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This paper draws on my experiences as a doctoral student undertaking a project to examine the professional adaptation of Asian immigrant teachers in Australia. Using a reflexive narrative approach, I examine how my position influenced my access to participants, the understanding of their contexts, and the nature of my relationship and interaction with the participants. The paper discusses the tensions that resulted from my insider-outsider positions and how they shaped my qualitative study's research process and outcomes. I conclude with recommendations for researchers to carefully consider the possible influence of their positionality in any research setting and its implications for informing future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide. A clinical model for its cause is lacking. Defining a cause based clinical model and a framework of understanding back pain in terms of peripheral structural and central functional pain is essential for optimal management. We describe the results of the largest published audit of 41 chronic low back pain patients, receiving outpatient sublingual ketamine therapy for defined central functional pain along with conventional peripheral structural pain management. Our clinical model assigns Movement Dysfunction as the primary cause for low back pain symptoms and restores it with Movement Therapy focused rehabilitation which is also defined. Patients were derived from a tertiary single neurosurgical specialist practice in Brisbane Australia over a three year period. Severe pain and disability measurements more than halved and only 13% of patients ceased ketamine prematurely due to predominantly non-sinister side effects common to all pharmaceutical therapies. All other surveyed metrics of utility were highly favourable in this challenging cohort of chronic back pain patients biased to poor outcomes. Outpatient ketamine maintains high efficacy and safety used in conjunction with a unique clinical model that describes chronic low back pain. This paper builds on our previous publications that describe the disease of movement dysfunction as an integral factor to the development of a cause based clinical model for the condition of chronic low back pain symptoms. Our clinical application of this model, applying the necessary dual approach of controlling symptoms arising from peripheral structural pain and central functional pain in conjunction with elimination of root causation has shown favourable outcomes in patients with high levels of pain and disability based on their tertiary referral origin and high Oswestry Disability Scores. Removing chronic low back pain from its position as one of the world's leading causes of pain and disability is more likely if the rehabilitation industry can replicate and test treatment algorithms based around established clinical models of disease which is the important subject of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People with a disability continue to experience barriers to service engagement such as mistrust of government services, lack of culturally appropriate support, marginalisation and disempowerment. This meta-synthesis reviews current literature regarding these experiences to explain why services are underutilised. Methods: The meta-synthesis was conducted using a meta-ethnographic approach to synthesise existing studies into new interpretive knowledge. The approach was supported by a search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Results: Ten original research papers utilising a qualitative methodology were extracted. Synthesis of the articles revealed four concepts that were developed into a conceptual model. These include:1) History Matters; 2) Cultural Understanding of Disability Care; 3) Limitations to Current Service Provision; and 4) Delivery of Effective Services. Conclusions: Disability services do not adequately consider the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People or communicate in a culturally appropriate manner. There are expectations that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People acknowledge their disability in alignment with western definitions of disability in order to access services. More work is needed to align disability services with culturally appropriate support to provide better health outcomes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability continue to experience barriers to service engagement which must be addressed. An essential gap that must be filled in providing disability services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is the acknowledgment of culture as a resolute influence on all client interactions with providers. A cultural model of disability may better align with the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than current medical and social models used in healthcare. Disability services need to align better with culturally appropriate support to provide better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper explores the mental health and wellbeing outcomes of a massed community choir program in Australia. Methods: This study employed a mixed methods approach. Data were collected via a survey of choir participants (N = 305), four qualitative interviews and focus groups with facilitators and participants (N = 22), and two workshops with organising staff (N = 5). Questions were derived from a co-designed program logic, and data were triangulated and analysed thematically. Results: Participants reported feeling a sense of connectedness (psychological), but also experiencing connection (social) with their fellow singers. Psychological outcomes included the sensations of affect, arousal, and affirmation. Social outcomes included experiencing belonging, inclusion, and sharing. These positive psycho- social experiences promoted positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes in the large group of participating singers. Conclusions: This paper addresses gaps in our understanding about the mental health and wellbeing outcomes fostered by community choirs at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency situations such as pandemics typically widen inequities, and Australian children and young people with disability already face significant inequities in the education system. In this paper we draw on survey data from over 700 respondents exploring education experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families reported being left behind, finding it difficult to access education remotely, and that this was having a significant impact on wellbeing and mental health. We find that of all support offered by schools, social supports have a stronger association with learner engagement than educational interventions. This finding indicates the importance of social and emotional supports in learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted education for most learners; There is good evidence to suggest this impact is felt more keenly by students with disability, because there is disability discrimination in the Australian education system; This paper reports survey responses from over 700 families of students with disability exploring the impact of COVID-19 on education; Many families report being left behind and that students found it difficult to learn away from the school campus, which for many students and families led to poorer wellbeing and mental health; Our results suggest that supporting students to have social contact with peers made the biggest impact on students with disability feeling engaged with learning during this time. This shows it is important for teachers and schools to pay attention to social as well as educational aspects of school life when thinking about how to educate students with disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to one third of adults who receive mental health services in Australia are parents. Psychologists in private practice are one of the largest groups within the Australian mental health workforce who support parents experiencing mental ill-health. Parents have specific support needs relating to their parenting role and "treatment as usual" may not address their integrated parenting and mental health concerns. The service experiences of parents in this setting have not been studied. This qualitative study addresses this knowledge gap through investigation of the experiences of Australian mothers who received support from a psychologist in private practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 mothers and interviews were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Three overarching themes were identified in relation to (i) participants' need to feel understood and heard as a parent, (ii) their need for a nonjudgmental therapeutic space and (iii) their desire for practical parental support from psychologists. These findings corroborate the value of family-focused practices when supporting parents with a mental health condition. The results include ways in which family-focused practices have been incorporated by clinicians in private practice settings which may have application in other mental health service contexts. What is already known about this topic: Psychologists in private practice make up a substantial group within the Australian mental health workforce who support parents with a mental health condition. Parents who receive mental health care in tertiary mental health settings report a lack of dedicated parenting support and resources. Family-focused practices are effective in supporting parenting and recovery for parents with a mental health condition who receive mental health care in tertiary mental health settings. What this paper adds: Psychologists who support parents in private practice should collaborate with their clients to identify which aspects of their parenting may be relevant to the therapeutic work and provide targeted support for parenting difficulties. Most participants expected that their psychologist would provide targeted support for parenting difficulties, and they felt disappointed when this did not occur. The lived experiences of parents with mental ill-health in private practice psychology services are highlighted, addressing a key knowledge gap in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people with severe and complex depression experience substantial social connectedness difficulties. The aim of this qualitative study was to evaluate the role of social connectedness in a novel group therapy (Relate) for youth living with severe and complex depression from clinicians' perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 clinicians practicing at Orygen's Youth Mood Clinic in Melbourne. Eight of the 11 clinicians were female, with the sample aged 30–42 years (M = 34 years, SD = 3.6 years) and having an average 4.5 years clinical experience at Orygen. Four key themes were identified by codebook thematic analysis. The first theme pertained to clients' difficulties with social engagement, which impacted their attendance of Relate, but were addressed by the intervention. In the second theme, clinicians identified Relate as providing a safe space. In the third theme, clinicians identified opportunities for positive relational experiences. In the fourth theme, clinicians observed social and clinical improvements in Relate clients, but marked recovery did not always occur after attending. Findings provide initial support for the continuation of Relate. Recommendations for future iterations of Relate include refining the intake criteria for referring clients to Relate and potentially lengthening the program's duration. What is already known about this topic: Group interpersonal therapy is an effective intervention for depression and interpersonal functioning in young people. Few studies have evaluated treatments for young people with severe and complex depression and high suicide risk. Few studies have evaluated group programs within early intervention services. What this paper adds: A relationally-focussed group therapy could improve social connectedness and interpersonal functioning for youth living with severe and complex depression. The Relate group emphasises a safe environment for sharing and social risk-taking, providing opportunities for positive relational experiences with similar others which might be particularly useful for youth with complex social difficulties. Identified issues with engagement suggest clients could benefit from an explicit rationale for how their participation in the group benefits their depression treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the 'future' methods literature by exploring the methodological potentials of material methods in qualitative research on young women's imagined futures. Existing research has demonstrated how producing knowledge about imagined futures remains a challenge, often leading to abstract or generic accounts of such futures. Arguing for a double focus on materiality as method and the materiality of methods, this paper extends material methods to innovatively study futures. By considering the narratives about imagined futures generated with and by 'future materials' brought by participants to an interview, the paper demonstrates that this approach is productive for gaining insights that go beyond generic accounts. That is, via the materiality of the objects, specific imagined futures become 'within reach' for participants, with the object serving as an anchor for these future narratives. Empirically the paper draws on data from a longitudinal qualitative study of young women's imagined futures in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common depictions of buying and selling illicit drugs online centre on how drug market actors engage in dark web drug cryptomarkets, but the supply of illicit drugs also takes place in 'plain site' on the surface web. Drawing on netnographic observations and qualitative interviews with hard-to-reach buyers and vendors (n = 20), this paper explores LeafedOut, a specific, popular surface web platform, that provides a conduit for local cannabis exchanges. We found that the platform enabled easy access and supply at the local level but increased some specific risks to those involved. Actors neutralised the perceived risks of drug supply over this surface web platform through the broader societal normalisation of cannabis use/supply, adopting encrypted messaging applications to cover 'digital traces', and developing various methods to establish trust with an exchange partner (e.g. review systems, sending selfies with drug paraphernalia, selectively choosing meet-up locations). This paper expands our understanding of the growing number of online illicit drug markets by shifting attention from dark web cryptomarkets to the much more widely accessed surface/clear web. Theoretical implications for the study of trust and risk in online illicit drug market exchanges are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, like many high-income countries, food insecurity is associated with increased risks of chronic diseases, sub-optimal development outcomes in children, and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. Food insecure households employ a range of strategies, including the use of food charity, to help alleviate hunger and meet cost of living pressures. The aim of this paper is to investigate the lived experience of food insecurity for welfare-dependent households, and to examine these experiences within a structural violence framework. Structural violence investigations seek to understand the distal causal factors that can help explain poor health patterns and inequities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with customers (n = 78) of food pantries, soup kitchens, and community development programs (June 2018 to January 2019) in the state of Victoria, Australia. Thematic analysis established evidence of controlling, demeaning and depriving practices in the interactions between the participants and the services and staff at national welfare providers and food charities. The same providers and charities nominally set up to address the exact situations in which participants found themselves. The findings of this study suggest that food and social services are an on-the-ground setting through which structural violence is enacted and experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the environmental, interpersonal, and personal outcomes of music performance in a hospital oncology setting. An original, qualitative research study examined the impact of live music for staff, patients, and carers. Data were collected using a multi-method approach of observations and semi-structured interviews and were analysed using inductive and theory-driven theming that was shaped by a determinants of health framework. The research found that live music promoted stronger relationships and calmer environments, among other environmental, social and individual outcomes. Improved communication between staff through the creation of a more supportive environment was a pertinent finding of the research. No negative effects were reported. We discuss research findings in the context of relevant literature and suggest recommendations for future hospital-based live music programs. Results of this study indicate that live music interventions impacted individual, interpersonal, social and environment factors that led to health and wellbeing outcomes for participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trans and non-binary youth (TNBY) face high levels of interpersonal and social adversity as well as disproportionate rates of mental health issues such as depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Among protective factors, context plays a key role. In addition to parental support, access to gender-affirming medical care begins to emerge as crucial for young people needed them. This paper compares, through thematic analysis, the experiences of TNBY with regard to access and experiences to care in Canada, Switzerland, England, and Australia. It identifies similarities and differences in barriers to access to care, as well as impacts of gender affirming care on young people and their well-being. The article concludes with a discussion on the importance of prompt and easier access to gender-affirming medical care, of training of professionals, and a hypothesis about the role of context in TNBY well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothering and motherhood can be a very challenging experience in the 21st century, where cultural pressures, on the one hand, and health experts' regular parenting surveillance, on the other, continue to influence mothering decisions and practices. The socially constructed "good mother" discourses and associated pressures/influences can be amplified for vulnerable mothers who may feel marginalized from or judged by the broader society. This article presents findings from a study that involved interviews with ten young mothers and 12 staff working at a leading family welfare agency supporting young parents in Melbourne, Australia. The study examined how digital technology could promote a sense of agency for vulnerable mothers as well as barriers and enablers of accessing digital knowledge and online parenting support. In addition, the study explored how technology could assist community organizations' staff in helping their clients better. This paper argues that, overall, digital technologies can positively influence the experience of mothering and can empower vulnerable mothers by increasing their access to various sources of support. Furthermore, our findings suggest that technology can enhance community and family service providers' practice, opening possibilities for a more supportive relationship with clients by empowering them and increasing agency over their situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the decision-making processes involved in giving physiotherapy students responsibility on clinical placement and the impact on their developing professional autonomy. The qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews, involved physiotherapy students and clinical educators (CEs) from two higher education institutions, one in Australia, and the other in the United Kingdom (UK). Findings led to the development of a heuristic framework of 'graduated supervision,' a process of progressively less direct observation and monitoring of students as clinical proficiency improved. By focusing on the measured exposure of students to increasing complexity and inverse levels of supervision, the framework captures tacit practices, and consistent, yet varied facilitation strategies adopted across specialties, and evident in clinical education settings in both countries. The framework formalizes, for the first time, assumptions and expectations previously unacknowledged. Factors identified as affecting students' progress toward autonomy include the student/CE relationship, the development of mutual trust through ongoing dialogue, and the importance of formal discussions at the commencement of a clinical placement to establish learning goals, preferred supervision styles and learner responsibilities. Insights have significance for the CE community, and students who at times have to second-guess what is required of them and how they might excel on clinical placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a critical survivor-driven study exploring how Australian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTQA+) adults attempt recovery from religious Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Change Efforts (SOGIECE), and what supports they find useful in this process. The study privileged the critical communal lens of self-titled survivors of perspectives through its reference group, and applied Bronfenbrenner's psycho-social lens, in an effort to ensure research used by psychologists was for and with survivors rather than on them. Qualitative data on SOGIECE survivor experiences and perspectives was collected using two focus groups and interviews including a total of 35 Australian SOGIECE survivors aged 18+ years. Findings suggested that post-SOGIECE recoveries were more successful if survivors experience three provisions: people who are affirming with whom to be freely themselves – especially health and mental health practitioners, family and friends, and survivor support groups; considerable time and internal motivation to enable support to be effective; and conflicting aspects of identities and beliefs are reconciled in ways that foreground survivors' autonomy in their reconstruction. SOGIECE survivors need recovery plans that consider complexities at all levels of their ecology of development; and diversify their exposure to affirming supports and ideas at all levels. Mental health practitioners should be especially careful to foreground survivors' autonomy in therapies, recalling that they likely experienced past abusive therapies/therapy dynamics. Key Points What is already known about this topic: People exposed to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Change Efforts (SOGIECE) are at increased risk for many mental health conditions. People exposed to SOGIECE are at increased risk of self-harm and suicide. SOGIECE survivors need distinct treatment considerations distinguishing 'pathology' from SOGIECE's 'negative effects', and challenging past social conformity-drives. What this topic adds: SOGIECE survivors need community (re)building aid in their recovery confluent with their own faith goals and avoiding conformity with therapists' (faith-negative/faith-positive) ideals. SOGIECE survivors need considerable time and different phases in recovery processes, to do developmental work discussing and reconciling dualities in identities, beliefs and social (re)engagements. Support approaches and resources closely aligned to SOGIECE survivors' presented identities were emphasised for the initial recovery decision-making, these could later vary more across treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Sexual health problems can be pertinent to psychological function/diagnosis and psychologists are key players in treatment and education regarding sexual health. Despite this, little evidence exists to determine if sexual dysfunction is explored during routine client intake interviews, when the client does not present with relationship difficulties, or from a specialist referral for sexual dysfunction. We aimed to explore psychologists' decision-making around questioning of client sexual functioning through the lens of the Dual-Processing Model. Method: This qualitative study assessed 16 registered psychologists working within Australia who answered an online questionnaire around their beliefs and clinical experiences of sexual health practice. Results: Data was analysed using thematic analysis, revealing multiple themes favouring sexual health investigation. Main themes included risk management, relevance to clinical presentations, scope of practice, positive beliefs about asking, and competency beliefs. Primary barriers against sexual health investigation included perceived incompetence, organisational constraints, concerns around damaging rapport, sexual health not being relevant to the client's needs, and perceptions around unethical practice. Conclusions: This paper challenged the applicability of the Dual Processing Model to psychological decision-making, and suggested personal biases influence Australian psychologists' sexual health questioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth-led peer-support initiatives appear well placed to dismantle conventional binaries of youth-adult, as they hold promise as models able to perceive youth outside the role of service recipients. Drawing on ethnographic research at an Australian youth program that included interviews with young people, young and adult volunteers, and staff, this paper investigates the role young people play in determining, creating, and applying change processes for their peers. Through the mechanisms of "cultivating relatability," "establishing a culture of support," and "role-modeling alternative pathways," new possibilities and hope were created. At the core of peer-support efforts was an attempt to increase social integration and a commitment to notions of equality and respect as well as the eradication of unequal power relations between adults and young people. The dual phenomenon of being both the recipient of peer support and facilitators of change processes for others has novel implications for youth programs that work with young people to enhance processes of empowerment and agency and promote positive youth outcomes. Such an approach to working with young people as engaged partners, which gives them a voice and, in particular, asserts the rights of young people to be involved in transforming and recreating their situations, creates opportunities that may both extend the reach and deepen the impact of youth services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape of cancer is changing, with earlier detection and the emergence of new treatment options signalling the potential reconfiguration of cancer (for some) as a chronic condition. Cancer is increasingly experienced in terms of chronicity, incorporating both ongoing episodes of acute treatment alongside the long-term management of disease, symptoms, and side effects. This emphasis refocuses attention toward living-with, as well as beyond, cancer. Yet, how cancer chronicity is understood and experienced by both patients and healthcare professionals remains underexplored. While sociological scholarship has critically analysed how chronic illness has been positioned as a problem of/for the person and/or the healthcare system, less attention has been paid to instances like cancer, where chronicity might be viewed as reflective of forms of success (e.g. through the deferral of mortality even in the absence of 'cure'). In this paper we draw on qualitative interview data from a large study of cancer survivorship including patients, their family carers and health professionals, across two Australian hospitals. We critically analyse the dimensions of chronicity in the cancer sphere, understanding cancer-as-chronicity as producing a particular form of subjectivity, shaped by the everyday management and experience of treatment, impairment, symptoms, and side-effects. We posit that constructions of cancer as chronic, and associated imperatives linked to longevity, commitment, and resilience, are placing new demands on patients, family carers, and professionals alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual (LGBTQA+) Australians are vulnerable to religion-based attempts to change or suppress their sexuality and/or gender identity, including conversion ideology messaging in school-based sex education. Conversion bans are currently being debated across the country. This paper reports on a critical survivor-driven study which retrospectively explored Australian LGBTQA+ youth exposure to conversion practices both within and outside of education settings. It privileges the perspectives of self-titled 'survivors' of conversion ideology and practices through the use of a reference group and constructivist grounded theory. Qualitative data were collected 20 from Australian LGBTQA+ conversion ideology and/or practice survivors aged 18 years and over, using focus groups and 35 individual interviews between 2016 and 2020. In conversion-promoting religious contexts including education institutions and groups, messages concerning sexuality and gender changed as individuals grew older and were drawn into more/enclosed settings in which core conversion messages of LGBTQA+ 'brokenness' were prevalent. While individuals progressed through the conversion experience in different ways, their experience was characterised by the absence of any form of affirming LGBTQA+ education – enabling conversion itself to become their LGBTQA+ (mis)information source. School policy addressing conversion, alongside enhanced provision of affirmative age-appropriate gender and sexuality education, may mediate this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disproportionately high numbers of Aboriginal young people access residential alcohol and other drug programs in Australia. While demand is high, these programs often have low numbers of Aboriginal staff. Residential programs, however, generally offer supports that reflect features of Aboriginal health care – holistic, group-based, connected to local communities, and addressing determinants of health. The qualitative research outlined in this paper was a collaboration between a mainstream residential therapeutic community program and two Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, and Aboriginal young people and researchers, with Aboriginal research leadership. It used an Aboriginal healing framework to understand the experiences of 12 young Aboriginal people in the program, triangulated with 19 key informant interviews. This provided an opportunity to understand how Indigenous knowledge about healing related to mainstream programs and the experiences of Aboriginal young people. This moves beyond individualist and deficit-focused conceptions of youth alcohol and drug use and centres Aboriginal cultures as healing. Findings point to the need for critically self-reflective mainstream organisations, a larger Aboriginal workforce with leadership roles, partnerships with Aboriginal Elders and organisations, and an investment in Aboriginal community-controlled alcohol and other drug services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like in many countries, the Australian Government has conducted an inquiry into child sexual abuse that occurred in institutional settings (The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse). Drawing on the findings from a qualitative study commissioned by the Royal Commission, this paper explores the perceptions of victim/survivors1 of the ways in which institutions (or individuals within them) responded supportively when sexual abuse was reported. While researchers and inquiries have reported on inadequacy of institutional responses, this paper addresses a research gap by investigating responses that victims/survivors perceived as helpful, while mindful of the overwhelmingly negative nature of their experiences. The paper contributes to the literature on institutional responses to child sexual abuse methodologically – by reporting on the challenges of a study of this type – and theoretically, by proposing a framework indicating how different helpful elements of an institutional response to child sexual abuse relate to each other in the victim/survivors' experiences. The findings are relevant for research on best practice in institutional responses to child sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amendments to various state laws have made it easier for cisgendered lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women to access Australian fertility clinics. When women conceive through clinics, they generally use intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF). IUI is cheaper and requires less invasive medical intervention than IVF. A recent survey found that almost 60% of Australian cisgendered LBQ women who conceived with clinical assistance did so using IVF, despite most presenting to clinics without a diagnosis of infertility and seeking donor sperm only. In this paper, based on 20 interviews with Australian clinicians who treat LBQ patients seeking pregnancy, we explore potential explanations for why over half of LBQ women using Australian fertility clinics to conceive used IVF rather than IUI. A 'perfect storm' of factors appears to converge in this tendency. Although some LBQ women are purposefully choosing IVF to achieve biological relatedness for two mothers, other pressures toward high intervention conceptions include the distinction between 'social' and 'clinical' infertility by Medicare (the Australian national health insurance scheme), the relative profitability of IVF procedures and issues with the supply and quality of donor sperm. Accessing sperm from clinics appears to set some Australian women without male partners on a potentially unnecessary path to a high intervention and costly conception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia is a global concern, and, this paper, describes the caring roles of health professionals who are mothers of adult children with schizophrenia. A thematic analysis of data from a doctoral study identified a blending of expertise into an informed care model. Caring roles included: constant carer; coordinator carer; watchful bystander carer; and life coach carer. Previous research has not explored these dual roles. This paper elucidates their responsive approaches and contributions to mothering and caregiving roles. Informed by a fusion of professional and mothering knowledges, their insights into mental health care have been forged by their experiences and is an untapped resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research into parents' experiences of living with a family member with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour does not specifically address what parents say about themselves and their lives. This paper explores "I-statements" parents made about their day-to-day actions in life with their family member. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 parents, of which 91% were mothers. "I-statements" were analysed using process analysis from systemic functional linguistics and thematic analysis. Results: "I-statements" showed that parents enacted a range of complex and sometimes extreme activities across a variety of life domains. Parents spoke about: managing relationships with services; educating themselves and others; seeking support; resisting poor service delivery; assisting others; and making both small and significant changes. Conclusion: The paper provided insights into the complex lives of these families and offered observations on the implications of the potential misalignment between the supports the data suggests are needed and those that, in reality, are available to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people's involvement in social work education has been limited, despite increased awareness of the importance of young voices in professional education programs. Qualitative research methodologies offer mechanisms for including young people's perspectives in social work education, and tools for social workers to better understand and respond to their concerns. This paper presents an Australian case study of engaging undergraduate social work students in research with secondary school students, to enhance their ability to systematically explore and address young people's needs. Social work students' reflections suggest this experience deepened their understandings of the social and relational challenges young people face during the high school years, improved their self-awareness of assumptions they hold about young people, and enhanced their confidence to identify and address young people's needs in a meaningful way. The paper concludes with an evidence informed discussion about the lessons learned from this study, and the possible implications for integrating similar projects into social work courses in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Indigenous practitioners around the world emphasise the importance of spirituality in social work, epistemic injustices often perpetuate the neglect of traditional knowledge in everyday practices. This paper explores the experiences of six Māori practitioners who work from cultural perspectives in the New Zealand context. Since these individuals subscribe to Indigenous Māori philosophies, Kaupapa Māori Theory is an important part of this study's epistemology. The research findings provide some unique interpretations of Māori spirituality while highlighting the value of Indigenous knowledge within the broader spheres of social work practice and education. IMPLICATIONS Social work practice is decolonised through culturally responsive methods and prioritising the Indigenous voice within Australian and New Zealand social services. Social work education is strengthened through the recognition of culturally responsive pedagogical frameworks within mainstream curricula and institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in the management of chronic diseases, combined with an aging population, have escalated the prevalence of people with life-limiting conditions and demand for palliative care. In Australia, this has prompted calls for change in policy frameworks, service systems and funding models that underpin care. The complex social, cultural and policy transformation required to enact these changes has been problematic. This paper reports on qualitative research into a unique, Australian Community Palliative Care program reflecting these aspirational changes. The research examined the program design and its implementation through the perspectives of program staff and volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although abortion rates appear to be declining in high-income nations, there is still a need for accessible, safe abortion services. However, limited attention has been paid to understanding the social contexts which shape access to abortion information and services for communities who are less engaged with sexual and reproductive health care more generally. This paper explores the views and experiences of 27 migrant and refugee young people (16–24 years old) living in Sydney, Australia, regarding unintended pregnancy and abortion. Pregnancy outside marriage was described by all participants as a shameful prospect as it revealed pre-marital sexual activity. Even when abortion was described as culturally and/or religiously unacceptable, it was believed many families would find an abortion preferable to continuing an unintended pregnancy outside marriage. However, a pervasive culture of silence regarding sexual and reproductive health may limit access to quality information and support in this area. To better meet the needs of these young people, greater attention must be paid to strengthening youth and community awareness of the availability of contraception including emergency contraception, pregnancy options, and access to abortion information and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Communication with indigenous patients is often a problem for health staff in Australia. Aim: This paper examines the barriers and enablers in communication between health staff and Indigenous carers of paediatric patients in a hospital, about advice to help reduce exposure of children to second-hand smoke (SHS). Methods: Non-indigenous health staff and Indigenous carers, were recruited from a paediatric ward of a regional hospital in the Northern Territory. A constructivist grounded theory with multiphase case study design and semi-structured interviews was used. Results: Health staff and carers had different perceptions about raising the issue of smoking. Health staff lacked confidence to talk about smoking and questioned the cultural appropriateness of doing so. In contrast, carers expected to talk about smoking while in the hospital., and perceived it as part of a caring and protective relationship by health staff. English being a second language for carers was considered a significant communication barrier by staff; carers, however, felt that health staff needed to modify their communication styles. The possible misperceptions about carers' lack of response to messages, led to health staff dropping the subject, when, in fact, carers were struggling with health workers communication styles. Conclusions: Health staff and carers perceive discussion around smoking differently. Cross-cultural communication education may empower staff to provide effective smoking cessation interventions in this setting. Impact statement: Improving communication between health staff will help ensure the optimal provision of smoking cessation support to carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper reports on a qualitative study utilising in-depth interviews of sixteen Australian mental health nurses (MHNs) working in general practice. On 1st July 2015, the commonwealth government of Australia established 31 primary health networks (PHN) to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for people, particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes, and to improve coordination of care. Aim: This study explores the experiences of Australian MHNs working in general practice. Design: Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged through the data analysis: (1) autonomy and flexibility, (2) opportunity for more clinically focused work, (3) health promotion and preventative health and (4) excited to work in general practice. Findings: Study Participants identified many clinical opportunities working in primary practice and noted that the autonomy and flexibility of their role was quite different from other areas they had previously worked. They reported having more time to spend with the patients and being able to engage in health promotion. Conclusions: In order to make mental health care more accessible it is important to have a well-qualified workforce within primary health care (PHC) settings such as general practice. The participants of this study have identified ways they have been best utilised in the Primary Care workforce. They embrace the autonomy of the role and the ability to engage with consumers by providing clinical interventions that can assess and intervene with people experiencing mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing recognition of the importance of addressing the mental health needs of young people attending university. Anonymous, scalable, and evidence-based online interventions can help to reduce burden on university services and increase access to care for marginalised or disconnected students. This paper reports the participatory design methods used to develop the Uni Virtual Clinic (UVC), a comprehensive online programme that was designed to prevent and treat mental health problems and related issues in university students. Data evaluating the participatory design process is also presented. The potential for the implementation of the UVC within university-based counselling services is strong, and has potential to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders in a high-risk group of young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Australians living with a disability find themselves recipients of Newstart Allowance when applying for the Disability Support Pension (DSP). Newstart Allowance is designed as a short-term payment for people looking for work, with a lower fortnightly payment and limited medical and transport subsidies compared to the DSP. This paper describes the financial challenges of living with a disability while on Newstart Allowance. With a focus on the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians from two regional towns, qualitative semistructured interviews and focus groups documented experiences of 39 community members and 21 medical and nonmedical service providers supporting clients living with a disability on Newstart Allowance. Four themes were identified: (i) living with severe financial hardship, (ii) challenges complying with the DSP application, (iii) being financially penalised for not complying with Newstart Allowance conditions, and (iv) supporting community members to manage severe financial stress. Although people living with a disability on Newstart were experiencing severe hardship and poverty, there was limited participation of Centrelink-employed social workers within their described experiences with Centrelink. We argue that social workers can work to humanise human service settings and potentially help to mitigate these financial challenges. IMPLICATIONS Indigenous Australians living with a disability experience severe disadvantage and poverty while living on Newstart Allowance. Social workers must be easily accessible at Centrelink customer service centres and to Newstart Allowance recipients to help coordinate service engagement. Newstart Allowance should be increased to ensure recipients can respond to cost of living pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing on survey data (N = 7,826) collected in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, this paper examines whether sexual orientation is a differentiating factor in explaining relationship quality and maintenance. Previous research suggests that sexual orientation is not significant in determining relationship satisfaction; however, these analyses have used traditional variable driven approaches, which do not provide an holistic view of the relationship by considering the unique combination of characteristics. Method: In this study, latent profile analyses were used, which is a person-centered approach that allows for identification of different types of long-term relationships. Results: Data suggested that LGB individuals had marginally higher levels of relationship quality compared to their heterosexual counterparts, and sexual orientation was also associated with differing types of long-term relationships. Discussion: These findings are interrogated in more detail, in particular, how sexual orientation is associated with types of long-term relationships and how everyday practices are associated with relationship quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the provision of youth targeted Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and sexual health interventions in the rural Australian context by examining the perspectives and experiences of a range of community stakeholders. Sixteen participants undertook one-on-one semi structured interviews. Four key themes emerged from the data and included: 'you're not going to get the whole town to start thinking about adolescent sexual health'; backlash, stigma and secrecy; being consistent, credible and available; and small-town communication. This study contributes to the limited literature about RSE and sexual health provision in regional and rural Australia and provides a voice for rural stakeholders who provide RSE and sexual health interventions by default or necessity. The findings of this study have practical implications for rural settings when addressing youth sexual health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the last decade, Australian counselling psychologists have seen a decline in the profession as academic programs close and their professional identity diminishes. In 2006, the Federal Government introduced the Better Access mental health initiative, which provides Medicare (Australia's national public health insurance scheme) funding for the community to access psychological services. While the Better Access initiative has been successful for consumers, it has created significant tensions within the psychology profession, offering higher rebates for services offered by a clinical psychologist. The literature highlights that the Better Access system has placed counselling psychology in a vulnerable position. Is this the only threat to the profession? This study sought to establish what Australian counselling psychologists perceive as the challenges facing the profession. Method: A web‐based survey was distributed to Australian counselling psychologists seeking information on a range of demographic and professional characteristics. The survey collected information on various aspects of professional identity and practice. Respondents were asked to identify what they see as the challenges facing counselling psychology. Results: The main challenges highlighted were related to inequalities in rebate schemes between clinical and counselling psychologists, ingrained biases towards clinical psychology resulting in power imbalances, divides, and in‐fighting within the profession, difficulties demarcating the unique identity of counselling psychologists (both from within and outside), and changes threatening the existence of counselling psychology as a viable training pathway in Australia. Conclusion: This paper explores the current challenges to the profession, recommendations for change at the individual and system levels, and directions for the future of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Transdermal alcohol monitors, such as Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitors (SCRAMs), enable continuous measurement of alcohol consumption in participants' natural environments free from recall bias and response burden. This paper explores young research participants' experience of wearing SCRAMs to provide insights into the potential of the devices to be used for research on a larger scale. Method: In south-east Australia, participants were recruited among festival attendees (n = 12) and college students (n = 18). Participants wore the SCRAMs over 3–4 days, and upon returning the devices participated in a semi-structured qualitative interview about their experiences of the devices. Results: Most participants reported becoming unaware of the device after initial adjustment and did not believe their drinking patterns had been altered by wearing the SCRAM. Perceived similarities with correctional monitoring equipment led to a number of social interactions with onlookers, but participants generally felt at ease with this. Common issues reported by participants related to the physical discomfort and restrictions caused by the devices, citing problems with sleeping, exercising, and irritation with the clamping mechanism as impediments. Conclusions: Although SCRAMs have not been designed with research purposes in mind, this study highlights their utility in measuring alcohol consumption in real-life and real-time. Most participants suggested that their drinking patterns were unaffected and that any physical discomfort was manageable; however, comfort is a critical consideration in terms of improving the user experience. Adequately controlled validation studies are needed to determine if and how wearing SCRAMs affects retention, behaviour and drinking patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The profile and reach of physiotherapy has expanded in areas of extended scope of practice, and broader engagement with population needs beyond the individual treatment encounter. These changes raise increasingly complex ethical challenges evidenced by growth in physiotherapy-based ethics studies and discussions. This paper examines how a broad cross section of Australian physiotherapists perceive, interpret, and respond to ethical challenges in their work contexts and how professional codes of conduct are used in their practice. Using an interpretive qualitative methodology, purposive sampling of 88 members of national clinical special interest groups were recruited for focus group discussions. Narrative-based and thematic data analysis identified ethical challenges as emerging from specific clinical contexts, and influenced by health organizations, funding policies, workplace relationships, and individually held perspectives. Five themes were developed to represent these findings: (1) the working environment, (2) balancing diverse needs and expectation, (3) defining ethics, (4) striving to act ethically, and (5) talking about ethics. The results portray a diverse and complex ethical landscape where therapists encounter and grapple with ethical questions emerging from the impact of funding models and policies affecting clinical work, expanding boundaries and scope of practice and changing professional roles and relationships. Codes of conduct were described as foundational ethical knowledge but not always helpful for "in the moment" ethical decision-making. Based on this research, we suggest how codes of conduct, educators, and professional associations could cultivate and nurture ethics capability in physiotherapy practitioners for these contemporary challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian women use less effective, short-term methods of contraception more often than any other method, despite the availability of much more effective long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Although research examining the low uptake of LARC among Australian women has increased over the past few years, we still know little about the factors influencing this phenomenon. Using data from semi-structured telephone interviews with 15 Australian women in their 20s, this paper explores contraceptive experience to better understand the non-use of LARC. Findings highlight the ubiquity of the use of the oral contraceptive pill and perceptions of LARC as a more serious contraceptive choice. Among participants, the intrauterine device (IUD) was viewed particularly unfavourably. Furthermore, LARC was shown to be only considered for use after dissatisfaction with shorter-term methods (usually the Pill) if at all. Overall, these findings suggest further education in dispelling myths and discomfort around LARC use, while simultaneously recognising and respecting women's decisions to not use LARC methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Indigenous health matters have largely been neglected in the speech-language pathology literature and have particular import for the aphasia clinician. The influence of culture on people’s experiences and expectations after an event such as stroke can vary widely and there is a need to understand the impact of context on assessment and therapy. Standard approaches may not be adequate or relevant, nor always ethical to apply. Examination of aphasia in contexts with Indigenous populations provides an opportunity to explore methods and approaches with socially complex and marginalised communities and to expand our understanding of the lived experience of aphasia. Aims:The goal of this paper is to explore the role of culture in aphasia in Indigenous populations and drawing from a body of emerging research, highlight relevant dimensions of understanding and practice for the aphasia clinician. Main Contribution:A series of qualitative studies undertaken with Indigenous people with aphasia in two separate contexts – Australia and South Africa – will be described and their findings considered along several dimensions. A consideration of methods of approach and understanding will be provided, followed by discussion of some central constructs. A series of conceptual and clinical propositions for culturally safe research and practice in aphasia will be derived from this evidence. Models of collaboration are derived which are decolonising and potentially transformative and supplement models of knowledge and intervention in a local community. Particular attention is paid to temporal and spatial issues, the role of family, identity and community, the notion of resilience in such communities and addressing some of the specific challenges that may be involved such as working with cultural brokers. A series of recommendations is provided which allows for a critical engagement with interdisciplinary frameworks of understanding aphasia in context. Conclusion:As a reflective piece, this paper has enabled a collation of knowledge about aphasia in two Indigenous cultures and has helped consolidate some novel principles and insights and the need for expanded skills, attitudes, insights, explanations and methodologies – ones that acknowledge and accommodate diversity and difference, and that are relevant to Indigenous communities. Language difficulties are only one cause of social exclusion and issues such as poverty and identity make a huge impact on the lives of our clients and their families, and on the approach we adopt. A shift from the primary framework of our profession is required to accommodate the central role of culture in communication. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim: This paper addresses the question of how social accountability is conceptualised by staff, students and community members associated with four medical schools aspiring to be socially accountable in two countries. Methods: Using a multiple case study approach this research explored how contextual issues have influenced social accountability at four medical schools: two in Australia and two in the Philippines. This paper reports on how research participants understood social accountability. Seventy-five participants were interviewed including staff, students, health sector representatives and community members. Field notes were taken and a documentary analysis was completed. Results: Overall there were three common understandings. Socially accountable medical education was about meeting workforce, community and health needs. Social accountability was also determined by the nature and content of programs the school implemented or how it operated. Finally, social accountability was deemed a personal responsibility. The broad consensus masked the divergent perspectives people held within each school. Conclusion: The assumption that social accountability is universally understood could not be confirmed from these data. To strengthen social accountability it is useful to learn from these institutions’ experiences to contribute to the development of the theory and practice of activities within socially accountable medical schools. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The nursing profession comprises Australia's largest regulated health workforce yet its practice boundaries are poorly understood. The ambiguity surrounding the practice scope of nurses limits the profession's ability to fully respond to Australia's current and emerging health system challenges. The aim of this review is to explore the concept of scope of practice of registered nurses (RN) in Australia, as reflected in contemporary literature. An integrative review of literature relating to the scope of practice of the Australian registered nurse published between 2007 and 2014 was conducted. Twenty primary papers and nine secondary source papers were included in the review. Themes that arose from the analysis are: Scope of practice – an elusive concept; Scope of practice and context; Scope of practice and boundaries; and Scope of practice and advanced practice. Discussion of these themes includes consideration of the professional, legal and ethical significance of scope of practice for the RN, as well as the legislative, professional and contextual influences on, and challenges to, defining scope of practice at both a professional and individual level. For the Australian registered nursing workforce to continue to be a significant and influential contributor to Australia's dynamic healthcare context, a clearly articulated scope of practice is both necessary and overdue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Life expectancy for both sexes in Australia exceeds 80 years, with individuals with intellectual disability also increasingly living into older age. This research aimed to comparatively examine perceptions of staff supporting either older adults or age peers with lifelong intellectual disability. Methods: This project asked 420 medical, health, and support workers about training adequacy, health services access, and trigger points for premature institutionalisation. This paper is based on a subsample of 196 respondents who provided quantitative and qualitative responses. Results: There was considerable variation in confidence in supporting ageing individuals, while only 23.7% of doctors reported their training was adequate to support adults ageing with intellectual disability. A lack of services and poor carer health were identified as triggers for premature institutionalisation. Conclusions: The study revealed key differences in staff perceptions of support provision and training adequacy when comparing ageing individuals with intellectual disability to the general ageing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the impact of phone support on sick day management of young people with type 1 diabetes. Method: Qualitative exploratory study to understand the usage of a phone support service available, 8am to 8.30pm, seven days a week. Inclusion criteria were: (a) young people with type 1 diabetes who attend an age-specific service; (b) experienced acute diabetes crisis. Interviews were coded for themes using QSR NVivo™ Version 11 software. Findings were examined through the theoretical lens of the Health Belief Model. Results: Of 20 eligible individuals, 8 participated in the study. Five avoided emergency presentation by accessing the phone support service; three who did not were admitted for diabetic ketoacidosis. The interviews generated 3 major themes: (a) self-efficacy, (b) cues to action, (c) susceptibility. Conclusion: Enhancing self-efficacy and promoting confidence to seek help early during an acute health crisis enables young people to effectively self-manage and avoid hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and young people in rural Australia experience disadvantage compared with metropolitan counterparts, with low educational attainment and disengagement from schooling being linked to poorer health outcomes. Schools are an existing contact point between individuals and health services. However, these health services are often overburdened and have limited scope to address broader social issues and teaching staff are focused on achieving curriculum outcomes. Embedding social workers within schools may provide an avenue for supporting students, yet social workers are rarely present in New South Wales public schools. This paper describes a study to determine teachers' understanding of the socioeconomic issues faced by school students, and the role of the social work profession in addressing such issues as part of the early stages of establishing a Social Work in Schools (SWiS) project. Eighteen semistructured interviews were undertaken with teachers across four rural Australian schools. Participants identified their awareness of potential risk factors that could lead to educational disengagement, reflected on their own limitations in dealing with these broader health presentations given their teaching focus, and provided insights into their understanding of the potential role of social workers. Rural and remote school children in Australia are at risk of reduced educational attainment and disengagement due to low socioeconomic status (SES), geographical location, parental education and employment, and family dysfunction. Social workers should advocate for the role they can play within rural school communities to assist in ameliorating the impact of socioeconomic factors on a student's capacity to engage in learning. Partnerships between schools and social work field education may facilitate the growth of social work in schools in New South Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace health promotion (WHP) is advocated to progress the health and well-being of employees. However, research findings on its uptake and impacts are equivocal, particularly in smaller workplaces. This paper describes managers' and workers' responses to a WHP programme in the Australian Capital Territory. Informed by a cultural economy framework, in-depth interviews were conducted with 44 workers and managers from 10 small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Examining their availability and acceptability to workers and managers, we found a limited array of health promotion activities were adopted; a caring environment, provision of healthy foods, occasional health checks and health advice. Physical activity programmes during work hours were unlikely to be accepted by managers due to time costs, and workers were reluctant to spend their non-paid time on them. Casual workers were often excluded from WHP activities because their work times did not synchronize with other employees' hours. This study illuminates how WHP is shaped by a complex of employment regulations that stress individual performance, associated limits on employer and worker time and resources, and organizational, cultural norms and practices regarding healthy work environments. We conclude that SMEs are implementing a limited array of behaviour change initiatives reflecting a particular view of health promotion. While organizational change may expand adoption of health practices during the workday, there are impediments to workers adopting wholesale changes in their health practices given a national culture of long hours, and intense job demands embedded in Australia's neoliberal employment system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-awareness is generally considered core to effective social work education and professional practice. This paper examines student reflections on personal vulnerability and self-awareness in social, educational, and professional contexts. Ethics approval and student consent was obtained to analyse entries from the online learning component of a second year interpersonal skills course. The week 7 workshop, which focused on the concept of self-awareness, was contextualised and triggered by an online viewing of a relevant TED talk on the power of vulnerability. Qualitative analysis of student entries from this week revealed three core themes: (a) a provocative stimulus, which emphasised the usefulness and challenging nature of the TED talk in the context of workshop learning; (b) vulnerability, scarcity, and blame, which highlighted student identification with stimuli material and their emerging self-awareness; and (c) the importance of self-awareness and connection, which illuminated the students' beginning applications of theory to practice. IMPLICATIONS Interpersonal skills courses can be well supported by a diverse range of online and classroom stimuli. The intentional scaffolding of self-reflective activities can support early skills development and promote self-awareness. The analysis of student reflections can contribute to effective and responsive curriculum design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection are now widely accepted as important in contemporary social work practice. Despite this, there remain differences in how the terms are discussed within the literature. This results in confusion in how students are instructed about reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection. This paper presents a proposal for clarifying these concepts based on the results from an interpretive study of reflective practice in social work education and practice in Australia. The study utilised three different methods: autoethnography, an archaeological analytic, and qualitative interviews. It found that reflective practice is understood as a capability, a form of critical thinking, a discipline response to a changing sector, and a way of theorising from practice. Conceptual clarifications of reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection are presented. IMPLICATIONS There is a need for clarification about the meaning of reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection within social work. Findings from a qualitative study on the meaning and use of reflective practice in Australian social work education may provide conceptual clarification of these terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undergraduate preparation is important in ensuring health care professionals are prepared to identify and respond to intimate partner violence (IPV). Previous studies confirm this education is highly variable and IPV-related content remains marginalised in undergraduate nursing, midwifery and paramedicine curricula. Aim: To investigate frontline academics' attitudes and beliefs in relation to the inclusion of IPV-related content in the aforementioned degrees. Design: A large multi-phase mixed methods Australian case study of Australian undergraduate nursing, midwifery and paramedicine degrees. In this paper, components of the survey and interviews from this study will be reported on. Methods: Quantitative comparative analysis of a 51-item on-line survey and qualitative thematic analysis of guided conversational interviews. Results: Across Australian universities IPV remains poorly embedded in nursing, midwifery and paramedicine programmes. Academics report a range of barriers to such inclusion, including an already overcrowded curriculum, a lack of confident and competent academics to teach this content area and a lack of support for this content inclusion. One factor statistically significant in its association with non-inclusion of IPV-related content was academic attitudes of professional role resistance. Gender was also identified as a significant factor associated with non-inclusion and resistant professional attitudes. Qualitative interviews revealed that only six of the 18 participants identified IPV-related care as within their scope of practice, with professional role resistance a common theme identified. Conclusion: Though professional organisation and policy makers now advocate for the inclusion of IPV-related content in the undergraduate preparation of nurses and midwives, work remains to address gendered and resistant attitudes amongst academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the research experiences, interests and capacity of social work professionals working as frontline workers and managers in human service organizations in regional South Australia. It also draws attention to social work practice issues requiring further investigation as identified by these professionals. The research data for this paper were collected using quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data provided evidence to show the extent of research interests among social work practitioners in the region. Qualitative data added depth to the findings by identifying social work practice issues as described by research participants. The study revealed that few participants had any research experience; however, the majority felt the need to undertake research, expressed interest in research training and a desire to be involved in research projects. These findings have implications for higher education providers in the social work discipline. They draw attention to the importance of better preparing students for research in practice, and also for schools of social work to actively engage in building research capacity and output in regional Australia. Abbreviations: Frontline social work professionals (FLSWP); The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a mixed method survey that was administered to a group of Australian palliative care social workers (n = 27). Specifically, it aimed to investigate the ways that social workers understood and worked with clients who were estranged from family at the end of life. Respondents suggested that estrangement potentially impacted clients emotionally, practically, and existentially. They were challenged to make clear assessments, provide emotional support, encourage news ways of thinking about estrangement, to manage practical issues, work with the client’s family, and monitor their own professional role. Theories and models of intervention and levels of training are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]