Practising for Social Work Practice: Integrating Knowledge and Skills for Social Work with Children and Families

The UK Government has categorically stated in its Knowledge and Skills Statement for Children and Family Social Work what social workers need to know and be able to do when responding to concerns about children. The Hope for Children and Families modular systemic interventions programme provides evidence informed responses for targeting harmful parenting and the associated impairment of children. The training resources, developed by Bentovim et al., apply the ‘common elements approach’ and are aimed at qualified practitioners. However, there also appears to be scope for their use in social work qualifying programmes. This paper will review the development of an undergraduate children and families module using the materials. It discusses how these resources were incorporated into a learning, teaching and assessment strategy which aims to develop and test the interpersonal components of knowledge and skills alongside technical/procedural knowledge. The outcomes indicate that these resources have contributed significantly in closing the gap between study and practice by providing an applied starting point from which learners can critically engage in the complexities of what they need to know and be able to do to be effective practitioners. Further use of these resources across programmes is recommended.     

Social Work Practice with Polygamous Families

Data are based on student files of 25 Bedouin-Arab children born to senior mothers of polygamous families, and interviews with the children's teachers and mothers. Mothers complained of somatic symptoms, economic problems, poor relations with the husband, and competition and jealousy between the co-wives and among the co-wives' children. Children had a variety of behavioural problems, and below average academic achievement. Social work practice should recognize the cultural and personal significance of polygamy to family members; appreciate the significance of polygamy to children's functioning; select children as a target system for intervention; and reinforce the Islamic value base for interventions.     

Integrating a Family-Centered Approach into Social Work Practice with Families of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities

Abstract

This article identifies a family-centered practice construct for working with children and adolescents with disabilities and their families. The experiences of these families have shifted considerably over the past 30 years. A legislative and historical context provides the basis for an understanding of present policies and practices that influence current approaches to service delivery. Though family-centered practice is emphasized in various practice settings, there is still a need to integrate this philosophy into social work practice with children and adolescents with disabilities and their families. In order to enhance the ability of the social worker to integrate this construct into practice, a framework for exploring the experiences of children, adolescents and families is provided. This framework provides an overview of factors related to the individual child, the family and siblings for the social worker to consider when working with these families. The social worker's role as collaborator, advocate, team member and family resource is highlighted.     

Information for Clinical Social Work Practice: A Potential Solution

The field of social work requires knowledgeable, skilled and self-confident professionals. We assume that many of these social workers will have less than optimal access to professionally relevant information, within and outside of their workplaces. We also assume that they, like others searching for information, will have a limited set of search skills yet will want to obtain the information for practice they need as easily as possible. Finally, we assume they will continue turning to the Internet to access relevant information. This paper describes Information for Practice (IP), an Internet service designed for social work practitioners based on these assumptions. Data regarding use of this service are presented.     

Domestic Violence and Children with Disabilities: Working Towards Enhancing Social Work Practice

Abstract

Globally, domestic violence, where a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically, sexually or psychologically dominate or harm the other, is now recognised as one of the most entrenched and pervasive forms of violence in society. Nevertheless, internationally and in Australia, the occurrence of domestic and other forms of violence in families affecting children with a disability is poorly understood. The present article examines the information available on domestic violence and children with a disability. Through the use of case studies drawn from a large disability organisation in New South Wales, Australia, practice issues with families where domestic violence affects a child with a disability are drawn out for social workers to consider. These considerations are designed to enhance practice in this field.     

Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice with Children and Adolescents: A Survey of Canadian Practitioners

Empirical evidence about the relevance of religion/spirituality for children and adolescents contrasts with the limited number of studies inquiring about the role of religion/spirituality when working with this population. In response to this lack of knowledge, this study explored the professional attitudes, experiences, and practice behaviors of social workers and social service workers working with youth and determined the predictive factors for using spiritually-derived interventions. A cross-sectional survey design, with proportionate stratified sampling, was used to gather data from 307 Canadian social workers and social service workers working with youth in Ontario (response rate was 40%, with 5.06% margin of error). Respondents reported favorable views toward the role of religion/spirituality in social work practice, in general. They also reported positive attitudes about the relevancy of religion/spirituality for this population and somewhat frequent encounters with religious/spiritual abuse and neglect. They used a wide variety of spiritually-derived interventions; however, over two-thirds (69%) reported their formal education “never” or “rarely” included content on the topic. Barriers to using spiritually-derived interventions included: lack of knowledge/experience, concern about presenting one's own bias, disapproval from caregivers, and lack of agency/supervisor support. Multiple regression analysis revealed two assessment variables, two attitudinal variables, one education/training variable, and one personal religious/spiritual variable predictive of the use of spiritually-derived interventions, accounting for 55% of the variance. Findings suggest a need for emphasizing spiritually-sensitive practice guidelines and for social work education and continuing education to include content about religious/spiritual diversity as well as content about spiritual development that includes spirituality in childhood.     

Revitalizing Families: A Communitarian Agenda for Social Work

Abstract

As the conservative tidal wave sweeps away the remaining vestiges of our national welfare state, another social movement of the 1990s, known as communitarianism, is gaining the moral attention of those who work for the rejuvenation of families and communities in our society. This paper explains the social philosophy of the communitarian movement and shows how this philosophy, when applied to social programs, can lead to a revitalization of American families, however those social, economic and nurturing units may be defined in a pluralistic society. The intention is to link communitarianism with social work values so that social workers may find additional professional sanction both to join in the movement and to apply a communitarian philosophy to their work with families and communities.     

Applying Critical Consciousness and Evidence-Based Practice Decision-Making: A Framework for Clinical Social Work Practice

Social work education is increasingly driven by the established movement of evidence-based practice (EBP) that drives the delivery of mental health care with the promise of providing treatments that work and greater efficiency. This emphasis on EBP coexists with the profession’s expressed commitment to social justice. Social work literature rarely addresses the complexities of EBP decision-making in relation to social justice. Rather, separate conversations either explore the commitment to social justice through a reflective approach to practice decision-making or take a positivist approach to scientific inquiry. This article offers a framework to apply critical consciousness and EBP decision-making that integrates reflective and positivist approaches to facilitate processes and outcomes that amplify social justice aims in social work practice.     

A Critical Examination of CBT in Clinical Social Work Practice

The dominance of cognitive behavioral treatment in social work practice is acknowledged and challenged, not from the usual quarters of pointing out its limitations as a theoretical and conceptual model, but from a fundamental critique of its evidentiary basis and the methodology from which such claims of superiority are pronounced. Significant concerns are raised about the restrictive inclusion criteria, the lack of ethnic and racial diversity, inadequate control groups, and researcher bias in random controlled trials studies. Further concerns are raised from social/cultural/political/professional dynamics that are evident in the delivery of mental health services and function to limit client options for treatment.     

Transgender and Gender Diverse Children: Considerations for Affirmative Social Work Practice

Given growing public awareness about transgender and gender diverse identities, it is expected that greater numbers of children and families will seek mental health and social services, including transition-related services, from social workers and other mental health professionals. Transgender and gender diverse children have a range of transition-related needs which require the support of informed practitioners with transgender and gender diverse-specific knowledge and skills. Moreover, the needs and experiences of families and caregivers of transgender and gender diverse children will vary greatly. To date, research suggests a paucity of transgender and gender diverse-specific expertise among social workers and other mental health providers; this seems particularly evident with respect to the needs of transgender and gender diverse children. An affirmative practice framework to guide therapeutic work with transgender and gender diverse children and families is presented. In addition, key clinical practice considerations associated with engagement, assessment, psychoeducation, support and referral are provided. Finally, clinical examples illustrating use of the affirmative practice approach with transgender and gender diverse children are provided.     

White Privilege and Clinical Social Work Practice: Reflections and Recommendations

This exploratory study examined how seasoned White social workers grappled with the presence and effects of White privilege on their clinical practice. Data were collected in focus groups; findings were surfaced through thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: the role of engaging in continuous self-awareness in clinical practice; the complexity of using intersectionality to inform our work; the necessity of addressing White privilege in clinical conversations; the importance of creating strategies for use of power; and the process of engaging in life-long growth. These workers demonstrated awareness of, and accountability for, White privilege. Implications for progressive social work practice are discussed.