Whiting & Birch (E-Journals)
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Building skills in psychiatric assessment through an online problem-based learning course
Get PDFClinical social workers use psychiatric assessment on most clients in the US. Insurance companies that pay for counseling need diagnoses on claim forms. Despite the need for diagnostic skills, a gap exists between education and practice. The Council on Social Work Education standards do not include competencies addressing psychiatric diagnosis. Consequently, not all programs offer students this training. This paper outlines an online Problem Based Learning (PBL) course in psychiatric diagnostic assessment for graduate social work students. It provides findings from an evaluation of the first two years a US public university offered the course online. The study provides an understanding of the learners’ experiences with online learning and their demonstration of skill in psychiatric assessment. It shows how one school of social work tried to fill the gap between education and practice related to diagnostic assessment
Infusing aging competencies: Lessons from BSW students following service-learning assignment with older adult
Get PDFThis study examined the extent to which a mandatory service-learning experience impacted Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students’ attitudes and interest in working in gerontological social work and identified factors that influence a student’s desire to work with aging populations. Using a convenience sample of 51 BSW students, participants either conducted a structured life review or a friendly visitor assignment with an older adult. Participants were a diverse group of primarily female students, ranging in age from 20-57 years old. Pre- and post-survey results suggest that intergenerational service-learning in social work can be a valuable instructional technique, helping students to maintain or increase interest in working with elder populations, alleviating concerns of working in gerontological settings, and giving insights into both the challenges and rewards of this field of work.Keywords aging/gerontology; practice learning; service learning; experiential teaching methods; social work educatio
Group support for transformational social work education: a study of the Black Academics Forum (BAF)
Get PDFThe importance of formal and informal support for professional social workers cannot be overemphasised and this is true for social work academics who view themselves as belonging to minority groups. This paper outlines the development of the Black Academics Forum (BAF) within the Division of Social Work at the University of Northampton as a strategy to transform social work education for students, its members and ultimately for users of social work services. The benefits of BAF are considered within the context of feeling ‘lost inside space’ and providing a forum to self define whilst drawing upon the values of belonging, acceptance and trust. The challenges and limitations are considered alongside aspirations for the future of the group
Stories of change in a Québec group for men who have perpetrated violence against a partner
Get PDFIn the literature, there are many studies on the effectiveness of intimate partner violence group programs. However, practice descriptions and analyses of the group experience of men in this kind of program are rare. However, such knowledge could help to adapt programs to the realities of the men and to better understand their experiences as service users. This paper aims to fill this gap by describing the group experience and the stories of change of seven men belonging to an intimate partner violence group in Québec city. From a discussion group with the men, we highlight key moments that influenced the success of their group experience as well as the dynamics of the group, and the role of group leaders. We also describe the changes they experienced and what is successful from their points of view. We conclude with twelve pointers to successful groupwork, derived specifically from this group and, we hope, holding meaning for groups in general
A Social Work Perspective on Paediatric and Adolescent Research Vulnerability
No full textChildren’s and adolescents’ capacity to provide valid informed consent is one of the key ethical concerns in pediatric research. This review of adolescent vulnerability is presented to highlight the complex interplay between capacity and other forms of vulnerability. This review is offered as an interdisciplinary analysis to better understand why the study of vulnerable populations is critical to the ethical advancement of clinical research. Results from this analysis suggest the need for enhanced screening techniques as well as the utilization of specialized staff to identify and reduce the impact of different forms of vulnerability. These findings also provide insights into ways to ethically involve youth in complex biomedical research
The dialectics of change in social work education
Get PDFThe aim of this paper is to explore the dialectics of change in social work education. Beginning with a brief outline of the dialectic, it acknowledges the contested nature of social work, and identifies historical tensions between major stakeholders (government, regulators, employers, academics and educators). It examines inherent contradictions in the understanding of ‘good’ social work in the conflict over the social work curriculum, and in approaches to the assessment of practice at institutional and individual levels. Significant disconnections between stakeholders identified through the social work degree are described and the potential for reconnection through the reform process in England is recognized. The paper concludes by questioning whether such reconnection (synthesis) is possible in the context of divisive historical tensions (thesis and anti-thesis) and suggesting where new forms of connectivity may emerg
Step Up: the first and second cohorts compared Findings from an employer-based. accelerated training route in social work in England
No full textIn England several initiatives are underway in social work education, among which are changes to application and training processes, and the development of shorter employment-based post-graduate qualifying routes. Here trainees are placed with social work employers (local authorities), receive substantial funding compared to other students, and local authority staff are closely engaged with higher education providers. This article presents and analyses the views of the first and second cohorts of trainees undertaking the Step Up to Social Work programme. Data were collected by online survey, administered at four time points. The overall response rate at each of the four points was high; ranging from 64 per cent to 78 per cent for Cohort 1 and 77 per cent to 83 per cent for Cohort 2. Comparison of data across cohorts revealed satisfaction with the training and the Step Up initiative but levels of satisfaction were increased among Cohort 2, which may be attributable to changes made following the first cohort’s experiences. The findings from this comparison of trainees may usefully inform other studies and provision of employment-based routes in social work education and the satisfaction levels achieved may be ones to which other programmes may wish to aspire
Two sides of the one coin: Assessment of students who have previously failed a placement and the role of the practice teacher
Get PDFAbstract: Why does a student fail? What will be the student’s learning needs in any repeat placement? How does the student reflect on their previous placement experience? Can the Practice Teacher provide the appropriate learning experience and facilitate the student to attain the competencies needed to pass a repeat placement? So many questions for all of those concerned with the reality of a failed and repeat placement.This paper emanates from a presentation by both authors at the Glasgow Conference on Practice Teaching and Field Education in Health and Social Work in April 2014. It will examine the processes of social work placement failure and the task involved in finding a repeat placement for the student. Interesting topics for discussion include: What prompts Practice Teachers to take students who have previously failed? What preparations and conversations take place previous to the student started the repeat placement? How important is the involvement of the student’s Tutor in the planning of this next placement? A small sample of practice teachers’ experiences who offered placements to students (who had previously failed a placement) will be explored, as will conversations with students who had themselves previously failed. The conclusions attained by the authors both of whom are University Fieldwork Coordinators in researching this topic will be presented, with some interesting results
Concepts of justice and the non-traditional placement
Get PDFThis paper is based on a presentation given at the 10th International Conference on Practice Teaching and Field Education in Health and Social Work in April 2014. Occupational Therapy student non-traditional placements are an important element of developing autonomous practitioner skills. This paper considers the changes which have led to an increase in the use of non-traditional placements, and the significance of their basis in the third sector for a profession with origins in social justice and reform in the light of present health and social inequalities. It considers the advantages these placements bring to students and their universities, but also argues that the benefits to all stakeholders, including third sector organisations and their clients are critically reviewed