Employment-Based Training on Alcohol and Other Drugs in England: Bridging the Gap

The first of its kind in England, this study explored the extent and nature of employer-based training on alcohol and other drugs for social workers working in children's and adults' services. A national survey of workforce development departments was undertaken to find out how social workers are being prepared by their employers for engaging with people who use alcohol and other drugs. Based on a response rate of 46%, the findings show that a majority of departments (82%) provided training on these issues in the year 2011–2012. However, most of this training was not mandatory. These courses are targeted most often at those working in children's services rather than those in adults' services. Most courses are offered at basic or intermediary level, and content of training is covered inconsistently. These findings suggest a need to increase the priority of alcohol and other drugs' training across adults' services in particular and to make this training mandatory, as well as ensuring that staff have adequate time and incentive to attend. Effectiveness of social care practice for all social care practitioners around alcohol and other drugs use could be improved with more focus on training practitioners how to talk to service users about their substance use.     

The Extent and Nature of Practitioners,Encounters with Alcohol and Other Drug Use in Social Work and Social Care Practice

This article considers the extent and nature of social work and social care practitioners' experience of working with service users whose lives are affected by the problematic use of alcohol or other drugs (AOD). It draws on the findings of a national study of ‘working with alcohol and drug use’ which was conducted in England in 2010–2011. The study reported here comprised an online survey of front-line practitioners (n = 597), complemented by 12 practitioner focus groups and interviews with 21 key informants from participating local authorities and substance use treatment services. This paper focuses primarily on data from one element of the survey. Findings indicate that the great majority of staff encountered service users who are affected by AOD problems at some level, although there were differences between groups of practitioners in the extent and nature of AOD problems for different groups of service users. The differential experiences of staff according to their client groups underlines the need for education and professional development not only to provide training on working with AOD but to ensure that training is contextualised and relevant to practitioners across the range of social work and social care services.     

Substance Use Training Experiences and Needs: Findings From a National Survey of Social Care Professionals in England

For more than 30 years there have been calls in the UK to improve training for social workers in relation to substance use. Yet very little research has explored what training practitioners have received or what their training needs are. This study sought to establish practitioners' experiences of previous training in substance use and identify their current training needs. An online survey was disseminated to 3,164 practitioners in adults' (AS) and children's (CS) social care and 12 vignette-based focus groups were also held. Of the final sample of 597, more than a third of social workers had not received any training and a further fifth only received between one and four hours. Other social care staff fared worse. Overwhelmingly, respondents said that substance use knowledge and skills were very important to their practice but their professional education had not prepared them well. They identified a number of training needs including ‘how to talk to people about substance use’ and ‘the types of intervention and treatment available’. Most social care professionals report not being adequately prepared for working with substance use, particularly basic knowledge and skills which would help them to conduct assessments and signpost people to specialist substance services.     

The Development of Employment-Based Education on Substance use for Social Workers in England: Embedding Substance use Training in Frameworks of Continuing Professional Development

Service users in the social care sector affected by substance use need a workforce which is skilled at protecting and supporting them, and who are able to carry out their roles and responsibilities with confidence. Workforce/Learning Development departments in children's and adults' services in England play an important role in preparing social workers to engage effectively with service users and to develop as practitioners. Drawing on data from a survey of 94 Workforce/Learning Development departments, this article examines the development of employment-based education on substance use. Only 33% of these departments had a dedicated training strategy or series of programmes on substance use, although more than half (59%) provided tools for identifying and assessing substance use. A wide range of professionals were involved in the development of this training, particularly those in specialist safeguarding and substance use roles. Social work and substance use textbooks are the main source of materials accessed to support training development. A lack of strategic engagement with substance use in social care was one of the barriers cited to adequate training provision. Implications for social work education include the importance of embedding AOD education in post-qualifying training frameworks at both university and employer levels.     

Refusing to Listen: Are We Failing the Needs of People with Alcohol and Drug Problems?

This paper argues that social work education in the UK has persistently failed to equip its social workers with the knowledge to work effectively with people with alcohol and drug problems. In spite of continuing criticism of the profession's unwillingness or inability to engage with substance use issues, social work education has failed to respond to the calls for better training on this subject, even when specific guidance has been issued about course content. This results in a failure to meet the needs of our service users as well as social work staff who remain frustrated at their inability to intervene. The paper explores the historical and current debate about social work training in relation to alcohol and drugs and identifies the barriers to its inclusion in qualifying and post‐qualifying (PQ) curricula. Finally it offers a strategy for improving social work training as well as an overview of programme content requirements.     

Increasingly Strange Bedfellows? An Examination of the Inclusion of Disability Issues in University- and Agency-based Social Work Education in a Welsh Context

Previous research has indicated relative reluctance among student social workers to plan future careers working with people with physical impairments. This continuing longitudinal study followed one cohort of undergraduate social work students from induction, to investigate and contribute to the development of effective curriculum strategies in preparing students for contemporary generic social work practice in relation to disability issues. A mixed methodology approach utilising questionnaires and focus groups was used to track the development of social work student perceptions of their preparedness for working with disabled people at different points in their education.

Preliminary results revealed that while personal experience is a strong determinant of future interest in working within a particular service area, the use of case studies designed and delivered in conjunction with service users, carers and current practitioners appeared to be a particularly positive method of encouraging students to reflect upon real-life challenges within a safe environment. Results also suggest that interweaving features of a curriculum infusion model with a distinct module approach may moderate the gap that is perceived by students as remaining stubbornly prevalent between university- and agency-based learning.     

Provider Preparedness for Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders: Comparison of Social Workers and Alcohol and Drug Counselors

Substance use and mental health disorders remain significant behavioral health concerns in the United States and other Western nations. Nearly half of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders in the US have a co-occurring mental illness . Despite growing research support, integrated treatment by providers with expertise in both mental health and substance use is critically lacking. As part of a co-occurring disorders (COD) training initiative in the USA, this study investigated providers' (n = 438) past training, current COD service provision, and future training needs. Specifically, we examined the extent to which social workers were prepared to treat individuals with COD compared to alcohol and drug counselors. Unsurprisingly, social workers reported receiving significantly more mental health related training, while alcohol and drug counselors reported more substance use related training. Alcohol and drug counselors reported significantly more COD-specific training including general COD, psychopharmacology, COD treatment, and relapse prevention. Social workers were significantly more likely than alcohol and drug counselors to report wanting more training in substance use disorders and culturally-specific intervention techniques. These findings suggest that tailored training and licensure changes are needed to enhance social workers' capacity for competent COD treatment.     

Reducing youth's drug abuse through training social workers for cognitive–behavioral integrated treatment

Cognitive–behavioral integrated treatment (CBIT) is an intervention that social workers can learn to treat youth's drug abuse by cognitive restructuring, behavioral modification, and goal setting. A way to enhance the learning is training specifically for CBIT. Evaluation of the effectiveness of such training in raising social workers' CBIT practice and their young service users' illicit-drug-free days is the aim of this experimental study. This study first randomly assigned 14 outreach social workers to receive training for CBIT and 14 outreach social workers not to receive the training. The study also assessed 222 young service users (aged 11–22 years) engaged by 28 outreach social workers before the training and 169 of them after the training in a six-month follow-up. Furthermore, the study identified the reduction in the youth's dysfunctional cognition of playfulness as a means to deter the youth's drug abuse, based on personal interviews with outreach social workers and their young service users before the training. Derived from the statistical analysis of assessment data, results principally showed cascading effects from the social worker's reception of the CBIT training to the young service user's reception of CBIT, reduced playfulness, and lengthened drug-free days. A supplementary finding was that the young service user's time in the outreach social work service prolonged drug-free days and reduced playfulness. These results imply that the outreach social work service, CBIT training, and CBIT are useful for treating youth's illicit drug abuse.     

Psychosocial moderators of substance use among middle school-aged adolescents.

Recent statistics show a decrease in the overall use of drugs and alcohol in the general population [1]. In sharp contrast to this trend is the indication that adolescents' use of drugs and alcohol is increasing [2]. Because the use of drugs and alcohol can have serious implications for adolescents' physical, emotional, and social development, it is important that human service practitioners working with them understand those factors that influence their substance use, in order to develop effective interventions to deal with this growing problem. This article reports the findings of a study of drug and alcohol use among a sample of 779 adolescents who attended middle schools in a large urban city in the southwest United States. The study examines the relationships between substance use, social support, and a variety of other psychosocial factors. The implications of those relationships for human service practice and research are discussed.     

Perceived Continuing Education Needs of Licensed Clinical Social Workers

Abstract

Although recent studies have explored various aspects of licensed practice in social work, there is little information about the current continuing education activities and needs of professionals involved in such practice. This paper describes a 1992 survey of a random sample of 421 licensed clinical social workers in Virginia to assess their perceived educational needs. Overall, practice theories and practitioner roles were most often identified as areas in which training is needed. Private practitioners wished for training in object relations theory more often—and training in supervision and cognitive theory less often—than their agency-based colleagues. The implications of these findings for continuing social work education and for the profession are discussed.     

Training together: An exploration of a shared learning approach to dual diagnosis training for specialist drugs workers and Approved Social Workers (ASWs)

This paper is the first of two linked articles exploring a shared learning approach to developing 'professional collaboration' as one way of improving care for people with complex inter-related mental health and substance misuse needs. The target groups for the training in this study are Approved Social Workers (ASWs) and specialist drugs workers. The article describes the social and professional contexts that shape the different training agendas for the respective groups of workers in an attempt to identify common themes that can be used as a foundation for developing training solutions. The relevance of a shared learning method of training delivery is critically discussed and the way in which this was adapted to respond to training needs identified in Birmingham is outlined. The paper concludes by suggesting that training providers should be encouraged to identify the common agenda for drugs workers and ASWs working with people with mental health and substance use needs and utilise a shared learning methodology to respond in a proactive way to improving service delivery through effective training. The second paper provides an in-depth exploration of the training delivered. Using a formative evaluation framework the paper reflects upon the methods employed to: ” identify curriculum content; ” promote collaborative working through different approaches to interprofessional learning; and ” demonstrate how the training is impacting on practice outcomes.     

Adolescent Substance Use Prevention Interventions Outside of Classroom Settings

Substance use prevention programs empowering individual adolescents to resist substance use through education and skills training are crucial to reducing substance use within this population. However, existing programs of this type are designed primarily for classroom use, and may not meet the needs of social workers intervening with adolescents outside classroom settings. A literature review identified six programs that have demonstrated statistically significant reductions in substance use when implemented outside the classroom. The current study describes these programs, identifies their common characteristics, and draws on additional prevention research to outline recommendations for practitioners seeking to apply the field’s most current knowledge base in community settings.     

Working with Older People with Alcohol Problems: Insight from Specialist Substance Misuse Professionals and their Service Users

Significant numbers of older people worldwide have a drinking level or pattern which places them at risk of harm. In England, older people are more likely to be admitted to hospital for an alcohol-related condition than younger people and levels of alcohol-related harm are increasing fastest in this population. Whilst alcohol problems in older people are highly treatable, they frequently go undetected or ignored. The aim of this study was to develop guidelines for health and social care workers on what intervention strategies are likely to work best with older drinkers. Insight from alcohol practitioners who specialise in working with older people and the perspectives of older people receiving alcohol treatment were gained through focus groups and individual interviews. This paper reports some of the key findings including a perception that health and social care workers often did not intervene when alcohol misuse was suspected because of ageist attitudes and false beliefs about older people's drinking. Participants however acknowledged that social workers faced difficult choices in relation to the ‘right’ of older people with alcohol problems to continue to drink and the ‘risk’ associated with them doing so. The implications for social work education and training are discussed.     

The Nature and Extent of Substance Use Education in Qualifying Social Work Programmes in England

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is a common feature of modern social work practice. Concerns about the problematic use of such substances cross all areas of social work practice, including adults' and children's social care. In England, surveys have highlighted social workers' experiences of AOD education during their qualifying social work training. However, this study sought the perspectives of the social work educators. Its primary aim was to explore the nature and extent of education on AODs on the qualifying social work programmes in England. Using an online survey tool, all qualifying social work programme leads were invited to take part (n = 157). Fewer than half responded (40%, n = 63). Initial findings appeared positive suggesting that 94% of responding qualifying programmes provided some teaching and learning on AODs. Further analysis revealed significant variation in what is taught and the depth of coverage. It highlighted a lack of consistency across programmes and possible over-reporting. However, the majority of respondents felt that teaching and learning on AOD use should be a higher priority for their qualifying social work programmes.     

Agency Practices Affecting Social Workers Who Treat Substance-Abusing Clients

Abstract

This study interviewed 115 MSWs with substance abuse training working in general social service agencies to determine if they viewed their settings as facilitating or hindering their work with substance-abusing clients. This study builds on the work of Lightfoot and Orford (1986) who found that social workers were more hindered than helped by their agencies' practices regarding substance-abusing clients.

Results: A majority of workers viewed their agencies as facilitating substance abuse-related work through support from supervisors and administrators, availability of substance abuse training, workers' freedom to choose clients, and opportunities to supervise others on substance abuse-related issues. Supervisor data corroborated these findings. This is a hopeful sign for the profession contrasting with considerable social work literature documenting the profession's historic ambivalence toward substance-abusing clients.     

The Effect of Social Work Education and Self-Esteem on Students' Social Discrimination of People with Disabilities

Social work education on disability content has become more important due to political changes in the last two decades. The United States protected people with disabilities from discrimination in community and employment settings with the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These changes have empowered people with disabilities to become more independent; however, social workers primarily fulfill roles as case managers, and often make decisions for people with disabilities. This is not consistent with the empowerment perspective embedded in the disability movement. Most social work schools have minimal courses covering disability content. Previous research and the Self-Esteem Hypothesis indicate that social work education, social proximity to people with disabilities, self-esteem and other demographic characteristics are associated with social discrimination, or attitudes, toward people with disabilities. Social work students (n = 73) participated in a survey in the last semester of their program to assess how these characteristics were associated with their attitudes towards people with disabilities. A multiple linear regression revealed that social work education preparedness to work with people with disabilities, an MSW education, self-esteem, and having a friend with a disability were significantly associated with students' social discrimination towards people with disabilities.     

Social work and technology: Challenges for social workers in practice: A case study

Abstract

Social Work is just beginning to consider the full impact of technology on practice. In this paper the experience of social workers working in Centrelink, the Australian Government's service delivery organisation, is explored in the context of Centrelink's increased reliance on technology to deliver its services to six million Australians. The results of a survey that indicated nearly one half of Centrelink's social workers have received no formal training in how to use the technologies they rely so heavily on in their work are considered, as is the role of the social workers who are working as a part of Centrelink's call centre network. It is argued that social workers need to be careful not to confuse means and ends when it comes to utilising technology as a part of their practice.     

Applications of a Capability Approach to Disability and the International Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health (ICF) in Social Work Practice

Abstract

As disability rates increase more social workers will require greater preparation to practice effectively with individuals with disabilities. The Capability approach and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health provide helpful tools for social worker training. The capability approach emphasizes the need to assess what individuals are able to do in their real-life environments (capabilities) rather than capacity or functional status. The ICF provides helpful disability-related terminology and an actual classification to assist social workers to develop appropriate interventions that facilitate capability development among individuals with disabilities. Using the capability framework with the ICF will contribute to improved understanding of disability among social work students and practitioners.     

Linking Practitioners' Attitudes Towards and Basic Knowledge of Immigrants with Their Social Work Education

Based on a survey of 1,124 social workers in the United States, this article examines how practitioners' attitudes towards immigrants and their general knowledge of immigration varied according to the content of their social work education. Although the majority of practitioners reported receiving coursework on practice with immigrants, this showed no effect on their attitudes or knowledge. In contrast, coursework on immigration policy predicted more favorable attitudes towards immigrants. Considering the mounting anti-immigrant sentiment and retrenchment of immigrants' rights in the United States, the results suggest the need to further explore what course work content is needed to prepare social workers for the current needs of the field. We argue that social work education must expand upon existing cultural competence models of practice with immigrants, to better prepare social workers to address the deepening social exclusion of undocumented immigrants in the United States.     

Promises and Pitfalls: Involving Service Users and Carers in Social Work Manager Education

Partnership working occupies an increasing amount of social work managers' time and budget, requiring skills and abilities not always developed previously within social work programmes. Much discussion around partnership working centres on building collaborative inter-agency and inter-professional relationships with less emphasis on the need to ensure good working relationships with service users and carers, despite their being the ultimate recipients of the process. This article explores efforts to develop a focus on service users and carers within a module for social work managers as part of post-qualifying (PQ) social work education. It documents a process where, initially, service users and carers provided personal testimonies of being recipients of services and then subsequently occupied more authoritative roles within teaching, to the current position when they are again less actively involved.

In describing these developments it explores possible reasons why involving service users and carers within this module has proved challenging. The article acknowledges that there is relatively limited literature about the involvement of service users and carers in PQ education. It suggests that lessons learned from involving service users and carers in qualifying social work training cannot directly be transposed to the post-qualifying context.