Whiting & Birch (E-Journals)
Not a member yet
1165 research outputs found
Sort by
Doing a PhD in the Social Sciences: A student’s guide to postgraduate research and writing: Book Review
No full textThe needs of HIV-positive teenage mothers within a South African socio-cultural context
No full textIn rural South Africa a significant number of teenage mothers are HIVpositive with several needs. There are several programmes implemented with theaim to prevent teenage pregnancies, but, effective services, are lacking especiallyin rural areas for adolescents who already gave birth to their babies. The goal ofthis study was to explore and describe the experiences of social service providersin supporting the basic needs of HIV positive teenage mothers in a rural areain South Africa. The study was qualitative in nature. The findings indicate thatHIV positive teenage mothers have several needs and lack basic services sucha sufficient health care, healthy food and potable water, opportunity completetheir schooling, and support. Socio-cultural factors such as early marriage, lackof parental guidance, and gender power imbalances also contribute to teenagepregnancies and positive HIV status. Based on the findings relevant conclusionsand recommendations were made
The Interaction of Ideology and Institutions in Treating Violent Men
Get PDFSince Sweden has a reputation for having a pragmatic, technocratic approach to solving social problems, the question arises as to why the country uses different methods at the national and the local level for treating violent men. If studies show that one method is superior to others, we would expect both levels of government to use similar treatment methods. Despite the emphasis on pragmatic solutions, ideology plays an important role, as the Swedish government in recent decades has largely accepted the New Public Management approach to governance. However, because of differences in institutional arrangements, it becomes logically appropriate for the national level to utilize a different type of therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) than the local level (Psycho Dynamic Therapy among others). Thus, a combination of an ideological shift to New Public Management and institutional differences can explain the differences in therapeutic approaches, rather than reliance on scientific studies.
Resilience needs of retrenched workers: An intervention study of retrenched workers in Harare, Zimbabwe.
No full textJob loss comes with severe challenges that affect the psychosocial, economic, and overall wellbeing of victims. Providing such affected persons with psychosocial support is recommended as an important element of building resilience. Thus the study sought to help the retrenched workers to become aware of the resilience needs to facilitate early supportive programmes before the conditions become severe. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample size of 19 participants. The sample size was determined by the saturation level which occurred when the participants were repeating responses. The participants had varied educational backgrounds and previous work-related experiences. Of the participants, 12 (63%) were permanently employed before retrenchment while the other 7(37%) were not. In-depth interviews were conducted, using semi-structured interview guides, to collect data on the resilience needs of the sample. Data were grouped into themes, categories, subcategories and analysed using both content and thematic analysis. The study found that premature loss of employment through retrenchment brings a sense of hopelessness, helplessness, uncertainty, guilt, and shame among the retrenched workers. It was concluded that social connectedness, relational structures, and emotional regulation were important protective factors of building resilience in the face of employment loss. Functional cognitive skills enabled the retrenched workers to exercise positive thinking. Professional mental health counselling services helped to restore the lost hope and confidence among the retrenched workers
A social work career in mental health
Get PDFThis piece is intended to show how with a commitment to continuous professional development, changing trends and practices in a profession can be reflected in the work of an individual practitioner, and in turn the study of individual careers can provide a wider understanding of the way change has been interpreted and implemented. A single career will see many structural changes of direction and emphasis, and if a practitioner is staying abreast of the twists and turns in policy, these should be reflected in their practice. This can become even more apparent when an individual, with promotion, moves through positions with differing levels of responsibility, and therefore engages with policy change from different perspectives. The article highlights a number of good practices encountered in promoting better services for mental health service users, and how an individual can be an agent for improving the implementation of policy
Male partner involvement in health interventions: A systematic review of best practices in Sub-Saharan Africa
No full textHealth promotion programmes aimed at the involvement of men are implemented in a complex cultural and socio-demographic context that reifies persistent unequal gender relations. The explanations and evidence for the mechanisms by which male involvement facilitates health and wellness, are, however, less clear. Drawing on findings from a qualitative systematic review of peer-reviewed studies, this article synthesises the literature on health, social policy, and programme interventions for improving male partner involvement to promote sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Findings suggest that combining approaches such as mass education campaigns and health and social care programmes, targeting both men and women, improves male participation. Finally, enhancing participation of both men and women in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health program programmes, can lead to positive gender role transformations and positive health and social care outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Keywords: HIV; AIDS; Male Involvement; Health Interventions; Sub-Saharan Africa
A project providing clinical input to youth justice services informed by principles of trauma-informed practice
Get PDFAbstract: This article describes an innovative initiative based on principles of trauma-informed care which involves clinicians from a specialist child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) team providing input to youth justice services. At a local level, the project seeks to help address recognised gaps in service provision whereby children and young people involved with the criminal justice system are afforded inconsistent access to care and treatment yet recognised as being at increased risk for having experienced early adversity and suffering mental health difficulties. The article takes stock of the project’s development via reference to three interlinked strands of work it incorporates: work supporting staff; direct work with children and young people; and training workshops for professionals. Reference is also made to the findings of an evaluation of the project. In so doing, the article adds further support to arguments for a senior clinician role in CAMHS provision linked to youth justice services, and the necessity of staff training to embed this role and support the recognition of trauma
Engaging in group research with migrant children: Innovative data collection method for migrant children in Delhi
No full textIn India, data point to a considerable number of children leaving or running away from their parental homes in rural villages and migrating to urban areas. Many end up in cities like Delhi where they are exposed to a number of risks and vulnerabilities. While many of these children reach cities with dreams of ‘making it big’, the reality of living on the street is fraught with challenges and danger. Against this backdrop, this study looked at the lived experiences of migrant children in Delhi using a group method- an innovative approach that is increasingly being used in research with children. Innovative techniques such as drawing, storytelling, and the like were used to initiate discussions with and among migrant children to help explore their pre- and post-migration experiences. At the end of the group sessions, many children reported that they felt heard and listened to, that their voice mattered, and that they had developed a sense of self-worth. It also produced rich data that yielded deep insights into the lived experiences of migrant children living on the streets of Delhi. Hence, it can be concluded that group work is an effective way of gathering data from migrant children. However, there are some of the issues and challenges with using group work as a research method with migrant children in an urban setting, which need to be considered in each context
The Art of Becoming a Social Work practice educator
Get PDF
Through this practice note, I share some of my reflections and learning of becoming a practice educator. The experience has enhanced my skills as a social worker and team manager and now as a social work doctoral student. Based on my observations of supervision as a practice assessor and my experience of having many different managers throughout my career, I have noticed when social workers move into management without a practice educator qualification, the supervisory relationship experience is a different one than that of a practice educator – turned manager. I question why this is. Is reflective supervision only reserved for students? I am suggesting that it should not be. Each supervisor should be supported and enabled to connect with their Art, as supervision is a form of Art.