Challenges For Social Work Research Articles

Social Justice Integration in Clinical Social Work: Teaching with Current Events from the Media

ABSTRACT Scant research focused on building a practice platform to integrate social justice issues in clinical social work education. In a clinical course from 2016 to 2019 at a public university in a Southern state in the United States, this research team content-analyzed 41 real-life vignettes prepared by 82 Master of Social Work students to connect social justice focuses with current-events clinical learning. We analyzed these vignettes against the 13 Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) in the United States: youth development, healthcare, interpersonal violence, productive aging, social isolation, homelessness, changing environments, technology for social good, antiracism, decarceration, financial capability, economic equality, and opportunity justice. Most vignettes (85.4%) had microlevel challenges, over half (56.1%) had macrolevel challenges, and almost half (41.5%) had mezzolevel challenges; 60% addressed more than one of these GCSW levels. These clinical social justice cases shared five common elements: (a) improving clients’ self-efficacy, (b) combating institutionalized oppression, (c) accessing effective mental health services, (d) building healthy social relationships, and (e) eliminating safety threats. In future studies, direct input from social workers will help develop a learning platform for justice-based skill development.

AI-Enhanced Social Work: Developing and Evaluating Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Support Systems

ABSTRACT This article introduces the application of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technology, aiming to enhance decision making and client support through artificial intelligence (AI)–enhanced tools. RAG addresses the critical challenge of ensuring accuracy and reliability in AI-generated content by integrating generative AI with domain-specific knowledge bases. Through a case study, we explore the development and assessment of a RAG-powered tool designed to improve faculty advising, highlighting the importance of collaboration between social workers and technologists. The adaptability of RAG to various social work challenges is discussed alongside considerations for the maintenance of the knowledge base. Our work underscores the potential of RAG to revolutionize social work practices by providing accurate and reliable information to serve individuals and communities better.

Standing at the crossroads: Child safeguarding and Deaf BSL parents (in England)—Issues and challenges in social work

Abstract Focussing on Deaf parents using British Sign Language (BSL) in England, this article shares perspectives of Child and Family social work practitioners (CFSWs) across a large urban area, through the lens of cultural competence. In an under-researched field, it explores linguistic and cultural aspects of working with Deaf parents, for whom English is not their first language, in the specific context of parenting assessments in child safeguarding procedures. Individual semi-structured online interviews were conducted by the researcher (in BSL) with seven CFSWs using English, involving a sign language interpreter. Participants were encouraged to reflect on the assessment process when it involves Deaf parents and/or other cultural-linguistic minority groups. Employing Braun and Clarke’s reflective thematic analysis method, the findings are grouped into three themes: CFSWs’ knowledge of working with Deaf people; cultural aspects relating to Deaf parents’ understanding of safeguarding/child protection proceedings; and meeting the communication and cultural needs of Deaf parents. The results identify several factors in current practice which impact CFSWs’ competence to carry out an assessment involving a Deaf BSL parent. Findings highlight the need for relevant training and resources developed specifically for this cultural minority group. Future research including the direct perspectives of Deaf parents is indicated.

The Challenges of Social Work for Practical Major Students at Times of Crises from the Perspective of Mentors

This paper examines the challenges, as reported from the professors’ perspective, faced by students in their field course of a baccalaureate social work program during the coronavirus pandemic. The paper also proposes improvements in the field training course for use in any future crisis. Furthermore, it aims to highlight the importance of field training for the students. Using a qualitative approach, researchers interviewed a sample of eight faculty mentors (3 men and 5 women) who taught and supervised students in the baccalaureate programs from the University of Jordan, Al-Balqa' Applied University, and Dhofar University. Study results show that students face numerous challenges, such as lack of communication between them and the supervisors in the field institutions, student dissatisfaction with the concept and implementation of online-training training, struggle in learning basic skills to handle certain intervention situations, and the difficulty of applying these skills remotely. Recommendation: Increased use of smart devices and digital platforms during field practice. The creation of new education materials that include visual elements that can be used more interactively in an online environment.

Teaching asylum and immigration law in a hostile environment: online education’s role in navigating social work challenges

ABSTRACT The impact of COVID-19 restrictions and the shift to online teaching has contributed to a growing interest in distance learning across social work education. The authors of this paper are from the Open University, which has over 50 years of experience in distance learning and over the past 30 years e-learning through blended and fully online methods. The paper shares insights from teaching a social work law module to nearly 400 students across the UK. This paper addresses the challenges of integrating social work values and human rights into teaching asylum and immigration law amidst a UK legal discourse that often creates a ‘hostile environment’ for people with precarious immigration status. It explores teaching from a social justice perspective in the context of restrictive domestic laws. Highlighting the co-production of learning materials with civil society groups through videos and podcasts, the paper emphasizes the importance of including practitioner and migrant, asylum seeker or refugee voices to enrich content. Insights into the practicalities of incorporating these elements into e-learning, along with reflections on the challenges and opportunities, are discussed.

Beginning the Healing Journey

Storytelling is a pathway to healing for youth, families, and communities impacted by gun violence. It allows survivors to re-story the devastation and trauma into narratives that re-member the person lost and find purpose and meaning from the painful experience. Tree of Life is a group storytelling intervention developed in Southern Africa and rooted in narrative traditions that is emerging as a powerful starting point for addressing the traumatic impact of homicide in Chicago. This case study weaves together the narrative of the first author in her work at Chicago Survivors with research on gun violence, homicide bereavement, and Tree of Life in order to make an argument for its relevance in treating survivors of community gun violence in the United States. We contend that Tree of Life has potential to work across systems levels as youth and families find purpose through the pain generated from violent loss. We encourage social work clinicians to bring narrative practices and the Tree of Life approach into their practice and challenge social work researchers to develop partnerships with community organizations such as Chicago Survivors to develop a research base for this promising approach.

Psychosocial Support for Victims of Sexual Violence During the War in Ukraine: Challenges for Social Work

Psychosocial Support for Victims of Sexual Violence During the War in Ukraine: Challenges for Social Work

Validation of the Attitudes toward Lying to People with Dementia (ALPD) Questionnaire among Social Workers in Spain.

Gerontological interventions should address the various geriatric syndromes suffered by the elderly, such as neurodegenerative diseases. Therapeutic lying is an effective and humanizing strategy to deal with dementia, used by various disciplines in the social and healthcare fields. This intervention strategy is made up of all the different responses to reality that are given to a person with cognitive impairment. This study analyzes the validity of the Spanish adaptation of the Attitudes toward Lying to People with Dementia (ALPD) questionnaire, given to 253 social workers who directly and indirectly intervened with older people suffering from cognitive impairment in public and private centers in Spain during the year 2022. The results of the validity and reliability analyses support the psychometric quality of ALPD for use in Spanish social workers. The statistical results indicate a good fit of the bifactor model (person-focused and lie-focused) and show the questionnaire to be reliable, with adequate psychometric properties. The article concludes with a discussion of practical, formative, and ethical challenges for social work in the field of geriatric services.

International social work as a human rights profession in the global society: Challenges and implications of the Sustainable Development Goals

This article discusses the importance of international social work in a global society. In an increasingly globalised world, we are interconnected in many ways and interdependent in a complex geopolitical (dis)order. This also applies to those involved in social work as a human rights profession. For a long time, the idea was that social workers had to act solely on a national level and that looking beyond one's own country could be refreshing but was unnecessary. However, we know how important international relationships, networks, and scientific exchanges are today. Geopolitical decisions often affect social work and its target groups at their core. Existential poverty and unemployment in countries of the Global South led to flight and migration to countries of the Global North. Crises such as wars or natural disasters have a wide range of effects on global value chains. The unequal distribution of poverty and wealth leads to asymmetrical power relations, which are not least the legacy of colonial and apartheid influence. This makes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations even more important. If, for example, the first goal in SDG 1 is formulated as "No poverty", then this poses numerous challenges for social work stakeholders in municipalities, states, and nations, to which they must find an answer. These challenge social work on several levels. The following article aims to discuss these challenges at macro-, meso- and micro levels and formulate mandates for action for international social work stakeholders. The aim is to contribute to forming a professional understanding that is defined beyond national structures and mandates.

Social work and management: Interdisciplinary education from an international perspective in South America

Addressing social work challenges requires interdisciplinary approaches. While traditionally linked with health, law, and education, its connection with administration is underexplored. This research examines the management–social work relationship in South American training programs. Using qualitative methods, it highlights the scope and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Indicators of Wellness Among Social Work Students within an Urban Setting During Times of Crisis

ABSTRACT The emergence of a global emergency, Covid-19, forced social work programs to shift to virtual teaching, disrupting students’ learning abruptly. Social work students reported negative impacts from the pandemic on academic functioning as well as financial and emotional wellbeing. This study examines the relationships between demographic predictors (age, race, type of social work program, caregiver status, first-generation college student, household size) and challenges (emotional, academic/professional, financial, technological) social work students experienced during the pandemic. Participants included 332 BSW and MSW students from an urban university. Binomial regressions were conducted to determine the significance between student demographics and types of challenges. A Poisson regression was performed to determine the significance between student demographics and the total number of challenges. Students living in larger households, students with greater caregiver demands, BSW students, and students of color reported a greater number of challenges related to juggling school with caregiver demands, job searching, managing finances, food and housing, coping with grief and loss, and feeling disconnected with school (ps <.05). These findings contribute to the emerging body of literature on the impact of COVID-19 by informing ways social work schools can better address students’ educational, professional, financial, and emotional wellbeing during times of worldwide crisis.

Examining the Views of Master of Social Work (MSW) Graduates on the Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society

Despite the social work profession’s unified commitment to identify and address widespread societal problems, there have been few scholarly articles that have focused on the Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society (“Grand Challenges”). While half of social work academic programs have reported incorporating content about the Grand Challenges initiative into curricula, there have not been any known empirical studies about whether graduates have interests in these areas or feel prepared to address the identified concerns. This quantitative study of master’s-level social workers indicates that the vast majority are unaware of the Grand Challenges and are not working on most social problems identified. Despite strong interest in addressing the Grand Challenges generally, the primary professional foci of social workers are limited to a few issues. There are significant overall relationships between professional interests, perceived competency to work on the problems, and views on the likelihood of the profession making progress on addressing the Grand Challenges. Results have significant implications for social work education as practicum placements and work opportunities need to be developed in key areas if the profession wants to have desired societal impacts.

Empowering Vulnerable Populations through Technology: Innovations and Challenges in Social Work

Purpose: This study aims to explore the efficacy of integrating digital solutions and technological aids in social work practices, specifically for assisting vulnerable populations. It investigates the historical and current relevance of technology in social work, with a focus on overcoming the digital divide that restricts access for these groups. Methodology: Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this research combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including surveys, interviews, and observational studies, to examine the advantages and limitations of digital interventions like telehealth platforms compared to traditional face-to-face services. Additionally, it delves into the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies to foster independence among vulnerable populations. Findings: The study reveals that while digital solutions offer significant benefits, including increased accessibility and potential for personalization through AI, they also present challenges, notably the digital divide due to economic, cognitive, and socio-cultural barriers. It suggests that hybrid models incorporating both digital and traditional methods could enhance social work practices. The research underscores the importance of addressing ethical considerations in the deployment of AI technologies. Originality: This research contributes original insights into the integration of technology within social work, highlighting the complexities of the digital divide and proposing a strategic framework for incorporating technological aids. It offers a foundational understanding of how digital tools can complement traditional social work practices, ensuring ethical considerations are prioritized. Furthermore, it opens avenues for future research on the dynamic interplay between technology and social work, aiming for a more inclusive and effective approach to supporting vulnerable populations.

Problems and Disorders in the Functioning of Co-Addicted Adults as a Challenge for Social Work

Problems and Disorders in the Functioning of Co-Addicted Adults as a Challenge for Social Work

Problems of Older People Are One of the Greatest Challenges for Social Work: Introduction to the Issue

Problems of Older People Are One of the Greatest Challenges for Social Work: Introduction to the Issue

Social work’s grandest challenge: re-contextualizing racism and reducing its deleterious effects on its members and those we serve

ABSTRACT Social work as a profession has a legacy of racism, bigotry, and White supremacy that has harmed a number of racially marginalized groups of people. To this day, social work continues to be beleaguered by racialized activities at the student, practitioner, and research levels that stain its reputation. The author discusses how racist ideologies negatively affect the social work profession and how members of the profession can make immediate changes in social work practice, education, and research in an effort to eliminate racism as one of the grand challenges for social work.

The Power of Language to Transform Efforts to Address Intimate Partner Violence: Tensions in the Field and Pathways Forward

Language has the power to mobilize communities and spark intervention development. Language also can cause harm and stymie intervention innovation. Building Healthy Relationships to End Violence, one of the Grand Challenges for Social Work, prompts us to consider the language we use to address interpersonal violence and related interventions. Through the lens of healing-centered engagement, this article analyzes evolving language about intimate partner violence (IPV), people who experience IPV, and people who engage in violent behavior in intimate relationships, considering the implications of such language for IPV-related interventions. The article additionally provides touchpoints for ongoing conversations about the intentional use of language in IPV research, education, and practice that reflect the varied experiences of diverse individuals, families, and communities impacted by IPV.

Challenges Faced by Social Workers Rendering Foster Care Services in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District, Northern Cape Province

Foster care services are in high demand in South Africa because of the significant number of children in need of care. Reasons for this include the death of biological parents, abuse, neglect, incarceration of parents, parents abandoning their children, and even disappearance of parents. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this situation. The demand for foster care is putting strain on the delivery of social work services to this vulnerable group. Social workers tasked with implementing the foster care process experience operational impediments and emotional strain, creating an implementation challenge. In examining these challenges, the ecological perspective provides a suitable theoretical framework. This qualitative research study is underpinned by an exploratory design and semi-structured interviews have been conducted to gather primary data. Eight participants have been purposively selected, and the data has been analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that the challenges social workers face fall into three categories: operational obstacles, emotional challenges, and non-adherence to foster care values and principles. Policies and practices are recommended to address the identified challenges to ensure that social workers are empowered to implement foster care services that are child-centred and needs-based.

Integrating the Grand Challenges for social work into an undergraduate capstone course

ABSTRACT Over the last decade, social work has focused on identifying widespread societal problems that should drive research, teaching, and practice in the coming years. There are very few scholarly articles about the integration of the Grand Challenges into curricula, despite reports that about half of social work academic institutions have done so. This study provides pre-post data from a cohort of social work students who focused their undergraduate capstone experiences on the Grand Challenges. The vast majority of undergraduate social work students were initially unaware of the Grand Challenges. Students felt that they had significantly more perceived competence to address almost all of the Grand Challenges at the end of the course. There was increased interest in addressing smart decarceration. Integration of the Grand Challenges into undergraduate curricula should occur, especially as social workers prioritize work on restorative justice and mass incarceration.

Ageism and attitudes towards older people in the field of social work. A systematic review of operational definitions

ABSTRACT Combating ageism is a challenge for social workers, given that social work is directly intertwined with social justice. The conceptual definition of ageism varies due to different measurements and lack of definition consensus. The purpose of our study is the systematic review of operational definitions of ageism, which have been used by empirical research on ageism in the field of social work. Scopus, Pub Med, Taylor and Francis, and Springer were searched from 2000 to 2020. Inclusion- exclusion criteria were established concerning timespan, language, study type, and study focus. Finally, twelve peer review articles were included in the final review. Results suggest that the more prevalent forms of the operational definition of ageism include cognitive, other-directed, explicit negative, or positive components as well behavioural other-directed, explicit negative, or positive components. Our review reveals an absence of implicit and self-directed components. The findings highlight the need for an approach that covers all the dimensions of ageism. The exact dimension and manifestation of ageism in the various geriatric contexts of social work are necessary. Implications for social work research and practice are discussed.