TRAINING TECHNIQUES : A manual for trainers in higher and further Education in Africa. Editor: B. N. Nicol, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. 1971. 131 pp

The purpose of this study was to identify the proportion of Master of Social Work (MSW) students who received perinatal depression (PD) training as part of their coursework. Additionally, we sought to identify differences in PD knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and openness to further education between students who had received PD training compared to students without PD training. Using a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, 177 largely female (91.0%), Hispanic (46%), and Caucasian (28.2%) MSW students from five public California universities electronically provided demographic data and completed the Depression in Women's Health Settings scale. Most MSW students reported health/mental health (38%) or children/youth/and families (47.5%) as their field of practice. Twenty-nine MSW students (16.4%) reported receiving PD training, 61% child abuse/neglect training, and 50% domestic violence training. Students with PD training were significantly more knowledgeable and reported having the skills to assess, screen, identify, and care for women with PD symptoms versus students without PD training. Given the well-documented association of PD with child abuse/neglect and domestic violence, early PD screening, identification, and referral information must be incorporated into MSW curricula and continuing education in order to promote maternal-infant well-being outcomes.

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Preference of Methods and Goals of Further Education from the Social Workers‘ Point of View

Lifelong Learning ◽

10.11118/lifele20211103225 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 225-241

Author(s):

Gabriela Ježková Petrů

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Social Workers ◽

Social Services ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Service Providers ◽

Further Education ◽

Point Of View ◽

Educational Goals ◽

Educational Methods ◽

The Social

Further education of the employees in the field of social work is one of the future challenges. The goals of further education are constantly changing with regard to the changes in society and the requirements of the clients of social services. Social work represents a multidisciplinary conception of the performed work and a continual need for further education. In organizations, further education is implemented through various educational methods, which are also evolving. The article aims to identify which educational methods in the field of social work are preferred, both within the leading managerial positions and within the ones of social workers, and to describe the goals of further education in both groups. The goal was achieved through the quantitative research conducted in both groups – i.e. the managers and the social workers. Using the Survio platform, the research addressed organizations providing social serviced according to the Register of Social Service Providers of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic. The results were processed using descriptive statistics, and conclusions were drawn based on the results. The results showed different preferences of educational goals for managers who prefer the expansion of competencies and for social workers who prefer development. Research into the preference of educational methods has found that managers and employees prefer professional lectures, self‑education and Internet resources.

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The internal/external debate: The tensions within social work supervision

Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work ◽

10.11157/anzswj-vol31iss3id646 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 32-45

Author(s):

Matt Rankine

Keyword(s):

Social Work ◽

Social Services ◽

Professional Competence ◽

Further Education ◽

Response Alternative ◽

Supervisory Relationship ◽

External Debate ◽

Internal Supervision ◽

Practice Development

INTRODUCTION: Supervision is crucial to social workers’ practice. Within the current managerial social services environment, the supervisor juggles organisational and professional accountabilities—organisational agendas often dominate practitioners’ reflection. In response, alternative types of supervision have emerged, one of which is external supervision.METHODS: This paper analyses qualitative discussions with key informants and supervisory dyads in community-based child welfare services regarding reflective practices in supervision. Internal and external supervision arrangements were discussed in depth relative to their impact on social work practice.FINDINGS: Analysis of discussions identified four themes: the significance of external supervision for building capacity, resilience and confidential reflective space; the role of internal supervision for managerial and organisational agendas; tensions associated with external supervision regarding funding and accountability; and important attributes of the supervisor in successful working relationships.CONCLUSIONS: External supervision is essential for professional competence but considerable inter-organisational variation exists in how this is utilised. Three key considerations emerged: accountabilities of external supervisor, supervisee and internal supervisor towards collaborative practice, evaluation and feedback; purchasing of external supervision; and the professional development of external supervisors. Further education connecting the importance of the supervisory relationship to realise critical thinking and practice development is essential for the future of social work.

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