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Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Drug overdose deaths in Texas have been accelerating in recent years with an increase of 33% in the 12 months leading up to December 2020. Accurate counts of nonfatal overdoses – including associated aspects of overdose, such as substances involved, demographic information, and reversal agents administered is critical to increase timely and adequate response to individuals and communities in need. Methods: Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with harm reduction workers across four Texas counties to understand existing methods of reporting overdoses, naloxone dissemination/administration, and recommendations for improving overdose surveillance. Interviews were transcribed and emergent themes were identified based on the a priori research goals. Results: Findings highlighted a variety of overdose data collection methods and tools among harm reduction organizations including Excel spreadsheet, web-based TONI application, notes on personal cell phones, and paper notes. Types of overdose data collected varied widely. Participants noted existing methods are suboptimal and that there is a need for a unified, statewide reporting system to improve overdose data capture. Participants also highlighted that overdose surveillance should include "hidden populations" of people who use drugs that are not currently counted in surveillance methods as a result of not interacting with the healthcare system. Conclusions: Texas lacks a unified overdose reporting system to capture critical data to inform overdose response and prevention efforts. Nontraditional reporters may be critical toward improving overdose syndromic efforts and capturing data among hard-to-reach populations. Harm reduction organizations are uniquely positioned to facilitate reporting among community gatekeepers and people who use drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This qualitative study set within Northern Ireland aims to explore professional perspectives on the application of evidence-informed practice to the adult safeguarding threshold screening process. Design/methodology/approach: Data was gathered from seven social workers in one health and social care trust area, who perform the designated adult protection role, through individual semi-structured interviews in one region of Northern Ireland. The interview schedule comprised of a series of questions examining the role of the designated adult protection officer and included three vignettes (Appendix). A thematic analysis was undertaken using NVIVO software. Findings: This paper reports main findings under the themes of: the role of the designated adult protection officer, threshold decision-making, evidence-informed practice and service improvement. One of the main findings was that professionals viewed the current process as too bureaucratic, and there was a desire to engage in more preventive safeguarding in collaboration with service users. There was a need to promote awareness of evidence-informed practice as it applies to the threshold screening process. Furthermore, the study raised the question of the need to consider the application of models or methods of assessment to the threshold screening process. Originality/value: This in-depth exploration of the role of designated adult protection officers in Northern Ireland provides a valuable insight into the complexity involved in managing adult safeguarding referrals and investigations. This study adds to the existing knowledge base, identifies potential service improvements and highlights the gap in evidence-based practice as it applies to the threshold screening process. Threshold screening of adult safeguarding referrals remains a subjective process and is open to interpretation and differences in professional judgement. The study highlights the need to consider the application of quality improvement methodology to the threshold screening assessment and the need to promote the exchange of safeguarding knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to establish strategies of coping with COVID-19 pandemic adopted by the clients of social assistance from the perspective of social workers. The qualitative research among Polish social workers and family assistants was conducted from September to November 2021. Based on 30 in-depth interviews with social work professionals, groups of social assistance clients' behaviours were identified and classified into the theoretical models of reactions to social change by Merton and Giddens. The following types of behaviour have been selected and categorized into four groups of reactions when dealing with social workers in a pandemic situation: coolheaded calculation, defiance, confusion, and adaptation. At the same time, reactions to the situation of social change were categorized into one of the strategies of active or passive behaviour: innovation, contestation, retreat, and acceptance. In addition, we discussed the impact of clients' coping strategies on social workers and established three attitudes of the surveyed social workers: adapting to the pandemic situation and customer behaviour, assuming the role of an emotional buffer and informant, and expecting support from superiors and coworkers. Knowing the behaviour of social assistance clients in a challenging situation makes it possible to adopt tailor-made measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that the number of children and young people needing care keeps rising and fewer people are becoming foster carers, efforts to support carers and workers in foster caring are essential. This paper considers the experiences of carers and foster care agency workers involved in Australia's piloting of the Mockingbird Family. With a view understanding experience, data were collected via focus groups with carers and agency workers (n = 20) involved in piloting, implementation and evaluation. Deductive analysis applied the theory of experience to generate understanding of experience, as both intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions to capture strengths in the Mockingbird Family's foster caring networks. These dimensions of experience included collective passions of carers and workers; experiential change over time; collective experiences as a moving force; and experiences as transformational. Understanding of experience associated with the perceived strengths of the Mockingbird Family, including strategies to promote strong professional relationships between carers and workers, is an important element in strengthening environments of children and young people in care. Safe and stable environments are crucial for wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how social workers integrate personal spirituality within nursing homes, where a highly regulated, stressful environment marginalizes professional identity and challenges retention. Researchers offer new evidence of how spirituality informs professional identity, ethical practice, and continuation in the role. Twenty BSW/MSW licensed nursing home social workers (NHSWs) reported how they daily navigate the personal spirituality-at-work opportunity and challenge. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews resulted in three primary codes and related subcodes: Spirituality-Integrated Professional Identity (Vocational Affirmation and Value Alignment), Spirituality-Informed Practice (Intervention Asset, Relational Affinity, and Ambiguous Boundaries), and Spiritually-Sustained Career Resilience. Respondents reported how spirituality animated professional identity, informed daily role enactment, and sustained role involvement. Recommendations are provided for normalizing ethical spirituality-at-work through social work education and practical guidance in navigating the spirituality and practice space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s managerialism has spread across the public sector, implementing private sector practices targeting greater efficiency in public services. Consequently, reforms focusing on risk management, standardisation, fragmentation and accountability have increased demands for paperwork and procedure compliance from street-level bureaucrats (SLBs). Focusing specifically on the impact on social work, this paper presents the findings of a systematic literature review synthesising social workers experience of bureaucracy across thirty-nine published qualitative studies. Despite warnings being voiced about the risks associated with enforcing highly bureaucratic and managerial cultures in social work, evidence reinforces the consequences predicted over two decades prior. Major themes from the systematic synthesis include negative effects on social workers and service users, social workers' resistance to bureaucratic structures and the coping strategies they employed. Although the review found some positive perspectives, this was sporadic and only reported in a minority of studies. As SLBs, social workers face an important question: What should be prioritised in the delivery of social services? Managing procedures, administration and documentation or pursuing sustainable change through meaningful engagement with service users? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Integrated care systems (ICS) in England are partnerships between different health and social care organisations, to co‐ordinate care and therefore provide more effective health and social care provision. The objective of this article is to explore the role of the 'Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise' (VCSE) sector in integrated care systems. In particular, the paper aims to examine recent experiences of the voluntary sector in responding to the Covid‐19 pandemic, and the lessons that can be learnt for integrated care provision. The article focuses on the case of Oxfordshire (UK), using a mixed methods approach that included a series of semi‐structured interviews with key informants in health and the VCSE sector as well as online surveys of GPs and organisations in the VCSE sector. These were complemented by two contrasting geographical case studies of community responses to Covid‐19 (one urban, one rural). Data were collected between April and June 2021. Interviewees were recruited through professional and community networks and snowball sampling, with a total of 30 semi‐structured interviews being completed. Survey participants were recruited through sector‐specific networks and the research arm of doctors.net.uk, with a total of 57 survey respondents in all. The research demonstrated the critical role of social prescribing link workers and locality officers in forging connections between the health and VCSE sectors at the hyper‐local level, particularly in the urban case study. In the rural case study, the potential role of the Parish Council in bringing the two sectors together was highlighted, to support community health and well‐being through stronger integrated working between the two sectors. The article concludes that enhanced connections between health and the VCSE sector will strengthen the outcomes of ICS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports findings from a qualitative study on the triggers of hospital social workers' moral distress at a large southern U.S. health system. Moral distress occurs when ethical conflict cannot be resolved in a way that aligns with an individual's personal and professional values and ethics. Participants indicated that moral distress derives from both individual interactions and the culture and climate of health systems. For example, participants expressed how sources of moral distress derived from client-centered decisions, such as end-of-life care and patient autonomy; interpersonal dynamics, including team or supervisory conflict; structural issues, such as insurance barriers or internal hospital policies; and organizational values, such as perceptions of institutional support and validation. Implications of this research suggest that health systems need to foster positive ethical environments that nurture clinicians' health and mental health through programs that aim to increase moral resilience, promote empowerment, and foster wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to achieve consensus regarding what distinguishes specialist from non-specialist palliative care to inform service organisation and delivery to patients with life-limiting conditions. Methods: A three-phase Delphi study was undertaken, involving qualitative interviews and two questionnaire cycles. Thirty-one clinicians (nurses, doctors and social workers) working with a wide range of patients participated in interviews, of whom 27 completed two questionnaire cycles. Results: Consensus was gained on 75 items that define specialist palliative care and distinguish it from non-specialist palliative care. Consensus was gained that specialist palliative care clinicians have advanced knowledge of identifying dying, skills to assess and manage complex symptoms to improve quality of life, have advanced communication skills and perform distinct clinical practices (e.g. working with the whole family as the unit of care and providing support in complex bereavement). Non-specialist palliative care involves discussions around futile or burdensome treatments, and care for people who are dying. Conclusions: Areas of connection were identified: clinicians from disease-specific specialties should be more involved in leading discussions on futile or burdensome treatment and providing care to people in their last months and days of life, in collaboration with specialists in palliative care when required. What is known about the topic?: At present there is no evidence-based definition or agreement about what constitutes specialist palliative care (as opposed to palliative care delivered by non-specialists) in the Australian Capital Territory. An agreed definition is needed to effectively determine the workforce required and its clinical skill mix, and to clarify roles and expectations to mitigate risks in not adequately providing services to patients with life-limiting conditions. What does this paper add?: This paper offers, for the first time, an evidence-based definition that distinguishes specialist palliative care from non-specialist palliative care. End of life care and bereavement support are not just the remit of specialist palliative care clinicians. Clinicians from beyond specialist palliative care should lead discussions about futile or burdensome treatment. What are the implications for practitioners?: The findings of this study can facilitate implementation of palliative care strategies by enabling practitioners and patients to distinguish who should be delivering what care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary welfare organizations engage in various evaluation practices to assess the quality of their services. In this paper we report a qualitative exploration of how technology-enabled evaluations are understood by organizational members who participate in quality assurance activities in Swedish social services. The study contributes to critical information systems literature, focusing on the tensions professionals experience in relation to the digital systems they use for evaluations. For example, "quantities" take precedence over the qualities of such work, as information systems constrain ambitions to realize knowledge-based social services. The results reveal three tensions in professionals' evaluation-related activities arising from conflicting uses or desires. One is between desires for flexible systems that enable reflection and standardized digital support systems. Another is between uses or desires for indicators that are meaningful at the operational level and for general, comparable measures at the management level. The third is between desires to use evaluation procedures for learning and control. The study contributes to both theory and practice related to technology-enabled evaluation of welfare services, and critical perspectives on information systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a research study which explores Social Workers' feelings about professionals touching children during statutory child protection visits to clients' homes in one part of a southern English county. The study focussed on Social Worker visits to children aged between two and ten years who were subject to child protection plans following Section 47 enquiries of the Children Act 1989. A convenience sample of ten completed questionnaires recorded the types of touch, which were reported during the last visit made by the social worker. Semi-structured interviews followed with a further ten Social Workers. Analysis of the data revealed that most of the Social Workers in the study did touch children in a range of ways and for a variety of reasons during visits. 'Touch' was a term which some found uncomfortable and this paper considers whether terminology obstructs open reflection on the topic. Practitioners were keen to discuss the subject more amongst their peers in order to share best practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child protection social workers (CPSWs) do critical work protecting vulnerable children. Given the demanding nature of this work, CPSWs are reportedly at great risk for negative outcomes, such as burnout and depression. Another outcome is often unsatisfactory service delivery by CPSWs, leaving vulnerable children exposed to continued maltreatment. Understanding how some CPSWs do well, despite the demanding nature of their work, is important to inform future interventions that could potentially promote CPSW resilience and improve CPSW service delivery. While some research on the resilience of CPSWs exists, very little is known about resilience in South African CPSWs. The aim of this qualitative study was to contribute to the ongoing conversation of CPSW resilience, by exploring resilience among CPSWs in Gauteng, South Africa. Participants shared their lived experiences of workplace adversity and resilience. In this paper, we report only on the findings related to their resilience, which was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal that participants' resilience was informed by a safe and appealing space away from work; drawing strength from religion; relaxation and self‐care as healing modalities; a passion for CPSW; the positive influence of personal background; supportive care systems; self‐efficacy and personal agency; and a positive outlook. The resilience of these CPSWs, although dependent on supportive and responsive ecologies, was mostly self‐directed since they appeared fundamentally accountable to procure support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an empirical study of child protection services in a local authority where rates of investigations and interventions rose to unprecedented levels during the course of a single year. The aim of the research was to explore explanations for this rise in demand among the providers of children's social care in the area. Using an interpretative qualitative design, a series of focus groups and interviews were carried out with practitioners and managers (n = 25) from statutory services and Early Help. The findings identified a combination of long‐term and short‐term drivers of demand. Long‐term factors emphasized the impact of rising levels of deprivation combined with cuts to community‐based services for children and young people. Short‐term factors ranged from a more proactive approach to child neglect to more effective multi‐agency partnerships and joint decision making. The interaction between these factors was found to be accentuating an underlying shift to "late intervention" across the sector. The findings are contextualized in relation to contemporary debates about the crisis of demand for children's social care and the complex relationship between prevention and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

urpose: The purpose of this article is to enhance understanding of the increasing importance of service user and carer involvement in social work research. The paper outlines actions taken to develop knowledge and skills at post-qualifying level. Method: In 2016 three postgraduate modules on research methods and evidence-into-practice for service users and carers were created and taught jointly with existing parallel post-qualifying modules for experienced social workers. Over a three-year period 2016–2019 modular assessments; pre and post-testing of knowledge and self-efficacy; regular participant feedback sheets; and end-of-course reflections were undertaken. Results: Qualitative feedback indicated that the classroom experience was regarded positively. Valuable literature reviews and projects were produced which have the potential to contribute to transferring knowledge into practice. Though small in scale and using non-validated tools, increased mean scores were recorded on both Test of Knowledge (3.97; p <.001) and Self Efficacy (478.8 (p <.001) showing promise. Formal measures, exam results, and informal feedback demonstrate the success of the initiative as a means of enhancing a wider understanding of user participation in the research process. Discussion: Demonstrating how well-equipped service users and carers are to be more effective on research advisory panels and grant committees will take more time. Conclusion: Providing teaching on research methods for service users jointly with experienced social workers shows potential for developing coproduction of social care research and translating evidence into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how children experience social work interventions is an important part of gauging whether what is provided is genuinely helpful. In this paper, we describe the findings from a research project using Q‐method, aimed at understanding what children involved with statutory services think about their social workers and how they experience the time they spend together. Using a pre‐existing practice framework, we explored skills including empathy, collaboration, and purposefulness from the point of view of children and young people. The participants in our study (n = 22) were insightful observers of social work practice, able to describe not only how they experienced time spent with their workers but also inferring differences in motivation and approach. In addition, workers who were described in similar terms by different young people were nevertheless experienced differently. This suggests not an archetypal "good social worker"—instead, there are skills that are good for specific children at specific times within the context of specific relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes traces of masculinity by examining Malaysian sports news, centralizing the discussion on emotions in sports news discourse. Specifically, it compares the depictions of male and female athletes in newspaper texts and (co)-construct masculinity and varying notions of emotion through corpus-assisted discourse analysis, including the ways in which these depictions on 'emotion' can help social workers in sport. By extracting a specialized corpus known as Malaysian Sports News, manual qualitative analysis paired with corpus linguistics techniques is used. The results will reveal sporadic examples of emotion-centered expressions that describe sports as a depiction of stereotypes of masculinity. We begin by locating past studies and making their connections, adapting some of the many research rigors by paying attention to specific findings that have been reworked in other important, global perspectives of social work. By focusing on corpus-assisted discourse analysis of athletes in newspapers, convergence and divergence between male and female athlete reporting highlighting implications of masculinities on social workers in sports and the recent 2018 APA Guidelines on Boys and Men can be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a qualitative study of child protection in the UK. The research involved children's practitioners from a range of agencies, including social care, education, health and youth offending, who were asked about working together on complex child protection cases. The aim was to explore how participants talked about complexity in these cases, in order to deconstruct influential perspectives on interprofessional working. Interview transcripts were analysed using critical discourse analysis, a qualitative method that examines patterns of language use in relation to social structures of power and control. The findings identified three overall perspectives: clinical, expert system and relation‐centred approaches, which practitioners combined in various ways. These perspectives have a bearing on how the ‘team around the child’ is conceptualized in discourse about child protection. The paper links these findings to the assumptions of predictability and control currently embedded in policy and practice guidance, and explores their implications for social workers and other children's practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a total of 22 social workers in Mainland China were interviewed to explore the effectiveness and challenges of providing services to adolescents using digital tools. By addressing the problems like permeable boundaries, perfunctory efforts, threats to implementation fidelity, and inefficient service delivery, we accordingly propose pragmatic recommendations to enhance digital social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor medication adherence is a significant public health issue, especially among the vulnerable elderly, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This study aimed to explore, identify, and understand the barriers and facilitators to medication adherence among vulnerable elderly individuals. We conducted a qualitative study using focus group interviews with 31 participants, including community nurses, social care services, volunteers from non-governmental organizations, patient association members, and informal caregivers, using semi-structured questions and inductive content analysis to gather and analyze qualitative data. Two main categories, "Perceived barriers" and "Facilitative interventions" were developed. The findings revealed multiple barriers, including medication-related barriers, patient-related barriers and barriers related to the healthcare system and healthcare personnel. Participants also highlighted the importance of facilitating interventions like medication management, health education, supportive social networks, and ensuring continuity of care. The study underscores the need for targeted strategies to improve medication adherence among the vulnerable elderly. [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]

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]

Young people in statutory care and protection interact with social workers, who hold potential to provide a supportive adult role in their lives. Many however, run away at an early age and end up on the street trading sex for money or other favours. There is potential to improve outcomes for young people in care if the relationship between young people and their social workers is better addressed. This paper uses data from a qualitative study of 14 young people who traded sex and who had experienced interactions with social workers. A thematic analysis identified three themes: the rigidity of social work practice; contesting the family situation; and resisting the at-risk label. We argue that to have any impact on outcomes for young people in care, social workers need to prioritise relationship-building above the need to conform to organizational protocols and guidelines. Such guidelines assist the social worker in assessing whether family situations pose high risk for a young person, but the 'at-risk' label is contested by young people, which results in a lack of trust and a barrier to relationship building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work is a practice-based profession with social justice as a core value and ethical principle. Social work programs incorporate social justice into both the explicit and implicit curricula. However, there has been a longstanding divide in how to address social justice at systemic levels while fostering socially just and competent practice. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine how MSW students describe their learning about social justice and social work practice. To explore this area of inquiry, we conducted three focus groups (N = 16) with current MSW students or recent MSW graduates from Canadian social work programs. Participants described the following five themes that either facilitated or created barriers in their learning about social justice and social work practice: 1) reflection on practice, 2) negotiating discomfort, uncertainty, and safety, 3) learning from lived experiences, 4) learning how to embody social justice in practice, and 5) receiving support, supervision, and coaching. We discuss the implications for social work education and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults experiencing homelessness (OAEH) age quickly and die earlier than their housed counterparts. Illness-related decisions are best guided by patients' values, but healthcare and homelessness service providers need support in facilitating these discussions. The Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG) is a communication tool to guide discussions but has not yet been adapted for OAEH. Methods: We aimed to adapt the SICG for use with OAEH by nurses, social workers, and other homelessness service providers. We conducted semi-structured interviews with homelessness service providers and cognitive interviews with OAEH using the SICG. Service providers included nurses, social workers, or others working in homeless settings. OAEH were at least 50 years old and diagnosed with a serious illness. Interviews were conducted and audio recorded in shelters, transitional housing, a hospital, public spaces, and over Zoom. The research team reviewed transcripts, identifying common themes across transcripts and applying analytic notetaking. We summarized transcripts from each participant group, applying rapid qualitative analysis. For OAEH, data that referenced proposed adaptations or feedback about the SICG tool were grouped into two domains: "SICG interpretation" and "SICG feedback". For providers, we used domains from the Toolkit of Adaptation Approaches: "collaborative working", "team", "endorsement", "materials", "messages", and "delivery". Summaries were grouped into matrices to help visualize themes to inform adaptations. The adapted guide was then reviewed by expert palliative care clinicians for further refinement. Results: The final sample included 11 OAEH (45% Black, 61 ± 7 years old) and 10 providers (80% White, 8.9 ± years practice). Adaptation themes included changing words and phrases to (1) increase transparency about the purpose of the conversation, (2) promote OAEH autonomy and empowerment, (3) align with nurses' and social workers' scope of practice regarding facilitating diagnostic and prognostic awareness, and (4) be sensitive to the realities of fragmented healthcare. Responses also revealed training and implementation considerations. Conclusions: The adapted SICG is a promising clinical tool to aid in the delivery of serious illness conversations with OAEH. Future research should use this updated guide for implementation planning. Additional adaptations may be dependent on specific settings where the SICG will be delivered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe health and social care managers' perceptions of the factors affecting the competence of managers in knowledge management. Design: A qualitative descriptive study. Methods: A semi‐structured interview was conducted with 15 managers from three public health and social care organizations in Finland. Data were collected in the spring of 2022 and analysed using inductive content analysis. Results: Health and social care managers perceived that the competence of managers working in knowledge management is affected by managers' behavioural and attitudinal characteristics, their interactive network competence in knowledge management, the dimensions of their competence in knowledge management, the knowledge management infrastructure with which they work and the organizational learning culture within which they work. Conclusions: The competence of health and social managers in knowledge management is influenced by various factors, including their personal characteristics, management competence and the infrastructure and culture of the organization for which they work. However, their competence is constrained by an absence of clear processes, structures and resources in knowledge management as well as a lack of systematic support and training for managers working in knowledge management. Impact: The study provides valuable information for improving the competence of managers working in knowledge management in health and social care organizations. The competence of managers working in knowledge management is instrumental for successful implementation and sustaining of knowledge management practices and thus, such competence has a positive impact on the overall performance of an organization. Implications: Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of health and social care managers, as well as establishing organizational structures, is essential for effective knowledge management in organizations. Reporting Method: Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist has been used in the reporting. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retaining social workers in the workforce is a significant challenge and a considerable amount of research has focused on identifying and examining the reasons why social workers choose to leave the profession. This paper presents findings collected as part of a small-scale exploratory study into why some social workers have chosen to remain in the social work profession for many years and who consider themselves to be passionate about their careers. In particular, the paper focuses on the potential of effective professional supervision as a factor that can facilitate social worker workforce retention. Supervision was mentioned by all participants in the study as being important for their wellbeing, either throughout their social work career or at particular points along the way, and supervision was also cited as one of the reasons they were still social workers. On the basis of this research, the authors argue that regular professional supervision can increase the retention rate of social worker employees; and it is, therefore, false economy not to allocate sufficient resources for effective supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supervision of undergraduate social work students on placement is fundamental to their development as 50% of the BSc (Hons) social work degree in the UK comprises practice learning, which is widely acknowledged as the signature pedagogy of the profession. In Northern Ireland practice learning opportunities are supervised by practice teachers. To ensure a consistent quality and supply of practice teachers a Master's programme offering approximately 35 places per year is delivered at Ulster University. The trainee practice teachers had to navigate working on the front line through the COVID 19 pandemic, post graduate study and the professional supervision and assessment of undergraduate social work students on placement. This article presents evidence from a small scale qualitative study evaluating the practice teaching programme conducted with 22 trainee practice teachers. Respondents were asked to complete a semi structured online survey. The evaluation sought their perceptions regarding the duality of their unique experience as a gatekeeper to the profession and student managing the unprecedented challenges of assessing the competence of social work students on placement. Several themes emerged including assessing competence, the student experience and support from the practice assessor. A further outcome was the creation of a Peer Learning Bubble Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a dearth of research on trauma bonding among victims of sex trafficking. This study aims to fill this gap by seeking to understand how service providers working with survivors of sex trafficking conceptualize and observe trauma bonding in their clients. This qualitative study involved interviews with 10 participants. Purposeful sampling was employed among licensed social workers or counselors. Two themes emerged: defining trauma bonding (with four subthemes: embracing intensity, power imbalance, distortion of love, and inescapability) and the development of trauma bonds (with three subthemes: universality, gendered, and grooming). These findings provide much-needed insight into the complexities of trauma bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mental health providers are well-positioned to engage in suicide prevention efforts, yet implementation depends on skill acquisition and providers often report feeling underprepared. This pilot study explored the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of three suicide prevention-focused simulations with virtual clients. Method: Students (n = 22) were recruited from a Master of Social Work program, completed pre- and post-test surveys, and engaged with three simulated trainings: (1) suicide risk assessment, (2) safety planning, and (3) motivating a client to treatment. Results: Simulations were reported to be acceptable and feasible, with strong student desire and need for greater suicide prevention training. We observed significant improvements over time in clinical skills via simulated training scores and perceptions of clinical preparedness. Discussion: Preliminary findings indicate simulated training with virtual clients is promising and suggest the three suicide prevention simulations may be useful, scalable, and effective in social work training programs and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Support and Aid to Families Electronically (SAFE) pilot program was developed through a community–university partnership to support parents of elementary students in Ontario, while providing stable practicums for social work students in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions. Purpose: The aim of the current study was to examine the feasibility of the SAFE pilot program as a mental health support to families by examining three feasibility objectives: demand, acceptably, and implementation. Method: Qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, and qualitative surveys involving service users, social work students, referring school board and university professionals (n = 37) were examined. Results: Demand for SAFE extended beyond the pandemic. A high-level of acceptance of SAFE was identified. Areas of success and considerations for implementation are outlined. Discussion: This study provides practice guidance on implementing this unique program, with potential to address gaps in service provision and the ongoing crisis in field education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the pandemic, social and health care professionals operated in 'crisis conditions'. Some existing rules/protocols were not operational, many services were closed/curtailed, and new 'blanket' rules often seemed inappropriate or unfair. These experiences provide fertile ground for exploring the role of virtues in professional life and considering lessons for professional ethics in the future. Research design and aim: This article draws on an international qualitative survey conducted online in May 2020, which aimed to explore the ethical challenges experienced by social workers during Covid-19. Participants and research context: 607 social workers responded from 54 countries, giving written online responses. This article first summarises previously published findings from the survey regarding the range of ethical challenges experienced, then develops a new analysis of social workers' accounts of ethically challenging situations from a virtue ethics perspective. This analysis took a narrative ethics approach, treating respondents' accounts as stories featuring the tellers as moral agents, with implicit or explicit implications for their professional ethical identity and character. The article is illustrated with accounts from the 41 UK respondents, drawing particularly on two case examples. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was gained from Durham University and anonymity was ensured for participants. Findings/results: This article explores the nature of the ethical space created during the pandemic showing how practitioners were able to draw more on 'inner resources' and professional discretion than usual, displaying virtues such as professional wisdom, care, respectfulness and courage as they took account of the specific contexts of their work, rather than simply adhering to blanket rules. Conclusion: Exploring practice through a virtue ethical lens provides valuable lessons for 'building back better' in social and health care professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores findings from an exploratory study on sibling relationships following adoption reunion in adulthood. The qualitative data was gathered through in‐depth interviews with 33 adopted adults who were reunited with their birth sibling(s) through an adoption agency in the Republic of Ireland. The findings throw light upon the development of the emotional, often complex, relationships which may emerge when siblings meet for the first time in adult life. Factors influential in facilitating or hindering these post‐reunion relationships are discussed. The important insights are then considered in the context of the wider international literature on adoption, search and reunion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural competence in social work practice has been cited as crucial in the pursuit of ethical and professional standards. Still, conceptual, and practical questions remain for defining, imparting, and assessing skills of social work professionals in this key area. Practice-based knowledge has the potential to advance debates regarding the operationalization of culturally conscious approaches and behaviors in professional social work settings. This qualitative study is an effort to assemble valuable lessons and insights of social work professionals across the United States in identifying key aspects of adapting to cultural diversity. Perspectives of integrating experiences into cultural competence beliefs, knowledge and skills were gathered from 10 professional social workers from various backgrounds within different practice levels and settings. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually with participants with interactions recorded and transcribed for data collection. A combination of narrative and thematic analysis techniques was used to identify reoccurring aspects of experiences navigating cultural differences in professional settings. Six distinct themes were identified within three separate domains of 1) conceptualizations, 2) learning experiences, and 3) growth opportunities. Potential application of findings is discussed for use in innovative approaches to education and training along with organizational changes to foster culturally competent practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this qualitative study, we consider student experiences with and perceptions of teaching methods that are clinical skill-based (e.g., simulation role plays). Focus groups included Master of Social Work students (N = 40) from six universities in the United States. A framework-guided content analysis was used and revealed four discussion areas: (a) classroom-based opportunities for practice observation and feedback, (b) field-based opportunities for practice observation and feedback, (c) other methods such as standardized patient simulations and computer simulations, and (d) attitudes about these methods. Experiences were quite diverse with classroom-based clinical role plays being the most common. Attitudes were generally positive. Student reflections on their experiences yielded several teaching recommendations specific to preparation, the nature of the simulated client role, and feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work programs in the Global North are increasingly engaged in international student exchange with countries in the Indo-Pacific that belong to the Global South. However, there is a paucity of literature exploring the experiences of the institutions that host these exchanges. This article reports on the findings of a qualitative project that sought host institutions' perspectives on the value of student exchanges. The findings indicate a perception that some mutual benefit and reciprocity can be established in international exchange but that disparity in resourcing, absence of opportunities for hosts to travel to Australia, and the privileged status of knowledge produced in the Global North maintains an inequity between exchange partners. These findings highlight the need for steps that can be taken toward reciprocity while demonstrating the impact power imbalance can have on the nature of Global South–North student exchange programs. IMPLICATIONS Research has shown that student exchange programs between the Global North and the Global South are often underpinned and shaped by a significant power imbalance in favour of the Global North. Findings show that Australian (Global North) knowledge is privileged over knowledge that is Indigenous to the host country and that financial constraints prevent host organisations from equal participation in programs. A form of reciprocity can be established whereby organisations in the Global South can access benefits associated with the programs, without sending their own students on exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflective practice and critical reflection are considered crucial to learning and practising social work. Based on qualitative analysis of interviews with Australian social work practitioners, students, and academics this article offers a description of the strong normative role reflective practice plays in contemporary social work practice. The research was conducted as part of a larger interpretive study into how reflective practice is understood in social work education and practice in Australia. The research found that reflective practice is considered as central to the development of practice wisdom, accountability, and the development of self-awareness. The article discusses the normative role reflective practice plays for social worker agency. The article also outlines the formative role social theory plays in the development of critical reflection. IMPLICATIONS Reflective practice and critical reflection can be viewed as important and distinct capabilities in professional social work practice. Reflective practice is an important foundation for the emergence of practitioner agency. As critical reflection is more likely to develop in social workers who have had the opportunity to learn social theory, it is important to ensure social theory is included in foundational social work curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugee patients benefit from interdisciplinary approaches that address trauma-related migration in culturally responsive ways. This qualitative evaluation assessed the interdisciplinary trauma-based course for refugee populations. The qualitative data comes from focus groups and surveys to evaluate medical, social work, and public health students' perceptions of the interprofessional education course of refugee patient care. The evaluators analyzed qualitative data through a thematic content analysis method. Following key themes emerged from students' reflections: (1) collaboration in interdisciplinary learning, (2) role of clinical learning, (3) skills and knowledge related to refugee population care, (4) improvements for interprofessional education, and (5) strengths of the interprofessional education course. The Interprofessional Refugee Health Elective course enhanced their knowledge and competence in refugee health care. Educators, students, and the patient population will benefit from investing in interprofessional education courses that focus on specific needs and complex care management for refugee patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore social and healthcare professionals' experiences of end‐of‐life (EOL) care planning and documentation in palliative care. Design: A qualitative study with narrative methodology. Methods: A narrative method with interviews was used. Data were collected from purposively selected registered nurses (n = 18), practical nurses (n = 5), social workers (n = 5) and physicians (n = 5) working in palliative care unit in five hospitals in three hospital districts. Content analysis within narrative methodologies was undertaken. Results: Two main categories – patient‐oriented EOL care planning and multi‐professional EOL care planning documentation– were formed. Patient‐oriented EOL care planning included treatment goals planning, disease treatment planning and EOL care setting planning. Multi‐professional EOL care planning documentation included healthcare professionals' and social professionals' perspectives. Healthcare professionals' perspectives on EOL care planning documentation included benefits of structured documentation and poor support of electronic health record (EHR) for documentation. Social professionals' perspective on EOL care planning documentation included usefulness of multi‐professional documentation and externality of social professionals in multi‐professional documentation. Conclusion: The results of this interdisciplinary study demonstrated a gap between what healthcare professionals consider important in Advance Care Planning (ACP), that is, proactive, patient‐oriented and multi‐professional EOL care planning and the ability to access and document this in a useful and accessible way in the EHR. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Knowledge of the patient‐centered EOL care planning and multi‐professional documentation processes and their challenges are prerequisites for documentation to be supported by technology. Reporting Method: The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was followed. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of children in care in Wales is one of the highest in the world and has increased considerably in the past two decades. Whilst many factors may be driving these increases, there is considerable variation between local authorities. This article presents findings from a survey completed by children's social care workers in Wales (n  = 792). It compares the views, values and responses to case study vignettes of workers in authorities with increasing to those with decreasing care rates over five years (2016–2020). Statistically significant differences were found relating to the values and the practices of workers, with workers in local authorities with reducing rates having stronger pro-family values, less risk averse responses to case vignettes, more confidence in the decisions made in their local authority and being more positive about support for practice. The findings indicate that variations in local authority values and practices may influence the rate of children in care and that some with significant social problems seem able to avoid the large numbers of children in care found in other authorities. The challenge faced in Wales and the UK is how local authorities can learn from one another to ensure consistency and quality in services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is a leading cause of death among schizophrenia spectrum disorder populations. This open pilot study examined a modified cognitive-behavioral suicide prevention treatment for clients in community mental health. Providers (n = 5) were trained to deliver the treatment and clients (n = 5) received it in 10 individual therapy sessions. Clients experienced improvements in suicide ideation, depression, hopelessness, general symptoms of psychosis, entrapment, defeat, approaches to coping, psychological stress, impulsivity, and the number of treatment barriers from baseline to post-treatment. Qualitative findings reinforced quantitative results of client improvements and provided important suggestions to strengthen the intervention and its delivery in community mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of art (e.g. visualized narratives) in social work may stimulate dialogue between community members about family support in their neighbourhood. The Visualized Narratives on Parenting Interactions in the Neighbourhood (VN‐PIN) were developed in order to foster this dialogue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the VN‐PIN in social work practice and to gain insight in mechanisms that stimulate dialogues supported by visualizations. A qualitative process evaluation was conducted to explore the use of the VN‐PIN in various urban settings. We observed meetings (N = 14) where the VN‐PIN was applied and interviewed professionals and community members (N = 81). The results of this study show that the VN‐PIN intervention gives parents a voice and allows them to recognize and reflect on their own parenting behaviour, thereby contributing to mutual exchanges in a supportive community. The conclusion of this study is that the VN‐PIN is a useful intervention that social work professionals can use to foster dialogues about parenting within diverse contexts in super‐diverse neighbourhoods. The intervention fosters a supportive structure to share experiences of various community members. Future research is needed to further evaluate the experiences and satisfaction of community members with the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• During COVID-19, care leavers in Wales looked to their corporate parents for support. • Social care workers sought to provide continued support despite lockdown restrictions. • Some young people felt supported, but others felt neglected and forgotten. • Corporate parenting responses had the potential to mitigate or compound adversities during COVID-19. • Evidence from this study supports on-going efforts in Wales to strengthen corporate parenting. This paper considers the support available to care leavers during the Covid-19 pandemic from their corporate parents. The paper contributes to a developing evidence base concerned with social work efforts to adapt and maintain support provision during the unprecedented circumstances, and provides insight into how such support was perceived and experienced. Funded by Voices from Care Cymru and Cardiff University, a qualitative, mixed method study was conducted which included a survey of Welsh Local Authority professionals (n = 22) and interviews with Welsh care-experienced young people aged 17–24 (n = 17). The findings of this paper show the propensity of corporate parents to provide protection against the adversities of the pandemic, or to compound difficulties. While some young people reported being both practically and emotionally supported, for others corporate parenting support was perceived as unavailable, unhelpful and / or uncaring. The Covid-19 pandemic provides a unique lens to consider the strengths, flaws and future opportunities for corporate parenting. The findings emphasise the need for parity of support for young people leaving care and consideration of national, local and individual responses is included. Yet consistent with findings pre-dating the pandemic, the findings reaffirm the enduring importance of both relationships and resources in ensuring good support for care leavers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide a measure of self-perceived health status or health-related quality of life. They have been used to support provider-patient decisions, healthcare delivery, and value-based healthcare models. A barrier to routine collection of PROMs is the perception that PROMs lack clinical utility. As such, it is important to establish clinicians' acceptability of the PROM prior to large-scale implementation. This study explored the acceptability of the routine use and collection of a generic PROM in healthcare services from the perspective of healthcare staff. Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were completed from September 2020 to March 2021 with 26 staff from two multi-disciplinary community healthcare services in Melbourne, Australia. Interviews explored their experiences of using the EQ-5D-5L in their routine care. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed according to a framework approach, using inductive and deductive techniques. Results: Participants discussed the acceptability of the EQ-5D-5L with reference to four themes: practicalities of use; holistic nature; influence on client care; and influence on health service. Participants found the EQ-5D-5L quick and easy to administer, and appreciated that it measured multiple domains of health that were relevant to their clients' care. They believed the EQ-5D-5L helped to identify client problems, and inform service delivery. They also reported features that were less acceptable, including a lack of item specificity to some healthcare disciplines. Participants reported the challenge of managing conflict between their assessment of the client's health and the client's perspective of their own health, leading some to question whether the client could provide an accurate reflection of their own health. Conclusions: The EQ-5D-5L has several features that healthcare staff viewed as acceptable for routine collection and use in healthcare. Training on the validity of the patient reported perspective and broadening the scope of PROMs collection beyond the EQ-5D-5L should be considered to facilitate large-scale implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiential philanthropy, or student philanthropy, is a type of service learning that helps students actively learn about community needs and non-profit organizations. This "learning by giving" approach has the potential to enhance various social work competencies identified by social work scholars and associations, such as the Council on Social Work Education. This article examines the outcomes of this approach for social work students, using a multifaceted conceptual framework that recognizes students as active learners, community members, and social activists. It analyzes quantitative and qualitative data from a relatively large number of undergraduate and graduate students (N=219). The results indicate that experiential philanthropy had positive outcomes on various measures for the vast majority of respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of co-produced research is increasingly recognised. This is a case study of a lay conducted, co-produced qualitative research study on the experiences of social workers and Disabled users of their services of using (or not) digital technologies when communicating with each other. We describe the co-production process from inception to dissemination and draw out lessons for future studies. Disabled lay researchers developed interview topic guides, conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers and Disabled users of social work services, analysed the data and led or contributed to study outputs. Several factors contributed to the success of this study. It was co-produced using service user, practitioner and academic knowledge. It is built on existing trusted relationships. Training and support were targeted and relevant, and delivered using a variety of learning methods, including peer support. Disabled lay researchers drew on their lived experiences to develop topic guides and interpret data. The study team was committed to inclusion, capacity building and an assets-based approach, and to carefully managing power relationships. Challenges were the time required to setup the study and to train and support lay researchers, and the bureaucratic and governance systems that were not ideally suited to root and branch co-production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are known to be at higher risk of adverse health outcomes and premature mortality when compared to the housed population and often face significant barriers when attempting to access health services. This study aimed to better understand the specific health care needs of PEH and the barriers and facilitators associated with their timely and equitable access to health services in the European context. Methods: We conducted an exploratory cross-national qualitative study involving people with lived experience of homelessness and health and social care professionals in Austria, Greece, Spain, and the UK. A total of 69 semi-structured interviews comprising 15 social care professionals, 19 health care professionals, and 35 PEH were completed, transcribed, and analysed thematically. Results: Findings were organised into three overarching themes relating to the research question: (a) Health care needs of PEH, (b) Barriers to health care access, and (c) Facilitators to health care access. Overall, the general health of PEH was depicted as extremely poor, and mainstream health services were portrayed as ill-equipped to respond to the needs of this population. Adopting tailored approaches to care, especially involving trusted professionals in the delivery of care, was identified as a key strategy for overcoming existing barriers. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate there to be a high degree of consistency in the health care needs of PEH and the barriers and facilitators associated with their access to health care across the various European settings. Homelessness in itself is recognized to represent an essential social determinant of health, with PEH at risk of unequal access to health services. Changes are thus required to facilitate PEH's access to mainstream primary care. This can also be further complemented by investment in 'in-reach' services and other tailored and person-centred forms of health care. Trial registration: This study was registered retrospectively on June 6, 2022, in the registry of ClinicalTrials.gov under the number NCT05406687. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-take-up of social benefits is widely viewed as a critical problem in the modern welfare state, undermining the social contract between it and its citizens. Social work has always been considered a key profession in promoting take-up of social benefits as part of its professional commitment to human rights and advocacy. Yet, despite recent research efforts aiming to conceptualise take-up advocacy, there is a clear need to address the experience of claimants who have successfully taken up their rights and to learn from their experiences to identity best practices. This study drew on thirty-two semi-structured interviews with claimants successful in taking up social benefits in order to learn how they had overcome take-up barriers. The findings highlight four key lessons for increasing the likelihood of take-up in practice: (1) take the first step; (2) become an expert; (3) use your strengths; and (4) seek support. Together, these lessons present a multifaceted view of strategies used successfully to facilitate take-up, emphasising the importance of the claimants' personal capabilities, strengths and experiential knowledge as important gateways to take-up. These findings are also discussed in light of the existing knowledge on take-up advocacy by social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]