Social Work Practice Theory Research Articles

Book Review: Multidimensional human behavior in the Complex social environment: Decolonizing theories for social work practice

Book Review: Multidimensional human behavior in the Complex social environment: Decolonizing theories for social work practice

Book Review: Complexity theory for social work practice by Fiona McDermott, Kerry Brydon, Alex Haynes, and Felicity Moon

Book Review: <i>Complexity theory for social work practice</i> by Fiona McDermott, Kerry Brydon, Alex Haynes, and Felicity Moon

Correction to: Rethinking Anti-Discriminatory and Anti-Oppressive Theories for Social Work Practice, Christine Cocker, Trish Hafford-Letchfield (eds)

Correction to: Rethinking Anti-Discriminatory and Anti-Oppressive Theories for Social Work Practice, Christine Cocker, Trish Hafford-Letchfield (eds)

New theories for social work practice: Ethical practice for working with individuals, families and communities

Book review

Rethinking Anti-Discriminatory and Anti-Oppressive Theories for Social Work Practice,Christine Cocker, Trish Hafford-Letchfield (eds)

Rethinking Anti-Discriminatory and Anti-Oppressive Theories for Social Work Practice,Christine Cocker, Trish Hafford-Letchfield (eds)

Robyn Munford and Kieran O’Donoghue (Eds), New theories for social work practice: Ethical practice for working with individuals, families and communities

Robyn Munford and Kieran O’Donoghue (Eds), <i>New theories for social work practice</i>: <i>Ethical practice for working with individuals, families and communities</i>

Social Worker–Client Relationships: Social Worker Perspectives

ABSTRACT Social worker–client relationship practice has always been and remains central to contemporary social work purpose and identity. The professional “helping relationship” can and does enable change and alleviate distress. Nevertheless, what happens in social worker–client relationships remains unclear warranting research attention. This article reports on a qualitative study that explored the lived experience of social worker–client relationships with 16 social workers employed in child and family welfare services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Findings confirmed the centrality of social worker–client relationships for achieving client outcomes and revealed a distinctive practice approach where the social worker–client relationship is seen as the workspace for the intervention, and the social worker acts as relationship-building agent. Overall this constitutes a distinctive practice approach perhaps usefully described as social work relationship praxis (SWRP). The findings are discussed with reference to the literature and implications for research, practice, and education are outlined. IMPLICATIONS This study valorises the centrality of the social worker–client relationship for achieving client outcomes. A relational paradigm needs to be elevated in social work education to prepare students for practicing relationally. Development of social work practice theory needs to embrace relational views of “the self”.

Developing the notion of ubuntu as African theory for social work practice

Ubuntu is an African concept referring to humanness. It gives expression to deeply-held African ideals of one’s personhood being rooted in one’s interconnectedness with others. Social workers seeking to develop an African framework for decolonial social work practice turn repeatedly to ubuntu for aid. But the term has, for the most part, been limited to the idea of mutual aid – people helping each other in a spirit of solidarity. This article endeavours to extend and deepen the ubuntu concept to strengthen its potential as a theory informing social work practice. This is done by interweaving other African ideas with ubuntu in three domains: ethics, sustainable development and ecospirituality

Facilitating Transformation in Workforce Training: Using Clinical Theory to Understand Psychological Self-Sufficiency

ABSTRACTAcknowledging the scarcity of a bottom up social work practice model in facilitating the development of success in workforce development programs, this study explores Psychological self-sufficiency (PSS) as an emerging social work practice theory. Phenomenological studies of low-income jobseekers in employment training along with the empirical validation of measures of the core constructs of PSS – employment hope scale (EHS) and perceived employment barrier scale (PEBS) – and testing of the theoretical model resulted in the emergence of a new theory of PSS. PSS was conceptually defined as a dynamic and internal drive that activates the process of transforming cognitively and affectively perceived barriers into hope driven action – the process that enables individuals to move forward toward goals. Based on the evidence of PSS, a participant-centered group intervention model called transforming impossible into possible (TIP) program was developed. This article delineates the trajectory of PSS theory development by critically reviewing various streams of practice theories influencing the PSS theory. Next, the conditions that necessitated the creation of the TIP program and its core principles underlying the functions of PSS are explained. By depicting the TIP program with direct quotes of clients’ experiences, authors exemplify the successful self-discovery process through enhanced PSS skills as a result of participating in the TIP program.

James Forte, An Introduction to: Using Theory in Social Work Practice

James Forte, <i>An Introduction to: Using Theory in Social Work Practice</i>

The Love Ethic: A Radical Theory for Social Work Practice

ABSTRACTLove is marginalised in professional social work codes of ethics in Australia and internationally. Yet, reflecting the emancipatory imperative of social work, feminist bell hooks promotes love as a political process to transform systems of injustice such as capitalism, patriarchy, and racism. Analysing the works of hooks and other relevant literature, this article discusses “the love ethic”, a model of relationship-oriented activism encompassing dialogue, nonviolence, interconnectedness between people and between people and nature, reflexivity, shared power, and solidarity. It provides some practical suggestions for love-based social work practice, such as self-forgiveness, pursuing gender-equal relationships, upholding fair workplace conditions, honouring Indigenous peoples, supporting oppressed people to assert their rights, connecting local and global action, nurturing symbiotic relationships with nature, and supporting empowering spiritualities. The love ethic supports radical social workers to engage in activism, and necessitates further exploration within academia and practice.

Looking for ‘social work’ in school social work

ABSTRACTSchool social workers can be seen as a professional group operating on the margin of an educational logic that dominates schools as institutions. This conditions what tasks they are assigned and what aspects of social work knowledge they will find relevant. On the other hand, the role as a sole professional and relative outsider in the organization provides a potential for school social workers to transcend established theories of social work practice. This article aims to investigate how social work theory is applied in school social work. Twelve semi-structured interviews with school social workers were analysed in terms of how they relate to four knowledge approaches derived from the literature: task-centred, systems theory, strengths and anti-oppressive. Contrary to claims within the sociology of professions that social work practice is formed largely by organizational context rather than a discipline-specific knowledge base, the interviewees seemed to lean on a robust professional foundation within social work theory. Interviewees strongly emphasised their role as working for the individual pupil and positioned themselves as somewhat in opposition to a somewhat oppressive school environment.

Complex issues, complex solutions: applying complexity theory in social work practice

High-profile service failures in social work have ensured that the demand that practitioner decision-making be both accurate and transparent has never been as vocal or persistent. Such expectations undermine both trust and legitimacy, and how best to respond represents perhaps the most challenging issue facing social work today. Of necessity, practitioners must make judgements in circumstances characterised by uncertainty and ambiguity, while the complexity of this undertaking is routinely cited as a confounding variable in efforts to generate and apply generalisable knowledge in a technical fashion. Here, we aim to utilise developments in complexity theory to elaborate on why this might be the case, but also what, practically, social work might do about it. In particular, we will respond to Eileen Munro suggestion that it is possible to differentiate areas of social work which can be proceduralised from those which should be judgement based. Utilising recent developments in complexity theory, we aim to explore whether this can be undertaken on the basis of a ‘complexity continuum’ which enables classification of roles and tasks on the basis of inherent certainty or uncertainty. In providing a reflexive account of the development and application of the continuum, however, the relationship between theory and practice is to some extent problematised. The findings demonstrate that although complexity theory can provide useful insights, it also has evident practical limitations. In turn, these limitations have implications for discussions regarding the real-world relevance of complexity theory, and for sociological theorising to social work more generally.

Tackling Contemporary Challenges through Strengths based Approach in Social Work

Social work practitioners work with problems of individuals and groups and organizations, where the demands often require finding sustainable and effective solutions. Practitioners may indulge in a variety of methodologies but the objective continues to remain solution focused. Most people who suffer from ailments often feel as if they are victims of situations and fail to look within their own resources for solutions. It is at this moment that we need to highlight people's strengths to derive a solution for their persisting problems. Deficits could thus be discounted to tackle by tackling the case through strengths based approach to explore more effective results. Strengths based practice is a social work practice theory that emphasizes people's strengths and self-determination. People are bestowed with innate capacity, skills, knowledge and other potential qualities which are often not tapped optimally during challenges. The challenges or struggles could well be addressed if the strengths highlighted. This paper analyses the significance of the Strengths Based Approach in Social Work and its relevance to the changing times. It is strongly believed that the evolution of this approach is in synthesis with the existing practices but a step forward towards effective problem solving on a case to case basis. When an individual realizes one's full potential and ability of doing things, it naturally enables them to have a more enriched life to make a better living for them.

The Neglect of Network Theory in Practice with Immigrants in the Southwest

This paper reviews selected theories of international migration including social network and human capital. It discusses the nature of social networks among immigrants and the costs and benefits for the sending and receiving countries. The history of social network theory in social work practice is revisited. Given the current importance of immigration in the Southwest, the strength and limitations of applying networking principles in practice with immigrants in the border areas are included. This article does not focus on the complexity of networks among refugees or asylum seekers, where government population dispersion or resettlement policies might change their circumstances.

Evidence-Based Practice or Evidence-Guided Practice: A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet [Invited Response to Gitterman &amp; Knight's “Evidence-Guided Practice”

Gitterman and Knight (2013) expand upon the original model of evidence-based practice (EBP) by proposing an approach they label evidence-guided practice (EGP). They justify this by highlighting some supposed limitations of the original EBP model and by presenting some additional features to amend EBP into EGP. I attempt to show that the limitations they say characterize EBP are not actually a part of the real EBP model and are based upon either a misreading of the EBP literature, or by overlooking some of the features of EBP. I also try to demonstrate that most of the add-on elements to EBP they propose to label EGB are actually already present in the original model of EBP. One of their add-ons, an increased reliance upon formal theory as evidence, in addition to empirical research, seems to me a retrograde step and will perpetuate the harmful influence of some aspects of theory in social work practice. However, I judge their EGP model to be an improvement upon current social work practice, which largely tends to ignore empirical research findings to assist in decision making.

In Search of an Informed Supervisory Practice: An Exploratory Study

This article explores the concept of an informed supervisory practice through a literature review and study of 18 social work supervisors' perspectives about what informed their supervisory practices. The results show that the supervisors were informed by their experiences of supervision, concepts and ideas from social work practice theory and supervision models, as well as their personal perceptions about their supervisees, the dynamics of supervision and felt experiences whilst practising. These results raise questions concerning the nature of an informed supervisory practice, supervisory education and training and highlight the need for further research in this area.

Back to Basics: A Critique of the Strengths Perspective in Social Work

This article takes an in-depth look at the strengths perspective, examining its philosophical roots, its core characteristics (according to its key proponents), and its limitations. It suggests that the strengths perspective is underpinned by a mix of Aristotelianism, humanistic individualism, and communitarianism. The article highlights the synergies between the strengths perspective and contemporary neoliberalism and suggests the need to go back to basics to achieve some distance from the harsher aspects of welfare reform policy, which affect most domains of social work practice. It ends with some suggestions as to how the limitations of the strengths perspective might be addressed, in order to devise a more complete theory for social work practice.

Book Review: Freedberg, S. (2009) Relational Theory for Social Work Practice: A Feminist Perspective. New York: Routledge, 128 pp., $150 (hardbound), $39.95 (paper)

Book Review: Freedberg, S. (2009) Relational Theory for Social Work Practice: A Feminist Perspective. New York: Routledge, 128 pp., $150 (hardbound), $39.95 (paper)

The Use of Social Theory in Reflecting on Anti-Oppressive Practice with Final Year BSc Social Work Students

This article explores the relevance of social theory for social work teaching and learning about anti-oppressive practice. Use of theory in social work practice is discussed. It is argued that social theory is a toolbox from which social workers can draw eclectically in order to enhance their ability to practise anti-oppressively. A course/module which focuses on theory to understand and support anti-oppressive practice is described. The main aspects of social theory addressed in this module are outlined. These areas are firstly, human rights; secondly, traditional, modern and postmodern discourses or ‘ways of knowing’; thirdly, essentialism vis-à-vis the social construction of identity; and fourthly, an analysis of power in personal/professional relationships. The use of case studies or scenarios is discussed in relation to facilitating students' application of theory to practice. Extracts from a student essay demonstrate how one student applied social theory to a comparison of two case studies leading to strategies to empower the individuals in each scenario. The value of using social theory to reflect on and enhance anti-oppressive practice is discussed.