Editorial

This paper is primarily concerned with examining how the current re‐emergence of psychosocial theory, mainly emanating from sociology, is useful for informing social work theory. Firstly it considers two extended examples of the limitations and/or contradictions in current theory for social work (that of linguistic determinism and postmodern versions of identity), and suggests how psychosocial theory offers ways forward for understanding and practice. The paper then considers two particular strengths in psychosocial theory: the ability to offer a ‘rich’ conceptualisation of the subject, and the equalising of worker and service user implicit in the theory. A further section looks briefly at the recent application of psychodynamic principles in social work practice, as ‘relationship‐based practice’. It then briefly considers some further implications for research and ‘evidence’ for social work. The paper's final section offers a discussion of two potential limitations in applying psychosocial theory in practice, before concluding that overall psychosocial theory is both productive, useful and appropriate for social work.     

Surviving Critical Illness: New Insights From Mixed-Methods Research

Current advanced medical technology allows survival of critical illness. However, the patient's psychological response to survival is relatively unexplored. Interviews with 32 older adult survivors, using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Experience after Treatment in Intensive Care (ETIC-7) scale, Miller's Q-sort, and social work clinical wisdom, yielded unique and unexpected research results. Four response types were identified: avoiding, depressed, denial, and coping. Psychological agency during illness was found to be important. Participants did not reveal posttraumatic stress disorder–related phenomena predicted in previous literature but instead experienced posttraumatic growth. Hallucinatory experiences during illness were not traumatic, whereas social support emerged as a complicated concept. Participants unexpectedly revealed that childhood trauma was an important factor. Implications for clinical social work practice and research are outlined following the discussion of findings.     

Queering the discourse of diversity

In this article, we use corpus linguistic methods to examine why lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) subjects are poorly recognized within diversity statements of U.K. and U.S. research universities. While universities position diversity as a marketable signifier, we argue that queerness is rendered invisible, lest its manifestation bring universities into disrepute. "Sexual orientation" appears as a "private" or "lifestyle" choice," and universities do not see it as part of their mission to enable students or employees to realize difference. We wish to propose that the language used in diversity statements should acknowledge notions of real inclusion and empowerment of those queers who work within them.     

Stories of Non‐Becoming: Non‐Issues,Non‐Events and Non‐Identities in Asexual Lives

In contrast to conventional models of positively “becoming” an identity through social interaction, this article explores the inverse, negational process of “non‐becoming,” whereby actors start but do not continue along an identity career trajectory. Through cumulative attrition, interactions and encounters at key moments create an overall pattern of non‐progression. Using asexuality as an example, we identify three main trajectory stages of non‐awareness, communicative negation and non‐consolidation, each involving interactional contingencies. With a wider applicability to other repudiated identities, this model shows how even negational symbolic social objects (non‐issues, non‐events, and non‐identities) are constituted through social interaction.     

Bridging Cultures Through Unpaid Labor: US Volunteer Teachers’ Experiences in China’s Yunnan Province

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - International volunteering has become a complex field in the context of globalization. Within the discourses of...     

Championing the interface between mental health and child protection: evaluation of a service initiative to improve joint working in northern Ireland

The importance of establishing effective inter‐agency working between adult mental health services and child care services in order to safeguard children has been repeatedly identified by research, policy, inquiries and inspection reports. This article reports on the evaluation of an initiative in one health and social care trust in Northern Ireland that aimed to facilitate joint working and so improve service provision and protection for children and families. The Champions Initiative involved identifying a Champion in each multidisciplinary community mental health team and in each family and child care team that would have responsibility for providing information, promoting joint working and identifying any obstacles to better cooperation. The evaluation of this Initiative assessed levels of experience, training, confidence, understanding and awareness in the Champions and their team members at baseline. The Champions and their Team Leaders were then followed up after six months to obtain their qualitative views of the impact of the initiative. The results include comparisons between mental health and child care staff, and crucially, views about whether the initiative has had any impact on working together. This study also generated recommendations for further service development in this complex and important area of practice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘Identifying a Champion in each multidisciplinary community mental health team and in each family and child care team’

Citing Literature

Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 15

• Kerry McVeigh, The Think Family Social Work Assessment: outcomes of a family-focused initiative using The Family Model, Advances in Mental Health, 10.1080/18387357.2020.1825969, (1-15), (2020). Crossref
• Billie Lever Taylor, Liberty Mosse, Nicky Stanley, Experiences of social work intervention among mothers with perinatal mental health needs, Health & Social Care in the Community, 10.1111/hsc.12832, 27 , 6, (1586-1596), (2019). Wiley Online Library
• Lelia Fitzsimons, The role of champions in promoting family focused practice across adult mental health and children's services, Advances in Mental Health, 10.1080/18387357.2019.1661783, (1-10), (2019). Crossref
• Nicky Stanley, Khatidja Chantler, Rachel Robbins, Children and Domestic Homicide, The British Journal of Social Work, 10.1093/bjsw/bcy024, 49 , 1, (59-76), (2018). Crossref
• Sanne Rumping, Leonieke Boendermaker, Doret J. Ruyter, Stimulating interdisciplinary collaboration among youth social workers: A scoping review, Health & Social Care in the Community, 10.1111/hsc.12589, 27 , 2, (293-305), (2018). Wiley Online Library
• Robin Mason, Janice Du Mont, Maeve Paterson, Ilene Hyman, Experiences of child protection workers in collaborating with adult mental health providers: An exploratory study from Ontario, Canada, Children and Youth Services Review, 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.005, 86 , (271-276), (2018). Crossref
• Andani Thakhathi, Champions of Change and Organizational Development: A Return to Schön and Typology for Future Research and Practice, Research in Organizational Change and Development, 10.1108/S0897-301620180000026007, (265-306), (2018). Crossref
• Phillip Tchernegovski, Andrea E. Reupert, Darryl J. Maybery, How do Australian adult mental health clinicians manage the challenges of working with parental mental illness? A phenomenological study, Child & Family Social Work, 10.1111/cfs.12426, 23 , 3, (381-389), (2017). Wiley Online Library
• Eeva Timonen-Kallio, Juha Hämäläinen, Eila Laukkanen, Interprofessional Collaboration in Finnish Residential Child Care: Challenges in Incorporating and Sharing Expertise Between the Child Protection and Health Care Systems, Child Care in Practice, 10.1080/13575279.2016.1158153, 23 , 4, (389-403), (2016). Crossref
• Barry Luckock, Jane Barlow, Chris Brown, Developing innovative models of practice at the interface between the NHS and child and family social work where children living at home are at risk of abuse and neglect: a scoping review, Child & Family Social Work, 10.1111/cfs.12228, 22 , S4, (62-69), (2015). Wiley Online Library
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• Estela Arcos, Ximena Sanchez, Maria Cecilia Toffoletto, Margarita Baeza, Patricia Gazmuri, Luz Angélica Muñoz, Antonia Vollrath, Social protection systems in vulnerable families: their importance for the public health, Revista de Saúde Pública, 10.1590/S0034-8910.2014048005131, 48 , 3, (398-405), (2014). Crossref
• Oi Ling Wong, Integrative Family and Systems Treatment with Parental Mental Illness: A Hong Kong Chinese Family, Contemporary Family Therapy, 10.1007/s10591-014-9298-2, 36 , 2, (242-249), (2014). Crossref
• Peter Sidebotham, Rethinking Filicide, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2303, 22 , 5, (305-310), (2013). Wiley Online Library
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Volume 21 , Issue 3 May/June 2012

Pages 157-172     

Patients' Evaluations of the Mental Health Service at a Health Sciences Campus

Abstract

Health science students, along with the health professionals they hope to become, are at increased risk for certain occupational injuries and illnesses. One of these risks is occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis, which may result in severe illnesses or even death. Two case studies demonstrate postexposure care of exposed individuals at the University of Texas Medical Branch Student Health Services before and after policy changes and prevention strategies were strengthened in response to exposure incidents.     

‘The cloak of competence’: Assessment dilemmas in social work education

In the face of administrative and pedagogic changes in professional social work training, educators and trainers face considerable uncertainty. Key dilemmas concern what is meant by competence, and how far it is possible to identify and reconcile technical and ideological competencies. This paper uses empirical material from a semi-participant study to explore the relevance of the concept ‘cloak of competence’, with reference to the behaviour of tutors and practice teachers. It suggests that excessive or continuous uncertainty generates avoidance or coping strategies, which lead to a resolution by the achievement of an appearance of competence. The consequences of these processes for staff development are then briefly considered.