Implementation of Child Rights in the Children's Homes in Malaysia

The objective of this study was to examine the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in the Children Homes under the Social Welfare Department (SWD) in Malaysia. Data was collected from 402 registered children who were staying in six Children Homes across the country. This study employed self‐report surveys where multiple data collection methods, such as face‐to‐face structured interviews, key informant interviews (KIIs), and documentation survey, were used. The study found that the SWD failed to comply with most of the commitments of CRC in Children Homes at its implementation level, and it is still needs based. The findings of this study present important guidelines for government and policy makers in improving child welfare services in the Children Homes in Malaysia.     

Theorizing Sexuality, Sexual Abuse and Residential Children's Homes: Adding Gender to the Equation

This article is primarily concerned with emphasizing the importanceof gender in relation to understanding and responding to sexualityand sexual abuse/exploitation issues within residential children’shomes. Initially, past research and inquiry reports are analysedand evaluated, not only in relation to their overall conclusionsand recommendations, but also with regard to their consideration,misrepresentation or omission of gender issues. A theoreticalframework is then drawn up which takes into account historicaldebates and contestations around notions of gender. This illustrateshow gender is frequently conflated or merged with understandingsabout sex and sexuality. This theoretical conceptualizationis then extended to consider the effects of the social constructionof childhood and childhood sexuality, and how sex, gender andsexuality may commonly be represented and understood withinorganizational, public-sphere contexts. Important findings froma recent indepth qualitative research project focused on sexualityissues in children’s homes are then presented thematicallyand through narrative excerpts. These findings are also locatedwithin and made comprehensible in relation to the theoreticalframework previously constructed. The conclusion examines theimplications of the findings presented and their theorization,and briefly evaluates the usefulness of recent policy initiativesintended to improve the care and development of ‘lookedafter’ children.     

Controlling for Care: Private and Voluntary Homes Registration and Inspection--A Forgotten Area of Social Work

Summary The size and growth of private and voluntary residential careprovision for the elderly make it, despite past neglect, a subjectof great importance to social workers. Drawing on exploratoryresearch data, the origins and role of registration and inspectionare discussed and some of the shortcomings of the present systemhighlighted. The paper discusses necessary requirements to preventfinancial exploitation of the elderly and makes two modest suggestionsfor improving and maintaining the quality of care-designatedliaison officers and a complaints procedure. In conclusion,however, it is pointed out that quality is not the only issuein the regulation of the private and voluntary sectors, thereare also issues of quantity, type and location. None of theseare being addressed by recent legislation and Code of Practice,but their resolution is important in ensuring that elderly peoplereceive the care they want and need, when and where they wantit.     

家园的守望

现代科技是一把双刃剑,它一方面把人类引向对文明成果的片面依赖,使本该亲密的个体变成为孤独无依的游离个体;另一方面,对科技的高度信任和片面依赖,又使大多数人失去了其应有的创造性,成为机械化的、呆滞的人。对技术理性进行必要的反思与批判,重新审视审美活动的当代意义,正是恢复完美人性、重返人类精神家园的重要途径。     

Visitors' Views on Residental Homes

Correspondence should be addressed to Justine Schneider, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Applied Social Studies, University of Durham, 15 Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HL, UK. Email: Justine.Schneider{at}durham.ac.uk Summary Relatives and other people who visit residential care homeshave an opportunity to formulate their own views about the qualityof care, often over a considerable period of time. They maybe experienced in providing care themselves, and many have beenthe principal carer before admission of the resident. They canbe decision makers in purchasing care, and their preferenceswill therefore influence the market. Finally, through theirfrequent attendance, they too form part of the environment ofa home. This paper reports the findings of a survey of 228 visitorsto 17 residential care homes throughout England. It shows whothe visitors were, what they did, their likes, dislikes andideas for improvements. It summarizes what aspects were mostimportant to visitors, many of whom were former carers; thishas implications for purchasers and providers of residentialcare. It closes with a methodological discussion about how thevaluable views of visitors may be tapped without encounteringreticence due to guilt or fear of retribution affecting theresident.     

The Micro-economics of Old People's Homes

Summary Eleven old people's homes in England were studied to investigatehow money was distributed within the home, what it had to coverand how it could be spent. The level of the Personal Allowanceand the problems of providing shopping facilities are discussed.The relationship between questions of money and independence,initiative and responsibility in old peoples' homes are consideredand suggestions are put forward to increase old peoples' choiceand control over their own lives.     

Admission to Nursing Homes in Taiwan

The population of Taiwan is facing a radical ageing process. A proportion of the growing number of people aged 65 and over is expected to need nursing home care. This research concerns the family context of decision‐making in the process of admission to a nursing home in Taiwan. Employing survey data from interviews with elderly people in nursing homes (235 interviews) and their carers/key families (265 interviews), the factors affecting their views about admission were explored. Bivariate analysis and a logistic regression model were also used to examine perceptions of alternatives to nursing home care among family members with elderly relatives in nursing homes. Most elderly people in Taiwan are cared for in their own homes by their families but, in some circumstances, entry to a nursing home seemed inevitable. This research found that the decisions were taken mainly within a family context. The adult children of the elderly people, carers/key families’ preferences and the availability of carers influenced the decision. Apart from the important need factors of elders, families’ views about alternatives to nursing homes were significantly influenced by their preferences. This study has important implications for long‐term care in Taiwan. It is hoped that this will be needs‐led, both by elderly people and their families.     

Measuring Person-Environment Fit in Nursing Homes

The importance of understanding the congruence of people with their environments is well established in social work. This article presents an approach for measuring this conceptualization in long-term care settings. Three scales were developed and tested in nursing home settings with the results showing excellent reliability and strong validity.     

Social Workers and Resident Participation in Old Age Homes

This paper reviews a study on the attitudes of social workers and directors of Old Age Homes (OAHs) toward the idea of resident oarticioation in these institutions. The idea of resident participation is firmly rooted in the value system of the social work profession. The study indeed indicates that social workers are committed to this idea and acknowledge its desirability. However, for most of them this commitment is not coupled with concrete activities designed to promote resident participation in the OAHs in which they operate. The paper examines several factors that may clarify this discrepancy between the commitment to the idea and the practical involvement in its realization.     

敬老院老年人精神生活状况的调查与思考——以长沙市F敬老院为例

人口老龄化是世界性问题,中国已经步入老龄社会,人口老龄化压力已经显现,并将随着老龄化的发展而不断加重。机构养老成为越来越多的老年人的选择。为了了解机构老年人的精神生活状况,笔者对长沙市F区敬老院进行了调查。调查发现,老年人对敬老院的日常生活照料满意度较高;但老年人精神生活存在的问题比较多,如:社会交往少、精神负担重、敬老院精神服务能力与水平有限等等。要改善老年人的精神生活状况,一是要加强护理人员的专业培训,提高护理人员的专业水平;二是建立专业的社工站,拓展老年人精神生活的专业支持;三是构建多元服务模式,丰富老年人精神生活;四是建构老年人社会支持网,发挥社会支持系统的作用。     

清初的私征私派

私征私派,一般指政府官吏违反国家政策制度,以多种名目和手段,超额征派赋税和劳役的行为.清初各地普遍存在着私征私派的现象,在地丁银、漕粮、差役、驿站等税赋领域,几乎都能看到超额征派的情况,给社会造成巨大的危害.对此,清初统治者始终严令禁止,视私征私派为贪污受贿,采取一系列重典予以封杀,但收效甚微.造成这种局面的原因,除吏治问题外,还存在着深刻的制度性因素.即清政府为解决中央财政的极度困难,实施了对地方财政的持续性削减与紧缩的政策,使得原本就入不敷出的地方政府,更加举步维艰.清初私征私派所暴露出的地方财政问题,并没有因“三藩”平定、台湾统一,全国性大规模战争的结束而得到解决,地方经费依然严重不足,以至最终形成清代地方财政的体制内运行与体制外运作共存的特点与局面.     

Advance Care Planning with Residents in Nursing Homes in Singapore

With an aging population, the government is allocating more resources in the care of the elderly. Hospitalization may not be a natural desire of the sick nursing-home resident. Advance care planning is explored as a strategy to promote the right site of care, defined here as the most appropriate place that patients can receive treatment by medically competent teams at the lowest possible cost (Khaw, 2007). Advance care planning, when practiced with residents in nursing homes, comes with unique challenges, which this paper will illustrate. This paper also presents the multiple roles of a social worker in advance care planning and concludes with factors that contributed to effective advance care planning facilitation.     

我国养老机构护工培训模式的类型

养老机构护工素质是制约我国养老业发展的一个极其重要的因素。而护工培训体系的不完善则又制约了护工素质的提高。本文基于中部地区养老机构护工培训工作的调查,把目前我国护工培训体系划分为四个模式类型,它们分别是政府培训模式、市场培训模式、社会培训模式和混合培训模式,这些模式分别适应于不同的外部环境。     

阳光家园中艾滋致孤儿童养成教育探析

艾滋致孤儿童生活在艾滋病的阴影下,在生活、医疗、教育权利得到基本的保障之后,如何搞好其养成教育便成为摆在我们面前亟待解决的问题。文章对艾滋致孤儿童养成教育的背景、特点、重要性、途径和方法等问题进行了论述,指出应当完善阳光家园安置模式。对艾滋致孤儿童进行有关做人的基本素质的养成。     

Mental Health Problems and Behavioral Disruptions in Nursing Homes:

This paper describes a study that examines knowledge of mental health problems and management of behavioral disruptions by social workers in nursing homes. Since a significant number of nursing home patients have mental health problems (estimates range from 50 to 80 percent) which present behavioral disruptions, this knowledge is critical. Results indicate that social workers are not prepared to provide needed services because they do not have adequate knowledge about the management of behavioral disruptions or the identification of mental health problems of nursing home patients. Recommendations are that social workers employed in nursing homes should have gerontological training and that national policy changes are needed to develop guidelines for qualifications of nursing home social workers. Nursing homes are not meeting the needs of older adults with mental health problems when social workers do not have the knowledge needed to provide nursing home services.