Social Service Institutions Research Articles

Gender-Based Violence in the Lives of Somali Women With Refugee Status: A Framework for Analysis and Action.

Gender-based violence (GBV) poses a significant threat to women with refugee status. Following our analysis based on a previously published scoping review, we introduce a conceptual framework based on postcolonial feminist theory to inform research, policy, and practice that addresses the unique risk factors faced by Somali women with refugee status experiencing GBV and encountering barriers to care. The framework synthesizes existing literature, incorporates findings from previous work with Somali women, and emphasizes the importance of understanding structural and sociocultural factors influencing help-seeking. By developing women-centered interventions, health care and social service institutions can play a pivotal role in addressing GBV for Somali women with refugee status.

Exploring sensemaking of trust through the lens of time: Finnish welfare professionals’ perspectives on institutional encounters with forced migrants in the neoliberal welfare state

While attention has recently been given to the time sensitivity of trust, current research seems to fall short of examining welfare professionals’ experiences of the relation between trust and time. Therefore, this article employs an analytical lens of time and temporality to explore how welfare professionals make sense of trust and distrust in encounters with forced migrant service users in a changing neoliberal welfare state. Empirically, the analysis draws on semi-structured individual interviews with welfare professionals in employment and social service institutions in Finland. Theoretically, I apply a dual framework that leans on the interplay between trust and time. Recognising trust as relational yet fragile, contextual and dynamic, and viewing time as increasingly commodified and accelerated, I show how time impacts and shapes trust in institutional encounters. My analyses uncover four ways in which welfare professionals’ sensemaking of trust was linked to time. First, I show how the welfare professionals perceived the foundations of the trusting relationship in relation to time. Second, time and trust were interconnected in the efficient institutional tempo of encounters. Third, when the welfare professionals were replaced, trust was shaped negatively through disruptions to service user relationships in the series of institutional encounters. Fourth, I show how flows of institutional encounters shaped trust both positively and negatively. Thus, this article contributes to the literature on the intersections of trust, time and migration research, particularly in the transformation of the neoliberal Nordic welfare state context.

‘I Am a Broken Policy’: A Critical Reflection on Whiteness and Gender Anti-Black Racism in Institutions of Higher Education and Social Services

This personal narrative is a critical reflection and affirmation letter to Black women. Throughout this commentary, at the end of each section, I have included what I call “gems”. I hope they serve as a manifesto for our collective healing from working in institutions that center on the ideologies and practices of dominance. This piece particularly focuses on the dominant ideology and practice of “whiteness” within institutions as a surveillance tool through policy that directly impacts Black women’s wellbeing through gender anti-black racism. Through storytelling and drawing on Black feminist scholarship, this narrative exposes the challenges I faced with institutional policies and practices as I pursued my career in both academia and social service work. Throughout this narrative, I highlight how the undercurrent of whiteness is embedded in the foundation of institutional policy and practices. This narrative serves as a demand for institutional accountability and reckoning with the coloniality of epistemology and ontology. There is a great emotional toll for Black women who are confronting and resisting gendered anti-black racism with deep internal struggles and triumphs. The violent institutional practices seek to eclipse Black women’s ability to dream, imagine and create. Whiteness is centered in institutional infrastructure, serves as a distraction, and impedes our ability to conceptualize the world we desire. We deserve to have imagination in our work. This narrative is a reflection of the harm of whiteness, a guide for Black women academics, a manifesto for change, and a testament to our humanity.

Problems and prospects of prevention of family problems: the results of the author's research (based on the materials of the Republic of Mordovia)

The article presents the results of the author's sociological research on the identification of problems and prospects for the prevention of family problems in the Republic of Mordovia. The authors analyzed the opinions of competent employees of social protection and social service institutions of the Republic of Mordovia, which allowed not only to identify current problems in the prevention of family problems in the Republic of Mordovia, but also to identify promising areas. The authors conclude that the further prospects for the modernization of the state family policy in the field of prevention of family problems depends on the solution of a number of tasks related to its theoretical and methodological, regulatory, organizational, managerial and resource support.

Exposure to Stress and Burnout Syndrome in Healthcare Workers, Expert Workers, Professional Associates, and Associates in Social Service Institutions.

Background and Objectives: Workplace burnout syndrome is often as sociated with particular aspects of certain job positions, especially those that entail working with people with special needs. The burnout syndrome in healthcare jobs is a serious problem that has grown into an epidemic among healthcare workers and associates. The aim of this research is to assess the presence of stress and burnout syndrome at work with healthcare workers, expert workers, professional associates, and associates in social service institutions in Belgrade. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in the form of a cross-sectional study of a representative sample in social institutions in Belgrade. It was conducted from March to the end of June of 2023. The sample of the study had 491 participants. The questionnaires used were a structured instrument with social-demographic and social-economic characteristics, workplace characteristics, lifestyle characteristics, and the following questionnaires: DASS-21, Copenhagen, Brief Resilience Scale, and Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Results: The end results indicate the following to be significant risk factors for the occurrence of workplace burnout syndrome: overtime (OR = 2.62; CI = 1.50-4.56), BRS average score (OR = 0.28; CI = 0.17-0.44), DASS21 D heightened depression (OR = 2.09; CI = 1.1-4.04), DASS21 A heightened anxiety (OR = 2.38; CI = 1.34-4.21), and DASS21 S heightened stress (OR = 2.08; CI = 1.11-3.89). The only protective risk factor that stood out was the self-assessment of health levels (OR = 0.60; CI = 0.42-0.85). Conclusion: Overtime is a significant factor associated with workplace burnout. Apart from it, other significant factors associated with workplace burnout were heightened depression, anxiety, and stress levels.

The disease prevention and rescue system based on Lorentz-RR analysis technology for public welfare organizations

Health concerns have become a significant focus in peoples daily lives. Currently, with the increasing demand for monitoring human health, some social organizations need to strengthen health detection technology, and various related technologies are emerging. The aim of this study is to develop a social organization disease prevention and assistance system that integrates the advantages and resources of social organizations, social service institutions, social workers, caregivers, service recipients, and their families. The main system is designed based on a front-end and back-end separation architecture, using core technology: the Lorenz-RR scatterplot classification algorithm to achieve the selection of classification algorithms, the development of AlexNet algorithm, and the optimization of dataset expansion algorithm, Thus, the improvement of the Lorenz-RR scatterplot classification algorithm of the AlexNet model is achieved, and the development of a social organization disease prevention and assistance system is completed. It has high accuracy and sensitivity in the analysis of relevant indicators of service objects, and its application value is significant, with widespread promotion significance.

Coping Strategies and Burnout Among Medical and Social Workers Providing Services to People with Limited Mobility

INTRODUCTION. The centerpiece of the development of occupational burnout is the individual’s ability to cope with stressful situations.
 AIM. To determine ways to cope with stress among employees of healthcare organizations and social service institutions providing services to low-mobility population groups, as well as to assess the correlations between individual coping strategies and burnout symptoms.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study involved 81 employees of healthcare organizations (group 1) and 88 employees of a social service institution (group 2).
 We used COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory) questionnaire adapted by T.O. Gordeeva et al. to determine ways of coping with stress; Maslach Burnout Questionnaire adapted by N.E. Vodopyanova to determine symptoms of occupational burnout.
 RESULTS. Employees of a social service institution more often than the staff of healthcare organizations had high levels of coping strategies: positive reformulation and personal growth (in 80.7 % and 60.5 % respectively, p = 0.002), active coping (in 76.1 % and 58 %, p = 0.012), planning (in 76.1 % and 53.1 %, p = 0.002). At the same time group 1 representatives 2.1 times more often than group 2 representatives had high values of the integral index of occupational burnout: 50.6 % against 23.9 % (χ2 = 12.997, p 0.001).
 DISCUSSION. Ineffective coping-strategies, correlating with the levels of occupational burnout symptoms, appeared to be concentration on emotions and their active expression, mental disengagement from the problem, behavioural disengagement from the problem, and denial. Among the effective ones are active coping, planning, positive reformulation and personal growth.
 CONCLUSION. Burnout symptoms were more frequent in the surveyed sample of the healthcare workers than in the workers of social service institutions and were associated with insufficiently active use of effective ways of coping with stress.

Diagnostic Options for Suspected Cases of Emotional Maltreatment - Presentation of the Interdisciplinary Perspective of a Child Protection Outpatient Clinic

Compared to sexual and physical violence, cases of emotional abuse are often more difficult to detect. An increasingly advocated approach involves regular assessments within social and healthcare structures tto proactively identify affected children and adolescents at an early stage. This enables the prompt initiation of appropriate interventions. Following, interdisciplinary institutions such as a child protection outpatient clinic can play an important role for professionals in the clarification of suspected child endangerment.This article aims to show possible courses of action for the early detection of emotional abuse based on a child protection outpatient clinic. In addition to the description of the interdisciplinary diagnostic procedure a selection of psychometric questionnaires and interviews is presented, which inquire about emotional abuse. When looking at the total number of 1,388 cases seen at the child protection outpatient clinic, it is noticeable that only 117 cases (8.4 %) were assigned with a suspicion of emotional abuse.This contrasts with 477 cases (34.3 %) in which confirmed indications for emotional abuse were found after the clarification process. An intersection of emotional abuse with other forms of child maltreatment was given in 341 cases (71.4 %). Psychometric questionnaires and interviews can facilitate a regular recording in health and social service institutions. Emotional abuse often goes unnoticed despite its frequency. Itsmanifestations are diverse and significantly overlap with other forms of maltreatment, necessitating a nuanced evaluation process. Specific diagnostic tools and interdisciplinary collaboration can contribute to better recognition of emotional abuse.

Organization of complex geriatric care for the elderly population in social service institutions

The article presents the medical and demographic characteristics of Tavrichesky municipal district of Omsk region. The prevalence of the main geriatric syndromes among the elderly and senile people living in the social service institution is estimated. The necessity of development of standard operating procedures to improve the quality of medical and social assistance to elderly patients is substantiated.

Analysis of the activity of inpatient social service institution and assessment of indicators affecting the quality of life of residents

Actuality: sooner or later every person sooner or later thinks about whether he or she can count on someone's help and support, improving the quality of life in old age or in connection with changes in health. In the modern world, great attention is paid to the elderly, people with disabilities and their social services.
 Purpose: characterization and analysis of the activity of the institution "Dragunsky boarding school", recommendations for improving the performance indicators.
 Materials and methods: A descriptive epidemiologic research, the study of the main activity indicators on financing and dynamics of residents was carried out. The regulatory framework was analyzed.
 Conclusion: Social service is carried out on the principles of equal, free access of citizens to social services. Great importance of the work of increasing the efficiency of the institution has a micro-level - direct activities focused on each recipient of social services, with an individual approach.

Analysis of medical and social rehabilitation measures in the conditions of inpatient social service institution and ways to improve rehabilitation

Actuality: Disabled people with mental disorders belong to the most socially disadapted groups of the population. In the general structure of disability by classes of disease, mental illnesses occupy the third rank place and account for 10%. In terms of the duration of disability, mental illnesses occupy the first place. Almost 95% of disabled persons recognized as incapable of work due to mental illness and mental retardation remain on pension for life.
 Purpose: Improvement of rehabilitation of disabled people due to mental illnesses and conditions of rehabilitation realization in the ASUSO "Dragunsky DI".
 Materials and methods: The medical and social rehabilitation measures of social recipients with mental illnesses in ACUSO "Dragunsky DI" were analyzed.
 Conclusion: The results of rehabilitation activities carried out in the boarding house by means of various innovative social technologies testify to their effectiveness in the framework of organizing work with clients with mental disabilities.

Socialinių paslaugų įstaigų socialinio verslo turinio kontekstualizavimas

Social business is defined as a business focused on the well-being of people and communities. Creative activity and social innovation prevail in such a business. It constantly updates services, products and processes that are necessary for improving the social well-being of the individual and the community. Social business is usually carried out by non-governmental organizations. The purpose of this article is to find out the context of social business content of social service institutions. 4 social workers working in an institution with persons with disabilities participated in the study. Qualitative content analysis revealed the perception of social business as a process, it is interpreted as promoting the integration of clients into the community, an activity that has added value for social workers and their clients. The components of social business, mission, community, profit, innovation, market are significant in its implementation. Keywords: social business, social innovation, disabled person, reinvestment, empowerment.

Ketahanan Psikologis pada Anak Jalanan: Dasar Pengembangan Layanan Intervensi bagi Konselor Komunitas

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of psychological resilience of street children in Semarang Social Service Institutions. This study uses a quantitative approach with an ex post facto research design. This research was conducted at two locations, namely the Mandiri Children's Social Service Center in Semarang and the Wira Adhi Karya Social Service Center in Semarang. The population in this study amounted to 150 street children. The research sample was 110 street children who were taken by area random sampling technique. The research instrument used was a psychological resilience scale. This study uses validity and reliability tests. Based on the 70 statement items on the psychological resilience scale, there are 48 statement items that are declared valid and reliable. This study uses data analysis techniques, namely descriptive analysis. Based on the results of the descriptive analysis, it was revealed that the psychological resilience of street children in Semarang Social Service Institutions was in the moderate category with M = 135 and SD = 15.4. While the researchers also revealed based on the results of the descriptive analysis that street children are in the moderate category on each indicator of psychological resilience according to the theory of Connor & Davidson.

The Competency of Social Worker as a Leader in Managing the Rumah Zakat Social Service Institution and in the Success of the “Kado Cinta Anak Disabilitas” Program

The Competency of Social Worker as a Leader in Managing the Rumah Zakat Social Service Institution and in the Success of the “Kado Cinta Anak Disabilitas” Program

The Activity of the “Renaşterea” Priesthood Society from Oltenia, in the Socio-Cultural and Political Context from 1938–1940 and the Establishment of the Social Service Institution

"This paper approaches one of the faces of transposition into practice mechanism of inter-institutional cooperation, enforced thru the Social Service law, in October, 1938. The case of the Priesthood Society “Renaşterea”, socio-professional society that united the active and retired priests and deacons from Oltenia, of which social activity interfered/intersected, mostly, with the activity of the new institution, can be considered a similar pattern also for the integration of other institutions and associations that activated prior to 1938 in the socio-cultural field. The analysis has in the centre the idea that the politic register of Carol II royal dictatorship was a reference point that should have been considered by all public institutions and organisations to operate. Based on the analysis of some archive documents (consisting in the reports of the “Renaşterea” Society, the correspondence between the representatives of the society and the administrative and cultural authorities), the two parts of the article highlights the organisational and functional complications the Social Service law caused to the “Renaşterea” Priesthood Society, and also the efforts of this socio-professional association to keep the continuity of its existence, and also the place earned over time within local communities. In this matter, the necessity of integration/connection of its activity with the newly formed institution appeared as a forced compromise solution, determined by the restrictive limits of the Carlist regime."

Effectiveness of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training on Dysphagia Risk in Pre-Frail Elderly

Pre-frail dan frail elderly are susceptible to dysphagia. Dysphagia leads to vulnerability to aspiration pneumonia, undernutrition, and dehydration, which negatively affect physical condition and quality of life. Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) is an intervention for dysphagia. However, the effects of EMST on pre-frail elderly are still unclear. This study aimed to investigate effectiveness of expiratory muscle training on dysphagia risk of pre-frail elderly. The study design was a randomized clinical trial. Twenty-four pre-frail elderly at Rindang Asih I and II Elderly Social Service Institution randomly assigned into experimental group (n=12) or control group (n=12). The experimental group received expiratory muscle training using PEP Threshold® device 5 times per week for 6 weeks. Both of group also received typical multicomponent exercise for elderly 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Outcome measure was risk of dysphagia assessed using Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire (SDQ). The intra-group analysis showed significant differences pre- and post-intervention in experimental group but not in control group (p<0,001 and p=0,107, respectively). Inter-group analysis showed significant differences between experimental and control group post-intervention (p<0,001). This finding indicate that expiratory muscle training effective on reducing dysphagia risk in pre-frail elderly.

Advokasi Sosial terhadap Perempuan Korban Kekerasan Seksual di P2TP2A Kota Tangerang Selatan

Sexual violence that occurs against women can cause deep trauma for the victims who experience it. Victims tend to feel afraid when meeting other people, especially the opposite sex. Cases of sexual violence against women that occurred in South Tangerang City alone experienced an increase of 75% from the previous year. Therefore, there is a great need for a social advocacy process carried out by social service institutions such as P2TP2A. The aim of this research is to find out how the social advocacy process is carried out by P2TP2A South Tangerang City towards women victims of sexual violence. This research method uses descriptive qualitative through interviews, observation and documentation. The research results show that the social advocacy process carried out by P2TP2A South Tangerang City towards women consists of identifying problems, formulating solutions, building political awareness and desire, implementing policies and evaluating.

Navigating knowledges: Community health workers as liminal professionals

Abstract Community health workers (CHWs) occupy a liminal position in two senses: they are situated between the communities they come from and serve, and the health and social service professionals with whom they connect patients; and also between two forms of knowledge. In interacting with health and social service institutions, they draw on the ‘technical knowledge’ that dominates these settings. However, they must also draw on ‘communicative knowledge’, which is the situated and embodied knowledge needed to gain the trust of their community peers and to carry their voice, but which is often relegated to a secondary position. In this US-based study, we analyze interviews with CHWs, their supervisors, and advocates of their work, to better understand how CHWs mobilize discursive resources to combine these two forms of knowledge and, in doing so, constitute their liminal position as an essential asset. Our findings support valuing CHWs’ incorporation within healthcare teams, so that health and social service professionals can directly interact with CHWs’ situated and embodied knowledge of patients.

The results of changing the social and educational route of children diagnosed with moderate mental retardation and lived in stationary social services institutions

The aim of the work was to analyze the results of the correction of the social and educational rote of children, diagnosed with moderate mental retardation, receiving social services in stationary institutions for mentally disabled children. At the first stage, as a result of a continuous personal examination of 621 children living in three stationary social service institutions for children with mental disorders, 134 children were identified who presumably needed to clarify the diagnosis and change the educational and social route. At the second stage, in order to clarify the diagnosis and the educational route, a commission psychological, medical and pedagogical examination of 48 children was carried out. In 45 cases the IQ, assessed by Wechsler test, did not correspond to the diadnosis: in 24 cases the IQ was in the interval, corresponding to mild intellectual disability (50-69 points), in 21 cases IQ was above 70 points. As a result of the second stage, 26 children were transferred from a stationary social service organization for children with mental disorders to children’s homes in the education system, where they began training in adapted educational programs at a higher level. At the third stage of the study, the results of adaptation of 21 children were analyzed. It is shown that the main difficulties in the adaptation of children were not associated with the degree of intellectual impairment, but with the difficulties of transferring to an educational program of a higher level, the severity of emotional-volitional and behavioral disorders, communication disorders. It is concluded that the success of the correction of the social and educational route of children depends on the readiness of employees of educational and educational institutions to carry out rehabilitation work, the quality of psychiatric care.

"How can you kiss and touch this child and show affection towards her? What kind of woman are you?": Provider perspectives on stigma towards native and ethnic minority street-connected youth in the Republic of Georgia.

The Republic of Georgia has experienced a rapid growth in the number of youth working and/or living on the street (YWLS). Although research indicates that YWLS are highly stigmatized, few studies have examined perceptions of stigma among Georgian social service providers who serve YWLS. We conducted in-person in-depth interviews with key informants recruited from governmental institutions and social service organizations in Tbilisi and Rustavi, two large urban areas. A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore provider perspectives on the social contexts surrounding the delivery of services to YWLS. Trained coders conducted a thematic analysis of the data in Dedoose. Twenty-two providers (68% female; 32% male) were interviewed, representing diverse professional roles. Providers perceived that YWLS are subjected to strong public stigma and social exclusion at multiple social-ecological levels, with Roma and Kurdish-Azeri youth experiencing the strongest levels of social hostility, discrimination, and exclusion. Providers perceive that these dynamics prevent YWLS from developing trusting relationships with social service, health and educational institutions. Furthermore, we find that providers report encounters with courtesy stigma, i.e., stigma directed towards the people who serve or are associated with a stigmatized group, when working with YWLS, especially those from ethnic minority groups, which they characterize as a stressor. At the same time, we find that some providers reported negative stereotypes about ethnic minority YWLS. While campaigns have targeted public awareness on the plight of YWLS, study findings suggest that additional efforts are needed to address stigma directed towards YWLS, with a specific need to address stigma directed towards ethnic minority young people who work and/or live on the street.