Role Of Social Workers Research Articles

‘Brick’ or ‘Bridge’? – The roles and functions of Chinese social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been shaping Chinese social workers to contribute to public health. To study the details, this article aims to explore the roles of social workers during the pandemic in China’s mainland and how social workers fulfilled their roles. The study used a cross-sectional design with a convergent parallel-mixed methodology. Its findings provide another piece of evidence demonstrating the functions of social work practitioners during a health crisis worldwide. However, the ambiguities of the social work profession in addressing public health emergencies were also unveiled in the case of China.

Social work at the end of life: Humanization of the process

This article examines the role of social workers involved in a pilot home care project undertaken to attend to the social needs of people at the end of their lives and their carers. Mixed methods approach and evidence-based, constructivist, and comprehensive evaluation were chosen to achieve this aim. Analyses are based on 235 responses from a survey addressed to professionals working in the project, 22 in-depth interviews with a selected group of these professionals, and 114 semi-structured interviews with the sick people and their caregivers. The analysis of the data has considered the theoretical development and professional experience systematized in the Spanish and international literature on social work in end-of-life care. The results highlight the relevance that professionals, patients, and carers attribute to social care at the end of life and to the role, skills, and qualities of social workers. Their contribution has been valued in terms of the management of services and supports (speed, availability, kindness, sensitivity), the establishment of teamwork (coordination, facilitation), and the recognition of the basic principles of the care process (individualization, respect for privacy, confidentiality). Findings demonstrate that social work is a profession well placed to help in the recognition of people's dignity at the end of life, in the exercise of their self-determination, and in the humanization of the care process. Some challenges facing consolidation of this professional practice are also indicated within a framework constrained by a predominantly biomedical culture.

PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES FOR TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN DURING THE WAR: EXPERIENCE OF UKRAINE AND SWEDEN

The problem of children’s mental health is of special interest to scientists in view of its importance for the formation of a future healthy society. This issue becomes especially relevant in emergency situations, such as war, when the number of stressors and their impact is difficult to predict. This article has examined the experience as well as approaches of social services in Ukraine and Sweden in providing support to traumatized children during wartime. There have been outlined three phases in terms of working with traumatized children, i.e. identification, treatment, and prevention. The study has investigated and compared the practices of social workers in contrasted countries within these phases defined. The study presented is a collaborative effort between Sweden and Ukraine, investigating the support provided to war-traumatized children by social services. The research has been based on an inductive approach. The interviews conducted with social workers, psychologists, school counselors, and representatives of relevant organizations are at the core of this paper. The experts’ opinions on the topic mentioned have been reviewed. Moreover, the similarities and differences in providing social support in compared countries have been highlighted. The main factors influencing the approaches to the work of social workers with traumatized children of the compared countries have been determined. The approaches to working with parents in terms of supporting war-traumatized children in contrasted countries have been considered. Various problems related to providing social and psychological support to traumatized children such as resources and the capacity of the social support system have been reviewed. The impact of other factors on the occurrence of psychological trauma in children, which experts emphasized, has been examined. In particular, special attention has been paid to social media’s impact. The role of social workers at the stage of trauma prevention has been also considered, as well as the problems of the social support system that have arisen. The urgency of addressing the mental health of children and the importance of collaboration between authorities to provide effective support and treatment have been mentioned.

SOCIAL AND PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES WORK IN COMMUNITIES

and social work. She investigates the role and significance of the use of technologies in socio-pedagogical practice, as well as their impact on the quality of personality of social work clients.The article also highlights important aspects of professional training of future social workers to use technologies in their work, as well as challenges and opportunities created due to their implementation. That is why the article is relevant for social workers in the community, students and researchers who are interested in the issues of the modern socio-pedagogical sphere.This article is devoted to the role and importance of social work in communities in modern society. It examines the main aspects of social work aimed at improving the quality of life and well-being of various social groups, including the vulnerable and the needy.The article analyzes the roles and functions of social workers in communities, their methods and tools, as well as the importance of cooperation with other services and organizations to achieve successful results. It also emphasizes ethical aspects and principles that guide social work in communities.This article is a useful source of information for social work professionals, students, researchers, and anyone interested in community social work and its importance for sustainable societal development. It was established that the main method of social work is work in the community. An important feature of social work in the community is the spontaneous combination of ordinary citizens as a moral obligation and the desire to do good work with the professional activity of social workers. All this is an important experience for social workers working in the community.
 Keywords: technologies; socio-pedagogical technologies; social worker; volunteering; community; counseling; training; social animation; disability; monitoring.

Evaluating the Integrative Framework for Practice Teaching with social care educators and students

This paper outlines an evaluation of the Integrative Framework for Practice Teaching (McGarr and Fingleton, 2020), a tool developed to support practice teaching within social care education in Ireland. A mixed methods approach was utilised, which included focus groups with 5 educators and a survey of 168 social care students from the City and Tallaght campuses of TU Dublin. Both educators and students reported the framework to be useful in supporting the integration of knowledge and to explain the context, role, and goal of social care work. Recommendations were made in relation to strengthening the representation of the workers’ ‘self’ on the framework visual to reaffirm the pivotal role of the personal and professional self in social care practice. The evaluation also identified wider pedagogical application beyond applied subjects, in particular potential to use the framework to integrate learning within practice elements of the programme.

“I was alone. No one offered me a real intervention”: Israeli child protection services as experienced by adults who underwent child sexual abuse

BackgroundMany children worldwide come into contact with child protection social workers (CPSW) following child sexual abuse (CSA). Surprisingly, little is known concerning how they experience and perceive these encounters. ObjectiveThe current study was designed to examine the way adults who underwent CSA experienced and perceived child protection services (CPS) in Israel as conveyed in their written testimonies. MethodThe current sample included 83 written testimonies sent to the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA, analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. ResultsThe participants' testimonies uncovered two main themes: 1) experiences with CPSW interventions, including being disregarded, abandoned and disbelieved; and 2) constructions of the CPSW practice as poor, maladapted and abusive. Some participants described their active efforts to change the system from within. ConclusionsThe participants' testimonies, which reflected the negative manifestations of neoliberal policy in the CPS, will be broached in the discussion section, alongside two other significant concepts: child participation and a context-informed perspective of child risk and protection. The ramifications for policy and practice will be expanded while acknowledging the complex role of social workers in CPS.

Harm reduction social work with people who use drugs: a qualitative interview study with social workers in harm reduction services in Sweden

BackgroundSocial work with people who use drugs (PWUD) has traditionally focused on abstinence and rehabilitation. In recent years, harm reduction has gained an increasingly more important role in social work with PWUD, and social workers are key professionals in many harm reduction services. This study investigates how social workers in harm reduction services for PWUD in Sweden understand the concept of harm reduction and how it relates to goals of rehabilitation, and how they assess and deal with dilemmas and challenges in everyday work.MethodsThe study is based on interviews with 22 social workers in harm reduction services for PWUD in the Scania region of Sweden. A thematic analysis in three steps was used in coding and processing the data.ResultsThe social workers pointed to similar values between social work and harm reduction and argued for combining the two fields to improve services for PWUD. Three overarching principles for Harm Reduction Social Work (HRSW) were developed based on the social workers accounts: (1) Harm reduction is a prerequisite for rather than a counterpoint to rehabilitation and recovery, (2) motivational work must be non-mandatory and based on the client’s goals, (3) a holistic perspective is crucial for Harm Reduction Social Work. Challenges in doing HRSW concerned restrictive laws, policies, and guidelines, resistance from managers, difficulties in setting boundaries between client autonomy and life-saving interventions, and the risk of normalizing high-risk behaviors.ConclusionsWe use the concept of Harm Reduction Social Work to show how social work with PWUD can have a primary focus on reducing harm and risks, while at the same time it involves a holistic perspective that facilitates motivation and change. The suggested principles of HRSW can provide guidance in practical social work with vulnerable PWUD. Social workers can have important roles in most harm reduction settings and may act to enable recovery.

Asian American social workers’ experiences and perspectives on anti-Asian hate

Summary The rise in anti-Asian hate since the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the challenges that Asian Americans in the United States (U.S.) experience with xenophobia, racism, and the “model-minority stereotype.” The model-minority stereotype is a misleading myth that has been pervasively attached to the Asian American identity and experiences. Thus, it can serve as a useful framework to understand experiences in the current anti-Asian hate climate. In this exploratory qualitative study, the investigators interviewed Asian American social workers ( N = 17), highlighting their perspectives and experiences during the anti-Asian hate climate, with attention paid to how the model minority stereotype was contextualized among participants. Findings The resounding tone underlying participants’ model-minority stereotype-related discussions was the need to counter the model minority stereotype. Notably, the model-minority stereotype was contextualized differently for participants and three themes were identified: (1) limbo between model minority and perpetual foreigner status; (2) impacts on the social worker role and in the organizational setting; and (3) impacts on advocacy work. Applications Study findings suggest a need for continued support and opportunities to unlearn and relearn the purpose of the model-minority stereotype and its broad sweep and attacks on various health dimensions (physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually) across Asian Americans ethnic groups. Countering the model-minority stereotype can play a pivotal role in transforming the narratives surrounding Asian American's identity and experiences in the U.S., in addition to organizational culture and dynamics to support Asian Americans social workers practice and advocacy work across practice levels.

Krizių centrų veikla teikiant socialinę pagalbą nuo smurto artimoje aplinkoje nukentėjusioms moterims

The article analyzes the activity of a social worker in a crisis center working with women who experience domestic violence. Based on the results of the research, the functions and roles of the social worker, social services provided in the crisis center were analyzed. Based on the analysis of scientific information sources and after conducting a structured interview survey, the aim was to determine the types of violence experienced by women, aspects of cooperation with other institutions. Difficulties experienced by the social worker when working in the crisis center with women who have experienced domestic violence have been identified. Keywords: social worker roles, functions, crisis center.

Three Models of Practice: Impacts on the De-escalation Role of Library Social Workers During Crises with Patrons Experiencing Homelessness

ABSTRACT Heretofore, models of library social work have primarily been described in terms of the employment status of the social worker (full or part time, employed by library or agency, etc.) rather than the programmatic structure of the services. This research study identifies and describes three different models of public library social work practice: The Signup and Summon Model; The Outreach and Summon Model, and the Social Work Center Model. Next, it explains how each model impacts the de-escalation role of the social worker during crises with patrons experiencing homelessness. The perceived impact of the social worker’s de-escalation role included patrons experiencing homelessness being less likely to interact with security and police and less likely to be excluded, arrested, or jailed. Using an embedded multiple-case study approach, the larger study from which this study is drawn spanned across three United States’ urban libraries with 107 distinct participants, 91 surveys and 46 in-depth interviews. Taking a comprehensive look at the role of social workers during the crisis, the views of six different roles are included: patrons experiencing homelessness, front-facing library staff, library police/security, chief executive officers, branch managers, and social workers.

Changing How Libraries Respond to Patrons Experiencing Homelessness in Crisis: How Library Social Workers are Perceived to Reduce Reliance on Law Enforcement

ABSTRACT While early research on library social work has described the broad role of social workers and included some aspects of crisis response, no study has given an in-depth explanation of how social workers are changing libraries’ response to crisis with patrons experiencing homelessness. This embedded multiple-case study across three U.S. urban libraries includes the perspectives of 107 unique participants across six broad roles – patrons experiencing homelessness, library police/security, front-facing staff, social workers, branch managers and chief executive officers. With 46 in-depth Zoom interviews and 91 Qualtrics surveys, this study provides extensive qualitative support that library social workers are perceived to reduce libraries’ reliance on law enforcement to handle crises with patrons experiencing homelessness. Three key themes of how social workers influenced libraries’ responses were found: being an option, running interference and buffering. In addition, a comingled rival was identified: the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The role of social theory work in the treatment of autism students

BackgroundAutism in students often presents as social interaction difficulties. Social theory offers a valuable framework and approach to guide interventions aimed at promoting social development among students with autism.Subjects and Methods The study conducted research on a group of students diagnosed with autism in a southwestern China hospital in 2021. Participants included 25 students aged 3-6, 30 students aged 7-12, and 5 students aged 13-18. The total sample of 60 students was divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received medication treatment as prescribed by doctors, while the control group underwent regular psychological treatment at the hospital’s psychological treatment center in addition to medication. After one year of treatment, the effectiveness of the interventions was assessed using EEG, SPECT examination results, and SPSS23.0 for statistical analysis.Results Among the experimental group, 10 patients achieved recovery, 12 demonstrated significant improvement, and 8 did not achieve recovery. In the control group, 15 patients recovered, 15 showed significant improvement, and none did not recover. The difference in outcomes between the experimental group and the control group was statistically significant (P<0.05).ConclusionsSocial theory plays an important role in the treatment of student autism, as it can help students establish and develop social skills for autism. By creating a positive social environment, comprehensive social support and education can be provided for students with autism.

THE CRUCIAL ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Disasters, both natural and man-made, have devastating effects on communities, leaving survivors traumatized and vulnerable. In the wake of such calamities, social workers emerge as indispensable actors in disaster management, providing vital support to affected individuals and communities. This article delves into the critical role and functions of social workers in disaster response and recovery. It explores their immediate response and assessment capabilities, emphasizing their unique expertise in delivering emotional and psychological support to survivors. The article highlights how social workers facilitate access to essential resources, their adeptness in community organization and mobilization, and their role as advocates in influencing disaster policies. Furthermore, it discusses the pivotal role of social workers in rehabilitation efforts, fostering resilience, and contributing to disaster preparedness and prevention initiatives. Through comprehensive analysis, this article underscores the significance of social workers' dedication and expertise in aiding communities to rebuild and recover, ultimately promoting a compassionate and collaborative approach to disaster management.

“Beyond a practice-research bridge”: project conceptualisation, implementation, and dissemination by an internal social work intermediary in Singapore

ABSTRACT Despite shifting attention from whether practice research is advantageous to doing practice research better, the organisational role of internal social work intermediaries beyond initiating practice-research partnerships, especially in Asia, is less understood. Using a multi-modal qualitative case study approach, across project conceptualisation, implementation, and dissemination, we first documented the initial benefits and challenges of an internal Singaporean social work intermediary bridging practitioners and researchers. Subsequently, we described how the intermediary seized opportunities and went beyond mere stakeholder bridging by defining engagement terms and creating, using, and opening up a practice-research space. Implications for internal intermediaries and organisational functions are discussed.

Social work and social inclusion in sports-based programs: A qualitative study

Summary Although the literature is rich in contributions analyzing the role of social workers in sports, there remains a lack of empirical research with respect to how these workers can be determinant in the development of inclusion outcomes in sports-driven interventions targeting socially vulnerable youth. The investigation analyzes the case of a sports-based program run by an Italian non-profit organization (NGO) from an ecological system perspective. Data from interviews and focus groups with youth involved in the program (21), parents (15), sport coaches (9), and the social workers of the NGO (15) were triangulated with the aim of exploring how social workers promoted inclusion through sport. Data were analyzed in a top–down thematic analysis. Findings Social workers promoted many social inclusion outcomes: (1) they linked sport clubs with the youth excluded from the sport system, thus sustaining access to sport; (2) they emotionally supported youth and their families in the program, fostering the relational dimension of social inclusion; (3) they formed alliances between the diverse systems of youth life, enhancing youth capacity to overcome their personal challenges in sports; and (4) they encouraged the integration of people coming from different socio-economic backgrounds within the sport context. Applications The case informs the practice of social workers in sport-driven interventions providing insights around the tasks they should achieve to promote social inclusion, including (1) recruitment of youth excluded from the sport system and linkage with sport clubs, (2) sport bureaucracy support, and (3) dialogue with diverse youth life systems.

Preparing Social Workers for Emerging Roles in Police Social Work

ABSTRACT Schools of social work must prepare social workers to meet the demands of the rapidly emerging field of police social work. This article reports on the experiences of a social work program’s partnership with a police department. The authors identify an integrative practice model of police social work, specifying social work roles at the baccalaureate and graduate levels, as well as ethical issues. The model is based on the social work competencies and law enforcement best practices. The authors analyze the experiences of placing students directly into law enforcement settings and make recommendations to create successful experiences for students, social workers, and police. The importance of strategic partnerships, communication, trust, and support in building strong relationships is also highlighted.

Social Work in Outpatient Neurology at a Safety-Net Hospital: A 200-Hour Profile.

Social work plays a critical role in preventive health and mitigation of healthcare disparities, but few studies focus on its role in multi-specialty clinics serving marginalized populations. We aimed to characterize the role of outpatient neurology social work at an urban, safety-net hospital. In December 2021, we introduced a dedicated social worker to a neurology clinic primarily caring for an underserved patient population. We logged and characterized the first 200 consecutive hours of patient encounters, classifying interventions based on a recently popularized 10-category scheme in social work literature derived from natural language processing and machine learning algorithms. We characterized 125 encounters with neurology patients referred to social work. The neurology social worker spent the greatest amount of time on care coordination (40%), followed by housing insecurity (14%) and applications and reporting (11%). Interventions that required the most time per case included housing (129min), applications and reporting (120min), care coordination (96min). The majority of interventions were directly related to the patient's underlying neurologic disorder, highlighting the importance of a neurology-specific social worker. Embedding a social worker in a multi-specialty neurology clinic may address many of the root causes of neurologic health disparities.

Decolonizing Mental Health/Social Work Practice in Uganda: Reconstructing an African-Centric Framework Through Traditional Values and Beliefs

ABSTRACTDecolonization is an ongoing process of addressing power imbalances and knowledge hierarchies. The role of social work is to serve the wellbeing of people and communities. However, social work in Uganda is part of a colonial legacy situated within systems of power. Due to colonization, social work practice bears the vestiges of colonialism often disconnecting the indigenous peoples from their cultures, history, traditions, land, water, resources, and knowledges. In some cases, social work practice has further alienated the very people it purportedly seeks to serve reproducing oppression and systemic inequities. This paper examines the impact of colonialism in service provision and proposes ways to break free of structures of coloniality. It proposes an African-centric framework through the reclamation of traditional values and beliefs.

Risk Factors influencing Post-Partum Depression Severity in Iraqi Women

Background: Post-partum depression (PPD) is a form of postnatal depression that affects mothers. Clinical manifestations usually appear within six months after delivery. Risk factors that influence the severity of post-partum depression are not fully known in the Iraqi population.Objectives: We aim to evaluate the risk factors and identify potential predictors that may influence the symptom levels (severity) of post-partum depression among Iraqi women from Baghdad.Subjects and Methods: The current study is cross-sectional, and we used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a cut-off value of 13 to differentiate patients into two those with lower symptom levels (LSL) and higher symptom levels (HSL). We also explored patients' attributes, newborn-related parameters, and socio-demographics.Results: The total sample included almost one hundred patients (n=101), including females with lower symptom levels (EPDS<=13, 48.51%) and others with higher symptom levels (EPDS>13, 51.49%). There were two significant risk factors of PPD, including marital problems (OR=3.60, 95% CI=1.54 to 8.41, p=0.003) and perinatal mood disturbances (OR=3.23, 95% CI=1.40 to 7.46, p=0.005). The former results are congruent with our multivariable ordinal regression, while path analysis and structural modeling conveyed an additional risk factor: the personal history of depression. ROC analysis did not convey any significant difference between the two groups (LSL versus HSL) based on age. However, mothers with HSL were older than the other group (29.19±0.88 versus 27.08±0.79, p=0.099).Conclusion: Post-partum depression with higher symptom levels is frequent among Iraqi mothers. Healthcare institutes should be vigilant concerning the underlying risk factors. Intervention requires integrating the role of social workers to understand the patient's family dynamics.

Shaping the Inclusive City: Power Relations, Regulations, and the Role of Social Work

While being celebrated as the ideal of inclusiveness, cities also constitute the place of different types of discrimination, which some public policies intend to tackle. The “urban” has also been pointed out as the locus where vice and lust concentrate, leading public policies to develop regulations for public space aiming to maintain the social order of the city. This, in turn, contributes to the definition of the contours of urban moral economies, which are continuously shaped by processes of in/exclusion. Hence, crucial is the need to further explore how cities can be welcoming to their dwellers and newcomers, as well as the role public policies (have to) play in the vision of the future of an open and inclusive city. In so doing, social work is certainly called upon to play a major role based on its historical presence in cities and its know‐how in accompanying transitions. How does social work contribute to the definition of an inclusive city? By presenting new and original research that draws on various case studies as well as theoretical reflections across disciplines, this thematic issue aims to provide answers to this question to better understand the role of social work in the shaping of an open and inclusive city.