Work Practice Research Articles

Noticing ‘them things that may have gone amiss otherwise’: exploring social work placements in schools in England

ABSTRACT Schools play a crucial in the lives of children, families and communities and are increasingly used by social work programmes in England for practice learning. This qualitative study involved in-depth semi structured interviews with ten social work students who had undertaken at least one placement in a school in England. The aim of this study was to understand social work students’ experiences of placements in schools and to explore the benefits and challenges associated with school-based placements. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, manually coded and analyzed for broad themes. The findings indicate a lack of clarity about the roles and tasks expected of student social workers in schools and highlights some benefits for children and families. Implications for social work education and practice are identified.

“But Did You Die?”: Intimate Partner Violence as a Social Determinant of Health

Many Black women experience worsening abuse; however, there is a significant number of women experiencing non-physical forms of abuse, what I term hidden abuse. In one in five domestic violence cases, the fatal or life-threatening event was the first episode of physical violence the woman experienced from their partner, suggesting that some Black women die before they receive help. Violence against Black women requires a systems approach that redresses resource inequities. I attempt to expand upon fundamental cause theory, a systems theory used by social science researchers, to show that intimate partner violence is a social determinant of health. I apply this theory to an autoethnographic case study of hidden abuse. Implications for Social Work research, practice, and policy include developing, advocating for, and evaluating programs and policies that increase financial instability, affordable housing, and access to community networks and social support for victims of violence.

Social Work and Policy Practice in Albania: Unpacking the Professional Engagement of Social Workers in Policy Reforms

Social Work and Policy Practice in Albania: Unpacking the Professional Engagement of Social Workers in Policy Reforms

Relational Cultural Theory and Intervention Approaches with Adolescent Girls: An Integrative Review

Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) offers a feminist, relationally-centered approach to therapy and social work practice, which is focused on the unique developmental experiences of girls, women, and individuals from traditionally underrepresented or marginalized groups. Much of the theoretical and intervention research on this model has focused on adult women, with less attention devoted to RCT's application with adolescent girls. This integrative literature review synthesizes qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, and case study research on RCT to assess: 1) how RCT theoretical tenets have been translated into intervention strategies with adolescent girls, and 2) the degree to which RCT intervention research includes experiences of girls from diverse and underrepresented groups. Five electronic databases were searched through August 2023. Following deduplication and screening for inclusion/exclusion, 12 studies were retained for inclusion in this review. Analysis revealed four core RCT concepts that were linked with therapeutic intervention components across all included studies: mutual empathy, authenticity, empowerment, and the overall strengthening and deepening of relational connections. Over half of included studies reported samples that were over 50% girls of color, and/or having an expressed study purpose focused on girls from a diverse or underrepresented group. Practice implications for work with adolescent girls are discussed.

The Impact of the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) on Client Agency

ABSTRACT The NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) is a therapeutic model designed to treat Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) integrating top-down (cognitive) and bottom-up (somatic) methods. Reinforcing client agency is one of the four pillars of the NARM model. This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis investigated how NARM impacts client agency from the perspective of NARM Therapists. Fourteen NARM Therapists participated in a focus group to describe their work as a NARM trained trauma therapist treating clients who have experienced C-PTSD. The study revealed four themes that represent the phenomenon of client agency supported by the NARM model from the perspective of NARM Therapists. The emergent themes that support client agency include Connecting to Present Moment Awareness, Reflecting and Reinforcing Client Choices, Acknowledging Client Insight, and Contracting with the Client. Social workers can support clients experiencing C-PTSD by reinforcing client agency and utilizing trauma-informed approaches such as NARM to advance NASW standards for clinical social work practice standards one, two, and eleven (i.e. values and ethics, specialized practice skills, and interventions and professional development).

The ecospiritual approach for the advancement of social work: a concept and practice of ‘interconnectedness’ in Won Buddhism

ABSTRACT In the context of today’s globalized world, marked by heightened awareness of interconnected social challenges, this paper explores the integration of ecospiritual approach into social work practice and education. Recognizing spirituality as a universal aspect of human experience, the authors advocate for a spiritually sensitive approach to social work, emphasizing the search for meaning, purpose, and connectedness. Central to this discussion is the ecospiritual approach, which challenges Western paradigms of individualism and capitalism by embracing interconnectedness and interdependent relationships. This approach is exemplified through the exploration of Buddhism, African spiritual philosophy, and Won Buddhism, particularly focusing on concepts of Interbeing, Ubuntu, and the Fourfold Grace. This paper highlights the relevance of the Fourfold Grace and gratitude practices in Won Buddhism for building the ecospiritual framework into practice, emphasizing their potential to enhance knowledge and practice integrity in the field. The overarching goal is to promote collective awareness and commitment, advanced practices toward the advancement of social work, social justice, and a sustainable well-being society. The future directions in this paper share thoughtful visions and hopes.

Working Individually and Collectively: Assisting Young People with Cognitive Disability Transitioning from Statutory Systems

AbstractYoung people with cognitive disability exiting statutory child protection and/or youth justice systems are a particularly vulnerable group. They have varied, complex and dynamic needs. These are often poorly responded to, due in part to a lack of formal and informal supports. There remains a lack of specialised supports and a dearth of evidence regarding best practice in supporting this group. This paper explores social work practices which respond to the social isolation of this cohort and the gap in support as young people transition to adulthood. The paper focuses on a group program in Queensland (Australia) which was specifically designed to support young people with a cognitive disability leaving child protection and/or youth justice systems. It reports on a subset of data from a mixed-methods study. It presents the perspectives of the young people and their practitioners regarding the practices that supported the engagement of young people and created opportunities for connection and skill development within the group program. The findings highlight the importance of relationship-driven practices that are supported and resourced by the organisation, and the need for parallel individual and group work processes for achieving positive outcomes with young people with cognitive disability transitioning from statutory systems.

Addressing loneliness in older adults: predictors, protective factors, and implications for social work practice

ABSTRACT Loneliness significantly impacts the mental well-being of older adults, prompting an examination of psychological predictors and buffering factors associated with it in this demographic. A cross-sectional study involving 246 community-dwelling older adults was conducted. The UCLA Loneliness Scale identified predictors of loneliness, including negative mood, hopelessness (negative future expectations and loss of motivation), and despair. Buffering factors included ego-integrity, personal growth, and purpose in life. Regression analysis revealed that negative mood, negative future expectations, and despair increased loneliness, with negative mood showing a strong association. Conversely, ego-integrity, personal growth, and purpose in life reduced loneliness. The study underscores the complex interplay of psychological factors shaping loneliness in older adults, highlighting the importance of addressing both risk and protective factors. Social work practitioners in healthcare settings can play a pivotal role in addressing loneliness among older adults by leveraging these factors.

Exclusive breastfeeding experience among healthcare working mothers in central Tanzania: A qualitative study

Background & Aim: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is essential for infant health, yet the global prevalence is below target. Tanzania is facing challenges in promoting EBF due to sociocultural and economic factors. Despite efforts, rates remained low, especially among working mothers. The experience of healthcare-working mothers in EBF is underexplored despite facing unique challenges like irregular schedules and workplace stressors. This study aims to explore healthcare-working women's experiences with EBF. Methods & Materials: This qualitative study involves fifteen participants from two referral hospitals in Tanzania. We employed semi-structured interviews to explore the significance of their lived experiences while keeping the interview on track. We sampled our participants using purposive and snowball sampling. The interviews were recorded using a digital audio recorder and transcribed verbatim. Then, thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Results: Participants shared insights into their EBF practices, highlighting the significance of breastfeeding knowledge and its benefits for mothers and children. Key themes identified were healthcare-working mothers' knowledge and practice of EBF, balancing EBF and work, and barriers to EBF while working. Mothers emphasized EBF's health and emotional benefits, noting strategies to ensure sufficient milk supply and challenges in maintaining EBF due to work demands, fatigue, and physiological discomforts. Support systems at home and workplace policies were crucial for facilitating EBF, yet the availability of alternative milk sometimes hindered sustained EBF. Conclusion: This research provides valuable insights into the experiences of healthcare-working mothers in EBF. The findings underscore the importance of promoting supportive environments, workplace policies, and social networks to facilitate exclusive breastfeeding continuation for working mothers.

Reconceptualizing early childhood education: Cartographic relational stories

In this article, we enact a partial cartographic storying of reconceptualist turns in our work. We do this by situating ourselves in relation to each other and our work across time as a mode of tracing the (situated) possibilities that these turns have enacted for children-in-relation with worlds. In enacting this dialogic and cartographic storying, we collaborate in a way that is inspired by Black methodologies. This means that we intentionally think with liberatory possibilities in our work in early childhood education research and practice across modalities, disciplines, temporalities and geographies. Importantly, like Black methodologies this co-theorizing is also ontological; it is inseparable from our own relational becomings. Following an anticolonial ethos, we are interested in the liberatory potentials of our work, at multiple scales and in different but specific places. We attempt to enact the difficult task of (re)storying our childhood education research and practice in ways that pay attention to the interconnected presences and effects of white supremacy, human supremacy and colonialism, while simultaneously refusing to reinscribe a flattened damage-centred understanding of children, educators and their relational worlds.

Forensic Doctorate Trainee Views on an Expert by Experience (EbE)-Led Workshop: A Qualitative Exploration of Trainee Reflections

ABSTRACT There is a growing recognition of the value of Expert by Experience (EbE) input into the training of forensic psychologists. This study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of doctoral trainees of an EbE led workshop. Sixteen trainees wrote reflective pieces of work following attending an EbE designed and led workshop. Four main themes were found: What I took from the workshop; Workshop delivery; What will I do differently?; and What needs to change? The findings point to the EbE led workshop having a positive impact on trainee current and future work practices.

Exploring staff experiences of remote working in a new community rehabilitation team

Background/Aims Health services required significant adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The remote community enhanced rehabilitation team was created during the pandemic in response to faster discharges. This service evaluation aimed to explore staff experiences of remote working when implementing this new community rehabilitation team. Methods Six members of the community enhanced rehabilitation team, including nursing and psychology staff, completed qualitative semi-structured interviews about staff experiences. The interviews explored experiences of delivering clinical care, providing and receiving team support and personal impacts of remote working. Data were analysed using thematic analysis via a critical-realist approach. Results Thematic analysis from the interview transcripts revealed five main themes: anxiety related to remote working practices during a global pandemic, work–life balance, developing relationships, limits to remote working and working towards a hybrid model. Conclusions Challenges and benefits of remote working were identified along with some mitigations. Moving forward, a hybrid working model would likely benefit both service users and staff.

Book Review: Social work practice during times of disaster: A transformative green social work model for theory, education and practice in disaster interventions by Dominelli Lena

Book Review: <i>Social work practice during times of disaster: A transformative green social work model for theory, education and practice in disaster interventions</i> by Dominelli Lena

The emotional ambiguities of healthcare professionals’ platform experiences

This paper investigates how healthcare professionals experience digital platforms in their work practices and how these relationships enable forms of emotional labour and contribute to shaping their emotional health.Methodologically, the contribution draws on audio-diaries kept by 15 healthcare professionals and a final semi-structured interview conducted with the same informants. The research material was analysed using open and axial coding techniques, in a grounded theory fashion.Findings provides meaningful insights to the literature on the emotional labour of healthcare professionals, as well as to studies on digital health and labour. Specifically, we show that participants associate different and even contrasting reflections and emotional states with their relationships with digital platforms. Thus, there is not exclusively one trajectory that can explain the implications of media uses, as different and potentially conflicting emotions coexist within the same experience. Given this scenario, we argue that it can be fruitful to use the lens of ‘ambiguity’ to scrutinise the ambivalences and tensions characterising platform experiences, and how emotional labour in healthcare intertwines with technological developments. Moreover, we advocate for the development of critical digital literacy skills among healthcare professionals.

Sticking Together to Remain Unique: Institutional Work Practices for Cooperation Resilience

Sticking Together to Remain Unique: Institutional Work Practices for Cooperation Resilience

Impact of High-Performance Work Practices on Employee Outcomes in Employee-Owned Companies

Impact of High-Performance Work Practices on Employee Outcomes in Employee-Owned Companies

Impact of High-Performance Work Practices on Employee Outcomes in Employee-Owned Companies

Impact of High-Performance Work Practices on Employee Outcomes in Employee-Owned Companies

Sticking Together to Remain Unique: Institutional Work Practices for Cooperation Resilience

Sticking Together to Remain Unique: Institutional Work Practices for Cooperation Resilience

Managing Institutional Complexity in Constrained Work Practices

Managing Institutional Complexity in Constrained Work Practices

Managing Institutional Complexity in Constrained Work Practices

Managing Institutional Complexity in Constrained Work Practices