Good Social Work Research Articles

Engaging and retaining clients in AOD treatment: young people’s perspectives

ABSTRACT Finding ways to engage and retain young people in treatment for substance use is important in disrupting trajectories of dependence and long-term addiction. Research speaks to the complex interplay of system, client, and clinician factors influencing treatment attendance. This study used a qualitative approach to explore the views of clients (young people [n = 19] and their carers [n = 5]) on the enablers to treatment engagement and retention. Four themes were identified. First the power of first impressions in facilitating trust for young people accessing support. Second, the impact of caseworkers’ approach which acknowledge contextual influences on substance use. Third, young people’s appreciation for AOD workers who shared responsibility for initiating and building trust. Finally, the influence of patient and slow-paced case management styles on treatment attendance. Findings illustrate the importance of humanising approaches to AOD service provision, creating safe spaces in traditionally clinical and stigmatised environments, where biomedical models of care have dominated. The study highlights the potential incongruence between AOD workforce requirements/expectations, and the conditions needed (and sought after) to effectively support young people via good practice social work models.

Social Worker Working Conditions and Psychological Health: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract Good social work benefits the recipients of the social worker role, social workers themselves, their employing organisations and society more broadly. However, it is difficult to conduct consistently good social work when social workers have been shown to have chronically poor working conditions. This article, therefore, outlines UK social worker working conditions and well-being from 2022, as well as comparing these results to surveys conducted in 2017 and 2018. We, therefore, report a series of cross-sectional surveys, in addition to open-ended questions, to collect data from 533 respondents in 2022, and compare these to findings from similar surveys in previous years. Results demonstrate that working conditions improved slightly between 2018 and 2022, although these conditions are still very poor compared with other occupations. Qualitative analyses suggest that work-load, resources, lack of respect and lack of consistent and good quality reflective supervision are significant issues for respondents. As such, we argue that policy makers and employers need to provide greater support for social worker working conditions and well-being, and that this support would likely negate current high levels of turnover and sickness absence. Additionally, however, for the first time in these surveys, poor pay also emerged as an issue needing attention.

My Journey from being a Social Worker, to a service user, to an expert by experience

Abstract This reflective piece is an autoethnographic account of transitioning from being a social worker to being an expert by experience on a social work course. I undertook an undergraduate degree in social work eight years ago and was an enthusiastic newly qualified social worker. Sadly, shortly after graduating I became very unwell, and I became disabled. I was no longer well enough to work as a social worker. I was devastated and it had a significant impact on my mental health as I went through a process which felt akin to grieving for my old life. I will reflect upon theories and models, which have helped me to understand this process and transition including theories of loss and a model of recovery. Involving people with lived experience of social work services (otherwise known as experts by experience) has been a mandatory requirement in social work education since 2003. I contacted my previous university and enquired how I could become an expert by experience. This was a pivotal moment both in acceptance of my disability and in connection with my ‘previous’ life. What struck me about becoming a service user was that it wasn’t the theories or the interventions that I came away from an appointment remembering, it was the felt experience, did I feel heard? Did I feel cared for? Did I feel empathy? Those elements were the most important, the foundation of the relationship is what made the intervention successful. So, now I promote a relationship-based approach being at the core of good social work practice. Becoming a service user deepened my understanding of what social work really should be.

Principles of Practice by Principal Social Workers, Tanya Moore (ed.)

This book offers a collection of practice wisdom from several Principal Social Workers and senior leaders in England. Contributors represent a mix of perspectives and practice foci from both Adults and Children’s Services. With forewords by Lord Patel of Bradford and Ian Lawrence, both highlight the importance of good social work leadership and situate relational practice as essential across all levels of the social work profession in the UK. The introduction written by editor Dr Tanya Moore identifies on the first page that the role of the Principal Social Worker is ‘to create balance between meeting demand and maintaining the standards essential for thoughtful, informed and personalised practice’. Generally, this book consistently reminds us that, regardless of context and who we work with, being able to authentically listen, respect the individual and engage humbly in the human learning experience of that person’s lived experience, is indeed essential when anti-oppressively considering risk and need.

“Difference which makes a difference” (Bateson, 1972): how the neurodiversity paradigm and systemic approaches can support individuals and organisations to facilitate more helpful conversations about autism

ABSTRACT This article explores the possibilities for systemic approaches in supporting a neurodiversity perspective, and how these lenses may improve social workers’ abilities to support autistic people. These ideas are rooted in an Action Research project I undertook, as an autistic practitioner-researcher, in a statutory children’s services department of a UK Local Authority. Social workers are very likely to encounter autism in their work. Autism is widely misunderstood, often misrepresented, and carries a persisting social stigma, but neurodiversity offers a new paradigm for appreciating and understanding autism as part of a person’s diversity, bringing strengths and challenges (Haney, pp. 63–64). Social workers are mandated to advocate for the rights of oppressed groups and promote diversity in all its forms. Therefore, reflecting on presumed knowledge and challenging deficit-driven dominant discourses about autism that currently govern practice should be part of all good social work practice. The findings of my project, and subsequent reflections call for UK social workers, local authorities and social work education programmes to embrace neurodiversity, which can be aided by systemic approaches and techniques.

A Creative Solution to the Social Work Practicum Amid a Pandemic: The Remote Learning Plan

ABSTRACT It has been postulated that field education is the signature pedagogy of social work education. Practicums are paramount in assisting social work students to develop the unique skills and competencies required for professional practice. Traditionally, field education in social work has occurred within the context of social service agencies involving face-to-face interaction with service users and colleagues. The crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic compelled schools of social work to abandon established placements in favor of virtual or remote learning. This paper describes the experience of the School of Social Work at King’s University College, London, Ontario, in moving its undergraduate and graduate social work students to Remote Learning Plans (RLP) to enable the completion of hours required in their professional programs. The transition to remote learning plans not only modeled good social work practice but also reflected a student-centered approach to learning and teaching. In addition, the experience unearthed the possibilities that exist for field education in remote environments while still equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and values required for social work practice.

Historiography of empathy: Contributions to social work research and practice

Empathy has long been considered critical to good social work practice, and is supported by extensive research and literature. However, empathy is a contested concept with divergent theoretical origins that complicates its place in social work research and practice. This article provides a historical review of empathy, highlighting the evolution of the concept of empathy, its contested history, and subsequent emergence into therapeutic contexts, particularly within social work. Findings show that empathy has multiple definitions and meanings, thus, creating a challenge to research efforts and social work activities. This review lays the groundwork for further constructive debate and research into the theory and practice of empathy for social work.

Native American social work – Including family and community

Summary This study investigates family involvement and culturally informed social work in Native American communities. The study was conducted in Native American communities in Montana, USA. Twenty-three Native American social work professionals participated in qualitative interviews. Analyses draw on theory of historical trauma and family involvement in indigenous social. Throughout the study, indigenous methodology has been a central principle. Findings Among social workers, there is a common understanding that social work should involve family and community if it is to be culturally informed. Social work professionals talk of family involvement in indigenous social work as “common sense.” For the Native American social work professionals interviewed, the following tenets are all “common sense”: (1) family and community belonging are important aspects of Native American culture; 2) oppression and colonization had a negative impact on family, community, and tribal relations; and (3) social work has an obligation to restore family, community, and tribal relations. Application Social work has a responsibility to connect culture, trauma, and the resolution of trauma. Furthermore, family and community involvement plays a core part in restoration and resilience processes, healing historical trauma caused by the colonization. Hence, in order to provide culturally competent care, social work practices serving Native American clients should involve family and community. Mainstream social work does not sufficiently build on family involvement as an ideological foundation for qualitatively good social work. We argue that social work curricula impacting Native clients could benefit from the experience and knowledge of these Native American social workers.

The Effects of the Civility, Respect, and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) Program on Social Climate and Work Engagement in a Psychiatric Ward in Japan: A Pilot Study.

Background: Good social climate and high work engagement are important factors affecting outcomes in healthcare settings. This study observed the effects of a program called Civility, Respect, and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) on social climate and staff work engagement in a psychiatric ward of a Japanese hospital. Methods: The program comprised 18 sessions installed over six months, with each session lasting 30-min. Participation in the program was recommended to all staff members at the ward, including nurses, medical doctors, and others, but it was not mandatory. A serial cross-sectional study collected data at four time-points. Nurses (n = 17 to 22), medical doctors (n = 9 to 13), and others (n = 6 to 10) participated in each survey. The analysis of variance was used to evaluate the changes in the following dependent variables, the Essen climate evaluation schema (EssenCES), the CREW civility scale, and the Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES) over time. Result: We found no significant effects. The effect size (Cohen’s d) for EssenCES was 0.35 from baseline to post-installation for all staff members. Effect sizes for EssenCES for medical doctors and UWES for nurses were 0.79 and 0.56, respectively, from baseline to post-program. Conclusions: Differences in social climate and work engagement among Japanese healthcare workers between the baseline and post-installation of the CREW program were non-significant.

‘Keeping the ‘heart’ in practice: the importance of promoting relationship-based practice in practice learning and assessment’.

Abstract: This article will explore the importance of sound relationship-based practice in the supervision and assessment of social work students in practice learning. It will consider the origins of relationship-based practice and explore and analyse the literature and most notable theorists in this area. It will go on to explore the links between attachment theory and relationship-based practice in order to demonstrate its pivotal importance to social work practice. It will draw parallels between good relationship-based practice in the supervision of social work students and the formation of successful and meaningful working relationships between the students and the people they support on placement, giving attention to the theoretical concept of parallel process. It will provide practice examples from student supervision sessions to model how sound relationship-based practice compliments the assessment process with students, and leads to good partnership working and shared goals on placement. By providing practice examples it will demonstrate that good relationship-based practice between student and supervisor can lead to successful outcomes for students on placement which, in turn, can lead to successful outcomes for the people the students go on to support. It will argue that good relationship practice is the basis for all good social work practice and its foundations should be laid early within the practice teaching relationship between supervisor and student. Keywords: relationship-based practice; social work students; practice teaching; supervision; assessment

Specialist sexual violence social work: Ensuring good practice

INTRODUCTION: This research sought to understand social workers’ perspectives on good practice in specialist sexual violence social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.METHODS: In 2018, five registered social workers engaged in semi-structured interviews focused on good practice social work in the field of sexual violence.FINDINGS: The use of therapeutic social work, along with an extensive skill set and knowledge base were identified as fundamental for sexual violence social work. Boundaries and the development of broad self-care practices were recognised as crucial components of good practice.CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study offers links between the field of sexual violence and social work practice, while also indicating the need for future research.

Ethical Considerations for Health Care in Social Work in Jordan: What Could Bring Joy to Elderly Refugees in Times of Despair?

ABSTRACTElderly refugees in Jordanian healthcare settings are a vulnerable group. Most of them come from a collectivist culture where family members are the main source of care. Many elderly refugees can no longer work as they did, and are in need of professional intervention from social workers who will take account of their cultural values and beliefs. This exploratory study seeks to understand the role that religion has in the lives of displaced elderly refugees and the impact of those perspectives on how they make sense of their circumstances. Using a qualitative design the methodology drew upon focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and ethnographic participant observation in the gathering and analysis of data. The study highlights the important role that religious beliefs and values play both in maintaining and enhancing elderly refugee’s sense of community, security and mental well-being, and the fundamental importance of the same in their interactions with professionals. A key finding is that religious sensitivity and awareness are critical to good social work practice with religious elderly refugees from the Arab world. It is also suggested that the findings of this study can be transferred to other populations and age groups.

Evaluating the Quality of Social Work Supervision in UK Children\u2019s Services: Comparing Self-Report and Independent Observations

Understanding how different forms of supervision support good social work practice and improve outcomes for people who use services is nearly impossible without reliable and valid evaluative measures. Yet the question of how best to evaluate the quality of supervision in different contexts is a complicated and as-yet-unsolved challenge. In this study, we observed 12 social work supervisors in a simulated supervision session offering support and guidance to an actor playing the part of an inexperienced social worker facing a casework-related crisis. A team of researchers analyzed these sessions using a customized skills-based coding framework. In addition, 19 social workers completed a questionnaire about their supervision experiences as provided by the same 12 supervisors. According to the coding framework, the supervisors demonstrated relatively modest skill levels, and we found low correlations among different skills. In contrast, according to the questionnaire data, supervisors had relatively high skill levels, and we found high correlations among different skills. The findings imply that although self-report remains the simplest way to evaluate supervision quality, other approaches are possible and may provide a different perspective. However, developing a reliable independent measure of supervision quality remains a noteworthy challenge.

Practice perspectives and theoretical debates about social workers’ legal powers to protect adults

Summary This paper explores arguments for and against increasing social workers’ legal powers in adult protection (safeguarding) in England, where there is no direct power of entry. It draws on a research study conducted in 2016–17 involving an international literature review, interviews with social workers (n = 22), managers (n = 15), older and disabled people (n = 6) and carers (n = 5) and a survey of adult safeguarding managers (n = 27). The paper contextualises findings by exploring concepts of vulnerability and autonomy. Findings Most participants were in favour of increased powers for social workers undertaking safeguarding enquiries. A power of entry was seen to strengthen the legal basis of safeguarding and provide legitimacy for social workers to act. However, many participants expressed reservations, arguing that cases could generally be resolved with good social work, there would be a risk of negative impact on adults at risk and their families, the power of entry conflicted with social work practice and values and it could negatively affect social work relationships. Such arguments indicate a nuanced view of autonomy and vulnerability, which allow for doubt about the autonomy of people with capacity in certain circumstances. Applications The paper suggests the need for investment in the processes of implementation of risk management if increased legal powers are introduced. There could be a value in encouraging social workers to make explicit their assumptions about the definitions of vulnerability and its impact on autonomy and to explore the subjective experience of vulnerability in their judgements about intervening in these kinds of situations.

Securing the floor but not raising the ceiling? Operationalising care quality in the inspection of residential care for children in Sweden

ABSTRACTIn many countries, inspections are employed as a central instrument to promote good social work practice, but how inspections should operationally achieve this is not evident. By utilising data from guidelines, interviews and observations, the aim of the article is to analyse how the Swedish inspectorate operationalises care quality within the residential care services for children. Analytically, the inspectorate is regarded as an open system that is receptive to different ideas of how to operationalise care quality. The results show that: (a) the standards display a marked variation, change annually and are similar across all homes, (b) there is a limited link to good quality care as it is defined in empirical research, (c) there are several driving forces for care aspects to inspect and, in general, the distinct standards pertain to formal requirements, while how the care is provided is associated with more indistinct standards and (d) if there is no obvious malpractice in care provided, the inspections appear to have rather unclear formative effects. The results are inter alia discussed regarding whether inspections foster the idea that the ‘floor’ of the care is raised (i.e. securing a basic level of care) but not the ‘ceiling’ (i.e. maximising care).

Young people empathising with other animals: reflections on an Australian RSPCA Humane Education Program

INTRODUCTION: Empathy is associated with engagement, compassion, social support and emotional sensitivity, and it is a hallmark of good social work practice. Empathy rightfully receives much attention in social work practice, however, interspecies empathy has yet to be included. This article has been written to address this gap.METHODS: Two main research questions guide our conceptual discussion of young people, interspecies empathy and social work: (1) Why is empathy important to social work with young people? (2) What can an Australian RSPCA Humane Education Programme (HEP) teach social workers about the benefits of interspecies empathy for young people? After our literature review, we examine our illustrative example, which is an HEP offered mostly to newly arrived refugee and migrant young people living in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, whose prior experiences of and/or attitudes towards animals may not have been positive. FINDINGS: Social workers are wise to prioritise empathy because extensive research has shown that, across a diverse range of fields, modes of practice in and beyond social work, empathic practitioners are more effective, achieving better outcomes with their clients. From the letters the young people sent to the RSPCA Victoria after completing an HEP, we note their self-reported increases in empathy for animals, including those they had previously feared or shunned.CONCLUSION: There are many potential benefits of recognising, fostering and valuing interspecies empathy through humane education programmes. However, for these to be ethical, care and empathy must be shown towards the wellbeing of the animals involved, not just the human participants.

Doing narrative feminist research: Intersections and challenges

This article contributes to social work methodological discussions by examining narrative feminist research in action. Our discussion considers our conceptualization and use of narrative feminist research, which is appreciative of intersectionality. We draw illustrative examples from four projects: (1) In the Name of Love, Women’s Narratives of Love, and Abuse (1998–2008), (2) Helping Alliances with Drug Treatment Clients (2010–2016), (3) In Good Company, Women, Companion Animals, and Social Work (2013–2014), and (4) Distress in Childbirth: A Social Work Perspective (in process). We also consider challenges associated with using narrative feminist research data as evidence. For all of the challenges currently facing narrative feminist researchers, we maintain that the methodology offers social workers many benefits and expansive, praxis-oriented possibilities.

Relocation, portability and social care practice: A scoping review

Summary The portability of publicly-funded adult social care across local authority boundaries received recent policy attention in England and was addressed in the Care Act 2014. This article presents the findings of a scoping review conducted between July–September 2012 that searched selected journals and online databases for relevant material. The aim of the review was to identify what is known about the experiences of adults entitled to publicly-funded social care who move between local authorities, and the support provided by social workers to those planning to relocate. The review focused specifically on disabled adults and carers, eligible for and in receipt of social care support, who relocate for work or education in England. Findings The review identified little direct research covering experiences of moving between local authorities. However, six specific barriers, challenges and facilitators to relocation were identified; these included the portability of social care support, variations in policy and practice between local authorities, and housing availability. The review concludes that the process of relocation may be complex, challenging, and uncertain, although individuals may experience benefits and positive outcomes. Applications The review outlines areas for good social work practice in supporting people using social care services to relocate. These include: ensuring the provision of information; close working between local authorities and social workers; the development of interim plans to address potential delays in setting up support; proactive and rapid monitoring and reassessment following a move to address potentially changed support needs arising from changed housing circumstances.

Investigating the quality of social work. An experience of self-assessment with Italian social workers

Evaluating the quality of social work practice is becoming increasingly important for various reasons, among which are changes in the welfare system and the reduction of resources. Meanwhile, it is acknowledged that evaluating the quality of social work is a highly complex task. Different meanings are attributed to the concept of quality and the concept of quality in itself is linked to the notion of social work identity, nature and aims, which is an object in transition. Although performance appraisal systems are spreading, a common understanding about what is ‘good social work practice’ is lacking, also within the professional community. In Italy, social workers seem missing in the arena of investigating and indicating which criteria can be used to evaluate social work practice. To counteract this weakness, a participative research-intervention project was developed from 2006 to 2011, aimed at supporting social workers in evaluating their work. During workshops with practitioners a self-evaluation tool was designed by means of asking social workers for the possible criteria to be used to define ‘good social work practice’. This paper presents the structure and methods adopted throughout such project, focusing on both the self-assessment questionnaire and the emerging notions of quality of social work.

Innovation or Stagnation – Social Work Organisations as Models of Behaviour for Clients

Tavistock Institute of Human Relations1T: (+44) 020 7417 0407F: (+44) 020 7417 0566E: m.sher@tavinstitute.orgW:www.tavinstitute.orgW: www.grouprelations.comPresented at the conference:Reconstructing social work strategies in relation to authority and powerUniversity of Vilnius8th November 2013 SummaryThe profession of social work is fundamentally concerned about the persisting problems of socially alienated people and communities. Social work, by relying on its long heritage of practical experience, intelligent conceptual models and leading edge methodologies for change, works consistently to develop radically different approaches to helping clients. They do so by challenging the government, welfare agencies and charities to review their strategies and practices across society as a whole. The profession of social work also has to manage the tension between a prevailing view of welfare services as a burden on the public purse and one which views welfare services as being for the good of society as a whole. Social policies and good social work services are a wise form of endowment in the potential of individuals and communities whose considerable resources and strengths for their and society’s mutual benefit are otherwise wasted.Key words: welfare; social work; sustainability; alienation; autonomy and independence; power and authority.