Social Work Research in the Field of Disability in Australia: A Scoping Review*

Although in Australia disability is receiving unprecedented attention with the rollout of major reforms, the body of research on disability to inform policy and practice has been found “not fit for purpose”. This scoping review of empirical research papers published by Australian social work authors between 2007 and 2015 investigated the quantity, nature, and scope of social work research on disability in Australia. We found a steady growth, an annual average of 13.8 papers, and a total of 124. Social work disability research makes a distinctive contribution; it is contextualised in service systems or policy, has a greater focus on community and civic participation and social relationships, and concentrates on adults, with either intellectual disability or traumatic brain injury. These research strengths provide foundations for building the profession’s research capacity and informing its practice and contribution to the multidisciplinary field of disability.

IMPLICATIONS

• Service system reform is increasing engagement of social workers with people with disabilities, yet disability has a low profile in the profession.

• Social work disability research has strengths in understanding service systems, social relationships, and strategies for social and civic participation, particularly with adults with cognitive disabilities.

• Increased attention to disability in qualifying and higher degree programs will better prepare students for complex practice and develop the distinctive contribution of social work research in this interdisciplinary field.

     

Science as a Strategy for Social Work

For more than one hundred years, various forms of science have been promoted to boost social work’s status as a profession. Evidence-based practice and talk about the science of social work are only the most recent manifestations of this pattern. Counter to this trend, this article argues that the latest upsurge of interest in scientific social work is no more likely than any of its predecessors to address the problems of the profession. Beginning with a linguistic analysis of the words science and scientific as positive signifiers, the article traces social work’s long history of science talk as a means of reassuring funding agencies and bolstering the profession’s status. Drawing on a critique of this discourse as the latest example of abstracted empiricism, it then contends that while scientific social work can only rarely capture what occurs in the field, its attempt to do so actually undercuts practitioners’ professional judgment and discretion. Last, after rejecting science talk as counterproductive, the article concludes with recommendations for an alternative strategy that might better position social work to reconcile its advocacy of social justice with its concerns about its professional status.     

Unmet needs in addressing child neglect: Should we go back to the drawing board?

Intervention in child neglect faces many challenges to effectiveness, including: (a) The lack of a cohesive, agreed-upon conceptual/theoretical framework and inconsistent definition of the problem; (b) disjointed intervention in various components of the problem; and (c) the social justice issues of inequity based on class, race, and gender. These conditions have led to a situation in which the role of poverty, potentially one of the most important contextual factors in neglect, can be overlooked. This article presents an argument for the need to pay more explicit attention to the definition of neglect, with particular focus on the role of poverty, in order to improve intervention in this pervasive problem. It concludes with recommendations for research, policy, and practice in child welfare.     

Evidence-based practice in real-world services for young people with complex needs: New opportunities suggested by recent implementation science

There is growing agreement that child and youth services have been slow to implement evidence-based practice (EBP). A variety of interrelated barriers and facilitators of EBP implementation have been recognized and investigated. Key categories include the attitudes of providers, the characteristics of client populations, the characteristics of usual practice, organizational factors, and resource availability. Implementation scientists are investigating these factors, seeking to bridge the gap between clinical science and practice. Much of this work has been conducted in the context of behavioral health services for children and young people. This paper provides a purposeful review of this research from the perspective of decision-makers in agencies serving young people with multiple and complex psychosocial needs. It is argued that major barriers to EBP may be mitigated if ways can be found to transcend the oppositional construction that has characterized the discourses of EBP versus practice wisdom. A conceptual approach to such integration is offered. New lines of implementation research are offering opportunities for practical action by decision-makers consistent with this integrative approach.     

Evidence-Based Practice: Current Issues and Future Directions

Abstract

Evidence-based practice approaches continue to increase in popularity in health and human service contexts in Australia and internationally. As social workers face pressures to evidence practice and justify outcomes, the limitations in applying an evidence-based practice approach to social work are confronted. The present paper identifies the features of evidence-based practice and notes the potential benefits and limitations of this approach in social work. Debates surrounding the nature of social work interventions, effectiveness and evidence are reviewed. The current context and climate influencing the use of research and other evidence in social work are discussed. The paper also considers the position of qualitative, interpretive and critical reflective approaches in relation to evidence-based practice. Issues for the future of evidence-based practice in social work are identified, including the need for the profession to examine more closely the relationship between critical reflective and evidence-based approaches to practice.     

Readings in Evidence-Based Social Work

Abstract

This article describes the development, validity, and reliability of the Parent Empowerment and Efficacy Measure (PEEM). Development was guided by theory and by challenges faced by Pathways to Prevention family support staff who required a short, practical, and reliable measure of parent empowerment. The measure's psychometric properties were tested using data from 866 parents of children aged 5 to 12, living in high to low socioeconomic status areas. Principal factor analysis revealed a strong general dimension with high internal consistency (α = 0.92) that correlated at 0.60 or more with three validation measures, as well as the existence of two hypothesised subfactors (correlated at 0.78): efficacy to parent and efficacy to connect, each with internal consistencies of 0.85+. Test–retest reliability (n = 200) was 0.84. PEEM exhibits excellent convergent and concurrent validity and is a reliable tool for use in planning services, monitoring participant progress, and evaluating program effectiveness.     

昆明政府购买居家养老服务的循证政策探索

昆明市于2009年8月推行政府购买居家养老服务政策。目前关于在西部欠发达地区推行该政策的研究还缺乏有效性和针对性。本文以昆明市老龄化和循证式政策制定为背景,通过深入调查和访谈,对西部欠发达地区推行政府购买居家养老服务政策的实践进行分析,以填补该地区政府购买居家养老服务研究的空白,同时为欠发达地区完善社会化养老服务体系和政府决策提供依据。