Expectations Of Social Workers Research Articles

Young, unaccompanied refugees’ expectations of social workers and social worker roles

Background: Young people who have travelled to another country, unaccompanied and with refugee status, are a both resilient and vulnerable group with specific needs. Supporting them is often challenging for social workers, and providing this support is mediated by the expectations that these young people have of social workers and social worker roles. Aim: In this study, we explore how young unaccompanied refugees (YURs) perceive the roles of social workers in the national context of Norway, where concerns about the quality of social work for this group have been highlighted. Method: Using the theoretical lens of role theory, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 Afghan boys between 16 and 23 years of age, living under the protection of the Child Welfare Services (CWS) in two municipalities in Norway. The interviews explored the boys’ positive and negative experiences of the social worker. A thematic analysis was conducted, in which the coding framework was informed by the premise that actual experience informs our expectations of other individuals’ behaviour and roles. Findings: YURs’ expectations are more than instrumental, and more than a task they expect the social worker to perform. They also expect the task to be performed in a person-centred, therapeutic alliance (e.g. with humour and trust), and that the social worker exhibits particular personal characteristics or competences, besides being culturally competent and sensitive. Conclusion: We find that YURs’ descriptions of the social worker’s roles of being a caregiver and practical helper are similar to what other young people in contact with the CWS expect. However, YURs expect an additional role, which is specific to this field of social work, namely that of an integration helper. However, the expectations that each individual young person has of social workers are individual, in flux and contextual, and not consistent over time. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing learning more about the young person’s individual expectations of the social worker roles, as well as a useful weighting of these roles for each individual young refugee.

The Department of Basic Education’s Expectations of Social Workers at South African Schools

Although the number of school social workers in South Africa has increased substantially in the past decade, the exact expectations that they should meet are still unclear. This deficiency was redressed in a national survey of the senior managers of all nine provincial departments of basic education, the systems in South Africa that employ most of the country’s school social workers. The survey produced a detailed and prioritised list of the responsibilities and functions that these practitioners are expected to perform. This inventory of expectations could be used as a guide in the training of local school social workers, in research into this field, in the further development of this specialisation and, ultimately, in school social work practice itself. The survey also revealed that marked differences existed in the way in which the provinces appoint, manage, use and name such practitioners. It indicated that the current school social work system is somewhat inequitable because some provinces have far too few school social workers for their learner population and also because there is a dire need for more social workers throughout the country. The national survey, in the final analysis, exposed a need for the overall “standardisation” of social work at South African schools.

Social work registration and professionalism: Social justice and poverty – fellow travellers or discarded passengers?

Poverty is a central focus for social work and social workers, but has received much less attention over recent times. While the ANZASW Code of Ethics and SWRB Code of Conduct differ in their expectations of social workers on social justice issues, it is the impact of managerialism and neo-liberalism and their incorporation of postmodern language of difference and diversity that is much more significant in this comparative neglect. Social workers need to reassert their collective voice on issues of poverty to meet their ethical obligations for competent practice.

Asking the Customer: Exploring Consumers’ Views in the Generation of Social Work Practice Standards

The present paper reports on the application of consumer participation principles in the development of social work practice standards. The Australian Association of Social Workers Practice Standards Committee consulted with 48 consumers of social work services from four different practice areas about aspects of social work practice. Participants were asked their expectations of social workers. Their responses emphasised the importance of the social worker–client relationship, confidentiality, practical support and client-empowering practice. The consultations contributed to the development of the Standards and the attributes cited were incorporated and are explicit in sections dealing with areas such as mutual engagement and good communication skills. The process of developing a relationship, and its importance, remains integral to the Standards and all outcomes specified are dependent on forming good social worker–client relationships. The consultations were useful in developing the Standards, but they were restricted in number because of a commitment to paying participants while having limited resources and they used opportunistic rather than representative sampling.

Functions of social workers in a home health agency.

The activities of social workers employed by a public health nursing agency were studied. The data suggested that nurses and social workers collaborate more than prior studies have shown but also suggested that the nurses were selective in their decisions to refer cases to social workers. The study raised questions about the clarity of the agency's expectations of social workers and of nurses.

Role Expectations of Social Workers and Lawyers in the Juvenile Court

On the basis of data collected through a questionnaire from a sample of social workers and lawyers in a midwestern state, this study identifies the areas and extent of congruity and in congruity between the mutual expectations and perceptions of the two professions.