This book focuses on the significance of family in child welfare (CW) services from multidisciplinary perspectives. The authors are concerned with how families experience encounters with CW workers, ...how professional CW work with families is guided by rules and principles, and how social structures and ideologies influence CW work. Taken together, the chapters contribute to a comprehensive understanding of how CW workers should understand the importance of family for children. The book is important for everyone who works with the welfare of children and their families, and for those who educate CW workers. Although the context for many of the discussions in the book is Norwegian CW work, the topics are general, recognisable and relevant to similar discussions in other countries. The book is intended for CW workers, policymakers, researchers, and teachers and students in social work and child welfare study programmes.
The study assesses the status and opportunities for the introduction of electronic social services in Ukraine on the example of Zaporizhzhya region. The peculiarities of providing and receiving ...e-social services based on the analysis of the main models of e-government and individual countries within the selected models: Anglo-American, Continental European and East Asian. The ambivalence in the perception of the population's readiness to receive electronic social services among experts and clients has been determined. The results of the comparative analysis revealed some statistically significant differences in determining the reasons for the slowdown in the process of implementing the provision of electronic social services. The main factors that will contribute to the development of electronic social services are highlighted.
Wie kann die Arbeitsmarktpolitik Jugendliche beim Berufseinstieg unterstützen? Alban Knecht analysiert politische Diskurse und institutionelle Veränderungen der Beschäftigungsförderung ...benachteiligter Jugendlicher in Österreich vor dem Hintergrund der Ressourcentheorie. Er diskutiert die Einführung von Maßnahmen wie überbetrieblicher Lehre, Ausbildungsgarantie und Ausbildungspflicht und verdeutlicht dabei die Bedeutung sozialinvestiver, befähigungsorientierter, neoliberaler und rechtspopulistischer Leitbilder für die praktische Arbeit der Fachkräfte und die Jugendlichen.
How can employment policies support young people entering the labour market? Alban Knecht analyses the changes in political discourses and social-political measures with regards to employment promotion for disadvantaged young people in Austria. Against the background of his resource theory, he discusses measures such as inter-company apprenticeships, youth guarantee, and compulsory training and illustrates the impact that the social investment paradigm as well as the capability-orientated, neoliberal, and right-wing populist approaches may have on the practical work of professionals and on the young people concerned.
In dem vorliegenden Open-Access-Buch identifizieren Studierende und Lehrende interprofessionell Entwicklungen und Problemfelder der Assistiven Technologien. Diese halten zunehmend Einzug ins Leben ...versorgungsbedürftiger, häufig älterer Menschen. Nach einigen Jahren der Entwicklung kann konstatiert werden, dass der Transfer von Entwicklung zur Anwendung im Alltag infolge unterschiedlicher Perspektiven und Zielsetzungen nur unzureichend stattfindet. Die Beitragsautoren bieten kreative Lösungsansätze, die zu einer nachhaltigen Umsetzung führen sollen. Dies ist ein Open-Access-Buch.
Die Bearbeitung von sozialen Problemen gehörte von jeher zu den Kernaufgaben der Sozialen Arbeit. Doch wo liegen ihre Grenzen und Möglichkeiten? In der Sozialen Arbeit wird die Entstehung und der ...Wandel sozialer Hilfen aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven analysiert. Anhand empirischer Beispiele nimmt der Band hierzu das Spannungsfeld zwischen Organisation und Desorganisation sowie zwischen Institutionalisierungs- und Entinstitutionalisierungsprozessen in den Blick.
Demographic ageing is becoming one of the most pressing social problems in Lithuania. It is being addressed by increasing the scope and accessibility of social services, resulting in a pressing need ...for quality assurance (Micevičienė, 2023). The changing needs and expectations of society for social services increase the quality requirements, which subsequently become an integral part of the development and improvement of organisations. In Lithuania, the main quality standard for social services was considered to be the Inventory of Social Care Norms (2007), but accession to the European Union has provided the opportunity to adopt the experience of foreign countries and apply a wider range of quality standards for social services. In order to improve the provision of social services in Lithuania, the EQUASS standard has been introduced. One of the objectives of EQUASS is to involve staff in the process of continuous quality improvement, ensuring that service recipients are involved in the process of implementing the quality system and receive highquality services. This article aims to shed light on how the quality assessment of social services provided by personal care workers has changed since the introduction of the EQUASS standard. What changes have individual care workers experienced in the provision of social services? A further aim is to highlight the experiences of personal care workers in assessing the quality of social services in individuals’ homes within the context of the EQUASS standard. The following research methods were used: analysis of scientific literature and legislation, and semi-structured interviews. The research was conducted between November and December 2023, and is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. The research instrument is student research conducted during semesters. The content analysis method was used to analyse the research data. The method of non-probability sampling used for the research involved a criterion sample as follows: working in a social care institution with at least 3 years of implementation of the EQUASS standard; providing social services in the homes of service recipients; and having at least 5 years of social work experience. Eight personal care workers who fulfilled all of the above criteria participated in the research. In terms of research ethics, participants were given the opportunity to take part in the research voluntarily; they were informed in advance of the purpose of the research, and those who agreed to participate were invited for an interview. The questionnaire did not contain any offensive or derogatory statements. The interviews took place in a setting in which the participants did not feel fear or stress. The confidentiality and privacy of the participants was ensured by providing a unique code to each respondent. This empirical study enabled deeper insights into the application of the EQUASS standard in a care facility. The experiences of personal care workers in relation to the assessment of the quality of social services prior to and during the implementation of the EQUASS standard were revealed. The research revealed that prior to the introduction of the EQUASS standard, personal care workers assessed the quality of social services provided in their institutions intuitively and objectively. The participants of the research assessed the quality of social services based on the feedback of the service recipients and their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the services provided. The perception of the quality of social services was highly individual and depended on the expectations, experiences or attitudes of the workers. Improved quality of life or positive attitudes of service recipients was also a factor for personal care workers in determining the quality of services. The quality of social services prior to the EQUASS standard was also assessed by personal care workers through annual surveys. On the other hand, receiving feedback from service recipients and not receiving any complaints was a reason for staff to believe that they were delivering quality services. The statements given by the personal care workers who took part in the study revealed that the quality of social services provided in the institution following the implementation of the EQUASS standard is assessed subjectively, intersubjectively and objectively. The implementation of the EQUASS standard has made it necessary for the participants to submit a self-assessment, which is seen as both a time-consuming exercise and a quality assurance factor. The intersubjective evaluation is linked to the self-assessment of the personal care workers combined with the assessment of the social workers, analysing and discussing the quality of the services provided. The subjective evaluation of the services provided by the personal care workers is provided by the service recipients, who write their observations, preferences and suggestions on evaluation sheets. This research reveals that with the EQUASS standard, the quality of social services provided by personal care workers is linked to compliance with the intended criteria for assessing the quality of services and a measurable outcome. After the implementation of the EQUASS standard, personal care workers experience changes at the individual and institutional levels. Changes at the individual level are reflected in efforts to empower the service recipient, working towards achieving a specific result, and in the evaluation of the services provided. The empowerment of service recipients represents a significant change experienced by personal care workers. The empowerment of service recipients is guided by specific and clear requirements for service provision and a person-centred approach. Clear criteria for assessing the quality of the service enable the focus to be on a specific outcome that can be measured. According to the participants, self-assessment influences the improvement of service delivery and encourages self-improvement. The participants associate the changes they have experienced as a result of implementing the EQUASS standard at the level of the institution with teamwork, a wider range of services, and the systematic evaluation of the services provided. The EQUASS standard has particularly strengthened teamwork in the institution, which is reflected in the context of client empowerment and in the process of assessing results. The increase in the range of services provided is partly the result of the active involvement of social partners and the increased opportunity to share good practice, which is seen as a change at the institutional level. The survey also revealed that the application of the EQUASS standard has led to a move towards the systematic evaluation of the quality of services provided and a perceived need to measure the results achieved. Personal care workers perceived the quality of social services provided in people’s homes before the EQUASS standard was introduced in a very individual way. This perception depended on their experience and preconceived notions about meeting the expectations of service recipients. This also led to a predominantly intuitive assessment of social services. The application of the EQUASS standard has inspired a change in the perception of the quality of social services from an intuitive perception to one that can be measured. The evaluation of personal care workers’ performance is carried out through a combination of self-assessment, assessment by service recipients and social workers, and the collection of data from different sources for the evaluation. The application of the EQUASS standard has changed the perception of the meaning of the services provided by personal care workers from “providing services that meet an identified need” to “providing services that meet the specific needs of the service recipients through empowerment”. The provision of quality criteria enables personal care workers to achieve a specific and measurable result, which at the same time enhances motivation. Performance evaluation is linked to the improvement of service delivery and incentives for professional development. The provision of standardised services increases the focus of the staff and the importance of teamwork in the context of service recipient empowerment and service improvement. The changes experienced by personal care workers are manifested in an increase in the supply of services, the involvement of social partners in offering services and the emergence of a culture of monitoring the quality of services within the facility.
Background: Transgender individuals experience unique vulnerabilities to intimate partner violence (IPV) and may experience a disproportionate IPV burden compared with cisgender (nontransgender) ...individuals.
Objectives: To systematically review the quantitative literature on prevalence and correlates of IPV in transgender populations.
Search Methods: Authors searched research databases (PubMed, CINAHL), gray literature (Google), journal tables of contents, and conference abstracts, and consulted experts in the field. Authors were contacted with data requests in cases in which transgender participants were enrolled in a study, but no disaggregated statistics were provided for this population.
Selection Criteria: We included all quantitative literature published before July 2019 on prevalence and correlates of IPV victimization, perpetration, or service utilization in transgender populations. There were no restrictions by sample size, year, or location.
Data Collection and Analysis: Two independent reviewers conducted screening. One reviewer conducted extraction by using a structured database, and a second reviewer checked for mistakes or omissions. We used random-effects meta-analyses to calculate relative risks (RRs) comparing the prevalence of IPV in transgender individuals and cisgender individuals in studies in which both transgender and cisgender individuals were enrolled. We also used meta-analysis to compare IPV prevalence in assigned-female-sex-at-birth and assigned-male-sex-at-birth transgender individuals and to compare physical IPV prevalence between nonbinary and binary transgender individuals in studies that enrolled both groups.
Main Results: We identified 85 articles from 74 unique data sets (n
total
= 49 966 transgender participants). Across studies reporting it, the median lifetime prevalence of physical IPV was 37.5%, lifetime sexual IPV was 25.0%, past-year physical IPV was 16.7%, and past-year sexual IPV was 10.8% among transgender individuals. Compared with cisgender individuals, transgender individuals were 1.7 times more likely to experience any IPV (RR = 1.66; 95% confidence interval CI = 1.36, 2.03), 2.2 times more likely to experience physical IPV (RR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.66, 2.88), and 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual IPV (RR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.64, 3.69). Disparities persisted when comparing to cisgender women specifically. There was no significant difference in any IPV, physical IPV, or sexual IPV prevalence between assigned-female-sex-at-birth and assigned-male-sex-at-birth individuals, nor in physical IPV prevalence between binary- and nonbinary-identified transgender individuals. IPV victimization was associated with sexual risk, substance use, and mental health burden in transgender populations.
Authors’ Conclusions: Transgender individuals experience a dramatically higher prevalence of IPV victimization compared with cisgender individuals, regardless of sex assigned at birth. IPV prevalence estimates are comparably high for assigned-male-sex-at-birth and assigned-female-sex-at-birth transgender individuals, and for binary and nonbinary transgender individuals, though more research is needed.
Public Health Implications: Evidence-based interventions are urgently needed to prevent and address IPV in this high-risk population with unique needs. Lack of legal protections against discrimination in employment, housing, and social services likely foster vulnerability to IPV. Transgender individuals should be explicitly included in US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations promoting IPV screening in primary care settings. Interventions at the policy level as well as the interpersonal and individual level are urgently needed to address epidemic levels of IPV in this marginalized, high-risk population.
This unique book brings together, for the first time, advocates and critics of the personalisation agenda in English social care services to debate key issues relating to personalisation.
...Perspectives from service users, practitioners, academics and policy commentators come together to give an account of the practicalities and controversies associated with the implementation of personalised approaches. The conclusion examines how to make sense of the divergent accounts presented, asking if there is a value-based approach to person-centred care that all sides share.
Written in a lively and accessible way, practitioners, students, policy makers and academics in health and social care, social work, public policy and social policy will appreciate the interplay of rival arguments and the way that ambiguities in the care debate play out as policy ideas take programmatic form.
With the global spread of COVID-19, there is a compelling public health interest in quantifying who is at increased risk of contracting disease. Occupational characteristics, such as interfacing with ...the public and being in close quarters with other workers, not only put workers at high risk for disease, but also make them a nexus of disease transmission to the community. This can further be exacerbated through presenteeism, the term used to describe the act of coming to work despite being symptomatic for disease. Quantifying the number of workers who are frequently exposed to infection and disease in the workplace, and understanding which occupational groups they represent, can help to prompt public health risk response and management for COVID-19 in the workplace, and subsequent infectious disease outbreaks.
To estimate the number of United States workers frequently exposed to infection and disease in the workplace, national employment data (by Standard Occupational Classification) maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was merged with a BLS O*NET survey measure reporting how frequently workers in each occupation are exposed to infection or disease at work. This allowed us to estimate the number of United States workers, across all occupations, exposed to disease or infection at work more than once a month.
Based on our analyses, approximately 10% (14.4 M) of United States workers are employed in occupations where exposure to disease or infection occurs at least once per week. Approximately 18.4% (26.7 M) of all United States workers are employed in occupations where exposure to disease or infection occurs at least once per month. While the majority of exposed workers are employed in healthcare sectors, other occupational sectors also have high proportions of exposed workers. These include protective service occupations (e.g. police officers, correctional officers, firefighters), office and administrative support occupations (e.g. couriers and messengers, patient service representatives), education occupations (e.g. preschool and daycare teachers), community and social services occupations (community health workers, social workers, counselors), and even construction and extraction occupations (e.g. plumbers, septic tank installers, elevator repair).
The large number of persons employed in occupations with frequent exposure to infection and disease underscore the importance of all workplaces developing risk response plans for COVID-19. Given the proportion of the United States workforce exposed to disease or infection at work, this analysis also serves as an important reminder that the workplace is a key locus for public health interventions, which could protect both workers and the communities they serve.
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