Behavioural Social Work with Schizophrenic Patients in the Community

Summary A preliminary project on the application of behaviour modificationprocedures in the home setting is reported together with commentson the social needs of schizophrenic patients and their families.The article includes suggestions about social work with thisclient group based on the project experience.     

Feminism and Social work: Resistance or Dialogue?

Summary This paper seeks to explore some of the factors underpinningsocial work's apparent resistance to feminism and to dilineateways in which a more active relationship might benefit socialwork's women consumers. It argues that, by marginalizing feminism,social work has perpetuated individualistic explanations andresponses to women's specific needs and problems. Finally, insuggesting some practical strategies for making use of feministideas and experiences, particular consideration is given tosome of the contradictions which may be engendered for thosesocial workers who are actively endeavouring to integrate feministperspectives into their practice.     

The Families of Agoraphobics Treated by Behaviour Therapy

Summary The article describes a study of the families of agoraphobics.On the basis of interviews with patients undergoing treatmentby extensive exposure the P.S.W. assigned them to 3 groups:‘well-adjusted families’, ‘anxious-patientsfamilies’ and ‘sick families’. 6 of the 7patients in the ‘well-adjusted’ group showed significantimprovement, maintained over a follow-up period of 1 year. At3 month's follow-up none of the other patients had shown improvement,at 1 year's follow-up one ‘anxious’ patient enteredthe significantly improved category with additional help, and3 showed a trend towards improvement; of the ‘sick families’patients one eventually showed a trend towards improvement.Possible associations between family adjustment and the patient'schances of recovery are then discussed     

Family Placements for Adults and Children--A Double Comparison

Correspondence to Dr M. Hill, Centre for the Study of the Child and Society, Lilybank House, Bute Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RT. Summary This article compares family placements for adults with thosefor children with special needs. Findings are presented of apostal survey which was carried out in the UK and closely basedon a survey undertaken shortly before in the USA and Canada.There were a number of similarities between the programmes foradults and specialist schemes for children, despite their differentpurposes, origins and contexts. Although outcomes are oftengood, both types of project have worrying levels of breakdown,whilst a number of adult schemes are precarious in status andresourcing.     

An Approach to the Management of the Assessment of Practice Placements

Correspondence to Annie Hudson. Lecturer in Social Work. Faculty of Economic and Social Studies, University of Manchester. Manchester M13 9PL Summary This article addresses some of the issues and problems inherentin the assessment of practice placements. and discusses theefforts of one course to devise a method of managing the assessmentprocess. It begins with an identification and brief discussionof those problems, then moves on to review the development ofthe method and describe the system as it currently operates.The second part of the article discusses the need for continuingattention to both the design of the system and its implicationsfor the roles of those most involved, with particular emphasison the role of the tutor. The article concludes by posing somequestions raised therein which have relevance for current debatesabout the future of social work training.     

Working with Sex Offenders: A Social Skills Training Group

Summary The paper presents an account of a group of sex offenders ina local prison. Nine sessions of social skills training weregiven with the aim of facilitating relationships within theprison and possibly after release.