Without a doubt, structural and institutionalised racism is still present in Britain and Europe, a factor that social work education and training has been slow to acknowledge.
In this timely new ...book, Lavalette and Penketh reveal that racism towards Britain's minority ethnic groups has undergone a process of change. They affirm the importance of social work to address issues of 'race' and racism in education and training by presenting a critical review of a this demanding aspect of social work practice.
Original in its approach, and with diverse perspectives from key practitioners in the field, the authors examine contemporary anti-racism, including racism towards Eastern European migrants, Roma people and asylum seekers. It also considers the implications of contemporary racism for current practice.
This is essential reading for anyone academically or professionally interested in social work, and the developments in this field of study post 9/11.
Soziale Kohäsion zu fördern und zu bewahren ist eine zentrale Herausforderung europäischer Gesellschaften. Basierend auf Beiträgen der ersten trinationalen Tagung von DGSA, OGSA und SGSA wird in ...diesem Sammelband thematisiert, welche Bedeutungen soziale Kohäsion für Individuen und Gesellschaften hat und wie Soziale Arbeit dazu beitragen kann, soziale Kohäsion als Grundlage freiheitlich demokratischer Gesellschaften zu fördern und zu bewahren.
The end of social work Maylea, Chris
The British journal of social work,
03/2021, Letnik:
51, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract
Social work literature is saturated with calls to reform social work in diverse and contradictory ways. This article argues that the profession of social work cannot be reformed and must be ...abolished. Specifically, the master narrative of Anglophone social work must be abandoned along with the institutions which maintain it; the professional bodies, the academic discipline and the formal title. Four reasons for this are presented: social work’s lack of coherent theory base, the problem of professionalism, social work’s historical abuses and the profession’s inability to rise to contemporary challenges. The fundamental theoretical tensions in social work theory are identified as preventing the profession from reconciling its aims of assuaging individual suffering and achieving social justice. This has also hindered social work’s aspiration to professionalism, which is both distracting and actively prevents social workers from working with people and communities. While these issues may have once been resolvable, the historical and contemporary contexts prevent resolution. Social work’s uncertain theoretical foundations, desire for professional legitimacy, past abuses and contemporary failures put the profession beyond recovery. No solutions or resolutions are suggested. What pieces are to be salvaged from the wreck of social work must be determined by the post-social work world.
Abstract
Service user and carer involvement in social work education is well established in the UK and other countries. There has however been limited research on the outcomes of this for social work ...practice and its subsequent impact on service users and carers. This has been noted in a previous systematic review involving one of the current authors. The current review aimed to synthesise literature from the previous decade (2011–2020) and follows on from the earlier review. PRISMA scoping review guidelines were followed and twenty-eight papers met the inclusion criteria that were framed. Data were extracted and tabulated according to the framework for the evaluation of educational programmes used in the previous review and analysed using narrative synthesis. A ten-item critical appraisal checklist was used to assess the rigour of all papers. The findings were similar to the earlier review. Most studies were from the UK and few evaluated change in students’ skills or subsequent practice; none evaluated subsequent outcomes for service users and carers. All stakeholders were positive about the perceived benefits of service user and care involvement. Future research needs to use more robust evaluation methodologies and evaluate skills development for students and outcomes for service users and carers.
Abstract
Social workers contributed significantly to the promotion of public and community health during the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in China. Based on a quasi-scoping review of articles on ...social work practice during that outbreak, this reflective article elucidates how social workers contributed in three chronological stages. In the early stage (late January and February 2020), social workers provided community services offered as part of the governmental structure (moderate information and resource provision); in the middle stage (March 2020), social workers provided services to vulnerable groups alongside supporting the quarantine strategy; and in the late stage (April 2020 onwards), their services were focused on recuperation and recovery after the national lockdown was lifted. In the meanwhile, several issues for public and community health social work as a profession in terms of how it was able to support anti-COVID-19 practices became clear, including a lack of independence and stability, the need for better flexibility and greater ability to act pragmatically and lack of professional agreement. This article aims to enlighten the development of a (re)emerging field—public health and community health social work in China in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A clear definition of clinical social work CSW remains necessary to guide education, to inform the public, and to orient funders and regulators. Yet, from its earliest origins, clinical social work ...has defied simple definition. With varying definitions, we wondered how contemporary clinical practitioners viewed their work, whether they affirmed these definitions, or included other aspects of practice, knowledge, skill, and practice focus. This qualitative study explored how 40 contemporary clinical social workers across the United States define CSW, theories, and skill sets that support its practice. Thematic analysis revealed that CSW practice has a person in environment focus, systems perspective and an emphasis on social justice. Findings also affirmed the view that CSW is a value and purpose driven practice that emphasizes the treatment relationship that utilizes the person-in-environment framework in relation to understanding, assessing, and treating psychosocial problems with unique perspectives and skills while addressing social justice concerns. Implications for social work education and practice included strengthening monitoring and evaluation since this was scarcely mentioned as tasks of CSW as well as identifying theoretical frames that align with the social work code of ethics and the profession’s overall identity.
As social work gains strength as a global profession, indigenous social work has emerged within the growing calls to decolonize the profession and offers an alternative worldview. This article uses a ...systematic literature review to engage with the application of this indigenous social work paradigm in practice with older persons from an international perspective. Using the knowledge mobilization perspective, it examines the current state of knowledge on indigenous social work and draws implications for practice with older persons. It concludes by advocating for a political stance to practice rooted in indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.
Abstract
Social work in Brazil advocates a radical and critical model of social work theorisation and practice. This article explores the Brazilian theoretical and practice model, identifying the ...profession as being in the vortex of Covid-19, increasing state economic austerity, attacks on previously hard-won progressive social policy and increasing inequality and precarity. This provides a challenging practice environment. The professional re-conceptualisation model proposes that social work needs to fully theorise social difficulties to ensure that the profession intervenes to address the causes of the problems, rather than manifestations underlying them. This is undertaken through aligning itself with working-class conflicts, promoting rights and refusing to accept the rolling back of support already won. The Brazilian framework, located within its social realities, offers an opportunity for social work globally to consider what lessons can be learnt, to recognise the uniqueness of its perspectives and provide solidarity through its recognition.
This article presents a new paradigm for social work with poor people called the poverty-aware social work paradigm (PAP). The paradigm offers an updated connection between social work and the ...current body of knowledge known as new welfare theorising or critical poverty knowledge. The paradigm consists of three interrelated facets: ontological (concerned with the questions: What is poverty? What are the essential characteristics of service users?), epistemological (What is considered to be knowledge? How do we come to know and evaluate the situation?) and axiological (What are the ethical stances that should be taken in regard to poverty?). These three facets mutually influence one another, and together shape the way in which practice is conducted, while practice itself influences and shapes these components as well. PAP is presented against the background of current social work paradigms that currently dominate the field: the conservative and the structural.
Social work external accrediting bodies are moving towards competency-based models that require educational providers to demonstrate that students meet specific competencies at graduation. It is ...expected that all social work students at accredited social work programs in Australia will have acquired specific graduate attributes and demonstrated the associated learning outcomes by the completion of their degree. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and benefits of using an ePortfolio with Master of Social Work students (n = 43) to critically reflect on their own learning and demonstrate how they met the Australian Association of Social Work graduate attributes necessary for accreditation. The findings revealed that students' perceived level of readiness for practice and identity as a professional social worker increased with the successful completion of the ePortfolio. The study also identified barriers and enablers in implementing the ePortfolio as an assessment piece to document overall program learning outcomes. The conclusion discusses how ePortfolios are a viable assessment tool in the online and blended learning space that has benefit for both the student and the program in demonstrating learning outcomes and compliance with accreditation graduate standards.
IMPLICATIONS
Academic ePortfolios are an effective tool for student reflection and communication of competence of required graduate outcomes.
Student self-assessment of graduate attributes can strengthen professional identity and preparedness for professional practice.
The ePortfolios benefit students and social work educators by sharing the accreditation-obligated responsibility of ensuring that AASW graduate competencies are met.
