Social Work Training Research Articles

An inquiry into trauma-informed practice and care for social workers in care and protection roles in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: This research investigates what knowledge and training social workers have in preparation for working alongside survivors of trauma. Including what support social workers receive to ensure they keep themselves safe and how comfortable they feel about accessing support to promote their self-care and emotional resilience. METHOD: Using an exploratory research design, qualitative data has been collated through semi-structured interviews with four care and protection social workers, capturing their stories in a narrative format and comparing the data to academic research on trauma-informed practice and care. FINDINGS/ IMPLICATIONS: While social workers have sound knowledge on trauma and its impact on individuals and their behaviours, the implementation of trauma-informed practice and care can often be confusing and underutilised. Additionally, the consideration of the impact on practitioners can often be overlooked, falling on the practitioner to manage themselves rather than a collaborative approach alongside the organisation they work in.

A preliminary study of intensive transgender-specific cultural competency training: Implications for social workers and psychologists who work with rural transgender clients

Rural transgender individuals face heightened disparities relative to other transgender individuals. However, social workers and psychologists receive minimal training in transgender client care. The current study used one-way repeated measures ANOVAs to investigate the effectiveness of transgender-specific cultural competency training for social workers and psychologists working with rural clients to improve knowledge, awareness, and self-efficacy (i.e., competency) concerning transgender clients’ needs. Results indicated significant differences in the change of competency among participants assigned to a transgender-specific group compared to those assigned to a general multicultural group. Thematic analysis of participants’ responses to course evaluations also supported the course effectiveness.

Infant oral health education curriculum for medical, nursing, and social work trainees

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children, and children often see their primary care practitioners more frequently than dentists (Adjaye-Gbewonyo and Black 2019-2020; National Center for Health Statistics 2019-2020). This Infant Oral Health Education Program included two online training sessions for trainees in social work, nursing, medicine, and dentistry. Trainees were assessed on anticipated changes to their practice related to children's oral health. During the first training session, trainees received a lecture on infant oral health, and then discussed a case study in interprofessional groups to reinforce the content. Trainees in medicine and nursing completed training to receive Medicaid reimbursement for performing preventive oral health services. The second training session was profession specific with tailored instructions in the form of videos, as well as a demonstration on fluoride varnish application. Of the 78 trainees (22 social work, 4 pediatric nurse practitioner, 38 pediatric medicine residents, and 14 pediatric dentistry residents), 91 % (n = 70) reported that they were introduced to at least one new health information resource or tool. Four-fifths of the eligible trainees (n = 16/20, 80 %) who completed the evaluation had fulfilled the State's requirements to receive Medicaid reimbursement for performing preventive oral health services. Three-fourths of trainees (n = 22/29, 75 %) reported that they are likely to promote children's oral health in future clinical practice. Trainees from all four professions provided positive feedback about the content.

Social workers’ knowledge of autism and self-efficacy in its diagnosis and interventions

BackgroundEarly detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and adequate care provision depend upon competent community service providers. Social workers are well positioned to detect ASD, especially in marginalized populations. This study assessed social workers’ ASD knowledge and clinical self-efficacy in ASD care. MethodSocial workers (N = 229, M = 13.97 years of experience, SD = 8.59) completed the ASD Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and a demographic and professional background questionnaire. ResultsParticipants displayed a fair level of knowledge regarding ASD etiology and interventions and a low rate of lack of ASD knowledge. Social workers who worked in multidisciplinary settings showed significantly broader knowledge of ASD’s early clinical signs and diagnostic criteria and declared less lack of knowledge than those from welfare agencies. Using multiple regression analysis, self-efficacy was positively predicted by professional and knowledge parameters. The model explained 47.1% of the variance. ConclusionsA multidisciplinary setting enhances social workers’ theoretical and practical ASD knowledge, enabling them to face detection and intervention challenges. An in-depth understanding of knowledge gaps will assist in planning specialized training for social workers and promoting their self-efficacy in assessing and supporting children with ASD and their families.

Modern didactic methods in the formation of moral values and training of future social workers

Modern didactic methods in the formation of moral values and training of future social workers

Creating sensory-rich experiences to convey qualitative research messages: using 360-degree video as part of an experiential relationship-based practice learning design

ABSTRACT Technology-based immersive learning is an emerging field in social work training and education. This article outlines how findings from a published research project about long-term relationship-based practices in child protection were conveyed to newly qualified social workers using 360-degree videos as part of an experiential learning design. The rationale, production process and the learning design are outlined to demonstrate how learning through sensory-rich observations took place. A mixed methods evaluation from questionnaires and focus groups of the social workers experiences suggests that they felt virtually ‘present’, ‘immersed’ and able to ‘experience the emotions’ of the re-created research scenes through ‘sensory-rich observation’. This article explores how these experiences resulted in social workers taking on board the research messages and being motivated to change existing practices to enable them to work in relationship-based ways with managers, other professionals and children and families.

Contents of a transformative developmental social work curriculum

ABSTRACT South Africa is recognized as the most unequal society in the world. In the National Development Plan 2030 in 2012 the South African government has called on social workers to participate in transformation by addressing inequality. A pursuit of social justice highlights the need for a social work curriculum that is transformative in nature and cultivates an anti-colonial Global South approach. Transformative developmental social work based on social development theory is a modality of choice when it comes to practicing social work in Global South countries. It empowers social workers to contribute to social justice in societies that are plagued by inequality. Although South Africa has incorporated developmental social work into its social welfare policies, a knowledge gap still exists that hampers social workers in bridging the gap between theoretical training and practicing in Global South countries. It is, therefore, necessary for South Africa to develop social development training, and practice which answers to its own socio-political, cultural, and economic environment. To reach this objective, a curriculum is crucial in which social justice, human rights, and equality are pursued. The aim of the study was to develop a curriculum for undergraduate social work training in transformative developmental social work to enable social workers to contribute to social justice. A multi-method and multi-phased study approach were used for the purpose of curriculum and programme development. In phase one, a scoping review was done about current social development teaching in the Global South. During phase two, a quantitative cross-sectional study with newly graduated social workers was done. They completed the Social Justice Scales of Torres-Harding et al. Phase three was a qualitative descriptive study with young South Africans that were used to describe their experience of social justice in South Africa. These phases were used to gather information to guide the process of curriculum development. Curriculum contents were then verified using the Delphi Technique by social work teaching experts. The research study produced a curriculum for transformative developmental social work training for undergraduate social work students.

Scope of multilingual education, teaching, and training: perspective of post-graduate social work students in India

ABSTRACT Language as a medium of instruction in education is a highly debatable and contested subject across the globe. Many countries prefer to provide primary education in their local language. However, in times of language politics, social work educators and practice initiated a debate on multilingual methods of teaching and practice for comprehensive interventions at the grassroots level to prevent language barrier from becoming an obstacle in social work practice. In India, English has been the preferred medium of instruction in most of the social work schools and departments that train students for fieldwork and practice. While such a method has certainly been effective in providing a uniform education in the field of social work, many students from vernacular educational backgrounds experience extreme difficulty in the initial period of their training.Based on the data collected from fifty Master of Social Work (MSW) students through Google-forms with open ended questions and thematic analysis, the article argues that a multilingual approach to social work education in teaching and providing reading resources could be the first step in addressing the language difficulties of MSW students from the vernacular backgrounds. This approach will further broaden the scope of social work services within the client system. Besides, the constant encouragement and motivation to be equipped with a better understanding of English to compete at the global level of social work perspective could be another essential part of social work education and training in India.

Holistic Engagement and White Neoliberal Social Work: Resistance or Accommodation?

ABSTRACT The article situates key themes on holistic engagement practice (HEP) within the context of white neoliberal social work practice. Through a secondary analysis of qualitative data using a critical phenomenological framework, the authors analyze the narratives of social workers who completed a 2-day training on holistically engaged social work practice and reflected on the impacts of the training on their work and lives. The authors explore the role that neoliberal structures, along with social work culture, training and institutional expectations, play in the meaning participants assign to HEP, and their ability to engage such practices in their daily personal and professional lives. Findings reveal themes around the culture of busyness, self-care as a means to an end, the challenges of vulnerability, and importance of relational social work. These findings shed light on the structural and cultural changes needed in the profession to embody whole person practice. Implications focus on needed structural changes in organizations and in social work education, as well as the need for practitioners to have opportunities for longer- term immersion in holistic practices.

Retention in statutory social work from fast-track child and family programs

Summary Two fast-track child and family social work training programs have been established in England — Step Up to Social Work and Frontline. Trainees’ financial support is far higher than for mainstream social work degrees. One of the reasons claimed for setting up these programs is addressing retention, although critics (of Frontline) predicted graduates would not stay in social work. A 4-year study assessed retention and reasons for leaving social work. Attrition rates from statutory social work were calculated from responses ( n = 2543) to annual surveys, plus looking up non-respondents in the professional register. Interviews were conducted with fast-track graduates ( n = 80) and employers ( n = 29). Findings The overall rate of social work graduates not in statutory social work at 18 months post-qualification was 12% for fast-track programs, and Higher Education Statistics Agency survey data show attrition at 15 months post-qualification as 18% for all social work routes. Frontline's original national recruitment approach was less successful for retention than Step Up to Social Work's regional approach. Perceived local authority support and intrinsic job satisfaction were associated with attrition in longitudinal bivariate analysis. Fast-track graduates leaving statutory social work typically moved to work in social care (including policy roles), health, or education. Applications Early-career attrition appears to be somewhat lower from fast-track programs than from all social work graduates. Longer-term comparison is not yet possible. In promoting retention, employers should be aware of the importance of staff perceptions of the local authority as supportive, and of their intrinsic job satisfaction.

Field Education as the Signature Pedagogy of Social Work

As the social work profession emerged, the primary method for training social workers was the apprentice model, now referred to as field education. In 2008, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) declared field education the signature pedagogy of social work education in the Educational Policies and Standards (EPAS), thus connecting it to accreditation. Despite this prioritization over other areas of social work education, debate continues as to whether field education meets the criteria of signature pedagogy. This study applied a contextual analysis to determine the extent to which a sample of 16 undergraduate social work programs demonstrate alignment with the signature pedagogy designation. The tool for analysis was the EPAS self-study, a primary document required in the CSWE accreditation process. The selected criteria for examination were two defining features of signature pedagogy: evidence of widespread recognition and routine inclusion across the curriculum. Findings revealed significant variation in both criteria areas among the sample group, likely influenced by ambiguity regarding signature pedagogy found within the EPAS. While data within the EPAS self-studies substantiates the important role of field education, additional themes revealed an opportunity to re-define and expand the signature pedagogy of the profession that could benefit both social work education and the practice community.

Forensic Social Work in Australian Undergraduate Social Work Education: A Generic Practice Versus Specialisation Consideration

ABSTRACT Australian social workers are routinely employed in forensic roles, including forensic medicine, domestic and family violence, youth justice, probation or parole, and correctional work. Forensic social work often is considered to be a specialist area of social work due to the required additional knowledge of the law, crime, victimology, comorbidity, and intersectionality. Globally, and in Australia, concerns have been raised about the training and education of forensic social workers. In Australia, there is no clear forensic social work education pathway; there are no tertiary forensic social work courses, and the AASW does not recognise forensics in their credentialing program. Thus, practitioners are seen to qualify through their generic studies. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which forensic knowledge features in the current AASW accredited undergraduate social work programs. A content analysis of available 2023 Bachelor of Social Work programs was undertaken to reveal any disparity of forensic offerings under a generic qualification. This research is positioned within the wider “generic practice versus specialisation” debate in Australian social work education. It raises concerns about the fragmented nature of forensic studies within Australian social work education. IMPLICATIONS There is a lack of clarity around what constitutes useful and sufficient forensic studies within Australian social work education, in the absence of specialist programs. There is little opportunity for social work students to gain “social work specific” forensic training in their qualifying education. Further consideration of a specialist forensic social work pathway could assist with the advanced training of this workforce.

Implementing motivational interviewing in adult mental health social work practice: an analysis of postgraduate student assessed placement reports

ABSTRACT Motivational interviewing is commonly taught on social work qualifying programmes as it is a core skill which practitioners can use in a variety of practice settings. However, the extent to which students can apply it in their practice learning placements is rarely evaluated. This paper reports a content analysis of a random selection of postgraduate social work students’ practice learning placement reports (n = 16) to assess the extent to which they were able to apply it in their practice. The findings revealed many examples of students’ adherence to motivational interviewing principles and practice, facilitated by their self-reported knowledge and confidence in using the approach. However, the analysis also found some students who struggled to utilize it because of a poor understanding or a practice context that mitigated against its use. Therefore, although it is possible to train social work students to use motivational interviewing in their practice learning, further evaluations are required to assess their use of it in their post-qualifying practice and the outcomes of this for service users.

Practitioner Vulnerability in Children and Families Social Work—Identity, Impact and Implications

Abstract Based on in-depth qualitative interviews, this article explores the experiences of vulnerability for nineteen children and families Social Workers in England and discusses how this emotional state manifests and impacts upon practice. As this study shows, workers frequently harbour personal vulnerabilities that can motivate them in their work and act as an enabler within relationships with service users; these same feelings can also provoke a sense of threat and discomfort, resulting in self-doubt and reduced confidence. Whether carried from the past or housed in the present, feelings of vulnerability often rise to the surface when provoked by routine encounters with clients and the knotty issues that surround them; what is valued by Social Workers encountering such feelings is a sense of validation and recognition. In taking an explicit focus on practitioner vulnerability, this article adds an original contribution to the literature concerning the emotional world of Social Workers. It reveals vulnerability to be an important component of identity and a driver for practice, which needs to be given greater consideration in social work training and employment, arguing that enhanced attention to worker histories, emotional challenges and self-care are not only necessary but also essential for practitioner and client well-being.

Professional training of future social workers in the face of instability

Professional training of future social workers in the face of instability

Coaching technologies in socionomy specialists' professional self-development in supporting families with children having special needs

The aim of the article was to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching technologies in training social workers to work with families that have children with special needs. The research involved the following methods: formative experiment, where the Professional Coaching technology is implemented as an influence; tests as tools to determine the level of theoretical knowledge, Job Satisfaction Test, Ontogenetic Reflection Self-Assessment Test; observation to determine the specialists’ communication skills level; statistical data processing. The research involved two samples - experimental and control, which included social workers. Social Competence Model in working with families that have children with special needs was developed, which consists of motivational-value, cognitive, communicative-activity and reflective criteria. The dominance of medium levels of social workers’ social competence in working with families that have children with special needs was found. The effectiveness of the developed coaching system is proved. It was found that the formative influence is more effective for the cognitive and reflexive criteria than for motivational-value and communicative-activity criteria. The obtained results can be guidelines for further improvement of the developed Professional Coaching system. Further research prospects involve studying the impact of coaching on the self-development of not only social workers but also other socionomy specialists.

Perceptions of newly graduated social workers’ initial substance misuse treatment service delivery capacities in a Midwestern state

ABSTRACT This article details the findings of a 2020 study that explored how substance misuse treatment program directors rate the initial treatment service delivery capacities of newly graduated, master’s level social workers in a Midwestern state. The study consisted of a cross sectional, quantitative survey of all treatment program directors listed in the state’s Treatment Program Directory. In total, 43 respondents, or 18% of all listed treatment program directors, participated in the study. The results suggest that the surveyed directors believe that Master of Social Work graduates have an initial deficit of substance misuse treatment skills, knowledge, and overall preparedness to deliver treatment services. Recommendations for addressing this deficit include strategically integrating Council on Social Work Education curricular guidelines for substance misuse into MSW programs, and mandating substance misuse training for new social workers. More expansive studies on social workers’ substance misuse service delivery capacities are also recommended.

Social work teaching and learning in the era of COVID-19: Lessons for the future

In 2020, the UK and Ireland, and indeed most countries across the globe, found themselves unprepared to deal with a worldwide pandemic (BASW, 2020; Mellish et al., 2020). Indeed, in the UK and Ireland, health and social care workers had to respond to unprecedented situations and adapt quickly and extensively to the health, social and economic dimensions of the crisis (Egan et al., 2020; BASW,2020). It is timely, then, to consider the role of the social worker and the impact on social work training for undergraduate students in light of the changes that have taken place as a result of the global pandemic. The COVID-19 restrictions led to the rise of new forms of social engagement and interaction, as well as the need for professionals, including social workers, to develop new digital skills. This paper will draw on the findings from an online survey (using qualitative and quantitative question sets) conducted with 30 undergraduate social work students in 2021. The survey explored student experiences of online teaching during their ‘preparation for practice learning’ module and the extent to which this online teaching prepared them for their practice learning opportunity (PLO) that followed during a time of strict COVID-19 measures, including social distancing. Recent research has been conducted that highlights the benefits of blended learning (online and face-to-face) as a strong pedagogical approach (Finlay et al., 2022; Karma et al., 2021). As we transition back to face-to-face teaching and learning, this paper will consider the implications of online learning for social work students, analyse the benefits and limitations of this to the learning and practice environment and capture the lessons to hold on to for the future.

Frontline evolves its approach to boost reach and retention

A decade on from its launch, the fast-track child protection social work training programme is expanding into more areas, extending its duration and training future leaders in the next phase of its development

Structural competency curriculum in health sciences education: a scoping review.

The objective of this review was to explore what is known about implementing and evaluating the structural competency framework in undergraduate and graduate health science programs. This review also sought to identify outcomes that were reported as a result of adding this training to various curricula. The structural competency framework was introduced in 2014 to train pre-health and health professionals to understand broader structures that influence health inequities and outcomes of health. Across the globe, programs are incorporating structural competency in the curricula to address structural issues that impact interactions in the clinical setting. The implementation and evaluation of structural competency training across multiple health science programs are poorly understood and deserve further examination. This scoping review considered papers that described the implementation, evaluation, and outcomes of structural competency training for undergraduate or graduate students and postgraduate trainees in health science programs. Papers addressing the implementation and evaluation of structural competency frameworks in undergraduate and graduate health science programs that were published in English were included. No date restrictions were imposed. The databases searched included MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus, Embase, EuropePubMed Central (European Bioinformation Institute), PsycINFO (EBSCO), and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC). Sources of unpublished studies and gray literature searched included ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest), PapersFirst (WorldCat), and OpenGrey. Retrieval of full-text papers and data extraction were performed independently by 2 reviewers. Thirty-four papers were included in this review. Implementation of structural competency training was described in 33 papers, evaluation of training was described in 30 papers, and outcomes were reported in 30 of the papers. Throughout the included papers, the methods/pedagogical approaches to implementing structural competency in curricula varied. Evaluations focused on knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes of students, quality, perceptions, and effectiveness of training. This review revealed that health educators have successfully implemented structural competency training in medical, pharmacy, nursing, residency, social work, and pre-health programs. There are multiple methods of teaching structural competency, and trainers can adapt delivery methods for different educational contexts. Neighborhood exploration; photovoice, including community-based organizations in clinical rotations; incorporating team-building exercises; case-based scenarios; and peer-teaching are among the innovative approaches that can be used to deliver the training. Training can be provided in short intervals or incorporated throughout an entire study plan to enhance students' structural competency skills. Methods of evaluating structural competency training vary and include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.