Reforming child welfare: an integrated approach

Throughout the 1990s, child welfare systems were exposed to intense pressure. As a result, most systems have undertaken processes of reform and change. This article discusses the strategic development of New Zealand's service system in child welfare. A partnership between managerial discipline and professional leadership has been critical in the service system reform. With respect to management, a strong vision, a culture of high performance, and greater organizational stability and confidence provided the platform on which professional reforms could be established-including the knowledge framework, the service model, the practice package, and staff support. The managerial efforts that have provided the platform for the professional reforms are discussed, followed by an exploration of the professional reform package.     

推进养老服务体系建设的思路与对策——以广东为例

发展社会养老服务、完善养老服务体系是我国应对人口老龄化的一项长期战略任务。广东作为我国老年人口最多的省份之一,养老服务体系正面临着养老服务资源短缺失衡、居家养老支持系统缺乏、机构设施与专业人才不足等严峻挑战。为改变广东养老服务建设的滞后局面,必须明确广东养老服务体系的发展目标、理念和原则,大力推广居家养老模式,重力建设社区养老服务设施,调整机构养老服务结构,开放养老服务市场,深化养老服务领域的改革,完善养老服务的配套制度,构建广东新型养老服务的制度体系。     

Service Provision for an Independent Life

How is an independent daily life possible for disabled people when relying upon professional service provision and the bureaucratic gate-keeping systems of the welfare state? This article discusses this question in relation to an interview study. Eighteen mobility disabled and 20 service providers in one local setting in Norway were interviewed. We point out at least three categories regarding how independence is interpreted among the disabled: the super-normal, the independent living activists, and those experiencing powerlessness and lack of support. The analysis points out how these categories are constructed in relations between the disabled person, professional service providers and the gate-keeping systems of the welfare bureaucracy.     

Building a professional development system: a case study of North Carolina's parenting education experiences

Designing a professional development system for parent educators requires weaving together multiple pieces from within the network of organizations providing parenting education. North Carolina examined how to build a system using the influence of evidence-based programs as well as professional credentialing for parenting educators. A system built with professionals who understand sound parenting practices and networked together to use best practices with parents is critical to support families and prevent child abuse.     

Transition and Adjustment to Professional Identity as a Newly Qualified Social Worker

This article discusses the lived experience of professional identity during the transition from student to newly qualified practitioner. Current literature emphasises the first year of practice as an important time of transition to a job-role as student social workers move into postqualification practice. However, little research has explored how professional identity is experienced during this significant transition period. A phenomenological research project was undertaken with 17 newly qualified social workers in Australia. Three in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with each participant across the first 12 months postqualification period. Participants described how they resolved personal, relational, and professional questions about becoming and being a qualified social worker. The findings indicate a need for educators, employers, supervisors and the profession to consider how to better integrate professional identity within curricula, policy, and systems of support, including supervision.     

Help seeking among addicted and nonaddicted women of low socioeconomic status

Concern with the provision of health and welfare services to underserved or inappropriately served groups has led to numerous studies of patterns of service utilization. This article focuses on the help-seeking patterns of heroin-addicted and nonaddicted women of lower socioeconomic status. The results suggest addicts generally experience more problems than nonaddicts; those with few problems are less likely to use formal support systems; and black respondents, both addicts and nonaddicts, are less likely to use formal support systems. The evidence indicates that while addicts tend to use natural support systems less frequently than nonaddicts, addiction per se does not explain help seeking when race and number of problems are taken into account. The heavy reliance of both addicts and nonaddicts on informal helpers supports the value of professional efforts designed to facilitate or enhance these networks.     

The role of professional judgement in social work assessment: a comparison between Norway and England

ABSTRACT

Good quality assessment has a significant role to play in contributing to better outcomes for children in need of protection, so it is important to understand what supports best practice. This paper focuses on the role of professional judgement in assessment, and compares two very different national approaches. In England, governmental responses to perceived failings in the child protection system have led to a highly proceduralised and bureaucratised system and a corresponding down playing of the role of professional judgement. In Norway, professional discretion and judgement have been seen as key to the assessment process, and governmental response to criticism of child protection practice has been to support their use through provision of increased resources. However, too much emphasis on professional judgement and too little procedure may be as problematic as the reverse [Report of Auditor General of Norway. (2012). Document 3:15. Norway: Fagbokforlaget]. So this paper explores the different ways in which professional judgement is understood and addressed in each system and asks what we can learn from them in terms of best assessment practice. Acknowledging child protection as a ‘wicked problem’, we propose a model of Grounded Professional Judgement based on notions of epistemic responsibility and accountability to support the exercise of professional judgement in situations of uncertainty.     

Perceptions of Emotional Support,Stress, and Strain Among African-American Human Service Workers

This study explored what emotional supports were available and helpful to African-American human service workers who remained in their jobs while negative external forces impinged upon them. The authors explored the nature and substance of the worker's support mechanisms and if and how these support systems impacted on their satisfaction with their jobs, their intent to remain on their present jobs, and their feelings of being burned-out. The study also examined the relationship of emotional support to work-related stress and strain among African-American social workers. The results indicate that promotion, challenge, role conflict, supervisor support, co-worker support, family support, and professional collegial support are significant predictors of job satisfaction. There was no evidence for the buffering effects of support.     

Implementing the Crossover Youth Practice Model in diverse contexts: Child welfare and juvenile justice professionals' experiences of multisystem collaborations

This study takes advantage of a unique opportunity to observe structural and psychosocial processes of multisystem collaborations primarily from the perspectives of professionals attempting to bring about change in practice with crossover youth. The involvement of maltreated youth in the juvenile justice system is a persistent problem that can compound vulnerable youths' risks for problematic developmental outcomes. Youth outcomes may be improved when professionals in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems communicate and collaborate more effectively in case assessment, planning and management. The Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) is an attempt to translate these and other research findings into practice largely through multisystem collaborations. This study presents an approximately two year-long, ethnographic inquiry into professionals' experiences of CYPM implementation in five diverse counties in a Midwestern state. During individual interviews, participants consistently described structural changes involving improved service provision to youth and families, and procedures and legal mandates for sharing information across departments. They also discussed psychosocial changes including improved professional support, strengthened relationships with other professionals and positive shifts in their ways of thinking and feeling about youth and their families. Participants also experienced implementation challenges including inadequate support and training of front line workers, distinguishing core features of the multifaceted model, and some issues in engaging families and key community stakeholders. Comparative case analyses across five counties suggest that systems change processes vary across and within local contexts. Implications for the implementation of systems change practice models in diverse contexts with professionals serving in various roles are discussed.     

A traumatised and traumatising system: Professionals' experiences in meeting the mental health needs of young people in the care and youth justice systems in Ireland

It is well recognised that children and young people in the care and youth justice systems typically present with significant and diverse mental health needs. Much has been written about this challenging area of professional practice but the focus has been primarily on the young people themselves rather than professionals' experiences of working in this challenging context. In this study, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 26 professionals working in the care and youth justice services in Ireland, representing a range of disciplines, to capture professionals' perspectives of working in this field. A thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed data. Professionals described frustration and helplessness in the face of what they perceived as inadequate system responses and poor interagency working. Their experiences are conceptualised here as reflecting a traumatised and traumatising system. The implications for practice emphasise the need for staff support through training, collaboration between agencies, and addressing vicarious traumatisation.     

DO GENERAL TREATMENT GUIDELINES FOR ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILIES HAVE APPLICATIONS TO SPECIFIC ETHNIC GROUPS? THE CASE OF CULTURALLY‐COMPETENT THERAPY WITH KOREAN AMERICANS

To serve Korean American families effectively, marriage and family therapists need to develop a level of cultural competence. This content analysis of the relevant treatment literature was conducted to discover the most common expert recommendations for family therapy with Asian Americans and to examine their application to Korean Americans. Eleven specific guidelines were generated: Assess support systems, assess immigration history establish professional credibility, provide role induction, facilitate "saving face," accept somatic complaints, be present/problem focused, be directive, respect family structure, be nonconfrontational, and provide positive reframes. Empirical support (clinical and nonclinical research) and conceptual support for each guideline are discussed, and conclusions are reached regarding culturally competent therapy with Korean American families.     

Responding to a Critique of ‘The Interpersonal Process in Generic Social Work’

The Social Workers Oncology Group is a professional support network, which brings together a group of specialist professionals with a unique knowledge about the psychosocial consequences of a cancer disease. The Group provides professional peer support, as well as providing a forum for the utilisation of research programmes and resource development.     

The understanding of internal control principles by pastors

Although the concept of internal control is as relevant to churches as it is to profit‐seeking organizations, many authors have indicated that churches typically have weak systems of internal control. Pastors usually serve in the position of chief professional officer of their churches, and the implementation and maintenance of an adequate system of internal control is ultimately the responsibility of management. This study is a preliminary effort to determine whether pastors understand general principles of internal control and are able to recognize strengths and weaknesses in systems of internal control. The results show that pastors have a reasonable ability to recognize strengths and weaknesses in internal control systems in churches.     

Peer Support Among Consumers of Professional Mental Health Services

ABSTRACT

Peer-support services have become increasingly prevalent in mental health; consumers now deliver many services once provided by professional mental health providers. Recognizing this key asset in mental health consumers' service environment is critical for social workers. This exploratory study examines differences among 311 consumers of professional mental health services, half of whom also used peer-support services. The two groups (peer support compared with non-peer-support) were compared on a number of dimensions related to their utilization of and satisfaction with professional mental health services. Users of peer-support services perceived greater availability of professional services and used more professional services, but found professional services to be less useful than those not participating in peer support. No differences between the two groups were found for overall satisfaction with professional services. Findings related to policy, practice, and research are discussed.     

Elderly People's Perceptions of a Telehealthcare System: Relative Advantage,Compatibility, Complexity and Observability

The use of telehealthcare systems to promote independent living for elderly people is growing. The results presented in this article, derived from an initial user lab test of a telecare system—GiraffPlus—indicate that the crucial factor for adoption of telehealthcare systems is not usability but the system's ability to support autonomy in everyday life. Eleven users tested the usability and reported what they perceived as possible benefits of having such a system at home. To support autonomy, customization is crucial for the system to be perceived as meaningful for the individual. Our analysis confirms previous research.     

Policy Implications of a Statewide Survey on Elder Abuse

Effective policy interventions require an understanding of both the social problem itself and the support systems which deliver the proposed "solution." This paper reports on a study which blended research of the elder abuse problem with an evaluation of the social service network. Professionals from sixteen types of agencies in each of Pennsylvania's sixty-seven counties were surveyed on their perceptions of: (i) types of elder abuse cases encountered; (ii) gaps in support services for these cases; (iii) professional training needs; and (IV) current procedures for handling cases of, and keeping statistics on, suspected elder abuse. Survey findings and the resultant policy recommendations are discussed.     

Child Welfare Workers' Adoption of Decision Support Technology

Child welfare workers must process complex information in deciding to refer clients to appropriate mental health services. Decision support systems have been demonstrated in other fields to be an important tool, yet little research has been done in child welfare. This study focused on the adoption of a specific decision support system into child welfare practice. Quantitative analysis was used to demonstrate the diffusion of innovation process among a sample of state child welfare workers, while qualitative analysis was used to explain the facilitators and barriers to decision support systems adoption. Results indicate that for decision support systems to be widely adopted in child welfare practice, they should be integrated into the referral system and include workers' knowledge and experiences with referral resources. For successful adoption, decision support systems need to respect the natural logic and flow of worker interaction as well as organizational constraints.     

Mandates for a changing practice: PSRO and P.L. 94-142.

Federal legislation in the fields of education and health care now requires the development of systems of professional accountability. This accountability to the sponsoring system and to the client is making profound changes in practice. Implications of these changes are reviewed with a challenge to social workers to assume leadership in translating these changes into effective practice models.     

Transitions to Systemic Practice for a Clinical Psychology Trainee

This article provides an individual perspective on encounters with systemic and family therapy ideas during the transition from university training to professional practice as a Clinical Psychology Registrar. Clinical psychology training provides a solid grounding in individually focussed, cognitive and behavioural models of psychotherapy. What may be less developed on entry to practice are the knowledge, procedural skills and reflective competencies needed to understand and respond to challenges in family‐based therapy and in working within complex caregiving systems. Systemic ideas can provide important resources for facilitating these transitions. Trainees may need support not only in gaining knowledge of family therapy models, but also in making a challenging ‘epistemological shift’ (Cullin, 2014) from internalised models of psychopathology to systemic ways of thinking about problems and change. Systemic concepts and support in developing a position of ‘hospitality’ (Larner, 2003) towards competing therapeutic models can also help the trainee be more effective in complex caregiving environments. This article provides examples from my learning as well as reflections on what may help trainees make the transition to professional practice and make use of systemic ideas.