Towards a Comprehensive Typology of Knowledge for Social Work and Alcohol

This article presents a theoretical model of knowledge acquisition by social workers with regards to alcohol, which formed the propositional element of a recently awarded doctoral thesis submission. It begins by briefly contextualising the relationship between alcohol and social work, the profession's response to the increasing sense of alcohol-related issues in workloads and calls for more effective intervention responses. In considering how this is often reflected in demands for social workers to receive more education about alcohol, it critically examines existing considerations of possible typologies of knowledge for social work, before encapsulating them within a model focusing on alcohol. The model suggests that any such typology is likely to be composed of multiple sources, including both codified and non-codified elements. It concludes by considerations of some of the implications for research approaches that could be used to gain a better understanding of these knowledge frameworks. In doing so it proposes that it is through these alternative considerations that more holistic understandings of social work knowledge will be established. Discussion of the implications of working within more inclusive knowledge frameworks, for social work education, policy, practice and research, are contained throughout the article.     

Conceptualizing ethical knowledge and knowledge transfer in public relations

In a survey with 350 public relation practitioners, this study examined practitioners’ conceptualizations of ethical knowledge and ethical training through a knowledge management framework. The findings show that practitioners characterized ethical knowledge as a form of tacit knowledge that is personal in nature. However, ethical knowledge in public relations is tacit only to the extent that it is a personal body of knowledge grounded in individual actions and experiences. As a professional construct, ethical knowledge in public relations is explicit in that it is a tangible form of knowledge that could be communicated and shared in the workplace.     

Making Research Count: What Australian Social Work Researchers Think

A central question in the research utilisation literature is what happens to research evidence once it is produced. In social work, this has frequently translated to questions of whether and how social workers use research in practice. Despite these questions, relatively little is known about the ways in which research comes to be used in social work practice. This paper reports on a study of research utilisation in social work, which examined researchers’ perceptions of the factors impacting on research use in social work. The specific focus of this study was on the impact of interaction between researchers and practitioners on research use in practice. The study replicated a scale used in prior studies on knowledge utilisation to collect data from 60 Australian researchers publishing in social work journals, all of whom reported some level of research use by practitioners. Key variables were coproduction, engagement, and research utilisation. Implications for future use of the survey instrument for the measurement and implementation of research use in social work are discussed.     

Money talks: The role of finance in social work education and practice

Finance is crucial to every aspect of social care, yet has traditionally been neglected in social work training and practice. Despite the overwhelming importance of budgetary issues for the provision of social services, few workers understand how the system works or how their work is financed. The result is that they continue in ignorance, operating without an awareness of the financial context in which they work, lacking the financial skills to move successfully into management positions and failing to challenge a chaotic and anachronistic system which undermines local democracy as a deliberate tool of central control. Against this background, this paper highlights the importance of a financial overview for social work educators and practitioners, exploring the factors which contribute to the widespread inability to engage with financial issues and calling for a greater emphasis on this topic in social work training. In the process, it builds on a recently published introduction to local government finance which is designed specifically to counter the anti-financial tendencies inherent in social work, providing a detailed but easily comprehensible handbook for managers, practitioners and members of the general public alike. To place these issues in context, the paper begins with a personal account of working in a department experiencing financial difficulties.     

Lay and professional knowledge in social work: reflections from ethnographic research on child protection

This paper is concerned with the discursive interaction of lay and professional knowledge in the practice of social workers. The contention is that identifying discrete sources of knowledge—such as evidence-informed materials—may be less important for explaining how social workers guide their practice than recognising the effect of the discursive interaction of lay and professional knowledge within organisational culture. The example used for this discussion is child protection work, with a particular emphasis on how practice can be seen to be gendered. In the course of making this overall argument, the paper draws on academic debates about the nature of knowledge in professional work and discusses lay and professional knowledge as revealed through ethnographic research carried out in a social work team in the UK.     

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.     

Codifying explicit and tacit practitioner knowledge in community social pediatrics organizations: Evaluation of the first step of a knowledge transfer strategy

In this article, we the present the evaluation of the first phase of a KT initiative, the codification of the tacit and explicit knowledge of community social pediatrics (CSP) practitioners. As increasing numbers of professionals began working in the CSP field, it became necessary to capture the know-how to make it better understood. This first phase of the initiative took advantage of one of the KM stages, the codifying process that is absent from KT models. The evaluation aim to answer the question: “What is the CSPs practitioners level of familiarity with the codification document, as well as their perceptions of its utility and its contribution to the understanding of the CSP model”. The results, show that most respondents had consulted the codification document and were able to describe in detail parts of it. The results also show that they considered it to be a useful and necessary tool to guide practices and helpful in understanding the model. The results of this evaluation is paving the way for the next steps of the KT initiative.     

A postcolonial perspective on language and difference in social work: bilingual practitioners working in the linguistic borderlands

This paper employs a postcolonial perspective to explore the issue of language identity and difference in social work. It presents a case study of three bilingual practitioners who acquired English either as a result of colonial or postcolonial language policies in their respective countries of birth and who at the time of the study were residing in Australia. These informants demonstrate a variety of patterns of cross-border mobility currently being exercised by social workers in an era marked by transnational activities such as education and practice. The three accounts are mediated through a postcolonial lens in order to reveal some of the distinct linguistic dimensions of social work in terms of how and why personal language biography may become a salient issue in practice. The discussion that follows illustrates the potential of a postcolonial perspective for enhancing understandings of language in social work in terms of four themes: the relocation of difference from the margins to the centre; the historical dimensions of language identity; the spatial dimensions of linguistic relations; and the role of English in knowledge production.     

Child welfare workers and social justice: Mending the disconnect

While professional social workers are clearly obligated to pursue social justice, controversies abound surrounding what that means in theory and practice. Perhaps nowhere are the paradoxes inherent in practice for social justice seen in sharper contrast than in the field of child welfare. Intended to protect the rights of children, child welfare systems themselves have been characterized as instruments of oppression. This article hopes to enrich that discourse through an examination of how these issues are conceptualized and acted upon by front-line child welfare social workers. Through in-depth interviews with 25 child welfare workers, and 3 focus groups, in two Canadian provinces, and employing grounded theory strategies for data collection and analysis, we have explored understandings of the social justice mandate and how it is expressed in practice. Participants in this study conceptualized social justice in terms of both wider societal goals of fairness and equality, and of the quality of interactions and relationships between social workers and those with whom they work; conceptual emphasis on one or the other of these we found to be associated with differences in practice. We reflect on the implications of each of these emphases for effectiveness in advancing social justice aims in the child welfare context, and make recommendations regarding a grounding for educators and practitioners in theoretical orientations that includes attention to the linkages between macro and micro opportunities to advance social justice.     

Towards an interactional approach to reflective practice in social work

Reflective practice is a key aspiration within social work; being a reflective practitioner is considered to be a foundational attribute of the social work professional. However, achieving reflective practice is not straightforward. Reflection is inevitably subject to issues of memory and recall, so that the recollection of a case is likely to differ in important ways from the original instance. Moreover, giving an account of an event to one's peers or supervisors involves aspects of justification and self-presentation that may emphasise selectively and ignore key details of the original event, whether through a process of conscious omission or subconscious forgetting. This article reports on a knowledge exchange project that sought to enhance criminal justice social workers’ reflective practice through the use of the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method, an approach that is methodologically and theoretically grounded in the study of talk-in-interaction, drawing on video re-enactments of real encounters between practitioners and service users. We argue that by engaging collaboratively in this way, the practitioners and researchers learned a great deal about how practice in criminal justice social work is ‘done’ and also about the wider context within which criminal justice social work is practised.     

Practice Learning and the Development of Professional Practice

The development of professional practice is based on practice learning, yet there is no consensus about its definition. The currently evolving use of the term ‘practice learning’ provides us with an opportunity to consider the nature of learning for professional practice at initial entry through to post qualifying stages of development. A number of streams of thought are influencing the understanding of practice learning and we aim to consider some of these and how they inform those involved in supporting and guiding practice learners at different stages of their professional development.

In presenting our conceptualisation of practice learning we argue against oversimplified dualities of classroom‐based academic learning concerned with theory and workplace‐based practice learning concerned with practice. Additionally we make explicit the career‐long nature of practice learning which is as embedded in continuing professional development as it is in the requirements for qualifying programmes.

Having established what we mean by ‘practice learning’ we consider the impact of organisational learning theory on the management of practice learning. The consideration of the characteristics of organisations which learn leads to a brief examination of approaches to teaching and learning which promote knowledge creation in a way which is meaningful to practitioners. We will argue that the development of understandings of organisational learning and knowledge creation should become part of the knowledge base for those supporting and guiding practice learners, in addition to the traditional knowledge base of adult learning theory.

Before exploring the nature of practice learning it would be helpful to consider briefly what we mean by professional practice for which practice learning is preparing people.

Professional practice in social work is a complex set of activities which involve direct work with service users, and their families, as well as work with other professionals and agencies. A range of knowledge and skills are used with a firm value base which recognises diversity and oppression as key elements in UK society.

Such professional practice is learned and developed in a range of ways over time through training, practice, understanding, analysis and reflection. However, the nature of just what practice learning is and where it occurs has become a focus of debate in the UK as a result of recent developments in initial professional education and training for social work.     

Evidence-based practice knowledge and utilization among social workers

In this study the researchers examined the knowledge, skills, and use of Evidence-Based Practice in a sample of social workers from different practice settings. Using an electronic survey, data were collected from a group of social work practitioners (N = 200). Participants in their 30s and 40s demonstrated the most knowledge and use of Evidence-Based Practice. In addition, a high percentage of social workers reported to be knowledgeable about social work research databases; a smaller percentage actually used online resources in their practice. Through this study the researchers add to what is currently known about social workers' perceptions, knowledge, and use of Evidence-Based Practice.     

Invisible children? Professional bricolage in child protection

In the last decades, child protection has been heavily criticized in many countries as fatal cases have caused public debates and political revisions. A study on the child protection system in Germany is presented. Responding to public criticism of fatal cases, new laws aimed for a stronger involvement of further professions beyond social workers who are traditionally holding the main responsibility. The study enquires in how far these revisions allow for a higher level of attention given to the children's conditions and sufferings. Data was gathered in five communities by interviewing practitioners of the social work profession, pediatric medicine, and midwifery on recent cases. By applying concepts of interpretive sociology of professions, 93 cases were systematically reconstructed. A typology of the different “mandates” of the occupations was developed, referring to the practitioners' interpretation of their main tasks in their case work. Validation of the qualitative analysis was sought by quantifying important characteristics of case trajectories. The results show that a mere addition of professional groups does not lead to a comprehensive consideration of the child's situation. The three professions only take specific aspects of children and according to their ‘mandates’ into account. Furthermore, social workers, having the competence of case coordination, occasionally exclude the knowledge of other professions from further proceedings.     

Promoting sexual well-being in social work education and practice

This paper explores the importance of including sexual well-being within social work practice and education. Social workers often work with individuals for whom opportunities for sexual expression are limited and who face discriminatory attitudes. Sexual well-being is a global concern, and is particularly relevant considering international interest in the influence of notions of well-being on mental and physical health. Implementation of new social care policy in England, underpinned by the well-being principle, provides practitioners with the opportunity to explore what is meaningful to individual’s well-being through person-centred approaches to practice. There is currently little coverage of sexual well-being within social work education, this means students and practitioners lack the knowledge and skills to challenge barriers. Promotion of the concept of sexual citizenship, with its associated rights and responsibilities, enables social workers to engage in rights focused practice. Sexual well-being is a sensitive subject and the social and personal barriers practitioners may experience in addressing this topic are explored.     

Does past life matter? Social workers' views on biographical approaches

The article discusses the application of biographical approaches in social work practice and aims to identify issues that may need to be taken into account when implementing these approaches. The essays of 16 Finnish social workers, working in psychiatry, addiction treatment, rehabilitation, gerontology, pre-adoption counselling and vocational education, were analyzed regarding the respondents’ views on the benefits of biographical approaches, especially biographical interviewing (BI). Qualitative content analysis was used. The results indicate that biographical approaches can create a space for user reflection and social worker listening as well as provide a better understanding of service users’ situation. However, concerns regarding limitations of the approach, ethics and necessary professional competencies were raised. The conclusions drawn are that social work practice can benefit from BI done with awareness and ethical sensitivity and that ‘biographical lenses’ as a metaphor for a general attitude can be applied in most practice situations. The paper draws on a wider literature on biographical approaches in the social sciences.     

Narcissism and the Social Work Response

Abstract

This paper reflects on and discusses the relationship between social work knowledge and practice in the context of work with narcissistically-oriented clients. Two subtypes of narcissism postulated in the literature are discussed in relation to the pattern of narcissistic internal claims about self and associated relational expectations. Key messages for social workers are that greater knowledge of the dynamics of narcissism may lead to: accepting and adapting practice based on the idea that narcissistic dynamics have a certain intentionality; applying empowerment models more carefully with this group; better understanding of how to effectively engage clients without reinforcing strong narcissistic tendencies or “results”; and protection of social workers' wellbeing by being able to identify and understand how narcissistic dynamics impact in practice situations. Social workers are urged to critically reflect on and to develop deeper, social work-specific, understandings of personality psychology in the interests of greater practice effectiveness.     

Parents' initial reactions to having a mentally retarded child: A concept and model for social workers

Motivated by the knowledge that the initial reaction experience to having a mentally retarded child is a critical determinant of parental responses for years to come, this paper attempts a close look at and a detailed conceptualization of that experience. In so doing, it has taken into account the available information and understandings and has particularly striven to integrate the psychoanalytic and crisis views. The hoped-for result is a concept that is realistic and a model that is specific, comprehensive, and affirmative enough to be readily usable by social workers.     

Case Work in Social Work: Exploring the use of Reflective Letters in the Intensive Family Support Services

This paper begins by reviewing the current policy context of ‘evidence based interventions’, a term littered in social work literature and more recently working with complex families in Wales. This study demonstrates the application of practice of a range of workers located in the Integrated Family Support Services (IFSS) in Wales in the context of reflective letters utilising motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. As part of the MI method, which is used as a model for practice in the IFSS, the consultant social worker, alongside other practitioners, uses a range of tools including the use of reflective letters and narrative principles. These letters are evidence themselves of the work and therapeutic conversations that happen during sessions within the family home, and with various family members. This paper draws on 14 samples of reflective letters from current practice in Wales and explores and considers their application to practice and areas for further development.     

Service User Involvement in Social Work Education: A Case Example

The financial resources provided by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) which supports the education and registration of social workers, has allowed for an increase in user involvement in social work programmes in England and Wales. This article discusses the sources of knowledge appropriate for social workers and social care workers including the significance of the service user knowledge base for social work theory and practice. A project is described which involved students in a consultation process with service users whose role it was to contribute to the students' learning in a particular area, specifically understanding their experience of social workers and the issues of discrimination which they faced and the processes which were helpful in resisting oppression.