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Social work external accrediting bodies are moving towards competency-based models that require educational providers to demonstrate that students meet specific competencies at graduation. It is expected that all social work students at accredited social work programs in Australia will have acquired specific graduate attributes and demonstrated the associated learning outcomes by the completion of their degree. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and benefits of using an ePortfolio with Master of Social Work students (n = 43) to critically reflect on their own learning and demonstrate how they met the Australian Association of Social Work graduate attributes necessary for accreditation. The findings revealed that students' perceived level of readiness for practice and identity as a professional social worker increased with the successful completion of the ePortfolio. The study also identified barriers and enablers in implementing the ePortfolio as an assessment piece to document overall program learning outcomes. The conclusion discusses how ePortfolios are a viable assessment tool in the online and blended learning space that has benefit for both the student and the program in demonstrating learning outcomes and compliance with accreditation graduate standards. Academic ePortfolios are an effective tool for student reflection and communication of competence of required graduate outcomes. Student self-assessment of graduate attributes can strengthen professional identity and preparedness for professional practice. The ePortfolios benefit students and social work educators by sharing the accreditation-obligated responsibility of ensuring that AASW graduate competencies are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neo-liberalism has driven a crisis in Social Work Field Education (SWFE) globally, creating competition, funding cuts, increased workload, and limited capacity to support students. This has been exacerbated by widespread disruptions associated with the global pandemic and other disasters. This article outlines how one Australian university SWFE team has enhanced placement opportunities for students and industry during times of crisis, via a partnership approach. Outcomes include multiple student placements, joint initiatives, mutual relationship, and reciprocity, placing all students during a pandemic. The article contributes to addressing global SWFE challenges, provides a framework for consideration, and identifies areas for further investigation. An innovative SWFE partnership model can assist universities and industry to withstand global crises impacting placements. Committed partners and placements, collegial relationships, and a reference group that collaboratively sets agendas for agency and university increases placement opportunities for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian multiple sclerosis (MS) community experienced two recent major crises, widespread bushfires and the COVID 19 pandemic. We aimed to understand the needs of persons with MS during times of crisis. A consumer-directed mixed-method study. We included an online survey, semi-structured interviews, and a workshop with persons with MS, carers, healthcare professionals, and disability advocates. Data were collected via: (1) 176 people completing online surveys to identify crisis concerns and communications, (2) 29 people completing online interviews on bushfire and pandemic impact, and (3) 13 people participating in a crises-priorities workshop. Descriptive data were calculated for survey response, and a general inductive analytical approach was taken with interview and workshop responses. The most significant concerns were bushfire smoke exposure and disease-modifying-medication and susceptibility to COVID-19 (66% and 63% mean concern score, respectively). Interviews indicated crises experiences from the bushfires, and the pandemic overlapped respective of changes in mood and symptom stability. For bushfires, a need for future preparations, and for the pandemic, the benefits of social restrictions, disclosing personal health information and increased care burden were important. Multiple crises challenged the MS community but offered lessons for healthcare in future crises. Continued progress in centralised crisis information, with considered use of telehealth and rural healthcare support, is needed. The MS community showed high concerns for the effect of toxic smoke from the 2019/2020 Australian bushfires and, separately, for the disease-modifying-medication and susceptibility to COVID-19. The MS community placed priority on a crisis management plan for individuals. Reduced social activity due to restrictions was beneficial for MS symptom self-awareness and may help overall fatigue management. Healthcare system preparation must prepare to alleviate increased carer workload at times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For environmental activism, new media are now essential campaign tools to better protect the environment and enhance sustainability. The literature, however, poses some limitations for such purpose. Prominently, increasing concentration of new media ownership, and government digital surveillance; also ones of communication. Given little attention to new media limitations for Australian environmental activism or internationally, our focus was to better understand how Australian activists perceived and responded to these limitations on the effectiveness of their activism. Analysis involved interviews with activists regarding Australia-wide fracking and old-growth forest logging campaigns. Activists brushed aside surveillance due to the democratic legitimacy of their activities, also media concentration as an issue beyond them to address with any immediacy. Instead, they focussed on immediate practical issues around communication effectiveness, including new media information overload, fake news, digital echo-chambers, and trolls. In response to these issues, we identified an "activist-responsive adaptation" strategic approach that sought to both limit such intrusions and adapt communication to more effectively engage with audiences. More broadly, to address these issues and the bigger ones of surveillance and media concentration, socially responsible regulation of new media technology and communication was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on findings of the Sex Ed Dads survey which sought Australian fathers' perspectives on communicating with their young children about relationships and sexuality, as informal sexuality educators. Given the majority of existing family-based sexuality education research draws on the experiences of mothers, gaining insights from fathers is a much needed first step in designing resources to support paternal engagement in sexuality education. A diverse sample of 612 Australian fathers completed an online survey about their views on sexuality education and their role within it. Participating fathers valued sexuality education for their children and believed that their own informal contribution to its provision was important. Fathers reported high levels of comfort discussing a wide range of topics with their child at the age they deemed appropriate, although a gap between what fathers believed they should discuss and what they actually discussed was found. Findings offer insights for schools, resource developers and sexuality education providers seeking to support increased engagement of fathers in the sexuality education domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia has changed the basis of service provision for people with disability. This mixed-methods study presents the experiences of parents of children with hearing loss during national rollout of the NDIS. Surveys were completed by 100 parents, with 57 parents reporting their child received NDIS funding. Individual interviews of seven parents in different locations provided further information. Between-group comparisons were made and regression analysis examined the influence of parental disadvantage on NDIS experiences. Qualitative data were analysed for themes and findings were triangulated. The NDIS has improved services for some children with hearing loss but initial access and ongoing navigation can be challenging for others. Barriers included a complicated system, planning delays, poor communication and uninformed National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) staff. This study suggests areas of refinement and further investigation that may improve services for children with hearing loss. Parents of children with hearing loss in Australia had difficulty accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) due to poor communication and delays. Parents reported the NDIS system was challenging and felt they needed high levels of education and advocacy skills to navigate the system and prepare information to justify necessary disability supports for their child. Parents were concerned that disadvantaged families would not receive adequate supports for their child with hearing loss due to the complexity of the NDIS. This small-scale national study indicates that recent and upcoming changes to the NDIS should be evaluated to ensure children with hearing loss can access equivalent funding packages and services regardless of family circumstances. [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]

Natural disaster impacts on populations already experiencing significant health, income, and social disadvantage, are both more intense and longer lasting than for the general population. The intersection of social isolation and poverty for some groups often results in significant risks during the immediate crisis of a disaster and ongoing challenges for recovery. This article reports on qualitative research examining natural disaster preparedness with five “at-risk” populations in regional Australia. The research was undertaken as part of a project sponsored by a regional organisation of local councils in New South Wales to map and understand spatial and social factors shaping natural disaster risks and responses. Seventeen focus groups were held with 111 participants; older people, people with disabilities, families with children under five, low-income households, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Findings illuminated participant experiences of the intersection between sociogeographic disadvantage with social isolation in the context of natural disaster preparation and response. IMPLICATIONS Social isolation—or the intersection of social and geographic disadvantage—appears to be a complex contributor to vulnerability in disaster preparation and response. Disaster risk needs to be assessed as part of social work support for vulnerable people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing handovers are an important component of patient safety and quality in communicating across transitions of care.Objectives: To determine the functions and roles of questions in nursing handovers, and of how questions contribute to handover quality improvement in specialty settings of an Australian tertiary hospital.Design: An ethnographic research design was employed.Methods: Participant observations were conducted which were audiorecorded and transcribed. Question–response sequences and the roles of questions in the handovers were coded.Results: Questions served many functions, and included: requests for information, requests for confirmation, other initiations of repair, outloud utterances, understanding checks, requests for action and agreement, and knowledge checks.Conclusions: Questioning was mostly used to transmit patient-related information, and nurses could use questioning to jointly construct understandings about patients. Future research should examine how questions function in diverse clinical environments, such as rural and regional hospitals, and how questioning occurs in multidisciplinary handover situations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

National disability strategy implementation is challenging. Competing needs and interests of government and different stakeholders mean that implementation is rarely straightforward. This study undertakes a critical framing analysis of publically available responses to the draft implementation plan for Australia’s National Disability Strategy (2010–2014) provided by five peak disability organisations. We seek to understand the frames that peak bodies advocate in order to further the interests of people experiencing disability while mapping these against the broader Australian disability policy context and good policy practice more generally. Our research reveals that the peak bodies promote frames which focus on consistency, responsibility, resourcing, inclusivity, co-production, innovation, leadership, accountability and language. In relation to these frames, the final government implementation plan demonstrates a shift in which process-related frames of resourcing and innovation are incorporated into the plan while the other predominantly actor-oriented frames are excluded and thus represented as natural and incontestable. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Parents play an essential role in the development of children's sexuality, yet often feel uncomfortable and anxious about how best to communicate with their children about sexual matters. This study had three main aims: (1) to examine parental views and confidence in relation to communicating with their child about sexuality; (2) to explore predictors of parental self-efficacy in communicating with their child about sexuality; and (3) to assess parental preferences for programme content. Data were collected across Australia by means of an online survey. Parents in the study felt relatively knowledgeable and confident discussing sexuality topics with their child, although they noted that there were topics they would not feel comfortable talking about. The extent to which the parent felt knowledgeable and comfortable in educating their child about sexuality and their use of effective parenting strategies were significantly related to parental confidence. Finally, parents rated all potential parenting intervention topics as being useful, but the most relevant topics were those related to prevention of child sexual abuse and encouraging a positive sense of self and body image. The implications of these findings for intervention design and development and further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the creation and distribution of consumer value in the most important supply chain of lentils between Australia and Sri Lanka. This adopts a value chain analysis approach applied to a case study, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Intercept surveys of consumers in Sri Lanka revealed that quality, size, and price as the most important value-creating factors. A very strong communication and relationships triad exists among the trader, indenting agent, and processor, but the flow of information from consumer to producer is weak. Opportunities lie in improved genetics, better-informed growers, and continued production efficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: It is likely that calls for disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs) continue in response to international disasters. As part of a national survey, the present study was designed to evaluate the Australian DMAT experience and the need for logistic support. Methods: Data were collected via an anonymous mailed survey distributed via State and Territory representatives on the Australian Health Protection Committee, who identified team members associated with Australian DMAT deployments from the 2004 Asian Tsunami disaster. Results: The response rate for this survey was 50% (59/118). Most of the personnel had deployed to the South East Asian Tsunami affected areas. The DMAT members had significant clinical and international experience. There was unanimous support for dedicated logistic support with 80% (47/59) strongly agreeing. Only one respondent (2%) disagreed with teams being self sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours. Most felt that transport around the site was not a problem (59%; 35/59), however, 34% (20/59) felt that transport to the site itself was problematic. Only 37% (22/59) felt that pre-deployment information was accurate. Communication with local health providers and other agencies was felt to be adequate by 53% (31/59) and 47% (28/59) respectively, while only 28% (17/59) felt that documentation methods were easy to use and reliable. Less than half (47%; 28/59) felt that equipment could be moved easily between areas by team members and 37% (22/59) that packaging enabled materials to be found easily. The maximum safe container weight was felt to be between 20 and 40 kg by 58% (34/59). Conclusions: This study emphasises the importance of dedicated logistic support for DMAT and the need for teams to be self sufficient for a minimum period of 72 hours. There is a need for accurate pre deployment information to guide resource prioritisation with clearly labelled pre packaging to assist access on site. Container weights should be restricted to between 20 and 40 kg, which would assist transport around the site, while transport to the site was seen as problematic. There was also support for training of all team members in use of basic equipment such as communications equipment, tents and shelters and water purification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will examine the involvement of the Empire Press Union, including prominent early members like Lord Northcliffe and its founder Sir Harry Brittain, in the development of imperial air services as part of a larger ongoing study involving India, Australia and New Zealand. The main focus will be on the first three decades of the organization (1909-39) and on its regular conference activity which correspond with the pioneering period of aviation in Britain and in the antipodes. The press, as will be shown, had a commercial stake in the pioneer aviation story, while the Empire Press Union, for reasons to be outlined below, had a strong interest in Imperial Airways' plans to develop the 'longest air route in the world' to that time. The focus of this analysis is inevitably limited: it does not, for example, deal with the ambitious British airship experiment which competed for funds and publicity with aviation, albeit with tragic outcomes. In contrast with the triumphalism of traditional communication and press narratives, it uncovers a complex faltering set of developments in which the Empire Press Union, both for altruistic and self-interested motives, played its part. In general terms, this involvement also serves to confirm that the Empire Press Union and its elaborate conferences paid increasing attention to new and emerging technologies like aviation and broadcasting in the interwar years. Moreover, this interest was not solely a response to the commercial challenges which such inventions posed to newspapers and print journalism; rather it reflected the willingness of the Press Union leadership, both in Britain and elsewhere, to harness such developments in the interests of speedier and cheaper imperial communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]