Social Service Sector Research Articles

Supportive Leadership for Impact on Building Organisation Resilience

The health, aged and social care service sectors routinely need to deal with the consequences of stress in the delivery of care and support services; trauma; interpersonal conflict; accidents; rationing; and sustainability. For sustained and healthy functioning health workers need intrinsic and extrinsic support for resilience or the ability to maintain confident, steady and healthy functioning in response to such consequences of stress [1]. Those providing direct and indirect care [2] and those working in varied and challenging areas and location of care delivery [3] need constructs and skills to build and deal with resilience individually as well as in conjunction with collective opportunities within their organisations (teams, units, groups and organisations).....

Burnout Among Social Workers in Social Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence

This study aimed to conduct, for the first time, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the level of burnout among social workers in the social services sector and to identify factors associated with burnout among them. Using PRISMA guidelines, searches were carried out from January 1, 1990 through January 10, 2024. Exclusively primary studies implementing the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) questionnaire for diagnosing burnout were included in the review. In total, data were extracted from 24 studies, including 16,962 social services workers from seven countries. The random-effects pooled prevalence estimate of burnout was 20% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13–27%). Pooled Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and lack of Personal Accomplishment (PA) were 50% (95% CI 38–62%), 45% (95% CI 34–64%), and 39% (95% CI 26–52%), respectively. Several variables emerged as significantly associated with higher prevalence of burnout, including older age, lower response rate, and studies conducted outside Europe. Overall, the current review demonstrated that approximately half of the social workers in the social services sector experienced burnout. A uniform diagnostic tool for the assessment of burnout is warranted, and further studies on burnout in lower- and middle-income countries are suggested.

Structural violence and necropolitics among Indigenous Peoples living with HIV who use substances in the Prairie provinces during COVID-19

BackgroundWithin Manitoba and Saskatchewan, pre-existing health inequities amongst Indigenous groups were intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Service disruptions in the health and social service sector—combined with the effects of intersectional stigma—disproportionately impacted Indigenous peoples living with HIV (IPLH). IPLH experience structural violence and necropolitical exclusion through systemic forms of stigma situated within Canada's expansive colonial history. Utilizing the theoretical foundations of structural violence and necropolitics, this qualitative study examines how the COVID-19 pandemic amplified preceding states of inequity for IPLH. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 participants. The sample comprised of those with lived experience (n = 45) as well as those who provided services for IPLH (n = 15). Indigenous Storywork guided the data collection and analysis process. Topics explored within each interview included access to health and social services, harm reduction, substance use, and experiences in providing services during COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes throughout each story. ResultsOur results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and amplified pre-existing forms of structural violence and necropolitical logics for IPLH within Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Specifically, we describe how structural violence and necropolitics are manifested via three main avenues— (i) restrictions and removal of care, (ii) bureaucracy and institutional care politics, and (iii) discrimination and systemic racism within the Canadian healthcare system. ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic within Manitoba and Saskatchewan sparked massive changes in service provision within settler-colonial and neoliberal institutions of care. For those services that remained open to IPLH, masking requirements, questionnaire requirements, scheduling requirements, and a lack of in-person services acted as only some of the barriers described by community members as detrimental to care access. Increased experiences of discrimination in health care on the basis of substance use or HIV status further limited access to needed services.

Conceptual framework for ethical artificial intelligence development in social services sector

This research explores the domain of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social good, with a particular emphasis on its application in social welfare and service delivery. The study seeks to establish a universal conceptual framework for ethically integrating AI into the social services sector, recognizing the sector's significant yet underexplored potential for AI utilization. The objective is to develop a comprehensive framework applicable to the ethical deployment of AI in social services, using Lithuania as a case study to illustrate its practicality. This involves analysing the political discourse on AI, examining its applications in social welfare, identifying ethical challenges, evaluating the digitalization progress in Lithuania's public services, and formulating guidelines for AI integration at various stages of delivering social services. Our methodology is rooted in document analysis, encompassing a thorough review of both normative and scientific literature pertinent to the ethical application of AI in social welfare. Key findings reveal that AI's anticipated positive impacts on diverse social and economic areas, as highlighted in political declarations, are being partially realized, as corroborated by scientific studies. Although the global application of AI in social welfare is expanding, Lithuania presents a unique case with its strategic planning gaps in this sector. The developed conceptual framework offers vital criteria for the ethical implementation of AI systems designed to be universally applicable to various stages of social services, accommodating different AI applications, client groups, and institutional environments.

What alleviates the harmful effect of strain on recovery from work of 4478 health and social services workers? A cross-sectional study.

To analyse whether the harmful effect of job demands on recovery can be alleviated by healthy lifestyle, psychological recovery experiences and job resources. We also describe their prevalence among employees in different types of eldercare service and in the health and social services sector in general. Cross-sectional study. The data were collected using a self-report survey in 2020 in the health and social services sector organizations (n = 4478). Employees were classified as the following service types: general health and social services (N = 3225), home care (N = 452), service housing (N = 550) and outpatient and ward care (N = 202). The data were analysed using percentages, cross-tabulations and logistic regression analysis. Poor recovery, high job demands, low appreciation and low autonomy in terms of worktime and breaks were more prevalent in eldercare. Employers could alleviate the risk of high job demands by offering job resources-appreciation, autonomy in terms of worktimes and breaks-and motivating employees to maintain healthy lifestyle habits and use recovery experiences such as relaxation. The study emphasizes the importance of appreciation in the health and social services sector context. Even with moderate levels of appreciation employers can protect employees from poor recovery from work in the demanding health and social services work environment. Eldercare employees face continuous and accumulating work strain at the same time as the sector struggles against a labour shortage. One way to prevent the harmful consequences of strain is to enhance recovery from work. Employers could alleviate the risk of high job demands and poor recovery by showing appreciation and giving employees more autonomy in terms of work time and breaks during the workday. This could also motivate employees to keep up healthy lifestyle habits and use their recovery experiences. Results are important especially in the daily management of HSS work. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER CONTRIBUTE TO THE WIDER GLOBAL CLINICAL COMMUNITY?: Managers in the health and social services sector and eldercare can use these findings to promote recovery from work. STROBE checklist. No patient or public contribution.

노인 대상 비대면 사회서비스 제공 경험 및 효과적 제공 방안에 관한 연구: 종사자 FGI 분석을 중심으로

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in the adoption of non-face-to-face services within the social services sector has been observed. Despite these advancements, the accessibility and effectiveness of non-face-to-face services for older adults, a significant beneficiary group of social services, remain constrained due to factors such as low digital literacy and insufficient physical environments. This research aimed to explore more effective ways of delivering non-face-to-face social services to older adults who continue to rely on such services. The study conducted focus group interviews (FGI) with staff from major institutions providing social services to older adults, aiming to comprehend the overall status of non-face-to-face social service provision and to explore factors influencing the level of service provision and effective delivery. The analysis results prompted the formulation of specific recommendations for the effective provision of non-face-to-face social services for older adults, organized according to influential factors. Firstly, it is imperative that the purpose of non-face-to-face services prioritizes interpersonal communication, with effectiveness contingent upon the activation of communication. Secondly, at the institutional level, flexibility in service provision, strategic decision-making in service delivery methods, resident education initiatives, enhancement of digital capabilities among institutional staff, deployment of support personnel, encouragement of experiential learning, and the provision of non-face-to-face services for physical health were identified as crucial elements. Lastly, at the policy level, there is a pressing need for support in physical environments for both service providers and users, the development of user guides and user-friendly devices to enhance convenience, and flexibility in budget utilization. These recommendations collectively contribute to the enhancement of non-face-to-face social services, ensuring their efficacy and accessibility for the older adult population.

Unpaid carers of people with dementia and information communication technology: Use, impact and ideas for the future.

Several 100,000s of people living with dementia in the UK are cared for at home by a spouse or relative. Few studies have considered the ICT needs and experiences of unpaid carers. This study explores the types of ICT unpaid carers use, the ways they use ICT, the impact of ICT-use, and their ideas for how ICT could be more supportive of their role as a carer. Six focus groups with 32 unpaid carers of people living with dementia discussed their experiences of - and barriers to - using ICT. Transcripts were analysed thematically according to three types of ICT (mainstream, accessible and formal) and five functions (supporting domestic tasks, care management, monitoring, communication and information and education). Participants predominantly used mainstream ICT devices such as laptops and smartphones and internet-enabled applications including videoconferencing and social media platforms to support their daily activities and assist them in their caring role. A few participants discussed using accessible devices such as memory clocks and formal telecare and care-phone services for care management and monitoring functions. Participants' ideas for improvements centred on personalised communication applications that facilitate remote interactions and promote persons living with dementia's independence. Others expressed concerns about the growing need to use ICT to access formal care services and the inadequacy of the ICT infrastructure in some care homes. Unpaid carers mostly turn to readily available mainstream ICT to support their personal and care activities. Further research is required to understand the social impact of the increasing reliance of ICT across health, social and residential care service sectors. Improved cooperation between unpaid carers, technology developers and care services providers could align ICT development to the needs and experiences of families living with dementia and assist unpaid carers with identifying ICTs that optimally support their personal circumstances.

La contribution des fournisseurs à la résilience de la chaîne logistique d'équipements de protection individuelle

AbstractThe disruptions experienced by the healthcare supply chain of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID‐19 pandemic highlighted the importance of initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience of this chain. This research takes the point of view of suppliers who were involved in the first months of the pandemic to fully understand their reading of events and thus be able to identify resilience initiatives to face future crises. The case under study is that of the PPE supply chain of the public healthcare and social services sector in the province of Quebec. Interviews with 23 suppliers were the main source of data, which was analyzed through the lens of social capital theory. This case study demonstrates that traditional resiliency initiatives such as safety stock or excess production capacity at suppliers would be better calibrated if buyers conducted a supplier market watch to anticipate major turbulence that could impact the supply chain.

Exploring Customer Engagement in the Era of Advanced Technology: A Focus on Social Service Sectors

Exploring Customer Engagement in the Era of Advanced Technology: A Focus on Social Service Sectors

How do parents care together? Dyadic parental leave take-up strategies, wages and workplace characteristics

The article explores the association between within-household couples’ parental leave take-up strategies and parents’ earning capacity (hourly wages) and their workplace characteristics. The results, based on the social security register data from Luxembourg, reveal that a couple strategy where both partners take parental leave is more likely when the partners have equal earning capacity, when the mother works in the sector of education, health and social services rather than in other sectors, and when the father is employed in a larger-sized company. Couples where the mother earns more than the father are more likely to opt for a strategy where neither parent takes any leave. The economic sector moderates the effect of fathers’ wages on the probability of choosing the strategy where both partners take leave.

An Examination of Stakeholder-Driven Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tools in Medical Care Delivery

The growing recognition that social risk factors influence individual and population health has generated stakeholder support in the promotion of health equity, bridging partnerships across health care, public health, and social service sectors. The integration of social care into health care delivery requires routine screening to identify and address health-related social needs (HRSN). Screening tools must be short, accessible, and inclusive and accurately reflect potential risks to prioritize tailored interventions. However, HRSNs are also sensitive and can prompt additional ethical concerns when integrated with clinical practice in medical care. This paper examines the psychometric properties of three stakeholder-driven HRSN screening tools to identify adverse, unmet risks among oncology patients. Further research is needed to ensure social needs initiatives protect sensitive social data in electronic health records and that patients with complex medical and social needs receive comprehensive resources through targeted service connections.

A roadmap for sustainable implementation of vocational rehabilitation for people with mental disorders and its outcomes: a qualitative evaluation

BackgroundPeople suffering from mental health disorders have lower work participation compared to people without mental challenges. To increase work participation within this group vocational rehabilitation interventions are often offered. Collaboration between the mental health care and social security sectors is needed to enable professionals to perform optimally when carrying out these interventions. Yet, regulatory and financial barriers often hinder sustainable implementation. To overcome these barriers an experimental roadmap for sustainable funding based on a shared savings strategy was piloted in four regions. The aim of the present qualitative study was to gain understanding of the uses of this roadmap and the factors that were important in the experiment’s process.MethodThe roadmap consisted of five steps based upon insights from shared savings strategies and implementation science knowledge, and was initiated by a national steering board. The roadmap aimed to make sustainable funding agreements (based on shared savings) for the implementation of a vocational rehabilitation intervention. In four regions, stakeholders from the mental health care and social security services sector followed the roadmap. We conducted interviews (n = 16) with involved participants and project leaders of the experiment and collected 54 sets of field notes and documents to evaluate the roadmap process. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsRegions perceived improved stakeholder collaboration around vocational rehabilitation after they were guided by the roadmap. Three regions made, or intended to make, agreements on collaboration and funding, yet not based on shared savings. Moreover, going through the roadmap took more time than anticipated. Stakeholder collaboration depended on factors like personal and organizational interests and collaboration conditions and values. Financial legislation and politics were regarded as barriers and personal motives were mentioned as a facilitator in this process.ConclusionsOur study showed that the roadmap supported stakeholders to establish a more sustainable collaboration, even though no sustainable financial agreements were made yet. Although participants acknowledged the function of financial insights and the need for financial resources, the driver for collaboration was found to be more on improving clients’ perspectives than on solving unfair financial distribution issues. This suggests modifying the focus of the roadmap from financial benefits to improving clients’ perspectives.

Interprofessional Educational Needs for Shared Governance of Integrated Care.

This study investigated the educational needs of integrated care among professionals in the public sector of healthcare and social care services in South Korea. A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was performed. Original data were obtained from 10 metropolitan communities with a convenience sample of 210 integrated care professionals. The Borich Needs Assessment Model and the Locus for Focus Model were used to examine the priority educational needs of each integrated care professional. This study analyzed the key details of educational needs in integrated care by focusing on the competencies of integrated care approaches for person-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, and community involvement. The core educational needs of community care administrators, care coordinators, healthcare and social care providers, and community health champions, which are common to all professionals, and the specific educational needs for each type of professional were demonstrated, which contained specific content to implement integrated care. This study provides an opportunity to comprehensively understand the educational needs of integrated care professionals based on their competencies. They want better interprofessional cooperation through networking and collaborative strategies. The results of this study may be utilized as fundamental data by future instructors to provide evidence-based education programs.

SECTOR-WISE CHANGES IN THE INDIAN LABOUR MARKET: DURING PRE AND POST WTO REGIME

SECTOR-WISE CHANGES IN THE INDIAN LABOUR MARKET: DURING PRE AND POST WTO REGIME

Le logement accessible au Canada

Currently there is limited research on accessible housing provisions for persons with disabilities (PWD) within Canada. The aim of our study is to provide an overview of how shortages of accessible housing are being addressed through the National Housing Strategy (NHS), with an additional look at provincial-level initiatives to tackle the issue, using Nova Scotia as a case study. As the NHS is only five years old, a thorough overview of its outcomes was not possible. However, our study revealed a few critical shortcomings regarding current initiatives—including ambiguous targeting for accessible housing development, lack of coordination between the housing and social services sectors, and (over-)reliance on market-based solutions. Broader understanding of accessible housing needs, more empirical examples of how different sectors can work together, and clarification of the costs and benefits of accessible housing are all necessary in order to more holistically address the accessible housing challenges. Wider application of accessibility design codes, alliance-building among vulnerable community groups to develop stronger voices, and enhanced monitoring systems are additional avenues for action.

First Phase of Integrated Care Initiative PAIK in Estonia: Lessons Learned

Background: Patients with chronic conditions often experience fragmented care and suboptimal health outcomes. Therefore, initiatives to improve the care-continuum of high-risk patients have emerged in Estonia. PAIK project was the first which tried to integrate social-services sector, specialist care and primary healthcare to co-ordinate the care for high-risk elderly patients with social health determinants. Although we measured improved perception of quality of care and level of integration, pragmatic analysis with matched controls failed to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.
 Aim: To analyse and describe lessons learned from PAIK initiative and if intervention or implementation failure explains the negative results of the project.
 Method: A qualitative analysis using focused interviews and expert opinion was used.
 Results: Firstly, the PAIK project was more a pragmatic service design and feasibility exercise than a full-fledged study designed to demonstrate better health outcomes. It was started without power analysis and analytical components were added later. No control arm was used and having social health determinants as inclusion criteria prevented retrospectively finding an unbiased propensity matched control group. Analysis showed that majority of the patients included, belonged to a very high-risk stratum (top 1%), where care-management is less effective. Also we found that not all components of the intervention were aligned with reducing hospitalisations and ER-visits.
 Another factor was that the healthcare sector lacked any prior experience with integrated care practice implementation and scaling, so the lack of existing workforce resulted in training activities continuing well into the duration of the project. Mid-study there was a change in clinical leadership, which also resulted in target population adjustment and process redesign.
 Thirdly we failed to identify and recruit champions from the primary care and social services sides, therefore engagement of these sectors was modest and the service was dominantly specialist care focused. The Covid pandemia also coincided causing resource conflicts in the sector both on hospital and primary care side. 
 Despite these above mentioned shortcomings, we consider the study generally a success, as we feel that focusing on social health determinants is important in such services and was very welcomed by both the social service providers and GP nurses. Also due to our project the role of care managers was defined in Estonia and educational programs implemented. Also, a functional care-management software module was developed and tested during the service. Finally our experience has been seen as valuable and has attracted specialist in several other counties to invest in integrated care efforts and there is greater readiness to change.
 Conclusions: Despite the PAIK intervention in Viljandi being well received by the patients and showed better patient reported outcomes, it failed to convincingly reduce health resource utilisation and hospitalisations. Both components of intervention failure and implementation failure are probably responsible. Experience from the project however might improve the success of future initiatives and be part of the foundation for care-delivery model innovation in Estonia.

Identification of Strategic Directions for Change Management in Social Services Sector

Identification of Strategic Directions for Change Management in Social Services Sector

Suicides, drug poisonings, and alcohol-related deaths cluster with health and social disadvantage in 4.1 million citizens from two nations.

Deaths from suicides, drug poisonings, and alcohol-related diseases ('deaths of despair') are well-documented among working-age Americans, and have been hypothesized to be largely specific to the U.S. However, support for this assertion-and associated policies to reduce premature mortality-requires tests concerning these deaths in other industrialized countries, with different institutional contexts. We tested whether the concentration and accumulation of health and social disadvantage forecasts deaths of despair, in New Zealand and Denmark. We used nationwide administrative data. Our observation period was 10 years (NZ = July 2006-June 2016, Denmark = January 2007-December 2016). We identified all NZ-born and Danish-born individuals aged 25-64 in the last observation year (NZ = 1 555 902, Denmark = 2 541 758). We ascertained measures of disadvantage (public-hospital stays for physical- and mental-health difficulties, social-welfare benefit-use, and criminal convictions) across the first nine years. We ascertained deaths from suicide, drugs, alcohol, and all other causes in the last year. Deaths of despair clustered within a population segment that disproportionately experienced multiple disadvantages. In both countries, individuals in the top 5% of the population in multiple health- and social-service sectors were at elevated risk for deaths from suicide, drugs, and alcohol, and deaths from other causes. Associations were evident across sex and age. Deaths of despair are a marker of inequalities in countries beyond the U.S. with robust social-safety nets, nationwide healthcare, and strong pharmaceutical regulations. These deaths cluster within a highly disadvantaged population segment identifiable within health- and social-service systems.

Mental stress and resources in the sectors of IT services and social services – The potential of company occupational safety and health policy for developing health-promoting organisations

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic greatly increased the demands on employees and companies for handling mental stress and resources. A mixed-methods design was used to examine contrasting occupational groups, i. e. IT service workers (IT), and care workers and home helps providing social care (SC) in clients’ homes. First, this paper analyses how the mental health of both occupational groups was affected by the pandemic. Second, the potential of risk assessments for mental health (RA-M) for developing health-promoting organisations is investigated. While the first question is analysed with quantitative company surveys before and during the pandemic, the second question draws on qualitative company case studies. The quantitative survey shows few differences in health outcomes for the occupational groups during the observation period. In contrast to social care employees, IT employees were able to work at home. The social care employees show a greater fear of infection and report little influence over their work. In IT, the lack of direct contact with colleagues was perceived as stressful, while improvements in work autonomy were reported. The case study findings show that implementing RA-M contributed to reducing work-related stress and to fostering health-related resources. RA-M-based workplace interventions proved to be overarching social innovations that extended beyond OSH by improving work structures and enabling health-sensitive organisational development.

THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL SERVICE: CURRENT TRENDS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES

This research paper explores the dynamic relationship between technology and social service, shedding light on current trends, challenges, and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field. As technology continues to transform the way society operates, the social service sector is no exception. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of how technology is being leveraged to enhance social services, with a focus on key trends, including the adoption of artificial intelligence, the growth of telehealth, and the impact of data analytics on decision-making in social service organizations. It also delves into the ethical and equity considerations associated with these technological advancements.