Experiences of Drug Use and Parenting among Women in Substance Abuse Treatment: An Exploratory Study

The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore the multiple contexts of vulnerability, drug use and parenting for women in substance abuse treatment. Nineteen purposively sampled women provided qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that adverse childhood experiences and intimate partners were important pathways into drug use initiation. Identities as mothers emerged as a key finding, intimately linked to women's motivation to seek and complete treatment. Understanding the challenges to recovery among mothers in treatment is an important priority for social workers. This study highlights the complexity of women's experiences and suggests implications for future practice and research.     

Recent Social Work Practitioners’ Understanding and Use of Evidence-Based Practice and Empirically Supported Treatments

The aim of this study was to evaluate how CSWE’s 2008 shift placing more emphasis on research have affected newly trained social workers’ use of evidence-based practice (EBP). This qualitative study examined the educational and practice experiences of newly trained social workers and how those experiences influence the use of EBP and empirically supported interventions/treatments in the field. Thirteen newly graduated social workers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Twenty-three codes emerged from the interviews, with the most prominent theme being a sense of overall confusion about EBP. Other themes included lack of educational preparation, lack of agency resources, and prohibitive agency culture. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.     

Evidence-based practice knowledge and utilization among social workers

In this study the researchers examined the knowledge, skills, and use of Evidence-Based Practice in a sample of social workers from different practice settings. Using an electronic survey, data were collected from a group of social work practitioners (N = 200). Participants in their 30s and 40s demonstrated the most knowledge and use of Evidence-Based Practice. In addition, a high percentage of social workers reported to be knowledgeable about social work research databases; a smaller percentage actually used online resources in their practice. Through this study the researchers add to what is currently known about social workers' perceptions, knowledge, and use of Evidence-Based Practice.     

From the Mouths of Mothers: Can Drama Facilitate Reflective Learning for Social Workers?

This article explores and evaluates a cross-disciplinary small-scale project using applied theatre in social work education. The aim was to provide an ‘Affective Encounter’ where students could practice empathic engagement, understanding of the needs of children who have been sexually abused and their protective parents/carers and engage in the complexities of working with family members who may be resistant. The workshop took place five times over a period of three years and was attended by children and families social workers on a one year post-qualifying graduate diploma course. While the use of verbatim theatre does not offer a guarantee of factual truth, it provided the students with some performed moments of personal testimony which was taken word-for-word from mothers whose children had been sexually abused. This allowed the social workers to hear the marginalised narratives of the protective mothers and to practice without a negative impact on the service user. The evaluation identified from self-report the development of emotional and practical skills and knowledge of available resources. This paper focuses on the emotional skills reported and two emerging themes are discussed: learning for humane practice, and the use of this pedagogical approach to encourage affective reflection.     

The Impact of Family of Origin on Social Workers from Alcoholic Families

This study draws on the experience of six social workers who are adult children of alcoholics, to demonstrate that childhood learned responsibility and the capacity for attachment are translated into later professional acuity. The place of resilience in developing an understanding of the linkages between the experiences of adult children of alcoholics and social workers is examined and the consequences for social work practice and the education of social workers is outlined. Undeniably, prior life experience impacts on practice. Less well understood is the positive impact of negative experience. In the case of social workers who are adult children of alcoholics we argue that being part of an alcoholic family may significantly contribute to, rather than detract from, later practice competence.     

The Use of Adventure Therapy Techniques by Clinical Social Workers: Implications for Practice and Training

Adventure therapy, an experiential intervention that combines outdoor, adventure based activities and group process, is used in direct practice by clinical social workers; however, it is unclear to what extent clinical social workers are actually utilizing these techniques. This research project surveyed a random sample of clinical social workers and examined in greater depth how they are utilizing adventure therapy programming with different clients in various treatment settings, as well as what type of education and training they received for engaging in these practices. A random sample of 646 clinical social workers in NASW responded to the survey, and more than 1/3 of this sample (35.1 %) reported the use of adventure based activities for therapeutic purposes in their social work practice. However, few of the social workers reported formal education or training in the use of adventure therapy, highlighting the need for more attention in both educational and clinical settings to proper instruction around this growing intervention.     

Social Workers in Private Practice: A Descriptive Study of What they do

This article reports on the findings of a national study conducted with a randomized sample of NASW members in private practice. The study examined such issues as populations served, lengths of treatment, fees charged, treatment approaches, and whether private practitioners used evidence-based practice or practice-based evidence in their work with clients. The article reflects on such questions as whether private practitioners have abandoned the social work mission, whether graduate schools should aim to prepare social workers for private practice, and whether social workers in private practice adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics.     

Social Work with Homeless Mothers: A Strength-Based Solution-Focused Model

ABSTRACT

Social workers are increasingly called upon to provide services to homeless families, the vast majority of which are mother-headed. Drawing on empirical findings from the literature on homeless families and the practice literature on solution-focused and strength-based practice, this article describes and illustrates how principles and techniques of these two approaches to practice can be used to empower homeless mothers to resolve their housing crisis and restabilize their families after an episode of homelessness. Examples are given for how social workers can use these principles and techniques in various stages of the helping process.     

Supervisor and policy roles in social media use as a new technology in child welfare

This analysis examines the role of agency policy and supervision in the decision-making of child welfare workers about their work-related social media use. Data were collected using a mixed-methods internet-based survey of 171 child welfare workers and interns about their social media use related to their direct-practice work with child welfare clients. The study finds that supervisor approval and agency policy is correlated with worker's social media use, and that workers find utility in social media use, but have poor clarity about how they should use social media in the child welfare work setting. These results suggest a need for agency policy and practice guidelines. Implications for child welfare agencies include an opportunity to consider the types of policy development necessary to ensure that multiple stakeholders are represented in policy and practice decisions, and that they reflect the possible benefits and risks of social media use.     

White Privilege and Clinical Social Work Practice: Reflections and Recommendations

This exploratory study examined how seasoned White social workers grappled with the presence and effects of White privilege on their clinical practice. Data were collected in focus groups; findings were surfaced through thematic analysis. Five themes emerged: the role of engaging in continuous self-awareness in clinical practice; the complexity of using intersectionality to inform our work; the necessity of addressing White privilege in clinical conversations; the importance of creating strategies for use of power; and the process of engaging in life-long growth. These workers demonstrated awareness of, and accountability for, White privilege. Implications for progressive social work practice are discussed.     

Making Research Count: What Australian Social Work Researchers Think

A central question in the research utilisation literature is what happens to research evidence once it is produced. In social work, this has frequently translated to questions of whether and how social workers use research in practice. Despite these questions, relatively little is known about the ways in which research comes to be used in social work practice. This paper reports on a study of research utilisation in social work, which examined researchers’ perceptions of the factors impacting on research use in social work. The specific focus of this study was on the impact of interaction between researchers and practitioners on research use in practice. The study replicated a scale used in prior studies on knowledge utilisation to collect data from 60 Australian researchers publishing in social work journals, all of whom reported some level of research use by practitioners. Key variables were coproduction, engagement, and research utilisation. Implications for future use of the survey instrument for the measurement and implementation of research use in social work are discussed.     

Responses to Homelessness in Australian Cities: Social Worker Perspectives

Abstract

Responses to homelessness in Australia are provided by a range of government and nongovernment services. The present study examined the experiences of social workers within these diverse services. The article discusses how social workers make meaning of their professional identity and responses to homelessness in contemporary practice and policy settings. The findings of a qualitative study of 39 social workers employed in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney are analysed from a social constructionist perspective. The practice dilemmas for social workers interviewed related to the dominating influence of the contemporary political and economic climate, the managerial requirement of organisations, and the personal and professional tensions these political and organisational contexts created.     

Supporting students to use social media and comply with professional standards

Student social workers live in a world where sharing of information seems to be straightforward and unproblematic. However, data sharing is a contentious issue in practice that raises ethical issues. There is a focus on this aspect of practice in social work education particularly in the context of data storage, confidentiality and multi-disciplinary work. There have been examples of qualified workers being sanctioned by the Health Care Professions Council for breaching professional standards related to inappropriate use of social media. Understanding the advantages and potential pitfalls of social media is crucial for social workers. The aim of this research was to develop an understanding about how student social workers use social media during their time at university as a tool for continuing professional development whilst balancing the need to present a professional persona. This paper reports on four themes that emerged from a study that considered social media and social work training: changing/securing profiles; using social media to support learning and development; university support; replicating earlier behaviour in the professional setting. The findings suggest student social workers are ambivalent about the use of social media both during training and as a way to support ongoing development beyond the university setting.     

Young persons as epistemological agents in social work assessment and intervention

SummaryLiterature debates whether young persons' participation in social work decisions is tokenistic in nature or it empowers them to shape their world. By and large, young persons deemed at risk remain the targets of intervention. This paper aims to underscore the need to move beyond soliciting young persons' voice merely in order to corroborate information provided by adults and professionals in social work assessment and intervention. Instead, it explicates the philosophical foundation for social workers to treat young persons as knowledgeable agents capable of contributing to professional knowledge.FindingsThrough reinterpretation of a published case study on children of sex worker mothers in India, this paper highlights how young persons are active agents of their own lives even in extreme dire situations. These children of sex worker mothers were capable of advocating for their own rights as well as that of their mothers. Through the secondary analysis of data, we illustrated the dynamic process of knowledge construction by young persons.ApplicationBy paying attention to the young persons' capacity as knowledgeable agents we propose social workers to intentionally incorporate their knowledge in their practice.     

Acknowledging the Impact of Social Forces on Sexual Minority Clients: Introduction to the Special Issue on Clinical Practice with LGBTQ Populations

Over the last two to three decades, advances in clinical practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals have been extensive. Many clinical social workers now incorporate LGBTQ-affirmative approaches into their practice, and a number of social workers have contributed to the literature on clinical practice with sexual minority clients. Despite these advances, we still require specialized knowledge to understand a number of LGBTQ-related mental health issues. The Clinical Social Work Journal’s first special issue on clinical practice with LGBTQ populations emphasizes psychotherapy techniques that acknowledge and also address social forces (e.g., transphobia, homophobia, and heterosexism) that affect the psychosocial functioning of LGBTQ clients. The special issue focuses on LGBTQ populations, such as transgender and bisexual individuals, sexual minority youth, and older adults, and psychotherapy modalities informed by a number of clinical and theoretical approaches. These in-depth articles offer guidance to clinical social workers who need to expand their knowledge of LGBTQ-related mental health issues and also provide those with existing knowledge an opportunity to refine their clinical skills and sharpen their thinking.     

Interpreting the needs of lone mothers

This article focuses on the relationship between welfare services in some districts of the municipality of Venice and their lone-mother clients. First, it outlines briefly the panorama of Italian support policies. As there is no national law on social assistance, but a variety of fragmentary and complex local systems of rights, the social rights of lone mothers have to be examined at the local level. The article then attempts to reconstruct the de factopolicies for lone mothers in a welfare system that has no provisions specifically for lone mothers. It interprets discursive and ideological dimensions of social policies from the social workers' viewpoint, highlighting the mechanisms by which the welfare programmes and practices define the needs of lone mothers. It outlines the dynamics of negotiation in the welfare services, which try to reconcile the legislative and administrative norms with the social workers' professional practices and the perceived claims of lone mothers. Despite the Veneto region's universal law on social assistance, access to economic support tends to be determined selectively on the basis of a 'qualifying need'. Interpreting lone mothers' claims to qualifying needs along psycho-social and educational dimensions serves to transform their expressed claims into needs that can be dealt with institutionally. Social workers' image of the two subculturesof lone mothers influences their attitudes and the strategies they set in motion for lone mothers. Lone mothers are provided with a broader range of discretionary support than other users of welfare services, as social workers perceive their problems as more complex and pressing. Social workers' discretion in supporting lone mothers in maternity and in accommodating paid employment and family responsibilities compensates for the gaps left by national and local welfare policies.     

“From cause to cure”: A qualitative study on contemporary forms of mother blaming experienced by mothers of young children with autism spectrum disorder

ABSTRACT

In the past, the behaviours and personalities of mothers have been identified as potential causes of autism. More recently, other etiological hypotheses have been used to explain autism spectrum disorder, suggesting that this specific type of mother-blaming is now uncommon. However, some authors have pointed out that mothers are still being held responsible for their children’s condition and behaviours, as they are now expected to extensively promote their children’s development. The present article explores contemporary forms of mother-blaming experienced by thirteen mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The results are discussed in relation to the consequences of mother-blaming, such as social isolation and health related problems. It is hoped that this article will encourage social workers and professionals to understand the mothers’ perspectives and to recognize the importance of supporting them without generating or increasing mother-blaming.     

Perceived Levels of Cultural Competence for School Social Workers: A Follow-Up Study

The purpose of this article is to report on findings from a follow-up study that examined the relationship among social work education programs, postgraduate professional development, and school social workers’ perceived levels of cultural competence in practice with urban minority youth. The initial study demonstrated that African Americans perceived a higher level of cultural competence than their Anglo American counterparts did. Findings highlight the need to understand the processes by which practitioners become culturally competent for urban school social work practice. Underscoring the importance of professional development, the authors determined that geographic location of practice may serve as a factor that influences how practitioners anticipate the need for culturally competent practice with diverse populations. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

To die destitute today: What are the implications for social work?

The link between the public hospital and the destitute funeral has a long historical background with hospitals today continuing to retain their delegation over the fates of those who die destitute within them. This qualitative study evaluates the roles and skills of social workers when assessing the need for a destitute funeral in the public hospital system. Social workers located in two public hospitals within the same Area Health Service participated in interviews to evaluate the roles and responsibilities of social workers when working with destitute funeral recipients and their significant others. Emergent from these interviews are the social workers' candid perception of the importance of the destitute death. The analysis is structured according to the priority that the social workers themselves accorded: the importance of the destitute death to the organisation, the family and friends of the destitute person, the social workers themselves and to society as a whole. The implication for social work practice is that this study informs policy locally within the hospital social work department, and public health policy within the hospital system. In addition, it is a springboard for practice reflection and advanced clinical practice by social workers in the field of destitute funerals.     

A balancing act: a grounded theory study of the professional judgement of child protection social workers

ABSTRACT

This paper explores professional judgement of social workers working to protect children. Based on 22 in-depth interviews with social workers, a grounded theory methodology is adopted. The policy context for child protection practice is outlined and analysed. This study then explores how information, responsibility and in particular anxiety, are transacted between social workers and other professionals. Additionally, this study explores the delicate balances social workers are required to negotiate, focussing on two elements of the findings, ‘closeness- distance’ and ‘power over- power together’. The delicacy of the balances negotiated by social workers leads to a powerful analogy of social workers as tightrope walkers, and strategies to seek balance are identified. The implications for practice are explored. The internal mental processes of social workers require closer attention, a cautious approach should be taken to rational-technical solutions and social workers should be better prepared to respectfully challenge other professionals.