19 crisis. Findings from this study indicate that SSWs made swift and (relatively) smooth adaptations of their traditional practice role to the new context, though not without reporting considerable professional stress and personal challenges doing so. SSWs reported significant concerns about their ability to deliver effective virtual school social work services given their students’ low motivation and lack of engagement with online learning, as well as significant worries about how their students were faring during the first months of the pandemic. Implications for school social work practice, policy, and research are discussed.

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