Whiting & Birch (E-Journals)
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Leading communities of practice in social work
No full textSocial work in the UK has undergone a period of momentous change in the last decade with the introduction of a ‘modernising agenda’ that has increased managerial approaches to the organisation, development and delivery of services. Whilst posing a threat to some, these approaches are embedded and social workers must find ways of working within them to synthesise appropriate responses that promote the values and cultural heritage of social work within the new context. This paper considers the possibilities offered by communities of practice to develop learning organisations in which a managed and participatory approach to social care can be generated. A super-ordinate model of contending cultures is developed and practice that draws on and is predicated by groupwork principles is presented as a potential way forward
Facilitation and groupwork tasks in self-directed groupwork
Get PDFIn this paper we will briefly set out the principles and process of the self-directed groupwork model but our main focus will be on how people are putting the model into practice and changes we have observed in relation to groupwork tasks and facilitation within its application over the past 3 decades. Whilst we have found that self-directed groupwork continues to be practised by a range of professionals it is equally used by self-run groups with no input from a professional worker
Groupwork course experiences
Get PDFNumerous concerns exist in the groupwork and counseling literatures regarding the requirement that students participate in experiential counseling groups as part of their academic coursework. This research examined the use of service learning task groups as an alternate way to address this required component of group counseling coursework to address multiple relationship concerns between faculty and students. Results indicated that while many group counseling skills were demonstrated in the task group, not all skills manifested. Group skills that were more ‘safe’ in terms of counselor risk were demonstrated more often. Less ‘safe’ or risky group skills for the counselor, such as providing feedback to a group member, were demonstrated less frequently. The authors offer implications for research and practice
The surreptitious feminization of domestic violence
Get PDFWhile most victims of domestic violence are women those prone to acts of domestic violence cannot be universally identified as male. Domestic violence permeates Western societies such as the United States and the United Kingdom which includes male victims who are frequently denied or overlooked. This may be due to differences in reporting of domestic violence between men and women and may mean that the rates of victimization for males and females is much less sex-based than it appears. As a result, to the extent that Social Work and who has access to services is a culturally constructed phenomenon, male victims in need require advocates in all areas whose sole purpose is problem resolution
Safeguarding people with learning disabilities at risk of forced marriage
Get PDFThe issue of forced marriage is often located within debates on violence against women, immigration control and cultural difference and rarely considers the very specific needs of children and adults with learning disabilities. Motivating factors for forcing people with learning disabilities to marry can differ from those frequently seen in forced marriage per se; most commonly they include obtaining a carer and can typically be related to the perceived stigma of disability in some communities. Many families, and indeed some practitioners, would not necessarily recognise a forced marriage as such; this has implications for inter-agency safeguarding practice. This paper considers the complexities involved in safeguarding people with learning disabilities who might be at risk and considers the factors impacting upon adequate safeguarding policy and inter-agency practice. Recommendations are made for future policy and service development in this complex and largely neglected area of practice
You talkin’ to me?
Get PDFThis article reflects a piece of research conducted with final year social work students and practice teachers within one health and social care trust in Northern Ireland. The work focused on the assessment of students via direct observations and aimed to capture the views, perceptions and experiences of students and practice teachers within this process.The findings highlighted the complexity of the direct observation process and the need for effective communication as a central theme. One finding examined the issue of intervention and participation by a practice teacher within an observation. The outcome challenges current thinking as there was a high level of support for the use of professional discretion to intervene by practice teachers during an observation. The key components of preparation, agreeing goals, frameworks used and practice teacher intervention were dominated by the need for effective communication
Addressing professional suitability in social work education
Get PDFLimited research exists pertaining to field education coordinators’ leadership and educational practice in general, or with respect to the specific topic of gatekeeping in social work education. This article presents the results of a Canadian study that investigates the experience and approach of field education coordinators in addressing student professional suitability concerns. This exploratory study consists of a focus group conducted with field education coordinators from across Canada, and an extensive web-based survey questionnaire administered to all current, and some former social work field education coordinators in Canada. In brief, the results of this study reinforce the perception found in social work literature that gatekeeping predominantly falls to the field component of social work education. Findings of the study provide insight into the location of field education within academia; and highlights the important leadership role undertaken by field education coordinators in supporting students, faculty liaisons, field educators, and university administration in addressing concerns related to student professional suitability. Implications for social work education are discussed