Bridging the Gap: a Model for Intergrating Theory and Practice

Summary The important role of theory in social work practice is generallyacknoledged by the process of applying theory to practilce hasonly recently been subjected to rigorous scrutiny. This articleattemps to demonstrate how theory in embedded in practice andsuggests ways in which modern technology and adult methods oflearning can help students to master the process of systematicallyapplying theory to pratice.     

A Profile of Adult Placement Carers

Correspondence to Andrew Gage, Manchester City Council Social Services Department, Adult Homefinding Team, Fenham, 5 Moorfield Road, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 8UZ. Summary This study examines the social and personal characteristicsof the people providing support in their own homes (adult fostering)to people with severe learning disabilities. Comparisons aremade with the general population on social and personal areas.A typical carer is identified and the results lead into issuescurrently affecting carers. Links are drawn between carer characteristicsand service user quality of life which require further study.     

The Right Kind of Telling? Locating the Teaching of Interviewing Skills within a Systems Framework

to Juliet Koprowska, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK. E-mail: jk11{at}york.ac.uk Summary There is a gradually expanding literature addressing the teachingand learning of interviewing skills in social work education.The process of professional learning in the wider field is notfully understood; empirical studies are rare and methodologicaldifferences make comparison difficult. Few papers offer a theoreticalbasis for methods of teaching. The article starts with a shortaccount of the literature, with more explication of papers whosethemes are closely related to those of this article; a considerationof skills training on social work qualifying programmes follows.Next, Agazarian's (1997) theoretical framework is presentedand then the theory and methods of practice are employed tomake sense of obstacles to learning and to demonstrate how toovercome them. Finally, potential areas for further researchare suggested.     

Student Imagery of Practice in Social Work and Teacher Education: A Comparative Research Approach

Correspondence to Dr N. Gould, SSRADU, University of Bath, The New Church, Henry St, Bath BA1 1JR Summary Within the fields of adult and professional education, the lastten years have seen the development of the reflective learningparadigm. This refutes a technical-rational model of the relationshipbetween theory and practice, and proposes that practitionerknowledge is experientially constructed and organized throughthe schemata of imagery and metaphor. This paper outlines somefindings 6om a comparative research study of social work andteaching students which adopted a phenomenological approachto understanding the self-imagery of student practitioners andits relationship to prior experience. Some implications forsocial worker education are considered, including the conceptof ‘imaginization’—derived horn postmodernistorganizational theory—as a strategy for empowerment.     

Two Post-Qualifying Courses in Social Work: the views of the course members and their employers

Correspondence to Alan Rushton, Course Tutor, Southwark Social Services, Fieldwork and Community Services, The Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ. Summary Social workers who had completed two practice oriented post-qualifyingprogrammes were sent questionnaires asking them to evaluatetheir courses and to report on their subsequent careers. A selectedsub-sample was then interviewed and their current line managerscompleted questionnaires on their views of the training. Findingsare presented on their evaluation of both academic and practiceaspects of the programme. Levels of satisfaction were foundto be linked with the characteristics of course members. Somedifficulties were experienced in applying the new learning onre-entry to full-time work.     

Carers of People with Learning Disabilities, and their Experience of the 1995 Carers Act

Summary This paper seeks to highlight the impact of the Carers (Recognitionand Services) Act of 1995 on carers of people with learningdisabilities. It draws on research conducted in the south westbetween 1997 and 1999, which examined the views and experiencesof carers who had an assessment of their needs, together withthose of the person they care for and the professional conductingthe assessment. It concludes that the Carers Act is not widelyused, or understood, by this group of carers. Recommendationsfor improving practice include changes to the current terminology,new triggers for a carer's needs assessment, and a greater inputfrom other agencies, especially health services. Although thecurrent paper focuses on the views and experiences of carers,an exploration of the Carers Act, and its effect on potentialconflicts of interest with the person with learning disabilities,is available elsewhere (Williams and Robinson, 2001).     

Social Work Assessment Processes in Work with Ethnic Minorities-the Doshi Family

Summary The authors describe a framework for assessment which they developedin a book on practice theory (Curnock and Hardiker, 1979). Thisframework was used by them to guide the practice described withthe Doshi family and to analyse the social work processes involved.This paper concludes with an evaluation of the practice.     

Outline of a Critical Best Practice Perspective on Social Work and Social Care

Correspondence to Harry Ferguson, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of the West of England, Blackberry Hill, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1DD. E-mail: harry.ferguson{at}uwe.ac.uk Summary This article seeks to lay the foundations for a new, more positiveperspective on critical practice, research and learning in socialwork and social care. A ‘critical best practice perspective’seeks to move the literature beyond a ‘deficit approach’where the focus is on what does not get done (well), to createa perspective where learning occurs in terms of best practicewhich is set out as a model for developing systems and practicecompetencies. This requires a focus on the actual critical practicesthat are ‘best’ demonstrating the very practicethrough which positive outcomes were achieved. A detailed case-studyis offered drawn from a large scale research study which typifieshow a critical best practice perspective can provide for learningin key areas such as how to engage service users, advocate ontheir behalf, promote protection, establish empowering relationshipsand conduct longer-term therapeutic work in an antioppressivemanner. The research method uses critical theory as an interpretativeframework for reaching an operational definition of 'excellence’and what is ‘best’, which is drawn from the perspectivesof the range of stakeholders who construct practice. This requiresa broadening of the concept of evidence-based practice to includequalitative research methods and the experience of professionals,service users and the production of ‘practice-based evidence’.     

Understanding Social Work: A Matter of Interpretation?

Correspondence to University of Exeter, Department of Sociology, Amory Building, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ. Summary In undertaking a piece of research, one can expect to encounterintellectual puzzles along the way. Here, the story is recountedof one particular puzzle that arose when examining learningprocesses in social work. An extract from a research interviewis presented and the learning represented by the social worker'sactivity and opinions is interpreted in three distinctive ways,drawing on perspectives in sociology, education and feminism.Consideration turns to the process of interpretation itselfand recent ideas encountered through literary theory are invokedas a means towards appreciating interpretive practice. In sofar as both social workers and researchers consider themselvesengaged with the issues multiple interpretations pose, it issuggested that this brand of literary theory may be of valuethrough its illumination of the construction and deconstructionof understandings.     

The Place of Knowledge in Social Work Activity

Summary This study considers whether a small sample of social workerswas using theoretical knowledge as a basis for activities inpractice. The findings indicate that the use of this type ofknowledge was minimal. They also bring to light a number ofquestions related to the development of knowledge for use insocial work practice.     

Participants or Recipients--Disabled People's Involvement in a European Programme

Correspondence to Jackie Powell, Department of Social Work Studies, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton S017 1BJ Summary Drawing on an evaluative study of UK participation in a Europeandisability programme (HELlOS I), this paper explores the extentto which and the ways in which disabled people were-or werenot-involved in the programme as active participants ratherthan passive recipients, at local, national and European levels.The findings presented here draw attention to the differentperspectives of the programme's various stakeholders and arediscussed in relation to two broader themes. The first of thesethemes is the involvement of disabled people themselves in anyprogramme aiming to promote the full participation of disabledpeople in society. The second is the role and value of formalizednetworks as a means of promoting information exchange and learning,as a prerequisite for promoting change in individuals (thatis in day-to-day practice) and change in organizations (thatis service developments). These two themes are pertinent tocurrent developments in social work, with its explicit attentionto anti-discriminatoiy practice and its strong tradition ofvaluing the learning gained from experience.     

'Secret Justice': The Use Made of School Reports in the Juvenile Court

Summary The data collected for this review confirmed the suspected widevariation in practice relating to school reports, with a biastowards their not being shown to parents and defendants. Nogeographic or demographic explanation for the variety of practiceemerged, however the comments of justices' clerks suggest thatin many courts it is their influence together with that of headteachersand juvenile panel members which effectively determines practice.The data also reveals a disturbing incidence of disregard forthe rules as laid down in the Magistrates Courts (Children andYoung Persons) Rules 1970.     

A Task Based Approach to the Assessment of Social Work Students' Practice

Summary An assessment framework based on nine course objectives is described.Each course objective has related placement objectives whichbecome increasingly demanding as the course progresses. Studentson placement are required to produce written tasks to show howthey have applied their understanding of each placement objectivein their practical work. It is suggested that this framework improves the comparabilityof placements and the availability of evidence for pass/faildecisions. The framework provides a syllabus for learning oneach placement.     

The Private and the Public in Personal Models of Social Work: A Response to O'Connor and Dalgleish

Correspondence to Dr. R. Hugman, Department of Social Administration, University of Lancaster, Fylde College, Lancaster LA1 4YF. Summary O'Connor and Dalgleish have proposed an understanding of thedisjuncture between education and beginning practice. They discussthis in relation to individuals' models of practice. It is suggestedin this response that the individual basis of this analysisrestricts the extent of possible conclusions. A comparison withdifferent research findings is made, and it is suggested thatthere are implications for social work education and the collectiveresponsibility the profession has for beginning social workers.     

SETTING OBJECTIVES AND MEASURING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOCIAL CARE

Correspondence to Tony Bovaird, Public Sector Management Research Centre, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7EJ Summary This paper examines a systematic approach to formulating andevaluating policies for social work practice in social care.A hierarchy of aims and objectives is advocated, based on theassumption that a clear statement of desired outcomes in socialwork practice with groups of service users is required, togetherwith the establishment of indicators by which their achievementmay be measured. The purpose of the hierarchy is to generatean integrated policy for change and to give a full sense ofdirection to all staff involved, both in policy making and insocial work practice.     

An Interactionist1 Model: An Answer or Just a Better Question?

Summary It has been argued that an interactionist approach illuminatesthe relationship between public issues and private troubles.However, the model has been fundamentally criticized as beingtheoretically empty. The value of the approach is examined bythe analysis of a practice example. The basic criticisms ofthe model are confirmed but nevertheless it may offer a usefulstepping-stone away from the rigidities of case-based practice     

A Changing Service: The Case for Separating 'Care' and 'Control' in Probation Practice

Summary Change has heightened contradictions inherent in the probationservice's functions. The effects of this on officers' behaviourare described and a new conceptualization of the relationshipbetween care and control is offered. It is argued that modelsof possible future developments for the service must addressthe impact of work function and work context on practice, andan example of an alternative approach to the future is provided.     

On Teaching and Applying the Law in Social Work: It is not that Simple

Summary The teaching of welfare law to social workers has recently beenthe subject of critical scrutiny. Concurrently the relationshipbetween social work practice and the law, the place that legislationshould occupy in daily working practice, has been openly debated.This paper, based on our teaching and practice experience anda small evaluation exercise, criticizes the principal positionstaken in the debate on that relationship. It also evaluatestwo approaches to teaching law to social workers. We argue thatteaching law to social workers and using legal knowledge andprovisions in practice is not as simple and straight-forwardas some commentators allege. Rather, we argue that, for socialworkers to learn and apply the law effectively, both teachinglaw and any subsequent application of this knowledge must beconsidered in a conceptual frame of practice dilemmas whichconfront every practitioner and create role conflict, uncertainty,ambiguity, and insecurity.     

The Promise and the Pitfalls of Learned Helplessness Theory for Social Work Practice

Summary Because it articulates a psychology of powerlessness and becauseit focuses on the interactions between the individual and thesocial environment, Learned Helplessness Theory deserves tobecome an important new practice theory within social work.However, the theory also suffers from certain unresolved problemswhich currently limit its usefulness. This paper reviews LearnedHelplessness Theory for social workers and directs the attentionof practitioners to some crucial theoretical issues to be bornein mind when applying the theory to practice.     

The Conditioning Treatment of Childhood Enuresis

Summary Enuresis is described as a learning deficiency and conditioningtreatment discussed as the logical positive outcome. The processof conditioning treatment is described and compared, and commonobjections discussed. Explanation is given of the practicalapplication of conditioning treatment in social casework andresidential child care