journal article
LitStream Collection
Home
Taylor, Andy; Toner, Paul; Templeton, Lorna; Velleman, Richard
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcl374pmid: N/A
The impact of chronic parental alcohol misuse on both parenting and child welfare is being increasingly recognized, with such problems featuring in a significant proportion of families in which there are identified child-care concerns. There is a growing body of research which suggests that there are often particular difficulties in gaining access to such families, with effective engagement seen as central to appropriate intervention and to assessing children’s welfare in these situations. Establishing and sustaining engagement may be particularly problematic where these families experience a constellation of impacting pressures, of which alcohol and/or drug misuse is a central component. This article explores some of the challenges of reaching children and parents in such circumstances. Based on research that included a wider evaluation of a specialist service for children and families in which alcohol is a problem, a sample of families who ‘dropped out’ of contact are presented and discussed. The authors suggest that particular responses to engaging such families are needed and identify the challenges in gaining access to children in such circumstances.
Colton, Matthew; Roberts, Susan; Williams, Margaret
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcl375pmid: N/A
Fostering services across the globe encounter difficulties in recruiting and retaining family foster-carers. Yet, we know little of the international and cross-cultural issues which impact on recruitment and retention. In this article, we draw on previous empirical research, and also on information collected during a recent study of global trends in family foster-care, to present an international comparative analysis of those issues. Three key themes emerged from the study: motivation and capacity to foster; professionalism versus altruism; and criteria for kinship and unrelated carers. Each of these presents a considerable challenge to foster-care services. Here, we explore these key themes further, and reflect on the implications for policy and practice.
Stanhope, Victoria; Solomon, Phyllis
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcl377pmid: N/A
The mental health recovery movement in the USA has reaffirmed the vital role that human processes play in service delivery and the ways in which social workers collaborate with clients to bring about change. However, social interaction between social workers and their clients continues to be an understudied aspect of interventions. Recovery places an emphasis on therapeutic relationships, demanding that providers collaborate closely with each consumer to discover their unique path to healing. As a result, researchers must also reorient their focus from the structure of services to the processes that take place during service delivery. The authors examine how process has been studied within the context of services for people with mental health problems, how process relates to outcomes and some of the methodological issues related to studying social interaction. Qualitative methods are recommended to enhance micro-level study of complex human processes within their social context. The authors consider the implications for evidence-based practice and argue that a broader understanding of evidence, which takes into account the role of process, is needed in order to ensure that research is relevant to social work practice.
Walsh, Christine A.; Este, Dave; Krieg, Brigette
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcl369pmid: N/A
Since 1999, there has been increasing settlement in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, of large numbers of Roma families from Hungary, seeking refugee status. A number of agencies across health, social services, education, immigration, child welfare and justice sectors were concerned about the Roma population’s difficulties within these systems and the ability of these systems to provide effective services to the Roma population. The goal of the Roma Project was to promote deeper understanding of Roma peoples and their culture in order to inform more effective and culturally appropriate service delivery in addressing the needs of the Roma population. Focus group and key informant interviews with Roma community members and service providers were used to assess need in education, health care and social welfare domains. Analysis of the data produced recommendations for best practices in working with the Roma newcomers.
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcl373pmid: N/A
This paper considers the transformation of state social work over the past two decades. During this period, it is argued that a steady yet radical process of privatization has ensued which has had a considerable impact upon the experiences of ‘service users’, informal carers and social work practitioners. Not only does the private sector now dominate key sectors of social care, but it has also transformed the culture of state social work practice and many of the accepted beliefs and ideals of the social work profession. It is also argued that many of the promises made about privatization, including that it would create a more efficient and effective structure for the delivery of social care,1 have never materialized. On the contrary it is suggested that the current organization of social care is highly bureaucratic, exploits labour and is deeply ineffective at responding to the needs of vulnerable adults and children. Finally, it is proposed that, as a political project, the privatization of state social work is far from complete, and further radical reforms appear likely.
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcm070pmid: N/A
This article discusses the development of a strategy for securing a step change in social work research in higher education in the UK. This project, undertaken by the Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee (SWEC), aimed to give direction to the constituency, address complex and potentially conflictual issues across the four countries of the UK and promote social work research both internally and to external stakeholders. The obstacles and opportunities for advancing social work research are discussed, as are the processes by which consensus was secured across higher education institutions. Key issues debated at length included how to define social work research, whether to set priorities for research themes, whether research should be promoted in all academic departments or concentrated on centres of excellence and how to identify and begin to challenge the gross funding shortfall. Lessons from the process are identified, including the need for social work to develop stronger international collaborations.
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcm128pmid: N/A
This paper, drawing on a study of social work research in UK universities, asks—and suggests provisional answers to—two questions. First, is it possible to identify ways to categorize the kinds of research in social work in a form that recognizes and respects the aims and values of social work? Second, assuming we ought to do so, in what ways should the quality of social work research be assessed? In response to examination of output from the 2001 RAE, a national workshop and several focus groups, we developed a classification of kinds of research according to two different dimensions: On whom is the primary substantive focus of the research? What is the primary problem focus of the research? In terms of assessing quality, we believe that the social work community should not be aiming for precise standards. We recommend a ‘fitness for purpose’, which should include guidance on how different stakeholder communities should apply quality judgments. However, while all stakeholders should sign up to the broad dimensions and standards, their application should always leave scope for flexibility and local relevance. Quality should be based on justification of both inner and outer science considerations.
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcm116pmid: N/A
The continuing modernization of social care in the UK has placed a high premium on evidence. However, there is a lack of investment in social care research in general, and in practice-based research in particular. The paper argues that there is a need to make better connections between research and practice if there are to be substantial improvements in services. The implications of these improved links include more efficient translation of research into action, and more embedding of research within the range of literature that supports service development. The necessary increase in research can be achieved by building on the substantial, albeit piecemeal, achievements of social work research, and by enhancing the practice literacy of the academic workforce as well as the research literacy of the practice workforce. In the context of a new strategy for social work research in UK universities, this paper examines the obstacles to achieving a voice for social work research and how these obstacles are being addressed.
doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcm122pmid: N/A
SummaryThis article is based on a background paper produced to inform the process of developing a research strategy for social work. First, it explores the current capacity of social work to undertake research that will inform practice. It analyses the impact of context on the imperative for, and capacity of, social work to undertake research and suggests that two interrelated factors have contributed to the limited development of methodological expertise and rigour in building the research capacity of social work: the level and content of qualifying professional training and the recruitment of staff to universities primarily as social work educators. It then argues that any developmental and/or remedial work undertaken has to address historical influences and, at the same time, be responsive to changes that are taking place within social work as both profession and discipline within the wider context of the social sciences. Drawing on theories of organizational learning, it concludes that any strategy must address staff development issues for academics and practitioners to facilitate the creation of vibrant learning communities across academic and practice settings.
Showing 1 to 10 of 20 Articles