Social Work Knowledge Research Articles

Responding to the Needs of Internally Displaced Persons: A Social Work Perspective

ABSTRACT Internal displacement caused by armed conflict has a lasting impact on the lives of those affected. Re-establishing stability after the cessation of conflict is a difficult and complex task. To date, the contribution of social work values and knowledge to this task has received limited attention. This study uses the principles and values of social work as a framework for analysing an intervention that was undertaken to address the impact of displacement following armed conflict on an Indigenous community in Zamboanga, Philippines. A community development intervention model was developed by the Philippines-based Community and Family Services International (CFSI), an international not-for-profit organisation. Through analysis of the Zamboanga intervention, this study demonstrates the positive impact of applying social work values and principles to guiding postconflict recovery, encouraging empowerment and building more sustainable futures. The findings demonstrate the significance and value of CFSI’s approach in supporting postconflict recovery. IMPLICATIONS Displacement following armed conflict impacts negatively on all aspects of the lives of those displaced, and Indigenous people are at particularly high risk. The social work approach provides a framework to inform the development of humanitarian programs. Analysis of the implementation of the Community and Family Services International (CFSI) intervention indicates that addressing the impacts of internal displacement on Indigenous communities requires humanitarian programs to engage with culture and support self-determination.

The Methodological Trends in the Production of Knowledge in Social Work: the state of the art of dissertations on Social Policy

The Methodological Trends in the Production of Knowledge in Social Work: the state of the art of dissertations on Social Policy

Covid-19 Recovery and Growth: Promoting Technology Innovation in Healthcare Sector on Hygiene and Safe Medication Practices in Low-Resourced Nigerian Societies

IntroductionGlobally, the healthcare sector is primarily designated to provide timely, efficient and effective medical services. In African countries like Nigeria, the inequality in the healthcare sector is worsened by the limited coverage of healthcare delivery. This has evolved to an unprecedented effect on the provision of healthcare services in low-resource societies. In the post COVID-19 era, recovery and growth from the pandemic become more demanding with an emphasis on promoting innovative technology in the healthcare sector on hygiene and safe medication practices. MethodData was sourced from mixed research method. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews were used to deduce data from 142 healthcare providers, users, and social workers. Participants were randomly selected from three healthcare institutions in Nsukka, Enugu state. ResultFindings revealed that although greater positive perception (66.7%) holds on promoting innovative technology in the healthcare sector; concerns on negative perceptions (33.3%) were; the choice of medication, cultural health behavior and non-adherence to health guidelines. Major factors militating against innovative technology in healthcare sector were corruption in healthcare system, patients’ economic level and poor healthcare delivery. Findings depict that age (χ²cal= 84.0, p=0.000<0.05) and income (χ²cal= 53.7, p=0.000<0.05) of patients were found to be significant in the utilization of innovative technology in healthcare. Evidence-based interventions on innovative healthcare systems on hygiene and safe medication practices were; intensive community health education at the grass-root, implementation of health policies, and tutors’ improved healthcare knowledge. Participants showed little knowledge of social workers’ engagement in health institutions. ConclusionEquity in healthcare is a core concern in Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving equal distribution of health services between urban and rural societies in recovery from covid-19 pandemic and growth of the healthcare sector is pegged on promoting innovative technology in hygiene and safe medication practices. The study recommends that social workers’ engagement with health providers and users in low-resourced societies could help propagate awareness and self-care management of health challenges through digital information technology in Nigeria.

The (Necessary) Expansion of Social Work Knowloge

We focus on the role of journals in producing social work knowledge. We surveyed social work journals internationally, concluding that social work knowledge mostly is conceived of as universal, the inclusion of knowledges being based on an uncritical “big tent” (everyone is included) philosophy. This legitimized knowledge base overlooks alternative subjugated experiences, weakening social work. To avoid professional imperialism and coloniality, social work must expand its knowledge base to reflect diverse knowing.

Integrating Practice Research into Social Work Field Education in Canada

ABSTRACT Given the increasing value placed on research among social work practitioners, and that field education is primarily responsible for the integration of social work values, knowledge, and practice, it is essential that research skills be incorporated into BSW and MSW field practica. In 2020, a team of faculty co-investigators and students explored the integration of research activities into Canadian BSW and MSW field practica through the review of online field education materials of all accredited programs. We make the argument that not only is it essential for professional social workers to receive training in practice research, but also that there is much room for us to integrate such research into field education. We begin with a review of the literature regarding social work student attitudes toward research, widely known to be hesitant and even hostile, before discussing the limited international literature (English and French) on the experience of integrating research into field education. After describing our methods, we then present our findings in terms of BSW and MSW programs at Canada’s anglophone and francophone universities. We conclude with a discussion of the implications in terms of ways to increase the role of research in field practica.

Academic advising and the lessons of the civil rights and social justice campus movements

ABSTRACT The changing campus demographics following World War II and the U.S. Black Student Movement of the 1960s unified and influenced the values of academic advising and student support services. This article argues that this context of U.S. college civil rights protest resulted in the call for more inclusive student support services that combined social work, counselling, social justice, and academic knowledge. Academic histories like Martha Biondi’s comprehensive Black Revolution on Campus and Ibram Rogers’s The Black Campus Movement document well the call for Black counsellors, trained social workers, and academic coaches at campuses on the east and west coasts during the Era of Protest. This study adds to these representations by looking at this history through the lens of a midwestern U.S. flagship, urban campus. Academic and student affairs administrators are taking note of the new generation of undergraduate students and their penchant for protest, especially regarding the Black Lives Matter movement spurred by the tragic deaths of college-aged and college-bound young Black men like Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown that has strengthened during the pandemic after the murder of George Floyd. .

Harnessing the Lived Experience of Transgender and Gender Diverse People as Practice Knowledge in Social Work: A Standpoint Analysis

Transgender (trans) and gender diverse (TGD) people continue experiencing profound expressions of stigma and discrimination in their attempts at accessing care, including support from the social work profession. Incorporating the lived experience of TGD people as practice knowledge in social work may serve to enhance the profession's relationship with TGD communities and mitigate historical barriers of this population to relevant services. In this study, we draw on qualitative data based on individual interviews with 20 TGD people and 10 social workers in a Western Canadian province to explore the potential of leveraging the lived experience of TGD people as practice insight in social work. Our analysis, which is supported with the tenets of feminist standpoint theory, reveals that incorporating the lived experience of TGD people in social work as practice knowledge may inform and catalyze interventions that (1) validate TGD bodies, identities and experiences; (2) contribute to networks of advocacy and support founded on shared community knowledge and (3) promote resistance and transformation. In our discussion, we explore practical implications of our research for practice at multiple levels, including the potential of engaging TGD ‘peers’ with relevant lived experience in the direct delivery of certain psychosocial interventions.

Knowledge of and access to frontline workers among poor, rural households in Amhara region, Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundSocial protection programmes have effectively reduced poverty and improved food security. However, the effects of poverty require an intersectoral approach to adequately address poor nutrition and health. Identifying gaps in knowledge and access to frontline workers who oversee these integrations is critical for understanding the potential for integrated social protection programming to improve these outcomes. We measured levels of social protection programme participants’ knowledge of and interaction with social workers (SWs) and health extension workers (HEWs) in rural Ethiopia.MethodsThis mixed-methods study uses cross-sectional data from the baseline survey of a quasi-experimental impact evaluation among a sample of 5,036 households participating in Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme. Qualitative interviews include key informant interviews, in depth interviews and focus group discussions with caregivers, community members, frontline agents, and stakeholders. Using data from household questionnaires administered to household heads, quantitative analyses include univariate and bivariate descriptive statistics as well as mutually-adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for household sociodemographic characteristics associated with 1) knowledge of SWs and HEWs and 2) interaction with SWs and HEWs in their communities. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis combining both a fluid and more structured coding processes to unpack the important topics within the data supported by illustrative quotes.ResultsOur results show that knowledge of and interaction with SWs is limited while many knew of and interacted with HEWs quite regularly. Interactions with SWs were negatively associated with increased household size and living in Dewa Chefa. Factors associated with increased knowledge of and interaction with HEWs include having children under the age of 5 years in the household, having health insurance, and having a formal education. Qualitative analyses suggest that SWs are limited by overwhelming caseloads, limited resources to carry out their work, and high staff turnover. However, SWs are considered highly valuable in the communities where they work.ConclusionsWhile most of the participants reported knowing their HEW, there is room for improvement, especially around household engagement with HEWs. Although SWs support the ISNP in the treatment districts only and not formally incorporated into the structure in the region, our findings highlight a need to provide greater support to SWs to effectively facilitate improvements in health and nutritional outcomes among vulnerable households.Trial registrationPan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR201902876946874) and the Registry for International Development Impact Evaluations (RIDIE-STUDY-ID-5bf27eb0404a0).

EDITORIAL

Human dignity, equity, social justice and equal participation; the underlying topics of this Journal of Social Intervention are not the least. It seems the authors have been looking for solid anchor points in turbulent times. These can provide guidance in the search for answers to questions like: “What is a good citizen?”, “How does a good social worker act and reflect?” and “What is the unique added value of social work?”In this Autumn issue of JSI we present you two peer-reviewed articles, three book reviews, with its Editorial, and a contribution in the category Innovation in Practice and Education (IWO). In addition, you will find a call for state-of-the-art papers that connect to the Dutch Knowledge and Research Agenda for Social Work. Sufficient food for thought! We hope you enjoy it.

Trans voices in social work research: what are the recommendations for anti-oppressive practice that includes trans people?

This rapid review explores research that relates to trans people and social work, with the aim of investigating the experiences of trans people in social work. The article is concerned exclusively with research that platforms the voices of trans people, specifically, those whose input is in direct reference to their experiences in relation to social work. However, the exploration revealed no studies that reference the perspectives of trans social workers. Key recommendations include: the responsible inclusion of trans identities within educational and professional development materials; a visible commitment within social work to confronting transphobia; engaging with practice beyond a binary comprehension of gender; and renewed commitment to person-centred practice that promotes and understands the necessity for self-identification. Additionally, this review restates the need for further ethical research in this area that is more accurately representative and enables the voice and influence of trans people in social work knowledge production.

Resisting Dogmatism in Social Work Knowledge Generation: Theorising, Social Justice and Implications for Social Work Doctoral Education

AbstractSocial work doctoral education is charged with the task of generating and critically evaluating knowledge to inform and transform professional practice. To promote the foundational values of social justice and diversity in social work, scholars highlight the importance of multiple ways of knowing and multiple ontological perspectives in social work knowledge generation. Yet, critical scholars have raised concerns about a reviving dogmatism in the philosophical and theoretical orientations (e.g. positivism and empiricism) of social work knowledge. Recent studies also show a significant gap between research and social justice in the social work doctoral curriculum. Critically reflecting and problematising this ‘social’ phenomenon, I argue that it is essential to engage in ongoing theorising to resist dominant discourses, represent marginalised voices in social work knowledge and furthermore, to teach students how to theorise in doctoral education. Drawing from Foucauldian theories on knowledge and power, this article first contextualises the dangers of dogmatism in knowledge generation in social work. Then, I provide a brief review of the historical development of theorising, introducing Richard Swedberg’s work on the topic, particularly his four steps in the ‘process of theorising’. How this noble sociological ‘theory of theorising’ can be incorporated into social work is discussed.

Developing Knowledge and Skills for Child and Family Social Work, Barry Fearnley

Developing Knowledge and Skills for Child and Family Social Work, Barry Fearnley

Editorial: A Call to Action—Voice and Influence of People with Experiences of Social and Health Care in Social Work Knowledge and Social Services

Editorial: A Call to Action—Voice and Influence of People with Experiences of Social and Health Care in Social Work Knowledge and Social Services

The Impact of COVID-19 on (Remaking?) Social Service Delivery: An 18 Month Review

ABSTRACT Purpose Our 18-month exploratory qualitative study explored the impacts of COVID-19 on social service delivery in the mid-island region of Vancouver Island, Canada to contribute to meaningful local practice and to add to evolving social work knowledge regarding pandemics. Method: Interviews were held at six-monthly intervals with representatives from 12 social service nonprofit and government organizations. Results The study demonstrates that the challenges and stressors of this period have resulted in both a re-affirming of relational social work practice alongside some re-making of social service delivery. Discussion The study confirms expectations of COVID-19 entrenching inequities, deepening needs, and creating new categories of service users while also taxing service providers. The value of face-to-face engagement is underscored as foundational to effective social work, though how this is effected has changed. A hybrid model of social service delivery has emerged blending in-person and remote approaches. Policy engagement has shifted in the short-term allowing greater visibility of complex service provider issues. Workplace conditions have altered, and placement options have expanded. These developments offer a tenuous template for the future, though whether such social service delivery remaking is temporary or not remains unclear. Conclusion The research concludes that pandemic conditions will prompt immediate adaptation and innovation, but that evaluation is needed to identify which measures are sustainable in dealing with a prolonged pandemic and to anticipate future disruptions.

Social Work Advocacy in Federal Immigration Courts

Advocacy for immigrant families undertaken by social workers, attorneys, and other supporters to protect against deportation, detention, and unfair government policies occurs mostly in immigration and federal courts. Social workers bring unique knowledge and skills that enhance legal teams’ representation of immigrants. This paper provides case illustrations of social work’s contribution in three types of legal actions. One illustration from immigration court demonstrates the social work consultant’s role in cancellation of removal cases when undocumented immigrants have US-citizen children. A second case is a federal class-action lawsuit to end the detention of asylum-seeking families. The third case was a federal lawsuit to dismantle bureaucratic policies and procedures that undermined the legal rights and well-being of unaccompanied children. In each of these actions, social work knowledge influenced lawsuits that can have lasting policy impact. While this paper focuses on social work advocacy in immigration cases, social work extends to many other areas of advocacy in the legal system. Social work consultants must have a clear understanding of what the attorneys are requesting to ensure that they have the requisite knowledge and skill to be optimally effective and to practice ethically within the scope of their expertise. Other implications include maintaining familiarity with contemporary social and behavioral research and providing expertise confidently in written reports and oral testimony in court. When social workers bring their expertise to legal teams in immigration cases, they promote the profession’s expertise and help families facing oppressive policies.

Communal parenting, marriage and children in Papua, Indonesia: Insights for social work

This article provides new social work knowledge about the parenting practices of Papuan parents, which includes their perceptions of marriage and having children. This qualitative ethnographic study included participant observation and individual semi-structured interviews with 49 Papuan parents (34 mothers and 15 fathers), who were interviewed across five different Papuan regencies: Supiori, Jayapura, Jayawijaya, Boven Digul and Mimika. A key finding was that communal parenting and having multiple children were perceived to be a community responsibility, which burdened Papuan women who were continuously occupied in childbearing and rearing.

Power knowledge in social work: educating social workers to practice racial justice

ABSTRACT This article analyzes and interrogates knowledge-production practices in contemporary social work research and practice through the lens of Michel Foucault’s concept of power-knowledge. As a regime of power, social work produces forms of knowledge that stratify human subjects along the social fabric. As a result, social work practice and research alike can perpetuate binaries of human existence expressive of the Western context which fashioned it. To reconcile a contemporary social work professional logic saturated in white supremacy with a longstanding ethical mandate for social justice, this investigation concludes with practice and pedagogical recommendations informed by an anti-racist theoretical framework.

Social stigma and vulnerabilities of HIV/AIDS-positive people: Reconsidering social work education and NGOs’ role in Bangladesh

Despite the low incidence of HIV in Bangladesh, an HIV diagnosis results in stigma and discrimination. Therefore, the study looked at the causes and patterns of social exclusion, as well as strategies for reducing the exclusion of HIV/AIDS positive people. It also emphasized the importance of reconsidering social work education and the role of non-governmental organizations in curbing the stigma that these people confront. In this qualitative study, a convenience sampling approach was utilized to select the participants from the NGO, Ashar Alo Society (AAS). The findings are grouped into four themes: social stigma towards HIV/AIDS positive people, social exclusion from family and community, healthcare, education, and employment, the role of the non-governmental organizations in reducing their exclusion and vulnerabilities and reconsideration of social work knowledge. Recommendations include the provision of remote healthcare and support services to combat stigma, as well as the adoption of social work knowledge in the new NGO efforts to assist PLWHIV in accessing care.

Social Work in the Oncology Setting Compared to Social Work in General Medical Settings: An Analysis of Findings From a Multisite Australian Social Work Practice Audit

ABSTRACT Oncology social work provides services to individuals, groups, families, caregivers, and communities. As part of a larger audit of social work activities across 17 Victorian health services, a subanalysis was conducted to investigate social work practice in oncology (n = 49) compared to general medicine settings (n = 55). Social workers in oncology were more likely to address issues of adjustment to the condition, anxiety, and finances. Social workers in general medicine more frequently focused on dementia, elder abuse, and transition of clients to Residential Assisted Care. Oncology social workers conducted higher frequencies of interventions involving advocacy, brief or single session intervention, and counselling compared to general medicine, where discharge planning was significantly more common. Finally, oncology social workers were more likely to have used a narrative or supportive care model compared to the general medicine group. These findings can help better target training and upskilling of social workers for practice in different healthcare settings. IMPLICATIONS Audits of practice assist to describe the complex array of issues addressed by social work both within oncology and the broader healthcare settings. Identifying key interventions and emphases pertaining to oncology provides a focus for future evaluation of the effectiveness of social work practice across key domains within oncology. Better understanding of practice can lay the groundwork for targeted training programs to enhance social worker knowledge and skills in oncology and broader healthcare.

An interactive process model of knowledge transfer for social work through university–agency collaboration: Subjective experiences of the agency social workers in Hong Kong

Abstract This article reports on the outcome of an exploratory study on a university–agency collaboration in a Chinese context for transferring social work knowledge from academia to the field and beyond. A six-stage process characterised by interactive contributions from the university and the agency in question was identified from the trainees’ narratives of the content, process and their subjective experiences with the three-year collaboration. The two parties co-constructed and adapted knowledge oriented for a specific clientele and agency context, and they implemented the intervention together with underlying theories and ways of thinking. Through interactive practising and coaching, knowledge was indigenised and disseminated into and beyond the agency. The study highlighted the trainees’ active participation, the deep collaboration between the two parties and the trusting relationship within the changing power dynamics, and the comprehensive planning at the organisational level for a fully sustainable transfer of social work knowledge with tacit characteristics. Multiple implications for continuing professional education in social work are drawn.