Exploring Moderating Effects of Violent Conflict on Household Welfare in a Resource-Constrained Environment: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

This study examines correlates of household welfare in three countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, using data from the 2004 wave of the Afrobarometer survey. We also assess the role violent conflict might play in influencing this relationship. This subject has become especially relevant today in sub-Saharan Africa, given the growing disfranchisement of vulnerable individuals and households and increased incidents of violent conflict. Insight into the relationship between violent conflict and household welfare may be an important step in understanding why many sub-Saharan African countries have difficulties in stimulating economic growth and welfare. The study sample includes 3,525 respondents. Study findings provide partial support for the hypothesized relationship. Specifically, poverty reduction initiatives and informal assistance are associated with reduced hardship, while violent conflict is related to an increase in hardship. We also note that certain individual and household characteristics are linked to hardship. Practice and policy implications are suggested.     

Effects of an Individual Development Account Program on Retirement Saving: Follow-up Evidence From a Randomized Experiment

We examine the 10-year follow-up effects on retirement saving of an individual development account (IDA) program using data from a randomized experiment that ran from 1998 to 2003 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The IDA program included financial education, encouragement to save, and matching funds for several qualified uses of the saving, including contributions to retirement accounts. The results indicate that as of 2009, 6 years after the program ended, the IDA program had no impact on the propensity to hold a retirement account, the account balance, or the sufficiency of retirement balances to meet retirement expenses.     

Family resilience in low income communities: A case study of an informal settlement in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

Many of the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of poverty and deprivation reside in informal settlements in Africa. While there is growing evidence of the importance of family resilience, there is little documented evidence of how collective actions undertaken by families in African communities can contribute to this. In-depth interviews and focus-group sessions were conducted with single mothers residing in an informal settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to delineate the factors that contributed to their resilience. We examined the influence of social ties, self-efficacy and networks they had established beyond their immediate community on enhancing family resilience. Three key themes are discussed: determination to survive, rising above harsh economic conditions and establishing networks within and outside the community. We conclude that the foundation for building strong female-headed families lies in positive social ties, self-empowerment initiatives and tapping on established networks within and outside low income communities.     

北京市孤残儿童被遗弃的原因分析

孤残儿童是我国最软弱的一个社会群体。儿童遗弃的类型和原因非常复杂。这篇文章通过对社会调查和统计资料的分析 ,发现北京市孤残儿童的群体特征 :北京市儿童福利院的大多数儿童是残疾。由此得出残疾和重男轻女的思想是父母遗弃儿童的主要原因 ,并且指出解决北京市面对的儿童被遗弃问题的方法只有从全国来考虑 ,从制度上来考虑。文章提出了相关的政策建议     

Poverty in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study of Poverty and Female‐headed Households in Jeddah City

This article reports an exploratory study in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, which assembled data and information from government and non‐governmental organizations about poverty and poverty alleviation policies. A list of poor families which were receiving benefits from the Social Security Department and charitable associations in Jeddah City was constructed, from which female‐headed households were identified and classified depending on the circumstances of the female head. The article describes the social, cultural and demographic characteristics of poor female‐headed households in Jeddah. The article also uses the results of interviews with 13 poor female heads of households to analyse aspects of their everyday lives. This evidence is used to discuss the ability of the Saudi state's income support system to address poverty as the country undergoes economic and social modernization.     

Including the Socially Excluded: The Impact of Government Policy on Vulnerable Families and Children in Need

This paper is based on a literature review undertaken for theOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2004 (Buchanan et al., 2004)on the impact of government policy in England and Wales forchildren aged from birth to thirteen at high risk of socialexclusion as recorded up until May 2004. It describes the conceptof ‘social exclusion’; its meaning for children;the aims of government policy; the specific impact of governmentpolicy on vulnerable families and children in need (includingchildren needing child protection and all ‘looked after’children) as defined by the 1989 Children Act. The paper demonstratesthat although progress has been made, there are still majorareas of concern. The more discursive parts at the end of thepaper reflect the views of the author and later thinking, andwere not part of the original submission to the Social ExclusionUnit.     

The social support networks of care leavers from a children's village in Ghana: formal and informal supports

In the past few decades, the number of children requiring out‐of‐home care in the developing world has risen sharply. Many children end up in institutions where they make a transition to adulthood. Little is however known about the social support available to young people during and after they leave care. This study examines the sources and kinds of support as well as the barriers to social support for a group of care leavers from a children's village in Ghana. The participants used a combination of formal and informal sources for their support needs. The formal sources provided mostly financial and practical support, whereas the informal sources offered emotional and informational support. The barriers to access included the attitude of the staff and SOS adults and limited cultural skills of the care leavers. Recommendations for removing the barriers and improving social support for care leavers are offered in the final part of the study.     

The Saving for Every Child Program in Israel: an overview of a universal asset-building policy

ABSTRACT

In 2017, the Israeli government implemented a universal child development account programme – the Saving for Every Child Program (SECP) – which establishes a personal savings account for every Israeli child and provides monthly deposits until the child turns 18. The SECP has the potential to provide substantial assets when children reach adulthood, but the benefits depend on parents’ investment choices. The unique programme’s nature presents opportunities to learn from its implementation. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the SECP, its legislative history, early findings from its implementation, and recommendations that may improve programme participation and outcomes across population groups.     

Global Social Justice for Older People: The Case for an International Convention on the Rights of Older People

Older people are beginning to represent a large proportion ofthe general population and have become a major area for socialprogramming in many parts of the world. However, neglect orviolation of older people’s rights is common. Until recently,there has been a surprising lack of advocacy on the part ofnon-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human rights activistsfor a legally effective international convention on the rightsof older people, as compared with other vulnerable groups suchas children and women. This paper argues that the introductionof an international convention on the rights of older peopleis long overdue. Such an international convention should containcomprehensive and legally binding provisions which would requireratifying states to promote older people’s rights. Itshould be reinforced by a strong monitoring system that wouldinvolve key members of the international community. This paperoutlines the arguments in favor of the creation of a transnationalhuman rights agreement for older people and proposes that internationalNGOs and human rights advocates should work toward creatingsuch a convention.     

社会报酬与中国城市社区积极分子——上海市S社区楼组长群体的个案研究

本文试图回答这样一个问题：中国城市社区选举中为什么会出现积极分子？这个群体有什么结构性的特征?他们在社区中的行动逻辑是什么？通过参与观察、半结构访谈和文本分析等多种研究方法,本文的基本结论是：以楼组长群体为核心的社区积极分子主要追求的是社会报酬,社会报酬的获得程度决定其参与社区活动的积极性。追求社会报酬的积极分子网络已经成为当代中国城市社区治理的一种重要机制。     

Leadership in Social Work: A Case of Caveat Emptor?

This article examines the current interest in leadership ingeneral and the growing interest in leadership in social work,in particular. It highlights the lack of a generalized definitionof the word and the different ways it is interpreted in socialwork. The implicit assumptions on which much leadership writingappears to be founded are noted. Leadership can be seen as afurther development of the managerial agenda, from one perspective,or as a countervailing factor maintaining professional autonomy,from another. In considering some of the components of leadershipas identified by some in the field, the paper considers theextent to which these skills are exclusive to leadership andasks whether they might already be present but overlooked inthe profession. The paper concludes that expectations of leadershipwithin social work would benefit from debate and clarificationif this is to be a useful future theme.     

The Effects of a Creative Dance and Movement Program on the Social Competence of Head Start Preschoolers

The effects of an eight‐week instructional program in creative dance/movement on the social competence of low‐income preschool children were assessed in this study utilizing a scientifically rigorous design. Forty preschool children from a large Head Start program were randomly assigned to participate in either an experimental dance program or an attention control group. Teachers and parents, blind to the children's group membership, rated children's social competence both before and after the program, using English and Spanish versions of the Social Competence Behavior Evaluation: Preschool Edition. The results revealed significantly greater positive gains over time in the children's social competence and both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for the experimental group compared with the control group. Small‐group creative dance instruction for at‐risk preschoolers appears to be an excellent mechanism for enhancing social competence and improving behavior. The implications for early childhood education and intervention are discussed.     

The prevalence and composition of asset poverty in Canada: 1999, 2005, and 2012

A household is considered asset poor if its assets (financial assets or net worth, taken separately) are insufficient to maintain well‐being at a low‐income threshold for 3 months. We provide the first national‐level estimates of asset poverty for Canada, using the 1999, 2005, and 2012 cycles of the Survey of Financial Security, and juxtapose these estimates with income poverty. The analysis provides new insight into economic insecurity by showing that asset poverty rates are consistently two to three times higher than income poverty rates. In addition to the prevalence of asset poverty across socio‐demographic groups, we analyzed how the composition of the poor change over time. Age and geography shape the risk for asset poverty in distinct ways. We found that while education appears to play a comparable role in shaping both income poverty and asset poverty, immigration places Canadians at a relatively higher risk of income poverty but not asset poverty. Key Practitioner Message: ? Practitioners ought to consider assets as well as income in assessing economic vulnerability; ? Asset poverty levels are 2–3 times higher than income poverty levels; ? Certain groups (e.g., immigrants) may be income poor but maintain sufficient assets.     

经济转型时期收入分配实证分析

收入分配体现着人民的根本利益,对推动经济发展和社会进步至关重要。经济转型时期居民收入发生了剧烈变动,收入倾斜政策在破除平均主义的同时,也出现了贫富悬殊、两极分化的现象。保持收入差距,又要缩小贫富悬殊,是摆在我们面前的重要历史使命。实现共同富裕是我们的伟大目标,为此,必须加强政府公共政策导向和调控力度,使分配制度改革进入一个新的阶段。     

The impact of inheritance experiences in orphans and vulnerable children support in Zimbabwe: A caregivers' perspective

Despite the predominant contemporary and traditional coping strategies adopted in Zimbabwe in the past three decades and beyond, challenges and issues related to inheritance continued to affect the livelihood of both orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their caregivers. This article is a qualitative phenomenological study seeking to examine the perceptions, views, and feelings of the OVC and their caregivers on their lived experiences in OVC care and support in Zimbabwe. The study focusses on the caregivers' perspectives of the impact of the inheritance experiences in OVC care and support within their tribal local rural communities. In‐depth narrative interviews were conducted with 30 caregivers, corroborated with 10 OVC purposively sampled in the Gutu District of Zimbabwe. The results showed that although the caregivers are doing their best in executing their strategies for OVC care and support, the manipulation and misappropriation of the inheritances from deceased parents or grandparents that were meant to benefit the OVCs are still widespread in the rural communities of Zimbabwe. In conclusion, the study recommends the need for an integrated stakeholders' approach in educating the local rural communities about their inheritance rights.     

Bringing social policy back in: a look at the Middle East and North Africa

This article examines the evolution of social policy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) during three periods: the post-colonial and oil-boom period, the post-oil period of structural adjustment, and the more recent oil-boom period. Drawing attention to key factors that shaped both social policy and the region's lack of competitiveness during the current global era, the authors argue for a new social development strategy that would put the region back on a growth path, while also recognizing citizen participation and rights.     

The role of social transfers in mitigating families with children from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

In this study, we investigated the household income of families with children. Our specific interest was the earned income losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how social transfers have mitigated those losses. We assessed the monthly income levels by comparing the information on the year prior to pandemic to income levels during COVID-19 pandemic. We found that the pandemic affected all studied subgroups of families with children, with the most negative economic influence in May 2020. In addition, our results indicate that in Finland the social transfers protected fairly well against the negative economic impacts of the pandemic among families with children, especially among vulnerable families (those with lowest income level prior COVID-19, with low parental education, single-parent families and families with non-Finnish-born parents). The information gained from this analysis can be useful in economic recovery during and after COVID-19 pandemic, and when preparing for future challenges.     

Self-efficacy and psychological well-being of nursing home residents in China: the mediating role of social engagement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of self-efficacy and social engagement in psychological well-being of Chinese nursing home residents. A total of 307 residents completed the measurement of social engagement, self-efficacy and psychological well-being. The results showed that satisfaction with physical environment, social support, social activity engagement and self-efficacy were all positively correlated with psychological well-being. At the same time, social engagement partially mediated the effect of self-efficacy on psychological well-being. The results of this study should indicate additional actions for managers of nursing homes and social workers to improve the psychological well-being of older adults.     

社区教育扩延：家庭综合服务中心特色项目资源的整合与利用

在社会管理创新背景下催生的家庭综合服务中心的蓬勃发展为广州社区教育带来了前所未有的机遇。家综为社区居民提供多元化的社区公共服务,其中包括社区教育服务。家综在向社区居民提供社区教育服务有着天然的优势。找准整合切入点,完善制度建设,健全社区教育工作网络,引导家综积极融入社区教育发展大局,整合、利用以家综为代表的社区民间组织力量,为社区教育增添新动力。     

Reconstruction of social work education in China through transformative partnership: Case study of the 30 years’ partnership between The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Peking University

ABSTRACT

Social work education, first introduced to the Chinese mainland in the 1920s, was eliminated from all universities in the early 1950s, but was restored to higher education institutions to respond to the growing demand for social workers in the end of 1980s to resolve escalating social problems triggered by the open-door economic policy. In this paper, the authors will present the concept of transformative partnership and discuss the evolvement of the partnership relationship between The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Peking University during the past thirty years in fostering the reconstruction of social work education in Mainland China from 1988 to 2018 and beyond. The authors will illustrate the gradual deepening of our partnership from one which was transactional to one that is transformative in nature. The authors believe that our partnership has not only transformed the traditional paradigm of professional education in China but has also transformed all the key stakeholders involved, particularly the educators, students and service-users through the partnership process.