The British Journal of Social Work

Kong, Sui-Ting; McCusker, Pearse; Shears, Jane

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad222pmid: N/A

Michalopoulos, Lynn; Jiwatram-Negrón, Tina; Ahmed, Sabeen; Diaz, Mario; Asombang, Mah; Ward, Malorie; Nemphos, Nick; Aggarwal, Nikita; Kamugisha, Simpson; Mwansa, Melvin

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad187pmid: N/A

HIV interventions that attend to mental health problems among vulnerable populations in sub-Saharan Africa have become a priority. This is especially so among mobile populations, such as female fish traders in Zambia, who are at increased risk of trauma, subsequent adverse mental health risks including post-traumatic stress and HIV risk or transmission risk behaviours. To date, there have been no known integrated HIV and mental health interventions among mobile populations in Zambia. Furthermore, although the adaptation of evidence-based interventions to address intersecting risks in non-western contexts has been growing, there is a gap in rigorous adaptation research methods that rely upon the target population for collaborative contextual input. This article aims to describe the application of the ADAPT-ITT (Assessment, Decisions, Administration, Production, Topical experts, Integration, Training staff and Testing) method to adapt an evidence-based intervention (Living in the Face of Trauma) to address intersecting HIV, trauma and mental health risks among female fish traders in Zambia. More specifically, we describe the collaborative and iterative process used and highlight the unique role of social workers throughout this process. Results from the ADAPT-ITT method show promise for the adapted intervention, In Solidarity: Emotional-Coping, Problem-Solving and Entrepreneurship.

Blakley, Louise

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad197pmid: N/A

This article draws upon the experience of the author whilst undertaking a qualitative research study exploring service user experiences of being assessed for detention to a mental health hospital. Doing research as a social work practitioner is a growing area and a common motivation is to improve practice. This article brings a different way of reporting research, which is embedded in the reflective tradition of social work. It explores practitioner research and insider/outsider perspectives. Through reflection, the author examines in depth two participants’ narratives, how this impacted her as a mental health social worker and the changes in her practice. These assessments are complex pieces of social work with involuntary service users in a pressured setting and are a challenging area for practitioners to improve service user experiences.

James, Elaine; Mitchell, Rob; Reeves, Clare; Ali, Amani

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad188pmid: N/A

There has been renewed interest across social work in professional discourse into the conceptualisation of social work as an activist profession with upholding human rights as a centrally organising principle. Implementing social work practice which upholds human rights is not, however, without difficulties. The contextual and abstract nature of the expression of human rights poses challenges to conceptual and measurement work. Practitioner researchers have a key role here, translating abstract concepts into rights-related personal outcomes and ultimately into evidence and knowledge informed practice. This article presents a case study of a local activist research project, Promote the Vote. The international literature indicates discrimination through denial of the rights of people with learning disabilities regarding political participation. In writing our learning from this case study, the authors have set out to consider the following: how can social workers engage in practice based research?; does an activist project such as Promote the Vote act as a mechanism through which social workers can evidence allyship with disabled people’s self-determined right to political participation? and how does a project which applies research methods support generation of practitioner-research evidence, which in turn contributes towards knowledge informed practice?

Webber, Martin; Joubert, Lynette

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad190pmid: N/A

Australia and the UK share many historic connections. These connections have influenced developments in welfare systems, and the bi-directional migration of social work practitioners between Australia and the UK has helped to support the sharing of knowledge in social work education, research and practice. However, developments in practice research in both countries has largely been influenced by local activity rather than cross-national collaboration, though there have been similar growth trajectories. This article uses a comparative case study methodology to analyse the development of practice research in Australia and the UK since the Salisbury Statement on social work practice research. Each case study explores and provides examples of the nature of the relationship between practitioners and academic researchers; how practice questions are generated; how methodologies are selected; how data are collected within social work practice and the impact of practice research on practice in both countries. The comparative analysis provides a unique insight into how local, and often small, projects provide a more significant narrative about the creation of knowledge in social work practice. These insights have the potential to inform and stimulate the development of practice research in other countries which are earlier in the journey towards practice-driven research.

McDonald, Lisa; Rogowski, Steve

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad161pmid: N/A

In neoliberal and associated managerial times, social work in the UK is dominated by the speedy completion of bureaucracy to ration services and assess/manage risk. Concerning children and families, unless there are child protection issues little help or support is provided with parents/carers often told to change their behaviour/lifestyle or face the possibility of losing their children to adoption. To counteract this, we argue for critical and relationship-based practice, using work with troubled and troublesome teenagers as an example. Such practice involves a broad responsibility to seek equality and social justice as well as address individual problems and difficulties. Importantly, the article includes the perspective of someone who has the lived and care experience of being a troubled/troublesome teenager.

Power, Lorne; Dean, Laurel

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad174pmid: N/A

This reflective article examines the claim that social work practitioner research is more likely to lead to impact. We reflect on the impact that we achieved as part of a social work practitioner research within an acute hospital in the South-East of England. First, we explore the literature on social work practitioner research and impact. Second, we outline our original research project. Third, we examine the individual, organisational and cultural impact we believe we achieved before reflecting on how our views and motivation towards impact changed throughout the research journey. Fourth, we discuss the barriers to achieve our original impact aspirations and reflect on the factors influencing our energy and motivation to achieve impact. Finally, we reflect on the factors that enabled us to achieve impact.

Ashworth, Charlotte; Burke, Nick

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad171pmid: N/A

Clinical-academics are well established and expanding in English health settings. However, despite growing evidence that research-active organisations improve service quality and outputs, research by social work practitioners remains relatively rare in social work practice in England other than as part of qualifying or post-qualifying study. In this context, the National Institute for Health and Care Research developed new funding streams to support the development of ‘practitioner–academics’, as an equivalent to clinical-academics in health settings. As early career practitioner–academics, who undertake research whilst remaining employed in our social work organisations, we present a case for practitioner–academic research, via two small research projects within our teams based on creative methods and focus groups. These projects illustrate the benefits of practitioner–academics in the knowledge production process, improving access to hard-to-reach research areas, developing swift rapport, which facilitates the production of rich and reliable data, and providing a novel means to navigate ethical issues including researcher positionality and research sensitivity. We also highlight challenges around informed consent, employee roles and researcher bias, including where practitioners are critical of practice within their service areas or are exposed to criticism themselves.

Oltmann, Carina; Piccione, Tania; Roulston, Audrey

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad168pmid: N/A

With the unique set of values underpinning the social work profession, evidence-based practice must be informed by practitioners well versed in the impact of cultural, political, geographical, economic and general social factors on clinical work. Within the speciality of Palliative Care Social Work (PCSW), these factors influence the level of integration and upskilling of Palliative Care Social Workers (PCSWs). This article describes the collaborative methods used by Palliative Care Social Work (PCSW) practitioners and research-active academics to conduct a global survey of PCSWs about their professional experiences during the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, with a view to better understand their respective roles and identities across regions. The authors of this study suggest that collaboration is key to drawing upon a diverse number of clinical, pedagogic and academic networks to optimise the survey response rate and raise the profile of PCSWs. The authors describe and reflect on the practical and cultural challenges encountered in conducting the survey.

Allassad Alhuzail, Nuzha; Mahajne, Ibrahim

doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad047pmid: N/A

Israel’s Arabs are citizens, but they are an ethnic minority and a national minority (Palestinians) in a Jewish-majority state. The decades-long Palestinian–Israeli conflict has erupted in recent years in violent outbursts between Arab and Jewish citizens. April–May 2021 saw severe violence against individuals and businesses on both sides and damage to holy sites. In this context, a qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted amongst 15 Arab social workers in Israel (mean age 45, mean experience twenty years), to examine their perspective regarding the Palestinian–Israeli conflict, particularly the April–May civil dispute. The findings revealed that the social workers wanted to be involved as leaders. The findings also revealed the bind in which they find themselves, caught between local government and the committee that represents the country’s Arab citizens, between the demands of the community and the demands of the employer and between their personal values and their professional values. The study makes a theoretical contribution by addressing the need to create a safe space in the workplace so that social workers can discuss the conflict and its ramifications for them. The study may also contribute to the training of social workers and providing a safe space for another narrative.