scholarly journals Specialist sexual violence social work: Ensuring good practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 60-71
Author(s):  
Bridget Leary ◽  
Kathryn Hay
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Care Practices

INTRODUCTION: This research sought to understand social workers’ perspectives on good practice in specialist sexual violence social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.METHODS: In 2018, five registered social workers engaged in semi-structured interviews focused on good practice social work in the field of sexual violence.FINDINGS: The use of therapeutic social work, along with an extensive skill set and knowledge base were identified as fundamental for sexual violence social work. Boundaries and the development of broad self-care practices were recognised as crucial components of good practice.CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study offers links between the field of sexual violence and social work practice, while also indicating the need for future 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.

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.

Development and Initial Validation of the Self-Care Practices Scale

Social Work ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
Jacquelyn J Lee ◽  
Shari E Miller ◽  
Brian E Bride
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Construct Validity ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
The Self ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Care Practices

Abstract Self-care is regarded as essential for effective social work practice, offsetting occupational stress and promoting well-being and resiliency among practitioners. However, the literature reveals a notable absence of psychometrically sound instruments to measure self-care. The purpose of the present study was to describe the development, refinement, and construct validity of the Self-Care Practices Scale (SCPS). The piloted version of the SCPS is a 38-item instrument designed to measure frequency of engagement in personal and professional self-care practices. Data were collected through mailed surveys from a random sample of master’s-level clinical social workers and members of the National Association of Social Workers (N = 492). Analysis supports the construct validity of an 18-item SCPS with two subscales that demonstrate strong internal validity. The SCPS is useful for social work educators, practitioners, and administrators to ascertain frequency of self-care practice and build a stronger culture of self-care. The role of SCPS in future research is discussed.

Assessing The “Millennial Self-Care Obsession” Among Social Workers: #NotSoMuch

2020 ◽  
pp. 146801732095435
Author(s):  
J Jay Miller ◽  
Erlene Grise-Owens
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Professional Support ◽  
Care Practices

Summary Despite the importance of self-care to social work practice, misnomers about the construct persist. One misperception is that millennials are overly focused on self-care and engage in high-levels of self-care, to the detriment of performing work duties. This study examined the self-care practices of social work practitioners (N = 3079) in the United States. Researcher investigated self-care practices across five domains: Professional Support, Professional Development, Life Support, Cognitive Awareness, and Daily Balance. Findings Overall, data suggest that social workers in all generations engaged in moderate amounts of self-care. Analyses revealed that millennials engaged in significantly fewer self-care practices related to Professional Support and Daily Balance, when compared to Generation X and Baby-boomer participants. While not statistically significant, millennials scored lower across all other self-care domains. Applications This is the first known study to explicitly investigate generational differences in self-care within any professional discipline. Within the next five years, millennials will make up nearly 75% of the world’s workforce. Findings from this research suggest the need to reshape prevailing anecdotes about self-care and millennials. Further, data offer insights to organizations looking to better support social workers of all generations in engaging in self-care.

scholarly journals "We’re Still Here, We’re Still Fighting.” The Experiences Of Rural Survivors Accessing Sexual Assault Evidence Kits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn Bosveld
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Research Study

This qualitative research study explores the experiences survivors of sexual violence across rural Ontario accessing Sexual Assault Evidence Kits, as told by service providers from Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centres. Using a narrative thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews were completed and subsequently analyzed from an intersectional feminist perspective. The purpose of this approach was to identify themes that occurred across multiple interviews in order to understand the barriers that exist for survivors and solutions proposed by service providers in the field. Factors such as transportation, including reliance on police for transportation, are explored, as are the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic which arose partway through the research process. Additionally, implications for social work practice and service providers to survivors of sexual violence, strengths and limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.

Constructions of young migrants’ situations in kinship care in a Swedish suburb by social workers in a non-governmental organisation mentoring programme

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 901-916
Author(s):  
Maria Moberg Stephenson ◽  
Åsa Källström
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Kinship Care ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
The Social ◽  
Youth Centre

Young migrants defined as ‘unaccompanied’ tend to be constructed as a homogeneous group with specific vulnerabilities and strengths in social work practice. ‘Unaccompanied’ young migrants placed in kinship care in Sweden are constructed with further vulnerabilities. Such constructions of these young people and their situations may have consequences for how social support for them is designed. The aim of this study is to explore how the social workers employed at a non-governmental organisation mentoring programme construct young migrants’ situations in kinship care in a Swedish suburb, and if and how these constructions change during the course of the programme. Methods used are semi-structured interviews with the social workers at the youth centre where the mentoring work takes place and analysis of the non-governmental organisation’s policy documents. The results consist of three constructions of situations the young people are in: (1) loneliness and (a lack of) support in the kinship homes; (2) alienation in the local neighbourhood and the kinship home and (3) social, cultural and family contexts creating a sense of safety. The results show variation in how the mentors describe each situation with both vulnerabilities and strengths. This highlights a complexity in the constructions that contests the image of young migrants in kinship care as merely vulnerable. These results reveal consideration of individual differences and contexts, and are used to discuss how people’s struggles and resources can be dealt with in social work.

scholarly journals Who owns the case record? Client access to case records in Canadian social work practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-350
Author(s):  
Marina Morgenshtern ◽  
Nilan Yu
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Case Record ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Issue

This study looked into client access to their case records routinely maintained by social workers in the course of professional practice. An online survey and semi-structured interviews were undertaken with Canadian social workers. The study found that while the majority of the participants indicated that they granted clients access to their case records, clients were not effectively granted such access in practice. Client access to their case records is a core issue in social work, and social workers need to proactively grant such access if they are to live by the core values of social work.

scholarly journals "We’re Still Here, We’re Still Fighting.” The Experiences Of Rural Survivors Accessing Sexual Assault Evidence Kits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn Bosveld
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Research Study

This qualitative research study explores the experiences survivors of sexual violence across rural Ontario accessing Sexual Assault Evidence Kits, as told by service providers from Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centres. Using a narrative thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews were completed and subsequently analyzed from an intersectional feminist perspective. The purpose of this approach was to identify themes that occurred across multiple interviews in order to understand the barriers that exist for survivors and solutions proposed by service providers in the field. Factors such as transportation, including reliance on police for transportation, are explored, as are the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic which arose partway through the research process. Additionally, implications for social work practice and service providers to survivors of sexual violence, strengths and limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Policy Considerations for Geriatric Social Workers in Healthcare Settings During COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 382-382
Author(s):  
Terri Lewinson ◽  
Tiffany Washington
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Interprofessional Education ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Care Settings ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Social workers are essential to the delivery of health care with older adults the during COVID-19 pandemic. This paper focuses on the impact of policies in health care systems that affect geriatric social work practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 55 social workers from a variety of health care settings. Data were analyzed to identify the scope of social work practice in health care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how policies in their respective settings impacted their work. Conditions that impeded participants’ ability to provide quality care and work within their scope of practice included inconsistent expectations of interdisciplinary team members, disparate access to resources, restriction of opportunities to address emotional distress experienced by workers. Recommendations for policy enhancements in health care settings include interprofessional education on effective team communication, protocol development for the equitable distribution of resources among essential workers, and trauma-informed in-service trainings for health care administrators.

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