Social Work Training Intervention to Increase Referral Rates for Preventive Psychosis Services: A Randomized Trial

Purpose Social workers are employed in a broad range of community settings, in which they may be able to identify youth with emerging psychotic symptoms and facilitate connection to specialized services. Methods: This randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of a training intervention for social workers ( N = 959) intended to increase the volume of referrals and rate of successful referrals to specialized early psychosis services. Results: During the 2-year study period, referrals to the early intervention program nearly doubled, t (df = 11) = 5.46, p < 0.001. Additionally, the rate of successful referrals was greater among social workers who received the active training (41.7%) compared to the other referral sources (19.2%), X2 (df = 1, n = 311) = 3.69, p = 0.055. Conclusions: The active training was associated with a marginally greater rate of successful referrals. Overall referrals increased greatly during the training period although this could not be linked to specific participants, suggesting contamination effects may have increased community awareness of early intervention services.

Shalom Educational Model and the Paradigm Shift in the Social Work Training in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Social work is a discipline that was introduced into an academic curriculum in the DRC not long ago. It is with the repetition of the phenomena of urban banditry and that of street children that the various stakeholders have thought of training professionals in this field. But is said training effective and appropriate? In this article, I examine through a sample the academic curriculum in the DRC and propose avenues’ starting from the biblical model of shalom, which is a four-dimensional model, responding to contextual and spiritual needs. The article contains seven parts: the first point will be the introduction, in the second point there will be a brief contextual presentation of DR Congo, the third point is about the method used in this article, the fourth point will be the sample of social work curricula, the fifth point will be analysis and assessment of this curricula, in the sixth point I will show the implications of shalom model in the social work training and the last point will be the conclusion.

Pedagogic assistance to self-realisation of students of the direction of training “Social Work” in the educational space of the university

The article is devoted to the study of the mechanisms of pedagogic assistance to self-realisation of students of the "Social Work" training direction in the educational space of the university. We considered and substantiated the theory of student-centred education in the conditions of a university. The mechanisms of students' realisation of their existential needs in the process of obtaining higher education are considered. The article defines the conditions conducive to student self-realisation in the educational space of the university. The content of the article substantiates an algorithm for the formation of significant personal qualities of a student in the educational space of the university. Particular attention is paid to the model of pedagogic assistance to self-realisation of students in the educational space of the university. The text provides effective forms of pedagogic assistance to self-realisation of students in the educational space of the university. The article analyses the results of an empirical study of the process of pedagogic assistance to self-realisation of students in the direction of training "Social Work" in the educational space of the university. During the analysis of the literature and the study, it was revealed that in the process of self-realisation there is always something that encourages the student to carry out self-realisation – a motive reflected in the goal of self-realisation, which affects the final result of its studies at the university. The necessity of timely determination of interests, abilities, inclinations, value orientations, students’ capabilities and ways of overcoming barriers that hinder self-realisation is shown. In this case, the teacher acts as a partner, coordinator, consultant, mentor, thereby providing more opportunities for the student's independence and responsibility.

Working With Nonoffending Caregivers of Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused: Common Challenges and Effective Strategies

This research project is intended to address the dearth of information regarding best practice in clinical engagement and intervention with nonoffending caregivers of children who have been sexually abused. Utilizing an online survey, licensed clinicians were invited to respond to open-ended questions regarding (a) common challenges they face when working with caregivers of children who have been sexually abused and (b) strategies they have found to be effective when faced with these challenges. Their responses are presented and implications for social work training and practice are reviewed.

Robust Responses to the Impact of Climate Change in Zimbabwe: Social Work’s Contribution

It has become important that social work confronts environmental challenges associated with climate change. Environmental social work is an approach to social work practice founded on ecological justice principles. A literature review was conducted to analyse social work’s contribution to robust responses to the impact of climate change in Zimbabwe. Despite an enabling legal and policy environment, the degradation of natural resources has become pervasive owing to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic dynamics. Institutions such as the Council of Social Workers Zimbabwe (Council of Social Workers), and the National Association of Social Workers Zimbabwe complemented by the four universities that offer social work training are found to contribute to social work when mitigating the impact of climate change in Zimbabwe. These strategies enrich social work’s responses to the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. This is achievable by engaging in research opportunities of applied action that explore communities’ public and social spaces. The article concludes by offering pathways for more proactive social work contributions towards mitigating climate change impacts in Zimbabwe.

‘All social work takes place in a macro context’: The gap between international social work training and practice

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study combined data from an online survey with international social workers ( N = 44), and key informant qualitative interviews ( N = 6), to identify gaps and synergies between what is taught in graduate social work programmes and expected by employers. Findings suggested that although social work values align well with international social work, gaps exist between the macro knowledge and skills required for international work and that which graduate training offers. Findings further suggested that if unaddressed, these incompatibilities may contribute to the invisibility of social work as a viable training ground for practice in international aid agencies.