scholarly journals Practice education

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-88
Author(s):  
Steven Keen ◽  
Jonathan Parker ◽  
Lynne Rutter ◽  
Sarah Williams ◽  
Keith Brown
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Qualification Framework ◽  
Mentoring Support ◽  
Degree Level ◽  
Practice Education

The future of practice education in social work in England is under discussion. An integral part of this relates to those considered qualified and appropriate to assess student social workers and the qualification framework necessary to ensure their supply. A draft Practice Educator Framework for England was published in October 2009. Fifteen partnerships of employers and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were invited to deliver pilot Practice Educator programmes to test out the draft framework. This paper reports the formative and final evaluations from these pilot sites and lays the foundation for considerations of the future development of practice education in England. The evaluation and the pilot were commissioned by Skills for Care and funded by the Social Work Development Partnership. In total, 321 candidates had been or were in the process of being recruited to these pilot sites; whilst 24 candidates withdrew from or deferred their studies. The findings from the evaluation indicated that the vast majority of pilot sites had accredited their programmes academically, many at Master’s degree level. Candidate feedback was predominantly positive; however, about one in eight candidates disagreed that their programme had provided them with sufficient mentoring support. A third of pilot sites have realised they do not have the numbers of stage 2 Practice Educators that qualifying placements may require. Strong partnerships between employers and HEIs and targeted funding will be needed to ensure that future programmes meet workforce development needs.

scholarly journals Mindful energy and information flow: A reflective account of S.E.L.F connection during COVID-19

2020 ◽  
pp. 147332502097330
Author(s):  
James J Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Information Flow ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
The Future ◽  
Sanctuary Model ◽  
Reflective Essay ◽  
Energy Information ◽  
Practice Education

Life during the COVID-19 pandemic is uncertain, intense, and traumatic. At the same time, there is room for hope, inspiration, and meaning for social workers through mindfully connecting with energy-information flow as it influences our Safety, Emotions, Loss, and Future – S.E.L.F. As adapted from the Sanctuary Model®, this S.E.L.F connection is an opportunity to discover within ourselves our unwavering core that is grounded, present, and connected and sustain an ethical and compassionate approach to social work practice, education, and research during this time of pandemic. The aim in this reflective essay is to provide an example of S.E.L.F. connection from the perspective of a Buddhist and social work academic at an Australian university during the COVID-19 pandemic. While beneficial, ongoing S.E.L.F. connections are necessary for social workers if we are to stay mindful of energy-information flow and steer this flow towards the creation of a story of relationship, compassion, and connection into the future.

scholarly journals Evidence-based practice in social work: Who are the critics?

2020 ◽  
pp. 146801732095513
Author(s):  
Joakim Finne
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Child Welfare ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Social Sector ◽  
The Social

Summary The aim of this study is to analyse attitudes towards and the utilisation of evidence-based practice among social workers in Norway. The data were collected in 2014–2015 from social workers in four Norwegian counties. The sample consists of 2060 social workers registered as members of the Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers. Findings The main findings in this study indicate that social workers in child welfare are generally less critical of evidence-based practice than those within social welfare. Higher education and knowledge about evidence-based practice are seen as predictors for less critical attitudes towards the concept. The findings further suggest that social workers who use manuals and standardised procedures are less critical of evidence-based practice. Applications Understanding social workers’ attitudes towards evidence-based practice is important in order to facilitate the best possible practices. This study emphasises the importance of increasing knowledge of evidence-based practice in the social sector, and the need to further investigate how research methods and evidence-based practice concepts are translated into practice.

scholarly journals Training of Future Social Workers on the Basis of the Competence Approach During the Study of the Discipline «Fundamentals of Research in Social Work»

2020 ◽  
pp. 232-247
Author(s):  
Hanna Ridkodubska
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
The Social ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Future ◽  
Professional Assistance

Theoretical and applied issues of training future social workers on the basis of the competence approach during the study of the discipline are studied. Analysis and systematization of scientific research in the process of training future social workers allowed determining the main potential of the competence approach to training future social workers during their professionalization. The aim of the article is to describe and substantiate the competency approach during the study of the discipline «Fundamentals of research in social work». It is substantiated that training of social workers on the basis of competence approach during studying of discipline «Fundamentals of scientific researches in social work» allows to apply theoretical knowledge for the decision of practical problems, forms professionally necessary complex of competences, helps to develop students’ independent thinking, combining theory with practice. The benefit of article is that the paper analyzes each lesson (lecture and practical) and proposes a system of work on the formation of future social workers’ professional competencies within the components of readiness for professional activity. In author’s opinion, expanding the content of academic disciplines with theoretical knowledge and practical tasks for the organization and implementation of research in social work and professional development will enrich and modernize the content of future social workers’ training in the competence approach. In addition, the disclosure of ways to implement the training of future social workers in the competence approach will improve the quality of their training in modern conditions. The author of the article has made a conclusion that, on the basis of the analysis of the study of the discipline «Fundamentals of research in social work», the competence of the future social worker is seen as the ability to solve a wide range of tasks in the social field, the ability to quickly and quickly master new special skills, willingness to cope with new professional functions that determine the features of professional assistance to different types of clients. The prospects for further exploration in this area are seen by the author as systematization of innovative technologies of the organization of educational process of HEI, development of the system of forming the future social workers’ competence paradigm.

scholarly journals The ‘not yet competent’ student

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-134
Author(s):  
Graeme Simpson ◽  
Ani Murr
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
The Social ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Practice Assessment ◽  
Practice Education

The Social Work Reform Board emphasises the need for robust assessment processes and qualified practice educators. Following our analysis of ‘failing – or ‘not yet competent’ students’ - we argue that most students ‘failed’ for reasons other than incompetent practice, which we outline.We conclude by arguing for a robust construction of practice education/assessment, which emphasises doing ‘practice’ in the agency; a return to the notion of a portfolio as a vehicle for assessment, as opposed to the portfolio becoming the assessment; and a greater emphasis upon the practice educator to assess ‘practice, as opposed to shifting the assessment decision to portfolio reading or practice assessment panels Our discussion will contribute to preparations for assessing capability within the new social work degree, and poses challenges to Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and all involved in social work education.

scholarly journals The Future of Social Work Practice in Addictions

10.18060/91 ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 202-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana M. DiNitto
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Political Environment ◽  
Treatment Services ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Brain

Few social workers specialize in addictions practice. That number may grow in the years ahead due to demographic changes in the population, an expanding definition of addiction, and other factors. Social workers in all areas of practice see clients with addictions and their family members, but there is a large gap in the numbers who need treatment and receive it. The social work workforce of the future must be better equipped to develop and identify prevention and treatment services that are both appealing to clients and effective. These services may need to be offered in other setting where clients are seen. There is also much work to be done in the years ahead in the political environment to make treatment available and to see that individuals with addictions are treated fairly. Substantial research is being conducted on genetics and the brain chemistry of addiction. Psychosocial factors are also believed to play a substantial role in the development of addictions, thus ensuring social workers place in the addictions field in the years ahead.

scholarly journals Higher Education Training in social work in Albania: insights from the experiences of the T@sk project. EASSW 2019 Conference paper

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66
Author(s):  
Giulia M. G. Mascagni ◽  
Giorgia Bulli
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Candidate Country ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Services Delivery ◽  
The Social ◽  
University Of Florence

In March 2020, the European Union decided to open accession negotiations with Albania, candidate country since 2014. In order to achieve this important goal in the long path of European integration, Albania had to pursue a set of requirements. Among them, the centrality of human rights affects the implementation of policies aiming at integrating minorities, as well as at granting social rights to unprivileged citizens (La Cava Nanetti 2000, Solidar 2016). In this scenario, the evolution of the professional expertise of Albanian Social workers plays a relevant role. In academic and professional terms, social work has a poor tradition in Albania, as in most of post-communist countries (Hoti 2015). In order to face the difficulties of the professional and academic evolution of social work and to facilitate a process of Europeanisation of the Social Services delivery in Albania, the European Commission has funded the project T@sk Towards Increased Awareness, Responsibility and Shared Quality in Social Work (2017-2020). The main aim of the project consists in strengthening the delivery of Social Services in Albania through the empowerment of the Higher Education system in social work. The consortium includes all public universities offering BA and MA courses in social work in Albania – University of Tirana, University of Shkoder and University of Elbasan-, and the University of Florence, the UCM of Madrid, the ISCTE of Lisbon and the Professional Order of Social workers of the Tuscany Region as Higher Education institutions of the program countries. The project operates at three levels: peer-to peer theoretical and empirical update amongst the project partners; triangulation of knowledge, transdisciplinary cooperation with the societal stakeholders and digital innovation; selection and dissemination of best practices. The project is in its final stage, and it is possible to elaborate on the main theoretical and empirical framework adopted, on the results achieved, and on the challenges to create a favorable environment for the development of social work profession in Albania. The article attempts to shed some light in the pattern of evolution of social work practices in Albania, focusing on the social and cultural background of the country, and describing the main achievements of the T@sk project.

scholarly journals 2020

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. i-v
Author(s):  
Margaret E. Adamek
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Academic Career ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Future Time ◽  
Look Ahead ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
The U.S

At the dawn of a new decade, I cannot help but recall that when I started my academic career in social work in the 1990s, it was common to look ahead to how life would be in the next century. Statistical projections forecast various demographic changes, often using 2020 as the future time frame. Back then, 2020 sounded far away and almost alien. Well folks, the future is here. Now that 2020 has dawned, it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Certainly, the specific issues that social workers address have changed over the decades, and our approaches have been modified to tackle the new issues, but the struggle to understand and meet emerging needs persists. I used to jokingly hear that the ultimate goal of the social work profession was to put ourselves out of business. Given the intransigence of intolerance for difference and the persistent emergence of needs arising from “advances” of modern living, it seems the social justice stance of our profession will never be fully met. Indeed, our social contract is continually expanding. In the Fall 2019 issue of Advances in Social Work we are pleased to present 14 papers--11 empirical, 3 conceptual--written by 29 authors from 12 states across the U.S., representing different regions of the country and Ghana. Each paper is briefly introduced below.

scholarly journals SOCIAL LEADERSHIP: CRITERIA, INDICATORS AND LEVELS OF FORMATION IN FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS

2020 ◽  
pp. 72-80
Author(s):  
Darya Bybyk
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
Social Sphere ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Social Leadership

Nowadays it is extremely important for society to be aware of the professional and experienced professional training of the future social workers. The article is devoted to the main issue of formation the social leadership in the conditions of professional training the future social workers. Contemporary conditions indicate the need to highlight certain scientific approaches to leadership in social work. It is determined that the theoretical study of the phenomenon of “social leadership” as a social phenomenon at the present stage of development of society determines the search for criteria for its formation in future professionals in the social sphere. On the basis of substantiated criteria (motivational-value, cognitive, activity-behavioral) there are established the corresponding indicators that reflect the characteristic of the manifestation the levels of formation the social leadership at future workers in social work (reactive, active, proactive). The purpose of the research is to determine the criteria, indicators and levels that can further influence the dynamics of social leadership in students — future social workers to improve the current state of society, in particular in the field of social work. The realization of this goal involved the use of the following methods: scientific knowledge, analysis of scientific literature, synthesis, comparison, generalization, specification, classification, systematization as well as the descriptive method. Based on the analysis, it is characterized that the components of social leadership and substantiates the criterion, indicators and levels of its formation in accordance with the understanding of the factors of formation of social leadership of future social workers in terms of training.

scholarly journals From “silo” to “network” profession – a multi-professional future for social work

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 174-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Frost
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Child Sexual Exploitation ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Multi Method Approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue that the future of social work can be situated as part of a fundamental shift towards co-located, multi-disciplinary practice and networking. It is argued that social work has a key role to play in co-located, multi-disciplinary child welfare practice, and indeed can be a leading profession in this context. Situating social work in this way involves re-conceptualising social work as a network profession, rather than a silo profession. The paper builds on an earlier study of five multi-professional, co-located teams updated with interviews with social workers currently situated in such co-located teams. An exploration of the role of social work in relation to child sexual exploitation is provided. Design/methodology/approach The first study was an ESRC-funded study and used a multi-method approach to understanding the work of five multi-disciplinary, co-located teams working with children, young people and families (Frost and Robinson, 2016). Four co-located teams with eight social workers participated in the research. This was followed up by a small scale study involving semi-structured interviews with six social workers situated in co-located, multi-disciplinary teams. The focus of the study was on professional identity and working practices with other related professionals. Findings The ESRC study explored the complexity of co-located, multi-disciplinary professional teams – exploring how they worked together and analysing the challenges they face. Professionals felt that such working enhanced their learning, their skill base and the process of information sharing. Challenges included structural and organisational issues and differences in ideological and explanatory frameworks. The follow up study of six social workers found that they gained satisfaction from being situated in such co-located, multi-disciplinary teams, but also faced some identified challenges. Child sexual exploitation is explored as an example of the work of co-located, multi-disciplinary teams. Research limitations/implications Semi-structured interviews with social workers based in co-located, multi-disciplinary teams have provided valuable insights into the operation of social workers in such settings. It is acknowledged that all the interviews are with social workers in co-located settings and that further work is required on the views of other social workers in reference to their experiences and views in relation to multi-disciplinary working. Originality/value The paper brings together theoretical positions and policy contextual material with qualitative research data which situate the social worker in wider multi-disciplinary, co-located settings. Drawing on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 14 social workers in such teams, the paper aims to contribute to an understanding and development of the future of the social work role in these contexts, arguing that this is fundamental to the future of social work.

Social Glocalisation and Education

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Hobelsberger
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Practical Theology ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Local Effects ◽  
Local Identities ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
Work Health

This book discusses the local effects of globalisation, especially in the context of social work, health and practical theology, as well as the challenges of higher education in a troubled world. The more globalised the world becomes, the more important local identities are. The global becomes effective in the local sphere. This phenomenon, called ‘glocalisation’ since the 1990s, poses many challenges to people and to the social structures in which they operate.

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