Social Work Perspective Research Articles

Diverse Digital Responses to Loneliness in Older Adults: A Systematic Review from a Social Work Perspective

Abstract In an interconnected world, loneliness is paradoxically emerging as a growing threat to health, is associated with an increased likelihood of illness, and is becoming one of the most frequent causes of death among older adults. Experts from various disciplines have identified the pressing need to address this phenomenon and see technology as a powerful ally in facing the challenge. Through technological innovations in communication and connectivity, solutions are being explored to mitigate loneliness and foster social inclusion. This study aims to comprehensively and methodically analyze and systematize previous research on loneliness focusing on the effectiveness of various information and communication technology solutions aimed at mitigating feelings of loneliness in older adults over 65 from a social work perspective. The results confirm that older adults who participate in prevention and/or intervention programs against loneliness supported by information and communication technology report positive differences. However, although levels of loneliness are reduced compared to levels at the beginning of the intervention, they are never eliminated.

The challenges experienced by probation officer in the facilitation of diversion programmes: Social work perspective

The challenges experienced by probation officer in the facilitation of diversion programmes: Social work perspective

Conflict resolution in indigenous communities: A social work perspective

Indigenous communities possess rich traditions of conflict resolution rooted in their cultural values, collective decision-making, and community involvement. However, the imposition of Western legal frameworks and colonial histories has often disrupted these practices, leading to increased tensions and unresolved conflicts. This study explored conflict resolution within Indigenous communities, emphasizing the role of social work in facilitating culturally appropriate processes. The study employed a qualitative approach, incorporating interviews with Indigenous leaders, social workers, and community members, alongside a review of relevant literature on traditional practices and social work interventions. Social workers play a crucial role as facilitators, helping to navigate tensions and bridging gaps between traditional practices and contemporary needs. Challenges include a lack of cultural competency and the need for ongoing community engagement. The integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into conflict resolution practices enhance outcomes and foster healing. Social workers prioritize cultural humility and active listening, ensuring that Indigenous voices lead the resolution process. By supporting the reclamation of traditional conflict resolution methods and advocating for culturally sensitive practices, social workers empowered Indigenous communities, promote resilience, and facilitate more effective conflict resolution. This perspective underscores the necessity of collaboration, respect, and recognition of Indigenous sovereignty in all social work interventions.

Study on the Challenges and Strategies of Integrating Social Work into Community Care for Elderly Individuals with Disabilities

With the intensification of population aging, the elderly population base has expanded further, accompanied by a rise in the number of elderly individuals with disabilities. However, the current public elderly care resources are insufficient to meet the care needs of this population. This paper, grounded in the perspective of social work, explores the advantages and disadvantages of different care models for elderly individuals with disabilities and proposes targeted suggestions. It aims to establish a care model within the community that integrates family care as the foundation, complemented by case services and community care. The ultimate goal is to address the daily challenges faced by elderly individuals with disabilities and improve their quality of life and sense of well-being.

The role of volunteer guardians as a key actor in providing social protection for unaccompanied minors in Italy

AbstractThis article analyses the impact of the volunteer guardian role, as stipulated in Italy's Law no. 47/2017, on the reception of unaccompanied minors. The research, spanning 50 months from March 2018 to May 2019, focused on the metropolitan area of Rome. A combination of methodological tools, including participant observation, questionnaires, qualitative interviews, and focus groups, was employed to ensure comprehensive data collection. The research findings delineate the responsibilities of volunteer guardians, encompassing legal representation, educational support, and networking within the established system. Furthermore, the results integrate the perspectives of social workers and minors regarding the guardian's evolving role and elucidate the nature of relationships formed between these stakeholders. The involvement of multiple decision‐makers in the child's life, including voluntary guardians, social workers, foster care professionals, and juvenile judges, results in a diverse allocation of responsibilities and roles. These are continuously negotiated as part of a shared responsibility with a variable geometry.

Social workers dealing with situations of abuse against adults and older people: a research study in an Italian region

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the point of view and the interventions of social workers working in local authority social services on the issue of abuse against vulnerable adults and older people. The cases are analyzed from the perspective of dangerous care, considering the interpersonal level of violence and the structural and contextual conditions. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a qualitative methodology; 49 semistructured interviews with social workers across seven districts in a province in Northern Italy were carried out. The interviews included both open-ended questions and the description of specific cases. Findings This study highlights how the shortcomings in the welfare system (lack of legislation, dedicated services and protocols between different services) and the complexity of cases (often involving family members with personal issues) negatively impact social workers’ professional practice. Social workers often operate in solitude and encounter ethical dilemmas. This isolation can lead them to adopt an approach aimed at controlling situations, which may not always take into account the preferences of the individuals directly involved. Research limitations/implications This study captures the perspectives of social workers within a limited geographic area. To gain a more comprehensive understanding, it would be beneficial to extend research to a national level. Another limitation is the absence of the opinion of those directly involved. Originality/value There is currently no research in Italy that explores the opinions of social workers on this issue, which, in general, is little studied. The findings of this research can be highly valuable for professionals and policymakers to organize services and develop intervention protocols, which are currently lacking in the areas where the study was conducted.

School Social Worker Perspectives on Faculty Performance Evaluations

Abstract The National Evaluation Framework for School Social Work Practice is an evaluation tool developed over a decade ago to provide clarity and guidance on how to evaluate the roles and duties of school social workers (SSWers). As SSWers have varying roles and responsibilities in different school ecosystems, the need to use a valid and reliable measurement is important as performance evaluations can influence the fidelity of prevention and intervention methods, needed duties at Tiers 1–3, compensation, and job stability. The participants completed an online survey with open-ended items and Likert scale items. The results revealed four themes: (1) the differing roles of SSWers at all levels of the school ecosystem, (2) unclear performance expectations, (3) support and well-being and work-related stress, and (4) resources needed for work performance. This article also provides implications for future practice and research on training, the implementation of the National Evaluation Framework School Social Work Practice, and leadership in the school ecosystem and school district.

A Study on Social Status of Institutionalized Single Mothers – Social Work Perspective

A Study on Social Status of Institutionalized Single Mothers – Social Work Perspective

Managing marital disputes in Lebanese religious courts from a social work perspective: A study on the importance of family mediation offices in Lebanese Druze religious courts as a model

This study explores how marital disputes are managed in the Druze community's religious courts from theoretical and practical perspectives and analyzes the methods and mechanisms used to resolve marital conflicts. This study is categorized as a qualitative approach, as it is a descriptive exploratory study that relies on the phenomenological method to explore how marital conflict is managed in the religious courts of the Druze sect for the Monotheist community. This will be done through the study's theoretical framework and by conducting field interviews with the participants, such as social workers, judges, attorneys, and those going through marital problems. Through these interviews, we hope to learn more about their perspectives on handling marital disagreements and their experiences managing them in religious courts and identify alternative methods for resolving these disputes within the courts. The results of this study and recommendations can be utilized to develop a new strategy for managing marital conflict that aligns with needs and considers scientific standards. This study may help intervenors working with couples reevaluate how they handle disagreements.

Social Work and Psychoeducational Markers Regarding University Education for Students with Disabilities

The main purpose of this article is to theoretically present a perspective for social work and the field of education regarding psychoeducation, as a way to ensure an inclusive approach to quality education in university studies for disabled students. The approach of the research topic is a theoretical one, based on the fact that psychoeducation is a new method of psychosocial intervention; its role is to support various categories of beneficiaries, aiding medical professionals, psychotherapists and social workers. The discussions part of our research concentrate on the fact that psychoeducation focuses on the educational methods that can be used to facilitate the acquisition of information and skills by a person or their relatives, when there are incidents of various psycho-cognitive or behavioral illnesses that raise medical, social, psychological difficulties for the integration of the person in a family, community, inter and intra-personal level, with the aim of medically and socially rehabilitate the beneficiary in all aspects of their existence. Psychoeducation involves a series of direct interventions, which are focused on the education of the participants and on the support and development of their adaptation skills to the social context in which they live. The conclusions chapter emphasizes on the issue that psychoeducation has become a common technique in social work practice since the 1970s, as it involves educating participants about the significant challenges of the client's illness, helping them develop their social skills, personal resources, and ability to manage existing or new challenges they face.

Potential ethical frameworks to support professional social care employees who work alongside parents with a learning disability

Questions continue to be asked about the ability of many parents with a learning disability (PWLD) to support their children. Relatedly, in countries including Australia, the US and the UK, significantly more children are removed from PWLD than children whose parents have no additional needs. This article draws from qualitative interviews with a sample of professional social care employees in the north-west of England to better understand their experiences of and responsibilities in work alongside PWLD. Findings include the exploration of understanding learning disabilities and offering appropriate support, completing assessments, receiving adequate training and support from supervisors, engagements with courts of law, and the removal of children. As a possible challenge to increasingly dominant biomedical and risk-averse discourses, the article also considers the feasibility and limitations of utilising rights-based and communitarian ethical frameworks for understanding the support needs of PWLD from a social work and social care practitioner perspective.

Women With Breast Cancer in Malaysia: Social Work Perspectives on the Challenges and Social Support

It has been reported that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting women in Malaysia. A diagnosis of breast cancer will usually bring upon a set of issues and challenges affecting the well-being of these women. The aim of this article is to provide a literature review regarding the biopsychosocial issues, challenges, social support and adaptation process experienced by women with breast cancer, with an application to the Malaysian setting focusing on the Malaysian sociocultural backgrounds. The discussion of this article focuses on the importance of social support in adaptation process such as from immediate family members, support group and the medical team following the challenges faced by the patients such as ones stemming from their cultural background, their biological issues and their refusal to seek treatments. The overall review of the literature is aligned with the social work values in addressing human wellbeing, including the recognition of the psychosocial and sociocultural backgrounds as powerful components of health in practice and policies. Finally, this article will provide insights for the helping profession in the country such as medical social workers in providing social work assessments and interventions suitable for Asian women with breast cancer.

Graduate qualities for preservice health and welfare professionals for collaborative prevention and early intervention for child maltreatment: A qualitative study

AimThis study explored Australian nursing, midwifery and social work perspectives on needs within pre-service education to enable interprofessional public health responses to child maltreatment. BackgroundChild maltreatment is a global public health concern, but little is known about how well health and welfare professionals are equipped for interprofessional responses to child maltreatment during initial pre-service qualification. DesignQualitative, World Café approach with online roundtable discussions. MethodsTwenty-five participants attended one of three online roundtables in October 2023. Participants were nurses, midwives and social workers from Australia with expertise in tertiary education, professional regulation and/or child protection. Data were analysed through inductive thematic analysis. ResultsGraduates are not well-equipped during their pre-service education for collaborative responses to child maltreatment. Findings identified four core areas of focus so health and welfare professionals can effectively collaborate to respond to child maltreatment. Core areas are described as graduate qualities and encompass broad domains of knowledge, skills and values which are transferable across multiple areas of practice. ConclusionsOur study proposes core qualities which are essential for health and welfare professional pre-service education to equip graduates for collaborative responses to child maltreatment. Key barriers included lack of shared interprofessional language and priorities, meaning future work should establish consensus on essential knowledge, skills and values. A shared understanding which acknowledges disciplinary nuances is vital to inform curriculum that equips future professionals to collaboratively mitigate harms from child maltreatment.

Autistic SPACE(S) in Social Work

Social work has a vital role to play in supporting Autistic people of all ages. Whether in facilitating access to other services, such as housing, enhancing quality of life, or in a safeguarding capacity, social workers have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure their practice ensures full, equitable involvement of Autistic people. Regrettably, research evidence indicates practice is not always inclusive and can fall short in responding effectively to Autistic people’s needs. This article adds to recent UK practice guidance and social work scholarship concerning social work and autism. It does so by introducing a framework developed by Autistic doctors for meeting Autistic people’s needs in medical settings known as ‘Autistic SPACE’ and exploring how it could be used for social work contexts. The five core autistic needs recognised in the SPACE framework are addressed, i.e. Sensory, Predictability, Acceptance, Communication and Empathy. How a practice-near social work perspective may aid in developing the framework further is also considered, extending the acronym from SPACE to SPACES to highlight the significance of Social Safety and Support.

School Social Workers' Reports of Differences in Policies and Practices in Trauma-Informed and Non-Trauma-Informed Schools.

This study explored trauma-informed schools from the perspective of social workers, documenting the reported practices and policies associated with trauma-informed approaches in U.S. schools. Survey data from 538 school social workers were analyzed to investigate the differences in policies and practices between schools identified as trauma informed and not. Logistic regression analyses examined whether the presence of specific school practices and policies was associated with the identification of a school as trauma informed. Of a wide array of programs and policies that may be present in trauma-informed schools, only the presence of trauma training and resources for secondary traumatic stress were key predictors of social workers' identification of a school as trauma informed. The implementation of trauma training has long been the primary focus of trauma-informed approaches in schools. Should commitment to trauma-informed approaches endure, we recommend moving beyond training and secondary traumatic stress resources to deepen the field's focus on implementing trauma-informed practices and policies at all organizational levels. We also recommend that future research looks carefully at how some school safety and trauma-informed approaches may be incompatible and the extent to which trauma-informed approaches improve or detract from children's educational experiences and outcomes.

Social workers’ views on neglect of people with disabilities: From perspectives to practices

Summary This research explores the neglect of people with disabilities from the perspective of social workers in Israel, delving into the key issues and dilemmas surrounding their treatment. A qualitative approach was employed for this research. The study involved 40 social workers, with 25 completing an online qualitative survey and 15 participating in in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify major themes related to the studied issue. Findings The research identified three major themes. The first theme focuses on social workers’ perspectives on neglect of people with disabilities. The second theme explores challenges in social workers’ coping with the phenomenon of neglect of people with disabilities. The third theme delves into factors impeding treatment in cases of neglect of people with disabilities. Applications The neglect of people with disabilities constitutes a serious social problem that demands changes in policy and practice. Consequently, there is a pressing need to establish a clear definition of neglect, implement a national protocol for addressing the phenomenon, enhance the training of social workers, and bolster supervision and control to improve the response to neglect experienced by people with disabilities.

Perspectives of Social Work Faculty/Staff and Students About Online Learning and Practicum Education

ABSTRACT COVID-19 caused massive disruption in education, with most programs shifting abruptly to online instruction. This study, employing a descriptive analytical approach, examined the retrospective and current (fall 2022) perceptions and preferences of undergraduate and graduate social work students, as well as faculty/staff, regarding online classroom education and practicums before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 79 social work faculty/staff and students were recruited, and findings indicated that flexibility should be increased for students by offering some classes online or as hybrids but certain core social work courses, such as those that use role plays, should remain in-person. Client needs must come first when considering modality for practicum experiences, but some face- to-face engagement is recommended for students to get the most from their placements. Faculty indicated that flexibility in their schedules is desired, although it may increase a sense of isolation.

Can you spare 100days? The allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant caregiver requirement from the perspective of social workers.

A caregiver is generally required for a patient to proceed with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). If continuous caregiver support is not available, alloHCT will likely not be a treatment option. A qualitative study design was used to explore caregiver requirements from the perspectives of social workers (SWs). Secondary objectives included learning about requirement flexibility, barriers, and ideas to support patients and caregivers. Semi-structured web-based focus groups were conducted with alloHCT SWs who worked with adults at the United States (U.S.) transplant centers (TCs) from May to July 2022. Focus groups explored TC caregiver requirements, including flexibility and exceptions, origins, and barriers. Twenty-two SWs from TCs across the U.S. participated. All noted their TC required a caregiver to proceed to alloHCT, though there was variation in the length of time a caregiver was required and the distance needed to stay near the TC post-alloHCT. Most participants described differences within the transplant team in allowing exceptions to caregiver requirements. SWs described barriers including finances and patients needing to relocate closer to the TC. SWs reported variation in caregiver requirements across TCs. Though variation may allow for some flexibility, it may contribute to access barriers. Additional research is needed to identify essential requirements for safe post-transplant care and monitoring and to develop patient-centered models to help patients access life-saving treatment.

Social workers’ perceptions and attitudes of environmental issues and sustainable development as social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand

INTRODUCTION: Environmental and sustainable social work is gaining momentum in social work due to the rising concern of climate change and environmental degradation. Despite the social work profession being committed to social justice, the perspectives of social workers practising in Aotearoa New Zealand on environmental/green social work are yet to be explored. This study explored social workers’ attitudes and beliefs on environmental justice and sustainable practice. It also examined what factors support them to consider environmental issues in social work practice. METHODS: A survey using an online portal was conducted with qualified social workers to assess their attitudes and knowledge. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: A total of 102 questionnaires were analysed. The results indicated moderate levels of pro-ecological perspectives and awareness of sustainability attitudes, high level of agreement including Māori and other indigenous tradition and wisdom in ecological justice, strong belief in climate change and the importance of factoring environmental issues in social work practice. While over 80% of the participants thought that environmental issues should be part of social work practice, there are still gaps in translating these into practice. Participants would like to see more environmental issues being integrated into social work education to better prepare graduates entering the profession. CONCLUSIONS: Social work education is urged to incorporate the natural environment, environmental justice and values and skills across the curriculum to advance the social justice mission to reduce the disparity among those who are vulnerable and marginalised.

Language matters: what can social workers learn from the transgender community?

ABSTRACT Questions of language and its contribution to constructing and preserving the social order have gradually entered social work research. This paper seeks to add to this professional scholarship by examining the concrete impact of language usage on real persons in everyday interactions. It is based on an interview study with eleven members of the transgender community in Israel and anchored in the feminist social work perspective. Transgender individuals challenge seemingly natural social conventions and do not necessarily conform to expected coherency between biology and gender. Since most Hebrew grammatical forms make clear distinctions based on gender, these individuals often lack adequate means for conducting a dialogue consistent with their sense of self. The interviewees’ descriptions highlight the pivotal role Hebrew plays in realizing their identity, thus providing a better opportunity for enhancing our understanding of the strategic power of language than the discourse of members of predominant social groups. These findings have potential implications for social work teaching and practice, especially in relation to undoing injustice.