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I remember reading my termination letter (Figure 1) and being overwhelmed by a sense of urgency and desperation. Urgent because I was unemployed and needed to work and make money [...]

OBJECTIVE To describe the characteristics of 310 children of up to 16 years of age with suspected abuse admitted to a tertiary pediatric hospital, to describe their management process, as well as to calculate the duration and basic cost of their hospitalization. METHOD Main variables of interest were examined from a data set of minors (demographics, family and socioeconomic status, etc.) from the archives of the Social Service of “P. & A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital of Athens. The dataset included the total of children admitted to the hospital with a public prosecutor’s order during a specific three years period. RESULTS The socioeconomic factor most often recorded in this study’s participants was parental unemployment within the nuclear family structure. The main reason for referral to the Hospital’s Social Service was neglect. The most frequently recorded case outcome category was the return of children to their family home under the supervision of Community Social Services. The analysis of the correlations between sex, age, residence status and the referral reasons of minors noted significant differences. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the study may contribute to the design and implementation of future interventions aimed at the development of an effective and immediate response system and the formulation of abuse prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This article explores children's learning experiences from taking part in an educational intervention about social services in school. Data were collected from six group interviews with 27 children after they had participated in lessons about social services. Following a narrative evaluation approach, the analysis focuses on the narratives of change that are made visible through the children's shared reflections about their learning experiences. Findings: In their narratives of change, the children presented the educational intervention as meaningful for them because it increased their knowledge about social services as a possible support function for children and families. Some of the children related their previous more negative perceptions of social services to a collective story building on the idea that social services take children away from their families. Through the educational intervention, this collective story changed in part into another collective story building on the idea that social services help children and families to improve their relationships. Applications: The study shows that an educational intervention about social services in school has the potential to increase children's knowledge about social services and to influence in a positive direction the collective stories that shape public perceptions of social work. Although such changes in collective stories can be expected to benefit social work practice, welfare professionals must be careful to promote opportunities for children to share experiences of social services that challenge, as well as align with, any of these collective stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education transforms the individual and society into a better state of development. Lecturers who are key actors in ensuring the smooth running of most university institutions often embark on strike actions to demand better welfare structures and services that enable them to discharge their duties. While these frequent strikes impact lecturers and students; older adult lecturers suffer greatly from the impact of frequent strikes in Nigeria and studies on the impact of frequent strikes on older adult lecturers are scarce. This qualitative study seeks to fill the gap using an interpretive phenomenological approach by exploring the difficulties frequent strikes have on older adult lecturers and approaches to curb them. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 older adult lecturers who are 60 years and older purposively selected from two universities in Nigeria that have experienced the incessant Academic Staff Union of Universities strike over time. Data from the study were analyzed in themes using manual coding. Findings from the study showed that frequent strikes had a psychological impact such as depression, adverse financial impact on the well-being of older lecturers, and also led to an increased brain drain in the educational sector. It is recommended that policies on education and aging should promote the establishment of effective conflict-resolution mechanisms between university management, lecturers, social workers, and relevant stakeholders as well as enhance resources for quality aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crisis period of the pandemic caused serious changes that affected religious institutions. One of the notable shifts in religious life over the past few years has been digitalisation and mediatisation. Young people react to new phenomena and processes in the religious domain in their own way, express different assessments and expectations. The article analyses the attitude of young people towards the role of religious organizations in the situation of the pandemic and after it, the level of trust in religious organizations and their representatives, expectations from the clergy, attitude to the processes of digitalisation and mediatisation of religious life. The paper is based on the data of a sociological survey and a number of focus groups. Religious organizations elicit a variety of assessments, from positive (mainly among young believers) to disapproving (among non-believers). Young people, particularly atheists, are critical of the open interaction of religious structures with political institutions and the interference of the church into various aspects of secular society. In part, the youth express the usual criticism of religion, which is popular nowadays. Some of the negative assessments are related to the lack of information, for example, about the real activity of religious structures and individual clergy in helping people who found themselves in a vulnerable position during the coronavirus pandemic. Numerous examples of social service in the form of spiritual, psychological and cial support of those in need from various parishes went almost unnoticed. The popularity of those pastors who use virtual space in their work testifies to young people’s poignant need of to receive information about religion. At the same time, the youth trust informal communication, which is devoid of the traditional instructive tone.

The Canadian public sector employs around one-fifth of Canadian workers; they are responsible for policy making, stewarding public funds, and serving the public. Canadian governments struggle with job satisfaction, engagement, retention, and turnover, all of which may be associated with public service motivation (PSM). We conducted a scoping review of Canadian PSM research to synthesize what is known about these associations in the Canadian context. We identified 24 published studies and four works in progress. These demonstrate that PSM exists among Canadian public servants from the early stages of their career until later stages, and that PSM bolsters attraction to public sector work among students. No studies measured PSM among Canadian public servants using a validated instrument. Further research about the contributions of PSM to the quality of Canadian public services and how employers can nurture PSM is recommended, particularly given recent changes in work environments. Le secteur public canadien emploie environ un cinquieme des travailleurs canadiens; ces derniers sont responsables de l'elaboration des politiques, de la gestion des fonds publics et du service au public. Les gouvernements canadiens se debattent avec la satisfaction au travail, l'engagement, la retention et le roulement de personnel, qui peuvent tous etre associes a la motivation de travailler pour le service public (PSM). Nous avons effectue une revue exploratoire de la documentation canadienne sur la MSP afin de synthetiser ce que Ton sait de ces associations dans le contexte canadien. Nous avons identifie 24 etudes publiees et quatre travaux en cours. Ceux-ci demontrent que la PSM existe bien parmi les fonctionnaires canadiens des le debut de leur carriere jusqu'aux phases ulterieures, et quelle renforce l'attrait pour le travail dans le secteur public parmi les etudiants. Aucune etude n'a utilise d'instrument valide pour mesurer la PSM parmi les fonctionnaires canadiens. Nous recommandons des recherches plus approfondies concernant comment la PSM peut contribuer a la qualite des services publics canadiens et sur la maniere dont les employeurs peuvent l'encourager, en particulier compte tenu des recents changements dans les milieux de travail., INTRODUCTION Public Service Motivation (PSM) is an important construct in public administration, and more specifically public sector management scholarship that originated in the United States. It speaks to three categories [...]

Public servants play a vital role as intermediaries between policymakers and the public, offering expert advice on public policy and implementing ministerial decisions for the common good. Given that most Canadians interact with non-partisan, professional bureaucrats, public sentiment towards public servants becomes a crucial indicator of the health of the country's democracy. Trust levels serve as a barometer: high trust aligns with a well-functioning system, while low trust may challenge government legitimacy and its ability to fulfill democratic mandates. This study explores confidence levels in the public service in Alberta amid the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from the April 2022 Viewpoint Alberta survey. Our findings illuminate diverse attitudes towards public servants amidst significant social, economic, and political upheaval. En offrant des conseils specialises sur les politiques publiques et en appliquant les decisions ministerielles pour le bien commun, les fonctionnaires jouent un role indispensable d'intermediaires entre les decideurs politiques et le public. Etant donne que la plupart des Canadiens interagissent avec des bureaucrates professionnels impartiaux, l'opinion du public a l'egard des fonctionnaires devient un indicateur essentiel de la sante democratique du pays. Les niveaux de confiance servent de barometre : une confiance elevee correspond a un systeme qui fonctionne bien, tandis qu'une confiance faible peut remettre en cause la legitimite du gouvernement et sa capacite a remplir ses mandats democratiques. A partir des donnees de l'enquete Viewpoint Alberta d'avril 2022, cette etude examine les niveaux de confiance dans la fonction publique de l'Alberta en pleine pandemie de COVID-19. Nos resultats mettent en lumiere les attitudes variees a l'egard des fonctionnaires dans un contexte lourd de bouleversements sociaux, economiques et politiques., INTRODUCTION Public servants are an essential link between policymakers and the public, informing and implementing the policy decisions of the former in the form of programs and services for the [...]

Copyright of Arts Magazine is the property of Thamar University 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.)

The object of this research is the decision-making process in the context of selecting recipients of social services using a semi-automated expert system. The main focus is on improving the mechanisms of assessment and selection of candidates eligible for assistance, in order to ensure a more efficient and objective allocation of resources. The problem addressed in this study is the need to improve the accuracy and efficiency of decision-making processes in social services through the implementation of semi-automated systems. In particular, reducing subjective influence in selection processes, as well as reducing the time and resources required to process applications. The study shows that the introduction of a semi-automated system can significantly reduce the response time to applications, increase the accuracy of candidate selection and ensure greater transparency in the decisionmaking process. The system, based on data analysis algorithms and production rules, is able to adapt to changing conditions and requirements, providing solutions based on up-to-date information. The effectiveness of the semi-automated system is due to the use of modern technologies for processing large volumes of data and the use of complex mathematical models for the analysis of this data. The implementation of a modular system with individually adjustable parameters allows the system to accurately evaluate each case based on the expected criteria, ensuring a high level of adaptability and accuracy. The results of the research can be applied in practice in various social security institutions, where there is a need to automate the processes of selection and decision-making. Important conditions for the effective implementation of the system are the availability of sufficient technical support, a high level of qualification of the personnel engaged in putting the system into operation, as well as a clear understanding of the rules and procedures that regulate social protection. In addition, to guarantee the successful application of the system, it is necessary to ensure compliance with all regulatory and legislative requirements, especially regarding the protection of personal data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the domain of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social good, with a particular emphasis on its application in social welfare and service delivery. The study seeks to establish a universal conceptual framework for ethically integrating AI into the social services sector, recognizing the sector's significant yet underexplored potential for AI utilization. The objective is to develop a comprehensive framework applicable to the ethical deployment of AI in social services, using Lithuania as a case study to illustrate its practicality. This involves analysing the political discourse on AI, examining its applications in social welfare, identifying ethical challenges, evaluating the digitalization progress in Lithuania's public services, and formulating guidelines for AI integration at various stages of delivering social services. Our methodology is rooted in document analysis, encompassing a thorough review of both normative and scientific literature pertinent to the ethical application of AI in social welfare. Key findings reveal that AI's anticipated positive impacts on diverse social and economic areas, as highlighted in political declarations, are being partially realized, as corroborated by scientific studies. Although the global application of AI in social welfare is expanding, Lithuania presents a unique case with its strategic planning gaps in this sector. The developed conceptual framework offers vital criteria for the ethical implementation of AI systems designed to be universally applicable to various stages of social services, accommodating different AI applications, client groups, and institutional environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the reasons for starting and continuing to use substances, the changes they experience in accessing and receiving treatment, and the changes observed in family and social support systems with a biopsychosocial approach. Qualitative research method was used in this study. In addition, it was conducted with women who received inpatient treatment at the addiction rehabilitation center of Manisa Mental Health and Disorder Hospital and who did not use substances in the last year. The research sample was determined according to the principle of maximum diversity. Data were collected through in-depth telephone interviews with 31 women. In addition, the data were analyzed by content analysis using the Maxquda is qualitative data analysis (MAXQDA) program. Most of the participants stated that their relationships with their families deteriorated during substance use; they faced economic problems, and they were stigmatized more deeply because they were women. The disadvantaged situations experienced by women within the scope of gender inequality are deepened by the phenomenon of addiction, making it difficult for them to access health and social services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent World Health Organization records show that hypertension is more common in Africa than in other parts of the world, and remains a major common risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, renal diseases, and death. However, little is known about hypertension management strategies among people in rural areas. Therefore, this phenomenological study aimed to investigate knowledge of hypertension management strategies among middle-aged adults in rural areas of Anambra state. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from 40 middle-aged adults (20 males and 20 females). The data were analysed thematically. Results showed that the participants were all aware of hypertension but lacked in-depth knowledge of disease management strategies. Most of the participants did not believe that engaging in regular physical exercise/activity, and other factors like reduction in salt and alcohol intake could help in controlling high blood pressure. Social workers who are also social service providers are needed to raise awareness among middle-aged people in rural areas about hypertension management strategies. This can be done through the provision of social services like education, health services, and transport services, as this will go a long way in helping rural dwellers gain more knowledge of hypertension management strategies. With the provision of health services, the rural population will not only know management strategies for hypertension but will also be able to check their blood pressure regularly, while transport services will make it possible for the rural population who do not have health centres in their community and means of transporting themselves to the neighbouring community for treatment to do so. Future research should focus on the importance of welfare/home visits as an avenue for awareness creation on hypertension management strategies, as this will be an avenue for the provision of better social services for people in rural areas and an improvement in social service research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on the opportunities that digitalisation offers to rethink and innovate the role of the social service and the function of the social worker. It is based on the results of a qualitative research carried out by interviewing social service managers in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region about changes introduced in their service by the digitalisation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The article focuses in particular on the changes that have occurred in the relationship between social workers and ICTs. The results show that much of the resistance that social workers showed towards ICTs before the pandemic has been overcome. They however still seem to be passive and executive rather than active and creative towards them. In this regard, however, further in-depth studies are needed to highlight the actual processes of appropriation of ICT by social workers. The results confirm that ICTs are able to trigger organisational learning processes that can change the way practitioners work and the way services are organised. They also offer interesting insights into how to exploit the positive aspects of the digitalisation imposed by COVID-19 and how to rethink the training of social workers in order to develop and enhance their digital skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences / İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Istanbul Gelisim Universitesi Saglik Bilimleri Yuksekokulu 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.)