Helping People with Learning Difficulties into Paid Employment

Summary

Welfare to work policies have developed partly from policy rhetoric that argues employment as the best way of ensuring social inclusion for marginalised groups. In the United Kingdom, welfare to work policies for disabled people have developed within an enabling rather than a mandatory system, although organisation and practice have lagged behind. This article explores policies that provide this enabling context for facilitating the transition of people with learning difficulties from benefits to paid employment. It also explores the role of social workers, examining the degree to which their practice reflects the empowering rhetoric of the policy framework and of contemporary social work values.     

The role of self-advocacy in work for people with learning difficulties

This paper explores the relationship between self-advocacy and work for people with learning difficulties [1]. Explorations are based mainly on a participant observation study in which members of a self-advocacy group for people with learning difficulties included the researcher in their regular meetings. Discussions about work, most broadly defined as meaningful activity which makes a contribution to society, emerged as a critical preoccupation. We examine the importance of self-advocacy as a vehicle for people with learning difficulties who want to remove or circumvent barriers which surround their employment. Our research shows that understanding the role of self-advocacy in relation to work creates many development opportunities for both disabled employees and their prospective, or actual, employers. It is suggested that self-advocates can themselves achieve change in employers' attitudes by challenging oppressive images of people with learning difficulties in the workplace. It is hoped the paper will advance recognition of the importance of self-advocacy for maximising the participation of people with learning difficulties in work, and for acceptance of their status as workers.     

Speed Mentoring in Teaching and Learning: Young people with experience of the care system mentor social work students

The value of listening and talking to young people with experience of the care system has been recognised as a vital and positive contribution to social work students' learning. A model of co-production was used to develop a series of speed mentoring events whereby social work students placed in local authority children and family settings were mentored by young people with experience of the care system. This tentative review of this small-scale project shares the authors' critical reflections on the value and reliability of this model, for evaluating the outcomes of co-productive mentoring relationships between young people and social work students. The reversal of the power dynamic between student and service user contributed to the unsettling of assumptions about each other and empathy for each other's role. The student authors reflect on learning about the child's experience that has influenced their practice. The mentor authors welcomed the opportunity to participate in the development of ‘young people friendly’ social workers. Suggestions are made as to how this model could be developed to contribute to a more systematic approach to the role of service users in mentoring, advising and contributing to the supervision process of students and social workers.     

‘Baptism of Fire’: The First Year in the Life of a Newly Qualified Social Worker

This paper describes research commissioned by Skills for Care South West to identify and track the learning and development needs of newly qualified social workers through their first year of employment. The perceptions of 22 newly qualified social workers based in statutory settings are reported concerning the effectiveness of the social work degree (England), their induction and probationary periods and their progress towards post-qualifying social work education as part of their continuing professional development. The perspectives of line managers, people who use services and carers are also discussed. Findings from the research suggest that the social work degree has been well received by most newly qualified social workers and highlights the perceived importance of a statutory placement for social work degree students. Key social work practice skills that require further development are identified and a rationale is presented for greater investment in the induction and probationary periods of newly qualified social workers.     

‘A lad tried to get hold of my boobs,so I kicked him’: an examination of attempts by adults with learning difficulties to initiate their own safeguarding

People with learning difficulties are considerably more likely to experience sexual and other forms of violence than non-disabled people. Nevertheless, several respondents in this study have demonstrated some self-protective competencies. Most knew of their right not to be violated and a number of participants described situations when they had attempted to initiate their own safeguarding. Some had asked others for help with this. However, appropriate assistance was not always provided. This indicates that risk may be aggravated by social barriers. This paper focuses on highlighting the resistance skills that are prevalent amongst some people with learning difficulties. It concludes with suggestions on ways in which individuals may be further supported to realise their potential to play a more active role in directing and regaining their own protection.     

Rejoinder

In the hope of developing social workers who can work effectively with persons and communities other than their own, social work educators have utilized the traditional information-transmission approach as the preferred model of education. In 1968 this same model was rejected for cross-cultural training in the Peace Corps. This paper examines the applicability of the experiential learning model that was developed by the Peace Corps after 1968. The paper suggests that the experiential learning model has a much greater potential to achieve the desired objectives in the minority area and is worthy of consideration for all of social work education     

Who am I? Concepts of disability and their implications for people with learning difficulties

The relationship between concepts of disability, group membership and self-concept was examined. It was argued that people with learning difficulties have been categorised, by non-disabled people, as 'belonging' to a devalued social group with a rigid boundary based on IQ level. Findings from studies of self-concept have shown little evidence of a sense of belonging. It was suggested that people with learning difficulties may prefer not to identify with this social group because of the negative effect it may have on their self-esteem. The analysis based on intergroup and social identity theories proposed that people with learning difficulties may be encouraged in creating a positive self-concept by abandoning the IQ criterion for social categorisation; softening the boundaries between disabled and non-disabled people; and adopting collective rather than individual strategies for social change.     

Quality of Life for People with Learning Difficulties Moving to Community Homes

Research concerning people with learning difficulties who have left institutions has typically investigated how well people 'adapt' to life in the community, and has often ignored users' own perceptions of the changes in their quality of life resulting from the move. In this study, eight people with learning difficulties who moved from a hospital and seven people who moved from parental homes to live in staffed homes in the community were interviewed. Choice, privacy, social life and relationships with their parents and staff emerged as important factors in participants' perception of their quality of life. Their relationships with their parents were found to be close, and in some cases their parents were overprotective. Staff were perceived in some cases as too controlling and in others as providing too little support. The findings indicate that people with learning difficulties moving to community residences have aspirations which encompass far more than a wish to adapt to life in the community, and their relationships with family and staff are a central factor in achieving such aspirations.     

An Employment Project as a Route to Social Inclusion for People with Learning Difficulties?

Government policy to reduce social exclusion focuses on increasing employment opportunities and incentives, especially for disadvantaged groups. This paper discusses the findings of an evaluation of a project in the North West of England for people with learning difficulties, which sought to create opportunities for paid and/or integrated employment. The findings suggest that this goal can be undermined by many factors such as the isolation of social care services from employers and the disinclination of service organisations to include users, carers and staff in the development of new service approaches. Social welfare policies also mitigate against this aim, by failing to enable providers to translate the rhetoric of social inclusion into a reality. We discuss some of the obstacles preventing people with learning difficulties from inclusion into mainstream employment, by considering their impact upon the achievements of the North West project.     

Concepts of access for people with learning difficulties: towards a shared understanding

This article explores both the process and outcomes of a seminar series on the concept of access for people with learning difficulties. The seminar topics chosen to foster dialogue across professional and disciplinary boundaries included access to information, education, employment, the law, health, leisure, community, past histories and future plans. The seminars brought together people with learning difficulties and their support workers, researchers and professionals, to examine the expert knowledge of people with learning difficulties in negotiating access, the role of practitioners in mediating access and the contribution of research to understanding access. The aim was to develop a rich, shared understanding of the concept of access for people with learning difficulties. However, a huge amount of ‘access work’ had to be done to achieve this. The article discusses that access work and proposes a multidimensional model of access and ways of promoting it.     

Work-family conflict among IT specialty workers in the US

Specialty workers are a source of critical, locally scarce technical skills. This study aimed to understand the experience of work-family conflict among specialty workers in the US by exploring the process of transitioning from working in their home countries to working in the US. While participants perceived initial difficulties in adapting to the new environment, over time, they experienced lower work-family conflict in the US compared to working in their own home countries. In their home countries, where work and family domains were considered separate and culturally defined boundaries separating these domains are rigidly maintained; these participants relied heavily on family support to manage work-family conflict. Moving to the US, where greater integration of work and family domains is prevalent, these participants managed work-family conflict by revisiting altered demands, accessing alternate organizational resources and learning new skills to create and maintain work-family boundaries. This study contributes to the nascent body of literature on work-family relations in the context of international migration by highlighting a specific case of Indian specialty workers who adopt different boundary-spanning strategies to manage work-family conflict in changed social and working conditions. In essence, participants managed work-family conflict by using enhanced autonomy to increase flexible working and accessing other resources such as supervisory support and organizational flexible working policies.     

The impact of Arab-Israeli culture on the characteristics of the therapeutic encounter between women social workers and fathers in Arab parent–child centers

Summary: The aim of the study was to present the impact of the Arab-Israeli culture on the therapeutic encounter between women social workers with fathers in Arab parent–child centers in Israel. The research was qualitative, and was based on in-depth interviews with 15 Arab women social workers employed in nine parent–child centers, where they treat Arab fathers. Findings: The social workers’ perceptions about the fathers’ perceptions of the therapeutic encounter has an impact on the professional encounter. In some cases, these perceptions were a hindrance to the treatment and necessitated work to help the father overcome these perceptions and to reduce his potential resistance to the treatment. In other cases, the social workers’ perceptions about the fathers’ perceptions advanced the treatment. A supportive attitude toward the treatment meant a better starting point, which was reflected throughout the therapeutic process, when the father believed in the treatment and accepted the idea of asking for help. Application: The study findings show the importance of the social workers’ awareness of the fathers’ cultural stance, as well as of the similarities and differences between their own cultural perceptions and that of the fathers.     

Hearing the stories of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers: challenging and educating the system

Hearing the stories of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers highlights the powerful influence that cultural identity has on their practice. Their identity is continuously negotiated alongside a professional social work identity that is dominated by Western discourse. The tensions that these social workers experience in their practice is revealed in the findings of a qualitative research project conducted by an Indigenous and a non-Indigenous practitioner and researcher. The researchers spoke to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers engaged in diverse areas of practice across Australia. Their stories reveal a complex range of cultural and professional challenges. These include the difficulties encountered when working with their own kinship networks and the need to constantly negotiate personal and professional boundaries. The paper concludes with some thoughts about how the practice of Indigenous social workers can provide valuable lessons for Australian social work.     

Learning about ourselves through considering others: an examination of German students' cross-national learning

The paper examines the research and findings in relation to cross-national learning, which provide the background to an evaluation of a collaborative module run by German and English academics. A discussion of language and the need to engage the German audience in their own language is outlined, highlighting some of the difficulties inherent in translation and ensuring concepts are accurately conveyed, before examining the earlier literature in relation to cross-national learning. Drawing from this we outline how the module was developed and designed, with the core material being case studies which were used as vehicles to explore differences and similarities in social work systems—not merely in terms of practice, but also in relation to legislation and organisation. Of particular interest were reflections and comments from German social work students about the potential benefits of cross-national learning for their own practice in Germany. We conclude that the use of case studies enables greater student engagement and that the findings of earlier studies in relation to their use is confirmed, along with clear evidence that such approaches enable deeper reflections about students' own social work practice and systems.     

ICT,young people and social work: distances and opportunities

ABSTRACT

The relationship between social work and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is an awkward one in Spanish tradition, particularly from social work perspective due to a certain lack of institutional and professional competence in terms of understanding the capabilities of ICTs. Young people use ICTs to connect to each other and express themselves, however. ICTs represent a means—increasingly the main one—for young people to build and communicate their own identities and understand reality. As with other social sciences, social work suffers from a difficult relationship with young people. Youth is often studied differently and sometimes perceived as a problem that ends when adulthood is reached. In this context, the relationship among ICTs, social work and young people is also a difficult one. But this problem may also be a solution. By adopting a critical ICT approach, social work can create innovative initiatives and frameworks to improve communication between social work practitioners and teachers as with young people and students. Imagination and empathy will clearly be key to achieving this, in addition to deeper involvement in the use of new software and applications that can offer enhanced communication and build bridges between social workers and young people.     

Research and empowerment: involving people with learning difficulties in oral and life history research

This paper takes as its central theme the argument that inclusive learning disability research has the potential to be empowering for the people who are involved in it. The author draws from two oral and life history research projects to explore the multiple uses of story-telling and the multi-layered picture of learning disability history that emerged. People with learning difficulties were involved in all stages of the research process, contributing their stories as oral and life historians but also co-researching written records in a bid to know and understand more about their own and other people's past lives. The research enabled participants not only to tell their stories but also to reflect on them, to develop new insights into their meaning and to see them in a wider social and political context.     

Caring at a distance: Learning and practice issues

Emphasis on support for informal carers focuses on those who provide, in the words of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995, 'substantial' and 'regular' care. Following research and policy, professional education has also developed interest in those who live with the people they support, such as co-resident spouses and children of all ages. This article considers those who probably do not define themselves as carers and are usually referred to as 'relatives' or 'family', living at a distance from an older relative. It explores their possible need for support as well as the form and level of their involvement in relation to care managed services. It describes key areas or events to draw out practice issues and concludes with a discussion of the extent to which care management can work with such relatives. In many ways caring at a distance forces an examination of what is meant by 'care' and who can legitimately claim this as an emotion or status. The rationale for such interest is therefore three-fold. If social workers and social work educators restrict the meaning and their definitions of carers to those who provide 'hands on' services, as part of the care package, they risk alienating relatives from the learning experience of students. In doing so they may neglect these highly valued supports of older people and may leave relatives distressed and disempowered by anxiety over their contract with social work agencies.     

The impact of the 2nd intifada on Israeli Arab and Jewish social workers

This paper presents an analysis of interviews with Israeli social workers conducted as part of a study investigating the impact of the 2nd Intifada on the work, clients, views and feelings of Israeli Arab and Jewish social workers. The data were generated from 58 interviews with social workers who volunteered to do so. Coming from a sociological perspective, the study focused on how a violent political conflict impacts on two groups of social workers who live and work in the same society, but are likely to have different views about it. Their actions, views, well-being, and values were researched in a context likely to test universal social work values. The findings document a high level of tension and anxiety generated for both groups, very negative impact on clients’ life and views, largely negative effect on welfare services, co-existing with continuous professional development. Social workers’ views of their own national group and the other national group within the Intifada context highlight primarily the empathy with one's own group while lacking in empathy towards the other group, coupled with suspicion and some hostility. The struggle to maintain professional values is expressed only by a minority. The discussion and conclusions look at what social work can learn from the findings in understanding such complex contexts and the response to the challenge they pose to social work.     

When Emotion Work is Doomed to Fail: Ideological and Structural Constraints on Emotion Management

This paper explores how workers try to manage their emotions under conditions that doom them to fail. The workers in question—floor instructors at a sheltered workshop for people with developmental disabilities—were expected to infuse clients with positive feelings about work and to help transform them into committed workers. But structural conditions—boring, poorly paid assembly work and long gaps between contract jobs—forced them to obtain clients' compliance through coercive and confrontational emotion management techniques that contradicted their ideological beliefs. The floor instructors sought to peacefully increase their control over clients through “preventive emotion management” but most often they experienced a loss of control, leading some of them to experience “burnout.” This paper defines burnout as “occupational emotional deviance” that workers experience when they cannot manage their own and other's emotions according to organizational expectations.     

Putting old heads on young shoulders: helping social work students uncover the neoliberal hegemony

This paper explores the suggestion that younger students and social workers are more accepting of neoliberal social work practices than their older counterparts, understanding social problems more readily as failings of individual behaviour rather than as produced by societal forces such as inequality, poverty, and punitive social policy. The suggestion is made that the acceptance of a hegemonic view of people in poverty and other difficulties, which is simple and reductionist, and therefore, easy to grasp, can only be challenged by sophisticated critical thinking. Assignment results from two modules within one social work programme which significantly correlate marks attained and student age are considered in the light of the suggestion that younger students are struggling with critical thinking, and therefore, with deconstructing the neoliberal hegemony.