Abstract
In Switzerland, the relatively new social work departments are located in so-called universities of applied sciences (UASs), which provide a university-based and practice-oriented education. ...At the beginning, UASs were required to carry out ‘applied’ research and their teaching had to be ‘non-academic’, unlike in traditional universities. Although this definition is no longer present in the legal framework of tertiary education, it shapes policymakers’ representations. In reality, research and teaching agendas in UAS departments of social work have become similar to those of the social sciences departments in traditional universities. However, two aspects differentiate them from their counterparts in traditional universities and from other UAS departments today: Less research funding is available and social work students are more likely to accumulate socio-economic disadvantages compared to elsewhere. In this article, I discuss the role of social work departments in Switzerland, with a focus on the social knowledge they produce and transfer into teaching programmes and society. In addition, I use Arendt’s thoughts about knowledge, education and democracy to reflect on the existing gap between political representations of—and what takes place in—UAS departments of social work in Switzerland. The article ends with recommendations for policymakers in Switzerland and abroad.
Abstract
Child welfare services across the world are often criticised for the quality of service and care that they provide. Whilst the validity of some of these criticisms is debatable, critics ...often neglect to take into account the intense nature and working conditions of this work, staff mental health and well-being, and the range of work-related psychosocial risks in child welfare workers’ (CWW) daily work. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to explore CWW work experiences and personal capacities to conduct their work. We achieve this through the lens of positive organisational scholarship and in-depth interviews with sixteen CWW in Norway. Thematic narrative analysis yielded five distinct personal capacities: showing commitment and going the extra mile, viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, demonstrating confidence and efficacy beliefs, controlling work behaviours and prioritising work tasks. These personal capacities enabled CWW to perform their work despite excessive pressure and demands at work, since they serve as protective factors for their well-being and performance. Our in-depth findings highlight the utility of making more resources available for building and maintaining individual capacities to support this work group, especially when changing the nature of the work and working conditions is not feasible.
Abstract
This article explores the concept of a ‘fool’s errand’ in relation to the specialist role of the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP). An AMHP has a duty to make an application ...following a Mental Health Act assessment to detain and admit an individual to a psychiatric hospital. Findings from a qualitative study of ten multiprofessional AMHPs in England suggested AMHPs were subjected to a ‘fool’s errand’, when they were asked by psychiatrists and bed managers to practice in a way, they, themselves, considered unwise or foolish and that did not make sense in the context of their role. The author will illuminate how false starts and delays in securing treatment and care outcomes for mentally unwell individuals compromised AMHP practice.
Abstract
The research on shame and pride among social workers is in its infancy. Given the potential consequences of these emotions on social workers and social work practice, this study had two main ...aims: (i) to identify practice situations in which social workers in Israel felt shame and pride and (ii) to classify and map these situations into conceptual domains. A concept mapping approach was used to achieve these aims. Eighty social workers recruited via social networks and snowballing participated in the statement generation of experiences of shame and pride in their daily practice. The sample was diverse in terms of seniority, role (managerial/frontline), populations served and agencies. The process yielded ten clusters, six of them representing sources of shame and four sources of pride. Based on the statements comprising the clusters, it can be argued that the ability of social workers to advance change can serve as an organising concept for comparing shame and pride. Not being able to promote desired change induces shame, while promoting such change fosters pride. These outcomes can be explained by self-discrepancy theory. The article discusses the implications of the study's results for theory, practice and research.
Abstract
It is well established that secondary trauma is a phenomenon that affects professionals in a range of health and social care settings, including social work. Whilst students going into ...placement are often exposed to similar experiences as qualified colleagues, limited research has been undertaken to investigate whether students suffer secondary trauma from their placement experience. This quantitative exploratory study of forty-five students on a Social Work and a Health and Social Care undergraduate degree course examined the potential impact of secondary trauma in placements using a Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. This article will explore secondary trauma, how students are prepared for placement and student well-being in general. The findings of the study indicated that no students appear to have suffered from secondary trauma in placements, suggesting that there may be other potential support mechanisms that could have reduced, impacted or negated the issue. A discussion of some of these mechanisms is explored. Finally, this article calls for educators and professionals in higher education and placement agencies/organisations to be aware of the potential impact on student well-being.
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and stressors for social workers, often at the forefront of responding to crises. The pandemic has disrupted their professional ...practices, increased their workload, and exposed them to health risks. As a result, the well-being of social workers has become a growing concern, especially in countries with limited resources. The present study used a cross-sectional web-based survey to assess the prevalence rates of anxiety, stress, sleep quality, and overall well-being in a sample of 216 social workers employed in public medical facilities in Egypt during the COVID-19 epidemic. It also investigated the factors that influence their well-being. The results showed that half of the social workers (51.4%) scored 10 or higher on the General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), 83.3% scored ≥ 14 on PSS-10, and the mean score for sleep quality was 7.24 (SD = 2.10). Over half (58.3%) scored 50 or lower on the World Health Organization Wellbeing scale (WHO-5). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that younger social workers and those who scored ≤ 9 on GAD-7 were more likely to report a higher level of well-being. A higher score on PSS-10 was associated with a decrease in overall well-being. Working with family members of COVID-19 patients and sleep quality were not associated with WHO-5. These findings highlight the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of social workers in Egypt, underscoring the importance of providing adequate support and resources to address their well-being.
Purpose: This study sought to replicate a previous investigation of construct-irrelevant variance on the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) clinical licensing exam completed by Albright and ...Thyer over a decade ago. Method: The performance of ChatGPT was assessed on a modified version of 50 newly developed clinical exam questions currently distributed by the ASWB, where only the four multiple-choice options for each item were presented without the question. Results: ChatGPT achieved an average accuracy rate of 73.3% across three rounds of testing, providing strong evidence of construct-irrelevant variance. Discussion: These results raise concerns about the construct validity of the clinical exam and emphasize the need for reassessment of its structure and content to ensure fairness and accuracy. Based on the findings, state legislators and regulators are encouraged to temporarily discontinue the use of the ASWB exam in the clinical licensure process until its validity flaws are resolved.
