Evidence-based practice and management-by-knowledge of disability care: rigid constraint or fluid support?

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabella Pistone ◽  
Allan Lidström ◽  
Ingemar Bohlin ◽  
Thomas Schneider ◽  
Teun Zuiderent-Jerak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Epistemic Injustice ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Local Practices ◽  
Rigid Constraint ◽  
Care Practices

Background: Although increasingly accepted in some corners of social work, critics have claimed that evidence-based practice (EBP) methodologies run contrary to local care practices and result in an EBP straitjacket and epistemic injustice. These are serious concerns, especially in relation to already marginalised clients.Aims and objectives: Against the backdrop of criticism against EBP, this study explores the ramifications of the Swedish state-governed knowledge infrastructure, ‘management-by-knowledge’, for social care practices at two care units for persons with intellectual disabilities.Methods: Data generated from ethnographic observations and interviews were analysed by applying a conceptual framework of epistemic injustice; also analysed were national, regional and local knowledge products within management-by-knowledge related to two daily activity (DA) units at a social care provider in Sweden.Findings: In this particular case of disability care, no obvious risks of epistemic injustice were discovered in key knowledge practices of management-by-knowledge. Central methodologies of national agencies did include perspectives from social workers and clients, as did regional infrastructures. Locally, there were structures in place that focused on creating a dynamic interplay between knowledge coming from various forms of evidence, including social workers’ and clients’ own knowledge and experience.Discussion and conclusions: Far from being a straitjacket, in the case studied management-by-knowledge may be understood as offering fluid support. Efforts which aim at improving care for people with disabilities might benefit from organisational support structures that enable dynamic interactions between external knowledge and local practices.<br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Examining one case of disability care in Sweden, both social workers’ and clients’ experiences were included in EBP infrastructures.</li><br /><li>In this study, Swedish EBP infrastructures functioned more like fluid support than a straitjacket.</li><br /><li>Organisational structures that combine different knowledge sources at service providers can minimise the risk of epistemic injustice within social care.</li></ul>

scholarly journals Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in a Dutch Social Work Organisation: A Shared Responsibility

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 2212-2232
Author(s):  
Renske J M van der Zwet ◽  
Deirdre M Beneken genaamd Kolmer ◽  
René Schalk ◽  
Tine Van Regenmortel
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Organisational Model ◽  
Ebp Implementation

Abstract This article presents the findings from a case study, exploring the factors that support and impede implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in a Dutch social work organisation that has recently committed to EBP. Qualitative data were gathered from semi-structured interviews with ten staff members and twelve social workers (service providers for adults and families). The organisational model for EBP implementation, recently developed by Plath, was used to examine how EBP was implemented and the factors that support and impede it. Findings revealed that EBP occurs predominantly at the organisational level. Research & Development (R&D) staff take responsibility for the key steps of gathering, appraising and translating research insights into practice activities, whilst social workers are primarily involved in implementing interventions. R&D is also involved in the internal evaluation of interventions in order to support ongoing practice development. Several factors affecting EBP implementation and facilitative strategies have been identified. Most of these are congruent with the organisational model for EBP implementation, with the exception of two impacting factors (negative attitudes about EBP and an organisational culture that values and encourages innovation and learning) and one facilitative strategy (research partnerships). These findings were used to develop the model further.

The Promotion of Avoidable Ignorance in the British Journal of Social Work

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen Gambrill
Keyword(s):  
British Journal ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Professional Journals ◽  
The Status ◽  
Dangerous Knowledge

The manifest purpose of professional journals is to share important knowledge. Increasing revelations of flaws in the peer-reviewed literature shows that this purpose is often not honored and that inflated claims of knowledge as well as other concerns such as misrepresentations of disliked or misunderstood views are rife. In this article, avoidable misunderstandings of science and evidence-based practice (EBP) in publications in the British Journal of Social Work 2005–2016 are described as well as strategies used to forward misinformation. Such discourse misinforms rather than informs readers and decreases opportunities to accurately inform social workers about possibilities to help clients and to avoid harming them and to involve clients as informed participants. Those writing about avoidable ignorance highlight how it is used strategically, perhaps to neutralize what is viewed as dangerous knowledge—the process of EBP and science generally, which may threaten the status quo.

scholarly journals Evidence-based practice in social work: Who are the critics?

2020 ◽  
pp. 146801732095513
Author(s):  
Joakim Finne
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Child Welfare ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Social Sector ◽  
The Social

Summary The aim of this study is to analyse attitudes towards and the utilisation of evidence-based practice among social workers in Norway. The data were collected in 2014–2015 from social workers in four Norwegian counties. The sample consists of 2060 social workers registered as members of the Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers. Findings The main findings in this study indicate that social workers in child welfare are generally less critical of evidence-based practice than those within social welfare. Higher education and knowledge about evidence-based practice are seen as predictors for less critical attitudes towards the concept. The findings further suggest that social workers who use manuals and standardised procedures are less critical of evidence-based practice. Applications Understanding social workers’ attitudes towards evidence-based practice is important in order to facilitate the best possible practices. This study emphasises the importance of increasing knowledge of evidence-based practice in the social sector, and the need to further investigate how research methods and evidence-based practice concepts are translated into practice.

scholarly journals Research Use and Evidence-Based Practice Among Swedish Medical Social Workers: A Qualitative Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 258-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Udo ◽  
Henrietta Forsman ◽  
Marcus Jensfelt ◽  
Maria Flink
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Swedish Medical

scholarly journals Formulating Answerable Questions: Question Negotiation in Evidence-based Practice

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorie Kloda ◽  
Joan C. Bartlett
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Literature Discussion ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Different Types

Objective: This review explores the different question formulation structures proposed in the literature that may be helpful to librarians for conducting the reference interview and for teaching students and clinicians. Method: We present and compare several known question formulation structures identified in the health and social sciences literature. Discussion: Health and social care professionals should be made aware of the plurality of question formulation structures and their applicability to different fields of practice, as well as their utility for different types of questions within a field of practice.

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