Social Work Services Research Articles

Excluded voices in inclusive child and youth welfare services

ABSTRACT The voices of social work service users in Germany are getting increasingly prominent. The recent developments in the Child and Youth Welfare Act (SGB VIII) illustrate that participation, self-organisation, and self-representation rights are receiving heightened attention. Simultaneously, questions regarding the requirements, conditions, and possibilities of self-organisation have received relatively minuscule attention so far. Who has the means and opportunities for self-organisation under which conditions? How are social closure processes of significance? What consequences does it have for service users? What insights can we gain at the intersection of social work and special education? In this article, we seek to explore these questions. Initially, we take a journey through history, shedding light on the question of the virulence of social closure and usurpation processes within user movements. Based on this historical recapitulatory overview and repositories of paradigms and theories on social inequality, we take a look at current transformations in the voices of service users within the social services system. Through interviews with self-advocates in child and youth welfare and disability assistance services, and the analysis of official documents from self-advocacy organisations, we illustrate the capacity for a redirection of attention on the voices of service users guided by closure theory.

Social Work in Mainland China: Past, Present, and Future

Since the reform and opening-up in 1978, China has made great progress in the reconstruction and development of social work profession. From a historical perspective, this article first describes China’s distinct approach to social work development over the past century. It then introduces the four main social work service delivery models now often adopted in China, including the university-community partnership model, the organizationally embedded service model, services provided by the local semiprofessional social workers, and the social work practice research model. Finally, the future directions for China’s social work development from a “big social work” perspective are discussed.

A study on the Practical Group work to Enhance the Resilience of "Quasi-Family" Children's Welfare Institutions

Orphans and disabled children are a special group of children, and the welfare of orphans and disabled children is an important part of the social security system. At present, there are mainly institutional care, foster family care, "quasi-family" care, and adoption. Among them, "quasi-family" is an innovative model that recruits loving and responsible parents from the society to form a simulated family to raise orphans and disabled children, which supplements the family support that children lack and allows them to grow up in a warm and loving life and interaction. However, in practice, it is also found that the "quasi-family" parenting model still has problems in family organization model, family belief system, family communication ability, etc. Therefore, using group work methods, guided by family resilience theory, and starting from the perspective of strengths, professional social work services are provided to quasi-family, promoting changes in quasi-family belief system, organization model and communication status, so as to improve the quality of raising orphans and disabled children.

Through the backdoor - questioning the transformative impact of Social Start-Ups within the digitalization discourse of social services.

The aim of this article is to take an analytical look at Social Start-Ups as organizational discourse actors of a digitalization discourse in the field of social services. The digital transformation is understood as an all-encompassing socio-cultural phenomenon that gives rise to new discourse arenas in the field of social services, in which Social Start-Ups occupy a special position. So far, however, little is known about the actual role of Social Start-Ups in the digitization discourse of social service work, although they differ from established social services and thus occupy a special spokesperson position. Firstly, Social Start-Ups are characterized by a hybrid organizational structure in that they want to realize social services as commercial enterprises and thus reconcile economic and social goals. Secondly, their entire organizational structure and service practice is a priori based on digital tools and practices that established social services tend to negotiate critically for themselves. Against this background, the article empirically discusses and critically examines the discursive influence of Social Start-Ups on the digitization discourse of social work. The article contributes to understanding how Social Start-Ups influence the digitalization discourse in social services, offering new insights into their unique role as hybrid organizations balancing economic and social goals. By examining their use of digital tools, the research sheds light on alternative models that challenge traditional service providers. This is crucial for advancing research on the evolving role of digitalization in social services and its practical implications for improving service delivery.

Improving field education for social work in Vietnam: Intern supervisors’ perspectives of the current state and potential solutions

Research has identified challenges associated with the implementation of competency-based social work field education in Vietnam. However, there is limited information available from intern supervisors, who have unique perspectives at the crux of social work training and service delivery. An exploratory phenomenological qualitative approach was used to explore their experiences and perceptions through online interviews. Four categories were identified: diverse implementation of a common framework, rudimentary expectations and activities, challenges to implementation, and opportunities for improvement. These findings suggest that a multidimensional approach is needed, including improved collaborations between field agencies and universities to empower students, intern supervisors, and faculty.

Assessing the implications of social work services to children with autism in Tanzania

The desk review method guided by ecosystem theory was employed to review and present findings on the roles of social workers in the lives of autistic children in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam was used as a case study where social workers engage and address the special needs of autistic children. Findings show that there are specialised autistic services in Dar es Salaam more than any other region and that social workers play a significant role backed up by the Tanzania Child Act of 2009. Some health professionals and caregivers are not aware of the role of social workers in the care of autism. Social workers however address the needs of autistic children by promoting full and meaningful inclusion of autistic children in social functioning and accessing public goods and services. Social workers also empower autistic children and their families through home and school visits, policy advocacy and using different forms of empowerment with other professions to meet their needs. Despite these roles, their contributions are not well recognised. The paper concluded that social work training does not inform practice towards intervening with autistic children. Therefore, the paper recommended that there should be more advocacy by social workers to increase public awareness of their roles in autistic services and integration of autistic services in training and social welfare services. Social work training institutions should integrate competence to address the needs of autistic children.

How emergency departments are responding to the opioid crisis: Results from a statewide survey in Kentucky

ObjectiveThere is a rising effort for hospital emergency departments (EDs) to offer and expand substance use disorder (SUD) services. This state-wide evaluation studies SUD services offered along the continuum of implementation across Kentucky’s EDs to inform future state efforts to build ED bridge programs.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study using an online survey of all Kentucky Emergency Department Directors between January and May of 2023. We created a hospital-level dataset which we used to summarize quantitative questions and thematically analyze open-ended responses.ResultsOur sample included 85 unique respondents (89% of all eligible Kentucky hospitals). Nine (11%) had active bridge programs to initiate opioid use disorder patients on buprenorphine. Respondents reported that the most challenging SUD-related services for EDs to implement were buprenorphine induction for opioid use disorder treatment (n = 36, 42%), referrals to community-based providers (n = 34, 40%), and providing social work services (n = 25, 29%). Respondents noted that the implementation and improvement of screening protocols were needed to better identify patients with SUD, expressed concerns about care continuity, and explicitly conveyed the need and desire for additional supports to provide SUD care.ConclusionsThe landscape of Kentucky’s ED SUD supports shows several hospitals that offer services along the continuum of SUD care, and highlights the importance of technical assistance and financial resources to ensure the continuum is broadly available. Kentucky’s experience speaks to broader national challenges in supporting SUD in EDs – specifically the need for financial resources, buy-in and education, and creating referral relationships to ensure care continuity.

Intermediation: Algorithmic Prioritization in Practice in Homeless Services

Homelessness is a significant and growing crisis in the United States. In an effort to more efficiently and fairly distribute limited housing resources, jurisdictions across the US have adopted algorithmic prioritization systems to help select which unhoused people should receive resources. Given the impact of algorithmic prioritization on the lives of unhoused people, there is a need to more fully examine how these systems are implemented in practice by frontline workers such as social service workers. In this paper, we present a qualitative study that draws on interviews and artifact walkthroughs with fifteen social service workers to examine how they interacted with algorithmic prioritization systems as part of their job duties. We found that social service workers employed discretionary work practices to mediate between the rigid formats of algorithmic prioritization systems and the messy, situated realities of homelessness. We term these discretionary work practices 'intermediation' and provide four examples that illustrate how our interlocutors were able to maintain their commitment to advocacy and to express their expertise despite the automation of major aspects of their professional decision-making. These work practices, which we argue were motivated by care for clients, as well as a desire to preserve professional autonomy, lead us to conclude that discretion cannot easily be removed from bureaucratic systems and that removing discretion is not necessarily a desirable outcome.

“My decision making is much more deliberate… I’m still energised by it”: lessons learned from the design and delivery of a module on judgement and decision making for senior social work managers

ABSTRACT This paper describes the design, delivery and evaluation of a module on decision making for senior managers as part of a master’s programme for current and aspiring Chief Social Work Officers (CSWO). Scotland is unique in having a statutory duty that requires local authorities to appoint a CSWO to provide strategic and professional leadership in the delivery of social work services. The CSWO also has certain statutory decision-making responsibilities and as a key decision maker is responsible for decisions that affect individual rights and liberties to an extent that other services do not. This paper describes the key decisions CSWO’s are required to undertake before describing the pedagogical approach to developing and delivering the module. Rather than seeking to teach decision making the focus of the module is on raising awareness of factors that impact decision making, shifting from intuitive to active decision making and reflecting on the decision-making process. Results are presented from a thematic analysis of a post-completion survey of participants about their learning. The results highlight the isolation and vulnerability of the role, the weight of responsibility, the complexity and challenges of decision making and how the module supports managers to engage in analytical decision making.

The impact of the Syndrome Burnout of professional Workers in facilities social Services

This study is focused on the effects of the syndrome burnout in professional workers in helping professions. The study presents the importance of professional workers in helping professions. It describes prerequisites, roles, obstacles, risks and problematic situations closer specified professions. Next solves the theoretical and practical starting points of the syndrome burnout. Aims to the causes syndrome burnout and diagnosis. It characterizes the consequences impacts on professional workers. Next with deals with the research methodology and states the established research questions and the goal research. Describes the time plan, presents the research plan set, sets criteria and lists collection techniques data. The study presents the overall results of standardized MBI and BM questionnaires and theirs evaluation. Throughout the creation of qualitative research proceed according to ethical rules and the anonymity of the participants is respected participants. Main goal study is acquisition, analysis and evaluation information at finding out impacts syndrome burnout in professional workers in helping professions in facilities social services.

Seeking to fulfil the human rights promise: practitioner perspectives and an assessment tool for realizing human rights based social work education and practice

ABSTRACT International social work organizations emphasize human rights (HR) as a main social work principle. However, a focus on HR is often lacking in social work education. This often results in an inspirational, rather than deep and meaningful application of HR commitments in social work practice, with kindness and respect being conflated with a realization of HR. Nevertheless, without a critical HR awareness, social workers may inadvertently neglect or hinder service users’ rights. This article presents the findings of an exploratory study which examined, through in-depth interviews with six practitioners working in HR sensitive contexts in Spain, how the experience (or lack thereof) of HR education influences practitioners’ engagement with HR. Findings indicate that, for social workers to overcome inspirational approaches and achieve an HR based social work practice, training and support mechanisms need to be developed at different contexts: 1. In social work education, importantly including social work placements and a practice orientation of teaching 2. At social work services’ organizations and 3. At the broader social work professional organizations and political-institutional contexts. Drawing on the findings, the researchers developed a Human Rights Practice Assessment Tool to support lecturers, students and practitioners in applying HR principles meaningfully in social work.

Multisystemic Therapy for a Child in Difficult Circumstances With Disruptive Behavior in China: A Single-Case Design

Purpose: This study aims to address concerns about the ability of Chinese social workers to collaborate with multiple systems and effectively implement multisystemic therapy (MST), given their low professional status. Based on the first MST practice in Mainland China, the study evaluates the effectiveness of MST in addressing disruptive behaviors in a child in difficult circumstances (CDCs), assesses its fitness within the Chinese context, and explores strategies for social workers to collaborate within the contexts of the specialized protection system for CDCs and the establishment of social work service stations. Method: A single-case AB research design with repeated measures across multiple contexts was adopted. Results: The study suggests MST's potential effectiveness and cultural and political compatibility in China, and identifies three strategies for social workers to intervene across multiple systems. Conclusion: MST could be a valuable tool in social work practice with proper integration into local systems in China.

Historical Development of Social Work and Social Welfare Services in Ethiopia

Social work in Ethiopia has been influenced by the ideology and political economy of governments in power. To explore the core problems social work and social welfare services have experienced, this research employed a systematic review of literature. Organised social welfare services in Ethiopia is a fairly recent phenomenon beginning with the establishment of the first school of social work in 1959. This school was closed in 1974 and then reopened in 2004. The field experienced other challenges too, including its informal merger with the Department of Sociology during the socialist regime. Since social work in Ethiopia is heavily influenced by the Western curriculum and its professional associations have little ability to professionalise the field, its contribution to improving social welfare services is unsatisfactory. Further, because there is no regulatory body, the associations pursue their commitments only sporadically. This has a negative effect on providing quality social welfare services. The future will be determined by the degree to which social work is professionalised.

The role of social work intervention in promoting mental health and resilience in communities: Ubuntu perspective

The prevalence of mental health illness is on the rise throughout the world. Mental health is increasingly one of the most overwhelming conditions that has an effect on the social functioning of individuals and families within communities. Mental Health Care Act, No 17 of 2002 of the South African government provides for the protection of individuals and communities against mental health. Still, people continue to experience mental health problems at a high rate. Social workers have a fundamental role to play in improving mental health services and outcomes for communities. Social work services have the potential to improve the lives of people with mental health conditions and build resilience in individuals and families. Resilience is a critical technique that assists individuals to function properly despite the challenges they may have experienced. Research has shown that people with mental health problems struggle to return back to normality. This article aims to explore the roles of social work intervention in promoting mental health and resilience in communities. The study was conducted by analyzing research or studies related to mental health and resilience. The study carried out comprehensive desktop electronic research to gather data and themes from previous studies. The analysis showed that mental health is still a major concern, and social workers have an important role to play in building resilience for individuals and families.

Generative AI is already widespread in the public sector: evidence from a survey of UK public sector professionals

Generative AI has the potential to transform how public services are delivered by enhancing productivity and reducing time spent on bureaucracy. But to what extent is the technology already in use? Our survey of UK public service professionals (in education, health, social work, and emergency services) seeks to answer this question. We find that use of generative AI is widespread: 45% of respondents were aware of colleagues using generative AI, while 22% use it themselves. Respondents were positive about its potential to enhance their efficiency and reduce their bureaucratic workload. For example, those working in the health service thought that time spent on bureaucracy could drop by the equivalent of one day per week, an enormous potential impact. Our survey also found a high amount of trust (61%) in generative AI and a low fear of replacement (16%). However, only a minority of respondents (32%) felt like there was clear guidance on generative AI usage in their workplaces. In other words, it is clear that generative AI is already coming into the public sector, but uptake is happening in a disorganised fashion without clear guidelines. The UK’s public sector urgently needs to develop more systematic methods for taking advantage of the technology.

The Roles and Responsibilities of School Social Workers in the African Context: A Scoping Review

The profession of school social work has been acknowledged as being of critical importance on a global scale. However, little is known about the practice of school social work in the African context, specifically the roles and responsibilities of practitioners. This scoping review aimed to synthesize empirical studies conducted in the African continent on the roles and responsibilities of school social workers. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) five-step framework, the search for articles was completed on six electronic databases: Sabinet African Journals, Scopus, ProQuest Central, CINAHL, SocIndex, Medline, and Education Research Complete. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that school social workers or social workers servicing schools are responsible for providing psychosocial support to learners experiencing social challenges; facilitating group work sessions focused on socialization and life skills; training and guiding teachers on ways to better support learners, developing and implementing school programs addressing issues such as bullying and teenage pregnancy; and forming partnerships with other professionals and organizations to support learners. This review concludes that there is a dearth of research dedicated to school social work or social work services in African schools. Future research on school social work should focus on unique challenges, best practices, and the impact of social work services in African schools. Governments and educational institutions should prioritize the integration of social work services within school systems. The review highlights the multifaceted roles practitioners play in creating supportive educational environments in African contexts. Keywords: School Social Work, Africa, Roles, Responsibilities, Learners

Exploring the Path of Social Welfare Organizations' Participation in Community Children's Education --Taking Baoji's “Star Wish” Program as an Example

For a long time, children's education has been mainly focused on school education and family education, while the community, as an important place for children to live and grow up, is often neglected, resulting in the lack of community education function. Take the "Star Wish" program implemented by Baoji Sanlian Social Work Service Center (hereafter: Sanlian Social Work) as an example. We analyze and consider the effect of public welfare organizations' participation in community children's education from the implementation of the program. We need to improve the related facilities further, increase publicity, improve the relevant policy system to make it more reasonable, and increase cooperation among schools, families, and communities to form a joint effort in education.

A comparative analysis of supportive care service needs in patients with pancreas versus other gastrointestinal cancers.

272 Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer death and presents with advanced incurable disease approximately 75% of the time, contributing to the lowest survival rate and worst multidimensional quality of life (QOL) compared to other adult solid tumors. Standardized screening for early integration of interdisciplinary care (IDC) services, advance care planning, and utilization of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) for improved QOL and symptom management are recommended, yet the literature is lacking in rigorously-conducted PDAC needs assessments, an important prerequisite to care model design. Methods: Between September 12, 2023 and May 7, 2024, 525 patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies were sent a Supportive Care Questionnaire (SCQ), an ePRO survey assessing multi-dimensional IDC needs prior to first visit at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Pacific Northwest. The SCQ includes validated surveys and a total of 12 domains chosen by the IDC service responsible for management of the given need(s), who also set trigger thresholds for referral to the IDC service. Rates of positive screens for each service were compared by cancer type (PDAC, Colorectal [CRC], gastroesophageal [GE]). Results: 340 (65%) SCQs were completed (57% via MyChart, 43% in person) similarly across disease groups; with an average of 10 mins to complete. Respondents were 49% female/59% male (Race: White (76.5%), Asian (10%), Black/African-American (4.5%), Other/Unknown (9%)/Ethnicity Non-Hispanic (90%, Hispanic 7.6%), Other/Declined/Unknown 2.4%), with primary language spoken being English (92%), Spanish (3.5%), simplified Chinese (1.5%) and Other (2.5%). Table 1 shows – by GI cancer type –the total number of responses and the proportion of patients who screened positive for one or more IDC services. Conclusions: Patients with PDAC had the greatest need for IDC services with most frequent positive screens indicating need for nutrition, social work, palliative care and patient navigation services when surveyed in our institution-wide program of SC screening for all new GI cancer patients. Results will inform further development of IDC services in PDAC and other GI cancers, including via staff prediction modeling. The SCQ is also being considered for SC screening and management across the Canopy Cancer Collective, a nationwide learning health network of pancreas cancer programs. PDAC CRC GE Surveyed 187 237 101 Completed 122 (65%) 153 (65%) 65 (64%) Positive Screen 68 (56%) 70 (46%) 26 (40%)

Period poverty, menstrual health and menstrual (in)justice in the context of social work – in the opinions of students and graduates of social work

Menstruation, until recently treated as a purely biological phenomenon, is beginning to be perceived as a social phenomenon, becoming the subject of research, scientific theorizing and publications. Third-sector organizations are being formed to tackle period poverty, promote menstrual health and work for menstrual justice. Menstrual poverty and broadly understood menstrual inequalities are often experienced by socially vulnerable individuals, families, groups and communities, who become social welfare institutions and social work service users. The article presents selected results of a survey with participation of social work students (current and graduates) on their perception of the relationship between social work and the elimination of menstrual poverty, the promotion of menstrual health and the prevention of menstrual injustice.

Уровень удовлетворенности пациентов услугами психосоциальной поддержки: правовое регулирование и практические вопросы

The research work aims to study the current situation of providing psychosocial support services to inpatients under the Covid-19 pandemic; based on the actual situation of the pandemic, the research team conducted a study on “Satisfaction Level of Psychosocial Support Services for Inpatients in District 2 Hospital” to find out the situation of providing psychosocial support services in the hospital by determining the satisfaction level of inpatients, including patients treated for Covid and patients treated for other diseases. This will be the basis for us to develop recommendations for improving the quality of social work services in the hospital today. Keywords: services, psychosocial, research team, Covid-19, social work, legal regulation, practical issues.