Basis Of Social Work Research Articles

A social and pedagogical work in the field of health: the Canadian experience

The article deals with the issue of social work in the field of health care. An attempt was made to comprehensively analyze the peculiarities of social work concerning health care in Canada. The purpose of the work is to identify the basics of social work related to health care in Canada and to outline ways of implanting experience in Ukraine. It is noted that the United Nations identifies Canada as "the best country in the world to live in", where the health of citizens is considered a social indicator. It was found that now in Canada social work has become an integral component of the field of health care. The results of the analysis of the current state of social work in health care in Canada indicate that the system of social work in the field of health care in the studied country meets the requirements of the time and follows global trends in the development of the industry. It is positioned as a unique type of professional activity to create social conditions for the health of an individual and increase the well-being of the population in general. It has been studied that the basis of social work in the field of health care in Canada is the system of social protection of the population, education, health care, social services for young people, specialized institutions, and institutions. It was revealed that one of the most important trends in the state of social work regarding health care in Canada is an emphasis on the concept of a new vision of health, which involves the creation of appropriate conditions in society, the promotion of the development of necessary life skills, the participation of communities, the development of the system of providing services in the field of health care health, etc. It was found that there are professional organizations of social work in the studied country, which determine the standards of the industry and the main vectors of training and development of relevant specialists in the field of health care. It has been established that the prevailing idea in Canada is that health is a broader concept than is traditionally believed. It was determined that the greatest focus should be on lifestyle, given that the greatest potential for improving health lies in engaging Canadians in healthy lifestyles. As a result, it was established that the experience of the functioning of the Canadian social work system regarding health care is very useful for Ukraine and can be applied after its appropriate adaptation to Ukrainian realities.

Social principles of Catholic social science at the basis of social work in Poland

The author in the introduction shows the need to reflect on social relations. He uses the desk research method with the help of a literature query on the subject and he carries the topic through the prism of sociology, psychology and philosophy. Relating the subject considerations to these disciplines creates the basis for an approach from the perspective of Catholic social teaching. This point of view allows for the articulation of basic social principles which are solidarity, the common weal and subsidiarity. These social principles have a common denominator, which is the dignity of the human being. As the basis of the principles of social life, it is both natural and supernatural. The dignity of the human person is recognized as a universal value. It is the basis of other social principles because it defines the subject of social relations. On the other hand, social relations in social work are governed by the principles of social work, which have been present in Polish practice and theory of social work for almost a hundred years. The author of this paper indicates selected threads of the Polish tradition of social work. These principles are not only purely theoretical, but also apply to the practice of social work. The main goal is to help individuals and families to strengthen or regain the ability to function in society. It is possible by fulfilling appropriate social roles and creating conditions that favor this goal. Based on the catalog of social work principles, the author analyzes their relationship between the social principles and Catholic social teaching. The conducted theoretical reflection leads the author to the conclusion that the principles of social work are compatible with the principles of social life of Catholic social teaching and should be an inspiration for social work in Polish reality.

Multidisciplinary Issues in Social Sciences

Interdisciplinary is a theoretical and pedagogical approach and academic practice that is becoming more and more popular and widespread. Although interdisciplinary is the general name of certain theoretical, pedagogical and institutional activities, it has actually had a radical impact on disciplinary distinctions and has led different disciplines to redefine their epistemological and methodological boundaries. At the same time, interdisciplinary radically affects the structure of academic communities that have drawn their own symbolic and institutional boundaries with strict lines at times. In this study, the concept of interdisciplinary, which has become increasingly popular and influential, will be discussed in the context of the relatively long history of disciplinary distinctions, and different definitions of the concept and problematizations on the concept in different contexts will be critically analyzed. The principle of interdisciplinary in the development of modern science is assimilated on the basis of social work. Information occurs in a social context as a human activity. Therefore, both knowledge and the method of knowing, the society in which it emerged, tradition, history, religion, culture, etc. 
 How abstract can it be from its context? There are no universal and universally acceptable, definitive answers to similar questions. However, it can be stated that the concepts related to knowledge and science are handled and discussed in almost every historical period. Accordingly, knowledge, as one of the most fundamental problems of humanity, has been analyzed within the framework of religion and philosophy in ancient times. 
 This analysis is mostly carried out individually and knowledge is grounded in an isolated subject-object relationship. Early thinkers of antiquity saw knowledge as an act of rational justification. Recently, however, doubts about the representation of truth in modern science have been growing. Interdisciplinarity has almost become a keyword not only in today's academia, but also in the business world and different professional fields.

Соціальна робота як вияв гуманного ставлення до студента. Право на недосконалість

У статті йдеться про основи соціальної роботи як професії і як самостійної навчальної дисципліни. Також розглянуто модель необмеженого вдосконалення студентів шляхом виховання та їхнє право на недосконалість.

Bullshit jobs. Around David Graeber’s concept in the context of the condition and current challenges of Polish social work

Taking David Graeber’s theory of bullshit jobs as basis the author argues in the text that it may refer to Polish social work. The analysis focus on the perception of their own professional duties by social workers, which is the basic condition for qualifying their work as a ’bullshit job’. The main problem axis is two ways to carry out social work: as work with people and work with documents. The conclusions concern the need to reflect on the current shape of social policy in Poland as the basis for social work and to divide the mentioned policy into social work and cash benefits.

The base of social work: Relationship, client, evidence or values?

Social work requires a critical and reflective understanding of its roots, foundations and rationale in order to have a collective orientation to practice. This is why we try to look into the bases of social work in the journal. After conducting review and reflection over our observation and experience, the bases of social work practice can be summarized into four categories, namely, (1) relationship-based, (2) client-based, (3) evidence-based and (4) value-based. First, social work practice builds on different kinds of relationships, from intra-personal, inter-personal, intra-organizational, inter-organizational to international. It signifies the different levels of social work practice, from micro to mezzo and then to macro as well as from local to global. In the process of social work intervention, relationship is the media between the social worker and the client. Through this media, the change efforts can be achieved as it inspires hope and sustains dreams. On some occasions, the relationship between the client and significant others (or systems) may be the target of the change effort. Relationship is fluid, but concrete, and it is difficult to define but easy to identify. Communication is the expression for maintenance and enhancement of a helping relationship. Genuine care and concern are the core of a relationship. It is not only a philosophical and professional orientation, but also a personal commitment. This explains why the social work relationship is one of the major bases of social work practice.

Practice Leadership ‘On Purpose’ — Extending the Reach of Practice Frameworks

Much of the practice leadership literature is focused on people and their roles — the who and what of leading, thus neglecting the organisational environment and wider socio-economic and political influences. Taking an ethnographic and sociological approach, we argue for a reimagining of practice leadership as a series of verbs to explore the why and the how of great leadership. Moreover, humane social work practice driven by leaders is best supported by leadership frameworks that support, guide and reinforce the ethical and professional value base of social work. Housed within the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership, and drawing on the sociological imagination, we offer a rationale for a shared organisational and professional leadership vision, congruent with social work values, presented as a leadership framework. This paper offers a leadership framework that brings together, in a logical design, the roles, ethos and responsibilities for every level of the organisation, to strengthen social work practice that is operating within a harsh neo-liberalist backdrop. It offers a methodology to enact the Chief Social Workers’ knowledge and skills statements while connecting these to the professional principles of social justice and human rights. Challenges and opportunities in developing and trialling our approach to practice leadership are discussed.

Translations in social work

ABSTRACTThis article is concerned with the relation between classical texts within social work and the interpretation of these classics in contemporary literature. It aims to explore how classical texts influence and work in our perception of, and writing about, our history, but also how they influence our perception of social work today. A study is made of Mary Richmond’s classic text Social diagnosis [1917. Social diagnosis. New York, NY: The Russell Sage Foundation] and later interpretations of her text in secondary literature. Through this analysis, a grand narrative within the effective history of social work: social work as a ‘borrowing field’ is questioned. Using translation theory as an alternative to the borrowing metaphor, I analyze the transference of ideas and concepts from other disciplines into social work and how these processes have been perceived. The dynamic processes of translation places social work within an interdisciplinary field, where ideas and concepts are continually exchanged between disciplines. It is the thesis of this article that research into authorities within the discipline and early contributions to the development of social work strengthen the discipline’s insight into past and current theoretical contributions within the discipline itself and the knowledge base of social work.

Creating a Continuing Education Pathway for Newly Arrived Immigrants and Refugee Communities

ABSTRACTWith the increase in the number of displaced peoples, the demand for skilled social workers from diverse backgrounds to serve them is critical. This article explores a continuing education program that prepares precollege individuals from newly arriving communities who will work as entry-level workers serving these immigrant and refugee communities. The article focuses on the development of a Case Management Certificate Program as a response to community-identified issues, then presents a discussion exploring the educational pathways and unique contributions of these individuals. The article calls for the profession to explore how continuing education pathways can bridge service gaps, contribute to the knowledge base of social work, and meet current labor market demands.

Patterns and Trends of Canadian Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

The first social work doctoral program in Canada began in 1952. Relatively recently, the number of programs has grown rapidly, doubling in the past 10 years to 14 programs. Despite the expansion there is no systematic understanding of the patterns and trends in doctoral research. In this study we review 248 publicly available dissertations from 2001 to 2011. We find that most dissertations are qualitative and descriptive in nature with a relatively low percentage focusing on intervention. We compare findings with other dissertation studies and raise critical questions about the knowledge base of social work in Canada.

Державне управління у сфері соціального захисту населення: теоретичні аспекти

У статті здійснено аналіз теоретичних підходів до інтерпретації системи соціаль-ного захисту населення, розглянуто суб’єкти та об’єкти соціального захисту, визна-чено специфіку державного управління у сфері соціального захисту. Запропонованонову редакцію визначення поняття «соціальний захист населення». Зроблено ви-сновок про те, що розвиток державного управління соціальним захистом населенняв Україні вимагає застосування сучасної методології вирішення проблем. У цьомузв’язку виникають проблеми адекватного застосування загальних та спеціальнихпідходів і методів державного управління, зокрема аналізу державної політики, сис-темного та ситуаційного аналізу, програмно-цільового підходу, методів експертнихоцінок.

In search for a model for knowledge production and practice research in Swedish social work

In recent years, a number of studies have shown that the scientific base for Swedish social work is weak and that methods for evaluation of practice are poorly developed. As a response to this, the government has made significant efforts to develop evidence-based practice (EBP) within social services. However, these efforts have so far been characterised as a top-down project, and as several authors have concluded, they have not proved productive. Therefore, they must, it is argued, give way to EBP where the role of the profession is central. This article should be seen as a contribution to the discussion of this alternative route. We try to tackle the crucial question about how the knowledge base for social work practice can be strengthened, and we discuss a model for developing education and research in collaboration with social work practice. In this, the tradition of Practice research has offered important points of departure.

Social Work as an Action Science

It is a surprising fact that social work is not conceived as a scientific discipline in many countries and especially in the United States. It is surprising because the extent of academic social work programs and the scientific output of people working at schools of social work are significant. And it is surprising anyway if social work is conceived as a profession that by definition is linked to scientific knowledge. This article presents a characterization of the debate on social work science that has been led in the German-speaking countries. As a consequence of this debate and following the philosophy of science as developed by Mario Bunge, it introduces some basic propositions on how to conceive social work as a science, namely as a transdisciplinary action science ( Handlungswissenschaft)1 and outlines the target of building a consolidated knowledge base of social work as well as the challenges related to this goal.

Patterns and Trends of Social Work Dissertations in Canada

The first social work doctoral program in Canada began in 1952. Relatively recently the number of programs has grown rapidly, doubling in the past ten years to 14 programs. Despite the expansion there is no systematic understanding of the patterns and trends in doctoral research. In this study we review 248 publicly available dissertations from 2001 to 2011. We find that most dissertations are qualitative and descriptive in nature with a relatively low percentage focusing on intervention. We compare findings with other dissertation studies and raise critical questions about the knowledge base of social work in Canada.

Practitioner Research Capacity: A Survey of Social Workers in Northern Queensland

Strategies to build practitioner research capacity need to be developed in order to increase the research base for social work. To be effective, strategies need to be informed by an understanding of the organisational context and the social work workforce. This paper reports the results of a cross-sectional survey of social workers conducted as part of a larger study of health practitioners in a public sector health organisation in northern Queensland. The survey demonstrates a high level of interest in research. Research methods congruent with social work's person in environment focus were favoured by participants. However, consistent with the literature, lack of confidence, limited knowledge and skills, and practical constraints impeded research activity. This study contributes to research capacity building initiatives by identifying research strengths and areas of research activity where support is required. Approaches to evidence-based practice consistent with social work and strategies for research capacity building are discussed.

The reform of the welfare services in Norway: one office – one way of thinking?

This paper discusses the professional role of social workers in the new Norwegian Nav system. The Nav reform merged the state social insurance office, the state employment office and components of municipal social services. The aim is to include clients in the work force by making the services more holistic and efficient. The paper presents a discussion of the introduction of the ‘Nav reform’, drawing on a qualitative multi-method study. The material sheds light on a social worker's role under pressure to work in a more standardised and ‘simplified’ way. Social workers at the Nav offices must adjust to expectations that require a general, basic and common competence for all employees, as one type of comprehensive, but simplified and non-specialised, approach. The study describes the dilemma of how to combine one-stop service and specialist principles. The paper attempts to criticise ‘the flexible system’ related to Whole of Government perspectives and one-stop service principles as a generalist ‘light’ approach, as opposed to the generalist approach in social work. The findings provide a basis for raising questions about the development of the social worker's role in light of the post-New Public Management (NPM) reforms and the potential threat to the professional basis of social work.

Outcome Studies of Social, Behavioral, and Educational Interventions

This collection of articles elaborates on various aspects of outcome studies. Outcome studies feed and nurture the field of social work and other human services professions with evidence on what works. Outcome studies are designed to measure and understand the effectiveness of social, behavioral, and educational interventions. The ultimate purpose of social work action is change; that is, intended betterment of living conditions of a client, a family, or a community. Intended outcomes are often carefully considered and targeted when designing an intervention to cause betterment. However, social work interventions take place in real-life situations in which many other factors than the intervention itself are present and interfere to different degrees under different circumstances. In social work and other human services, unintended outcomes are very common and frequently complicate the processes of designing outcome studies and measuring outcomes. Thus, the main challenge of any outcome study is to determine what would have happened in the absence of a professional intervention in order to estimate the outcomes of the intervention program. As noted by Fraser and colleagues in this collection, intervention studies and outcome studies are akin but still different. Outcome studies belong to the general sphere of program evaluation. Intervention research includes phases of designing and developing an intervention program to be explicitly tested within the framework of the intervention research. Conceptualization of data-driven program theory, efficacy testing under strictly controlled conditions, and effectiveness testing in real-life situations, and on a larger scale compose the main steps of intervention research. Outcome studies and intervention research form the backbone of evidence-based practices in social, behavioral, and educational professions. In other words, outcome studies are designed to substantially contribute to the evidence base of social work and other human services. The collection of the articles offered in this special issue is the proceedings of the Stockholm Conference on Outcome Studies of Social, Behavioral, and Educational Interventions sponsored by the National Board of Health and Welfare, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, the Swedish National Board for Institutional Care, and the Swedish National Institute for Public Health in collaboration with the Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human Services at the School of Social Work, University of Southern California, held on February 7 to 8, 2011. The collection of articles begins with an introductory presentation by Mark W. Fraser and his colleagues and can be read parallel to a handy book, Intervention Research: Developing Social Programs (Fraser, Richman, Galinsky, & Day, 2009). This article describes the core features of outcome research and discusses challenges to designing and conducting robust and compelling outcome studies. As much as outcome studies are essential to evidence-based social work practice, it is equally difficult to conduct successful outcome studies—a problem often revealed during study quality appraisal processes performed by systematic review teams with the Campbell and Cochrane collaborations. Some of the issues raised by Fraser and colleagues are also addressed by Kelly and Moore, who examine the process of building an evidence base for better and more effective public health and mental health services from a British perspective. Kelly, the director of the Centre for Public Health Excellence, located in London, England, offers a special insight into national perspectives on policies of making public health interventions effective and cost-effective. Preoccupation with scientific and technical aspects of outcomes studies may at times blind researchers, decision makers, and professionals when assessing the meaning and ethics of outcome studies. In her contribution, Eileen Gambrill critically assesses ethical aspects of outcome studies, arguing that no research area is more political than the evaluation of outcome studies, and fundamentally challenges outcome researchers to serve social work clients on sound ethical grounds.

The Contribution of Social Work and Social Interventions Across the Life Course to the Reduction of Health Inequalities: A New Agenda for Social Work Education?

Inequalities in health and well-being are wide and widening and reflect the disadvantaged circumstances in which many people live. Users of personal social services in many cases already experience disadvantaged health and well-being. Social work has established experience of working with marginalised groups, and may play a role in promoting individual and community health and well-being. The value base for social work includes a focus on social justice, which may directly impact on the social determinants of health. Using four examples of social interventions across the life span, this paper considers the role that social work can play in improving the health and well-being of disadvantaged people across the life course, and the implications of this for evidence based social work practice and education.

The Importance of Education, Understanding, and Empirical Research in Social Work: The Nuts and Bolts of the Business

Over the past three decades, existing literature has demanded, and continues to demand, accountability in the delivery of social services through empirically based research and implementation of established norms: this is, and of itself, the true basis of social work. It is through these norms and empirically established models and theories of treatment that a social worker can really do what he/she wants to do: help the client. This article will describe the nuts and bolts of social work; i.e. those theories, models, and the established norms of practice. It is the desire of the author's that all social workers be educated in the nuts and bolts (basics) and that education will be based on empirical evidence that supports behavioral change through intervention and modification.

H. U. Otto, A. Polutta, and H. Zieglar (eds): Evidence-Based Practice—Modernising the Knowledge Base of Social Work?

This title brings together a series of diverse chapters that reflect the central debates about evidence-based practice and its implementation within social work. Contributors critically appraise the methodological foundations of evidence-based practice, and the merits of varied sources of knowledge, experimentally grounded approaches and interpretive perspectives, in particular. The book examines the implications of evidence-based practice for practitioners and the profession, and situates the debate within a broader context of the politics of social services provision. The contributions are organised under three sections: What Knowledge? Evidencebased Practice; Profession and Users; Measuring and Implementing Evidence; and Towards an Evidence-based Professionalism. Though diverse, the structure of the book draws out common themes, preventing an explicit polarisation into the proponent-opponent camps, so often a feature of the dialogue about evidence-based practice. Not surprisingly, the book engages in debate about the utility of evidence derived from the randomised controlled trial. The status awarded this method within evidence-based practice and its utility when applied to the social world is strongly contested. The significant epistemological features of this discussion are summarised by the editors as a tension between ‘interpretative understanding’ and ‘causal explanation’ within social work knowledge (p. 10). The editors acknowledge that even the most enthusiastic supporters of evidence-based practice would not support the universal application of the randomised controlled trial, which is a position likely based on pragmatism rather than epistemology (i.e. there are different methods for different questions about the social world). It is questionable whether the strong focus on debating the merits of the randomised trial acts to reduce evidence-based practice to an associated (but not contingent) research