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Background: A train-the-trainer approach can effectively support the integration of new practice standards for health and social services professionals. This study describes the effects of an enhanced train-the-trainer program to support registered nurses and social workers working in primary care clinics in their understanding of the fundamental principles of primary care. Methods: We implemented an enhanced train-the-trainer program for registered nurses and social workers in six primary care clinics. We conducted a pre-post study using quantitative and qualitative data to assess trainers' and trainees' intention, commitment, and confidence in applying acquired knowledge. Results: We trained 11 trainers and 33 trainees. All the trainers and trainees were satisfied with the program. Trainers were less confident in their abilities as trainers following the training, especially regarding tailored coaching (p = 0.03). Trainees' commitment to becoming familiar with the functioning of their clinic (p = 0.05) and becoming part of the team increased significantly (p = 0.01); however, their intention to use their knowledge decreased (p = 0.02). Trainers and trainees identified organizational and professional barriers that may explain the observed decrease. Conclusion: An enhanced train-the-trainer program positively impacted registered nurses' and social workers' assimilation of the fundamental principles of primary care. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of train-the-trainer programs on primary care trainees and how these effects translate into patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify the attitudes of social workers about the causes of family violence in society, its forms, the issues related to cases of family violence, the consequences of this, the role played by the social worker with cases of family violence, and the existence of statistically significant differences attributed to the independent variables (gender, age, marital status and work status), and the researchers set questions for the study that represent the objectives They relied on the analytical descriptive method and used the questionnaire tool, which was applied to a sample of social workers consisting of (116) individuals, in (2022-2023 AD), and the study included a theoretical framework that included scientific terms related to the title of the study (trend, violence, family violence, The study found that there is a positive attitude of social workers with a high degree in all dimensions of the field study, the highest in the impact of the issue of domestic violence in society, followed by support for proposals that increase the positive attitude and reduce the issue of domestic violence, then the role that social workers should play, then in personal, social, economic and legal issues related to cases of violence, then in forms of domestic violence, and the lowest in the issue of domestic violence, and the study showed statistically significant differences in the attitudes of social workers with regard to the issue of domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving mental well-being is essential for social workers. Self-care services are often facilitated to enhance it, but there is limited research exploring their characteristics and effectiveness. We conducted a systematic review of self-care interventions targeting the mental well-being of social workers. A comprehensive search of four English and one Chinese databases yielded 2969 studies for initial screening. Fourteen eligible studies were finally included and reviewed. The results underscored mindfulness as prevalent and effective, with social work students being the main service recipients. Although with limitations, the findings inform future research and self-care services for social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the American Community Survey 2015–2019 combined data, this study conducts an industry– and geography-specific analysis of annual earnings of social workers in four human services industries in the NYC metropolitan area. It specifically addresses two research questions: 1) What are the sectoral (i.e., nonprofit, for-profit, government) differences in overall pay among social workers? 2) What are the sectoral differences in the racial pay gap among social workers? The analytical results suggest that: 1) Social workers of all races employed by the government were paid significantly higher than their counterparts in the private sector. Within the private sector, nonprofit social workers were paid lower than their for–profit counterparts. 2) There were not statistically significant differences in the racial pay gap for social workers across the three sectors. In other words, nonprofit and government agencies were not more racially equitable in pay compared to for-profit organizations. PRACTICE POINTS: Since NYC's nonprofit human services agencies are primarily funded by government contracts, it is imperative for the state to address the stark disparity in human services workers–pay between public and private employees. Human services organizations – nonprofit, for-profit, and government included – are obligated to address the racial pay disparity in their workplace and improve racial justice in pay. The human services field should collectively address the under-compensation of social workers, especially social workers of color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of empowerment is one of the fundamental building blocks of social work practice. This concept plays a key role in liberating people who feel pressured, such as individuals with disabilities. The main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between social workers in the disability field and the concept of empowerment. This study seeks to understand how social workers perceive the concepts of disability and empowerment, the roles in which they attempt to empower their clients, and the factors that prevent them from applying the empowerment approach. To this end, phenomenological design, a qualitative research method, was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 social workers. Social workers are insightful about the concept of empowerment and their approach to disability. They generally practice at the micro level due to neoliberal policies and the aid-oriented service models. Additionally, there are structural and mentality obstacles that impede the application of the empowerment approach, consequently affecting empowering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has predominantly centred on the negative conflicts of the interplay between work and family obligations, with limited attention paid to the concept of work–family enrichment, particularly within the context of social work. Furthermore, little is known about the underlying mechanisms through which work–family enrichment influences social workers' life meaning. To address these gaps, this study endeavours to scrutinise the serial mediation pathway involving self-efficacy and work engagement in elucidating the relationship between work–family enrichment and life meaning. A sample of 1,023 social workers (mean age = 36.24) is methodically selected through a multistage cluster random sampling approach in Hangzhou City, China. The empirical results provide evidence supporting a serial mediation path from self-efficacy with work engagement is posited to operate between work–family enrichment and life meaning. These findings hold both theoretical and practical significance, offering insights relevant to social workers, supervisors and their organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-care has been widely used in the field of social work as an effective practice for improving social workers' well-being. However, its interventional implementation in China is still unknown. A scoping review was employed to examine the self-care interventions for improving social workers' mental health and well-being and their effectiveness in Mainland China. While 2233 relevant studies from English and Chinese databases were retrieved, no study was determined to be ineligible because no interventional practices were conducted. The current state of research calls for widespread dissemination and efforts in addressing and implementing self-care interventions for Chinese social workers to enhance their mental well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background A train-the-trainer approach can effectively support the integration of new practice standards for health and social services professionals. This study describes the effects of an enhanced train-the-trainer program to support registered nurses and social workers working in primary care clinics in their understanding of the fundamental principles of primary care. Methods We implemented an enhanced train-the-trainer program for registered nurses and social workers in six primary care clinics. We conducted a pre-post study using quantitative and qualitative data to assess trainers’ and trainees’ intention, commitment, and confidence in applying acquired knowledge. Results We trained 11 trainers and 33 trainees. All the trainers and trainees were satisfied with the program. Trainers were less confident in their abilities as trainers following the training, especially regarding tailored coaching (p = 0.03). Trainees’ commitment to becoming familiar with the functioning of their clinic (p = 0.05) and becoming part of the team increased significantly (p = 0.01); however, their intention to use their knowledge decreased (p = 0.02). Trainers and trainees identified organizational and professional barriers that may explain the observed decrease. Conclusion An enhanced train-the-trainer program positively impacted registered nurses’ and social workers’ assimilation of the fundamental principles of primary care. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of train-the-trainer programs on primary care trainees and how these effects translate into patient care.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate (i) the risk of work disability (>10-day sickness absence spell or disability pension) due to common mental disorders (CMD) among social workers compared with other health and social care, education, and non-human service professionals and (ii) whether the risk was mediated by job stress. METHODS: A cohort of 16 306 public sector professionals in Finland was followed using survey data from baseline (2004 or if not available, 2008) on job stress [job strain or effort-reward imbalance (ERI)] and register data on work disability due to CMD from baseline through 2011. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the risk of work disability due to CMD between three occupation-pairs in a counterfactual setting, controlling for age, sex, job contract, body mass index, alcohol risk use, smoking, and physical inactivity. RESULTS: Social workers’ job stress was at higher level only when compared to education professionals. Thus, the mediation hypothesis was analyzed comparing social workers to education professionals. Social workers had a higher risk of work disability due to CMD compared with education professionals [hazard ratio (HR) 2.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.58–2.74]. This HR was partly mediated by job strain (24%) and ERI (12%). Social workers had a higher risk of work disability than non-human service professionals (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.13–2.09), but not compared with other health and social care professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Job stress partly mediated the excess risk of work disability among social workers only in comparison with education professionals.

This article analyses the importance of collaboration between the social worker and the child rights protection specialist. In order for good-quality social services to be provided to families and children in a timely manner, collaboration between employees of different social institutions (social workers and child rights protection specialists) that provide services to families and children is important. The object of the article is collaboration between the social worker and the child rights protection specialist, with emphasis being placed on its importance. The aim of the article is to reveal the importance of collaboration between the social worker and the child rights protection specialist. The following tasks were set to achieve this goal: to theoretically substantiate the importance of collaboration between the social worker and the child rights protection specialist; and to carry out a research analysis of the subjective assessment of the importance of collaboration between the social worker and the child rights protection specialist. This research primarily addresses the following question: How do social workers and child rights protection specialists assess the importance of collaboration? The research hypothesis is as follows: social workers and child rights protection specialists recognise the importance of collaboration. The research methods of analysis of scientific literature and documents and comparative analysis were used in this study. The questionnaire survey method was used to collect research data. The data collected were analysed using the methods of descriptive statistics, graphic representation, and correlation analysis. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software (SPSS 20 version package) and MS Excel 2016 were used for data analysis. During the theoretical analysis, the methods of comparative analysis and generalisation of scientific literature and documents were applied. This empirical research aims to investigate the importance of collaboration between the social worker and the child rights protection specialist. To achieve this aim, a quantitative research strategy was applied. Quantitative research was chosen as it is a quick and convenient method that helps to include the largest number of social workers and child rights protection specialists who can be reached in a virtual way, and provides the opportunity to compare the opinions of social workers and child rights protection specialists on the importance of collaboration. The research examines the connections and interrelationships between social workers and child rights protection specialists. The empirical research data were collected via a questionnaire survey in 2022–2023. A pilot study was also conducted, during which the reliability of the questionnaire was measured through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The reliability estimate of the questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.964, which shows very good reliability. The research sample consisted of social workers and child rights protection specialists. There were 448 subjects who participated in the study: 224 social workers and 224 child rights protection specialists. The research data were analysed using descriptive statistics and statistical analysis. The following selection criteria were applied to social workers: 1) social workers working with families in institutions providing social services and having at least 2 years of work experience; and 2) social workers with a degree in social work. The following selection criteria were applied to specialists of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service: 1)specialists of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service working in territorial departments and having at least 2 years of work experience; and 2) specialists of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service with a degree in the social work study field. The following ethical principles were observed: voluntary consent to participate in the research, awareness, data protection, ensuring anonymity and confidentiality, and the avoidance of harm to respondents. The limitations and difficulties of the research include the problems of sample limitation: the respondents had to have computers, had to know how to use them, and had to have Internet access in case of an email or an online survey. For the researchers, the problem of reversibility was encountered. It was only possible to reach the required number of research participants after contacting the heads of the territorial departments of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service and the managers of social workers working with families, after having presented the research again, and after having asked to mediate in motivating the employees to participate in the research. The analysis of theoretical sources shows that the stronger and more effective management of the situation of families and children experiencing social risks is ensured by means of smooth collaboration. Clarifying the goals of collaboration can help unite collaborating institutions and achieve common goals. It is important for collaborating institutions to clarify what each party hopes to gain when collaborating – both for their institution and for themselves (Villagrana, 2020). Langenderfer-Magruder et al. (2019) note that good communication improves the quality of case monitoring and relapse support, the timeliness of necessary resources, support for better decision-making, and the reduction of inter-institutional competition and inconsistent demands. Bai et al. (2019) indicate that interagency collaboration between the child welfare system and community agencies is necessary to achieve optimal child welfare outcomes. It is important for social workers and child rights protection specialists to collaborate with each other, being guided by a holistic approach which includes interpersonal relationships based on collaboration and mutual respect. Collaboration is essential to providing effective support to the family and/or the child, as no professional can do so alone. Only through collaboration between social workers and child rights protection specialists can the quality and efficiency of services for the family and/or the child be improved, and their needs met. It is also important for social workers and child rights protection specialists to work together towards a common goal and support each other without duplicating their functions. The analysis of the results of the empirical research revealed that mutual collaboration is particularly important for social workers and child rights protection specialists. The aforementioned specialists find the promptness of obtaining information and sharing information in mutual collaboration important. Social workers and child rights protection specialists want their relationships to be based on mutual respect and to work towards a common goal. For social workers, compared to child rights protection specialists, the parallel distribution of responsibility, the participation of all specialists in the process of providing assistance, and mutual conversations are more important in collaboration. It should also be emphasised that collaboration is essential for social workers and child rights protection specialists because, as a result, services are provided with better quality and crisis situations are managed more effectively, both of which are very beneficial for the well-being of the child. It is noteworthy that collaboration in the provision of social services is more important for social workers than for child rights protection specialists. Such results are possibly influenced by the fact that social workers are the providers of social services for families and/or children, while child rights protection specialists only determine the need to assess whether it is necessary to help the child and/or the family and apply to municipal social service institutions regarding the provision of social services for the family and/or the child.

This article analyses opportunities for strengthening collaboration between case managers and social workers based on the experiences of case managers. The Description of the Case Managements Procedure approved by the order of the Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania dated 29 March 2018, established the guidelines for the application of the case management method in the field of family assistance and defined the new duties of the case manager and the social worker. A successful and smooth process of family assistance is the goal of every case manager and social worker; thus, close collaboration between the case manager and the social worker is the cornerstone of the organisation of complex services for the family and the child. Close collaboration is necessary in the provision of assistance to the child and family; however, specialists working in the social field often face unnoticed, hard-to-assess and unpredictable results, thus they encounter many challenges. There are also difficulties in collaboration when the case manager aids the child and the family together with the social worker, while the opportunity for overcoming them becomes important and significant in order to reduce the possibility of these specialists suffering burnout and to strengthen their motivation. The research object concerns the opportunities for strengthening collaboration between the case manager and the social worker. The aim of the research is to reveal opportunities for strengthening collaboration between the case manager and the social worker based on case managers’ experiences. The problematic question is as follows: What strengthens collaboration between the case manager and the social worker? The following research methods were used: analysis of scientific literature and legal acts, generalisation method, qualitative research, and semi-structured interview. The sample of the research participants was formed by purposive sampling using the criterion sampling method, in which the research elements are selected in accordance with the established criteria. Research participants were selected according to the following criteria: 1) case managers who work in X institutions, provide case management services, and, together with social workers, organise the assistance process for families experiencing social risks; and 2) 2 years’ experience in the field of case management. The research was organised in November and December 2022; in total, 7 case managers who met all of the above criteria participated in the research. Research data were processed using qualitative content analysis, which was carried out following the inductive logic of building topics and sub-topics based on the research data. Research data were analysed in accordance with the following sequence: repeated reading of transcribed interview texts and reconsideration, data coding by identifying meaningful elements in the text, grouping of codes into sub-topics by assigning confirming statements, and distinguishing topics from sub-topics. Later, when interpreting and analysing research results, they were related to the scientific insights of other authors. In order to ensure research ethics, this research is based on the principles of: respect for the person’s voluntary participation in the study; providing information about the research; familiarisation with the aim of the research, the method of collecting data and the research procedure; benevolence; the intention not to harm the respondent; and confidentiality and anonymity. Research participants were informed about the aim of the research and its compliance with the principles of research ethics. All participants participated in the research voluntarily, as each had the option to refuse to participate in the interview or withdraw from the research at any time. All research participants were informed about the study confidentiality and the assurance of their anonymity. During the organisation of qualitative research interviews, efforts were made to create a safe, calm environment in which research participants could communicate openly and honestly. Anonymity was preserved by coding the responses of each research participant. Case managers’ responses were coded with the letters AV. During the research, the principle of tolerance was observed: each research participant was respected for their opinion, position on certain issues, experiences and feelings, and prejudices or evaluations were avoided. When analysing research results, the characteristics of the research participants are presented in general, ensuring that no personal information that might allow the identification of a specific participant is provided and research participants’ anonymity and confidentiality are ensured. To avoid the disclosure of personally identifiable information, the names of the research participants were coded using the letters AV and a number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). The coded data of all research participants are available only to the researchers. Empirical research has shown that strengthening the case manager and social worker’s competencies and ways of their cooperation are related to strengthening cooperation opportunities. Strengthening the competences of the case manager and the social worker is associated with qualification training by promoting the development of solutions to their professional problems, strengthening these abilities, deepening the understanding of the regulations of legal acts related to their activity, and fostering their knowledge and their ability in practical activity. Increasing the professionalism of specialists, case managers and social workers sharing experiences with colleagues by discussing important aspects of their activities, thus expanding available professional knowledge, and deepening their understanding of the methods that prove effective in practice also contribute to the strengthening of collaboration. Helping each other, as an expression of mutual interaction and communication, in which encouragement, support and openness are particularly important, is significant for case managers and social workers. Moreover, the expression of the competences of case managers and social worker scan also become an opportunity for strengthening collaboration. This is because it is associated with value attitudes and personal characteristics such as trust, the representation of one’s position, and the perception of the child as a priority. Opportunities for strengthening the professionalism of case managers and social workers are associated with the ways of their collaboration. The meetings of case managers and social workers, during which they express their positions, analyse problems and possible solutions, and devise an action plan, strengthen their smooth work and help ensure the protection of the child’s rights. Collaboration between case managers and social workers is unimaginable without their active involvement, when by means of collaboration they purposefully pursue a common goal. The joint work of case managers and social workers is associated with working together, when actions are coordinated, further actions are agreed upon, and responsibilities are shared. Having a common goal, trusting each other as well as working together and supporting each other is crucial in the collaboration between case managers and social workers.

Abstract Background Meaning in life is a widely accepted aim in promoting psychosocial health in institutional care. However, how caregiver interaction and perceived control impact meaning in life among the elderly remains unclear. This study explores the effect of institutional caregiver interaction, family caregiver interaction, and perceived control on meaning in life among elderly residents in China, and the potential moderating effect of elderly-to-social worker ratio in these associations. Methods Multistage random sampling was used to recruit a sample of 452 elderly residents from 4 elderly care homes in urban China. A structural equation model was used to test the study hypothesis. Results Institutional caregiver interaction is positively related to meaning in life, and perceived control among elderly residents has a positive impact on meaning in life. Moreover, the elderly-to-social worker ratio moderated the relationship between institutional caregiver interaction and meaning in life, as well as between family caregiver interaction and meaning in life. Conclusions Increase elderly’s meaning in life is an important service target for the caring professions in institutional care. Social workers affect the effectiveness of interventions on elderly’s meaning in life in institutional care. A higher elderly-to-social worker ratio could improve the effectiveness of interventions on meaning in life for elderly residents.

In the social work profession, one of the basic elements of establishing a trust relationship between social workers and clients and conducting qualified works is to be sensitive to the principle of privacy. The aim of this study is to develop the Confidentiality Awareness Scale for Social Workers (CASSW). In this context, validity and reliability analyzes were conducted. The research consists of two samples. The first sample consists of 129 (81 female, 48 male) social workers for exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In the second sample, 106 (65 Female, 41 Male) social workers were reached for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). As a result of EFA, a single-factor 8-item scale was formed. As a result of CFA, valid results were obtained (χ2/df 1.31, RMSEA 0.05, SRMR 0.01, TLI 0.97, CFI 0.98, GFI 0.99 and IFI 0.98). In addition, the internal consistency coefficient and criterion validity correlation were high. For the reliability of the scale, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and coalition of similar studies were examined. In conclusion, the confidentiality awareness scale for social workers is a valid scale for measuring confidentiality in social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual article aims to explore how self-determination theory can be utilized in integrating workplace spirituality in social work administration to help address issues such as those related to employee well-being, job satisfaction, and motivation. The paper examines the interconnection between self-determination theory, workplace spirituality, and social work administration through a review of pertinent literature on these interrelated concepts. The complementation of self-determination theory and workplace spirituality in the realm of administration hopes to create a spiritually sensitive environment that boosts self-determination and promotes the well-being of social workers for them to become healthy and productive members of human service organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Society & Social Work is the property of Journal of Society and Social Work 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 purpose of this study was to examine social workers' perceptions of safe staffing levels and correlate these perceptions with standardised measurements of well-being in the UK. This cross-sectional mixed-methods study analysed data from 406 social workers from November 2022 until late January 2023. Data were collected using anonymous online surveys including both qualitative and quantitative methods examining mental well-being, burnout and intentions to leave the profession post-coronavirus disease 2019. Findings revealed that only one-third of social workers responding perceived that they work in an environment of safe staffing. There were also significant differences in well-being and an increase in personal, work-related and client-related burnout in social workers who believed their service did not operate a safe staff-to-service user ratio. Likewise, compared to those who perceived their service to operate within a safe staff-to-service-user ratio, those who perceived unsafe ratios were more likely to communicate their intention to leave the profession. Qualitative findings helped contextualise the quantitative results. These findings suggest that increased demand for social work services, shortage of qualified social workers, high workloads, inadequate resources and retention problems, contribute to additional pressure on existing staff and have implications for policy, practice and research in social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact of workplace stress is a significant issue for social workers in hospital practice. This study aims to understand somatic stress in hospital social workers, the physical embodiment of stress and recognition within employing organisations and education. Using a collaborative inquiry methodology, data were collected using body-mapping workshops. Following Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, three overarching themes were generated: experiences of somatisation, deliberate disembodiment, stress management and staff well-being. Social worker findings include the inhabiting of multiple bodies at work and the impact of the work environment on well-being. Harmful coping strategies and a lack of existing support and recognition were identified. Recommendations include an integration of somatic stress into the existing well-being scholarship to aid in acknowledgement and resourcing. [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.)

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 study aimed to investigate how child welfare social workers assessed the leadership of their first-line managers over a period of fifteen years and to examine whether the assessments have changed over time. More specifically, the analysis focused on the extent to which social workers perceive the leadership of their first-line managers to be empowering , supportive and fair. Data were collected in the years 2003 (n  = 293), 2014 (n  = 300) and 2018 (n  = 309) using the same questionnaire, mainly based on QPS Nordic, which was distributed to social workers working with investigations of children and youth. The results show that the social workers assessed all measured aspects of their first-line managers' leadership as better in 2014 compared to 2003 and significantly better in 2018 compared to 2003. In light of previous studies showing that child welfare managers experience less optimal conditions for their leadership, the results are surprising. How is it possible that the first-line managers, despite their own descriptions of a more difficult leadership situation, are seen as more supportive, empowering and fair in their leadership from the social workers' perspective? Possible explanations for the social workers' better assessments over the years, such as specialisation, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meaning in life is a widely accepted aim in promoting psychosocial health in institutional care. However, how caregiver interaction and perceived control impact meaning in life among the elderly remains unclear. This study explores the effect of institutional caregiver interaction, family caregiver interaction, and perceived control on meaning in life among elderly residents in China, and the potential moderating effect of elderly-to-social worker ratio in these associations. Methods: Multistage random sampling was used to recruit a sample of 452 elderly residents from 4 elderly care homes in urban China. A structural equation model was used to test the study hypothesis. Results: Institutional caregiver interaction is positively related to meaning in life, and perceived control among elderly residents has a positive impact on meaning in life. Moreover, the elderly-to-social worker ratio moderated the relationship between institutional caregiver interaction and meaning in life, as well as between family caregiver interaction and meaning in life. Conclusions: Increase elderly's meaning in life is an important service target for the caring professions in institutional care. Social workers affect the effectiveness of interventions on elderly's meaning in life in institutional care. A higher elderly-to-social worker ratio could improve the effectiveness of interventions on meaning in life for elderly residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plain Language Summary: Cancer patient navigators work in diverse settings ranging from community‐based programs to comprehensive cancer centers to improve outcomes in underserved populations by eliminating barriers to timely cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship in a culturally appropriate and competent manner.This article clarifies the roles and responsibilities of Entry, Intermediate, and Advanced level cancer patient navigators. The competencies described in this article apply to patient navigators, nurse navigators, and social work navigators.This article provides a resource for administrators to create job descriptions for navigators with specific levels of expertise and for patient navigators to advance their oncology careers and attain a higher level of expertise. The American Cancer Society National Navigation Roundtable Workforce Development Task Group clarifies how patient navigators' job roles vary based on level of expertise (Entry, Intermediate, or Advanced navigators). The article provides a resource for administrators to create job descriptions for navigators with specific levels of expertise and for patient navigators to advance their oncology careers and attain a higher level of expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2522-3380) is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) 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 and Aim: Considering the role of social workers in the health system, the success and stability of organ transplantation, prevention of re-hospitalization of patients and reduction of imposed costs, this study aims to design a protocol for the specialized interventions of social workers in Iran’s medical centers in the transplant process and to create uniformity in practice. Comprehensive services have been provided to patients and their caregivers. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in two phases of resource review and qualitative. In the resource review phase, reliable databases were examined, and in the qualitative phase, in order to collect information from Delphi techniques and focused group discussion with the presence of fifteen officials and social workers working in the country’s hospitals and experts and experts. The areas of health and treatment assistants of the Ministry of Health, university professors, medical staff and experts in the field of transplantation and organ donation were carried out. The protocol was sent to eight experienced experts for final review and evaluation, and they were asked to review the protocol in terms of the goal and scope of interventions, stakeholders, development steps, clarity of presentation, accessibility and non-dependence in writing according to the checklist to evaluate. Results: In this study, the work process of social workers was drawn in three stages before, during and after transplantation. Also, various roles were considered for social workers in three stages of work, including the role of defender, supporter, case manager, resource mobilizer, trainer, consultant, evaluator and guidance. Interventions such as finding informational support, facilitating the patient hospitalization process, providing psychosocial support to the family with the aim of empowering them for post-transplant care, providing counseling to family members to deal with stress and improving mental health of the patient, providing economic support, Accomodation conditions are provided through hospital companions and communication and interaction with the treatment team, including the doctor, in order to respond to the needs of the family, facilitate treatment and on time discharging. Conclusion: the protocol of specialized interventions of social workers in the transplantation process created a new step and a different look at psychosocial support in transplantation and coordination teams, so that social workers in the field of organ donation and transplantation and working with caregivers, families and the survivors of the patients arrived.

The aim of this research is to explore the experiences of social workers working in the field of migration, regarding their problems and work motivations, from their own perspectives. The study group of the research, which was conducted with a phenomenological approach in a qualitative pattern, consists of twelve social workers. Data were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews using a semi-structured interview form. Descriptive analysis was used to interpret the data. Analysis of the data revealed, seven themes emerged: ethical violations, restriction of personal rights, inadequacy of legislation and laws, problems of adaptation between different disciplines, lack of managerial support, high workload and language problems. The results of the study, suggestions for education, personal rights, legal regulations, policies and local governments are presented. The themes that come to the fore in the study will create a framework for studies to be carried out in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The Covid-19 pandemic posed major challenges to healthcare workers working on the front line. Their risk for negative mental health outcomes is well established, and a high volume of research has been directed at the causes, as well as measures to increase workers’ coping and resilience. Further, holistic and salutogenesis-oriented research is emerging directed at the origins of wellness and opportunities to grow after experiencing adversity. We contribute to this evolving research by qualitatively exploring the experience of transformational growth for social workers who worked in healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand during Covid-19. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured, online interviews with a sample of six social workers. Their accounts were analysed using an explorative semantic and interpretative form of reflexive thematic analysis, and five main themes were identified. The lens for analysis was Tedeschi and Calhoun’s post-traumatic growth (PTG) theory. FINDINGS: Participants identified PTG in the form of an increased sense of self and selfidentity. They reported significant vocational stresses and deep caring for their patients. They shared a strong occupational self-identification with the social work profession, which might have increased their likelihood of experiencing PTG. Most identified a transformational shift toward paying attention to their own needs. CONCLUSION: These findings contribute to a new and more holistic perspective for our future pandemic response strategies. Further investigation is suggested to explore the identified shift in the balance between care for others and self-care within the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Society & Social Work is the property of Journal of Society and Social Work 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.)

Copyright of Social Work / Praca Socjalna is the property of Akademia Pedagogiki Specjalnej im Marii Grzegorzewskiej 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.)

In this article, I ask 'What are the specific challenges and controversies that birth mothers of ethnic minorities (EM) experience in the safeguarding context'? The aim is to examine safeguarding practices and ascertain how power, racism and gender oppression are understood and experienced by mothers of EMs in social work. The literature highlighted complexities and ethical concerns regarding child protection services with EMs in England. Undertaking qualitative research, a case study approach was used, and purposive sampling was applied to recruit and interview six mothers of EM backgrounds. This article provides an empowering space for Miriam, an Asian mum recounting her lived experiences of statutory social work. Critical theory, critical race theory and intersectionality were the theoretical frameworks, and a framework approach was utilised for data analysis. Key findings revealed the insidious nature of racism, oppression and White dominance, constructing devastating, adversarial work practices that oppressed, excluded, and deprived Miriam. There was an urgent need for change. Drawing on my African heritage, I theorise that the Afro-centric philosophy of Sawubona could make a profound contribution to British social work. Elucidating, 'I see the whole of you', the Sawubona practice model illustrates social work values of equality, empathy, dignity, tolerance and respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Client violence is a persistent problem that seriously disturbs the physical and mental health of social workers worldwide; however, there is very limited discussion around this issue in China. This mixed-methods study included 602 social workers from three provinces in central China. The quantitative results (N  = 602) revealed an overall level of violence of 48.17 per cent, with verbal violence being the most common. Significant differences were found in client violence by gender, work experience and field of work. The qualitative results (N  = 20) revealed that client violence is closely related to the institution, culture and work patterns in the field. The results of this study can be combined with the Chinese social background and cultural context to discuss the reasons for lower levels of client violence in China compared to other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mayors play a major role in determining their locality's welfare policies and significantly influence the welfare bureaus' work. This study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 mayors of local Arab governments in Israel to examine this issue. It found that the mayors fiercely criticize the welfare bureaus in four areas of concern, claiming that they ignore particular needs, neglect core target populations, lack culture-sensitive responses and their functioning is defective. The mayors' criticism of welfare bureau inadequacies sheds light on Welfare Ministry policies that allocate lower discriminatory budgets to Arab welfare bureaus and are insensitive to Arab society's cultural-religious needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Aim: Considering the role of social workers in the health system, the success and stability of organ transplantation, prevention of re-hospitalization of patients and reduction of imposed costs, this study aims to design a protocol for the specialized interventions of social workers in Iran’s medical centers in the transplant process and to create uniformity in practice. Comprehensive services have been provided to patients and their caregivers. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in two phases of resource review and qualitative. In the resource review phase, reliable databases were examined, and in the qualitative phase, in order to collect information from Delphi techniques and focused group discussion with the presence of fifteen officials and social workers working in the country’s hospitals and experts and experts. The areas of health and treatment assistants of the Ministry of Health, university professors, medical staff and experts in the field of transplantation and organ donation were carried out. The protocol was sent to eight experienced experts for final review and evaluation, and they were asked to review the protocol in terms of the goal and scope of interventions, stakeholders, development steps, clarity of presentation, accessibility and non-dependence in writing according to the checklist to evaluate. Results: In this study, the work process of social workers was drawn in three stages before, during and after transplantation. Also, various roles were considered for social workers in three stages of work, including the role of defender, supporter, case manager, resource mobilizer, trainer, consultant, evaluator and guidance. Interventions such as finding informational support, facilitating the patient hospitalization process, providing psychosocial support to the family with the aim of empowering them for post-transplant care, providing counseling to family members to deal with stress and improving mental health of the patient, providing economic support, Accomodation conditions are provided through hospital companions and communication and interaction with the treatment team, including the doctor, in order to respond to the needs of the family, facilitate treatment and on time discharging. Conclusion: the protocol of specialized interventions of social workers in the transplantation process created a new step and a different look at psychosocial support in transplantation and coordination teams, so that social workers in the field of organ donation and transplantation and working with caregivers, families and the survivors of the patients arrived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the relationship between the proactive coping behaviors of Chinese social workers, the perceived importance of organizational job resources, and work engagement within the job demands-resources model. The participants were 423 licensed social workers. They completed self-report questionnaires on proactive coping behavior, organizational job resources, and work engagement. Following structural equation modeling, results indicated that organizational job resources and work engagement had significant associations with proactive coping behaviors. Moreover, proactive coping behaviors differed by demographic variables such as age, job position, and work experience. Measures for facilitating the proactive coping behaviors of social workers were discussed and recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One in eight patients is affected by a mental health condition, and interprofessional mental health teams collaborate to improve patient care. While pharmacists and social workers are recognized as mental health team members, there is a lack of literature describing interprofessional relations and education between these professions, especially as it pertains to mental health. The purpose of this review was to identify and characterize reports describing pharmacist-social worker interprofessional relations and education within mental health. Methodology: To address this knowledge gap, this scoping review was conducted to collect and characterize reports published between January 1, 1960 and August 18, 2023 describing pharmacist-social worker interprofessional relations and education within the field of mental health. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were followed. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Social Work Abstracts were searched using keywords "pharmacy student," "pharmacist," "social work student," "social worker," and "social work." Reports were included if they were published in English and interprofessional relations or education occurred directly between (student) pharmacists and social workers. Results: Three hundred twenty records were identified and three records were included: one cross sectional study, one qualitative educational project, and one case report. Each record suggested positive patient and/or educational outcomes developing from pharmacist-social worker interprofessional relations and education. In clinical practice, pharmacist-social work teams identified mental health risk factors, reduced 30-day readmissions, and improved post-discharge telehealth care. In the classroom, a social worker improved pharmacy students' confidence assessing patient suicidal ideations. Conclusions: This scoping review identified needs and areas for future research: pharmacist interprofessional education with Master of Social Work and Doctor of Social Work degree students, transitional care and mental health outcome measure reporting using evidence-based outcomes, and development of scholarly teaching projects utilizing higher-level educational frameworks beyond learner reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study's objective is to analyze the entrepreneurial intentions of social workers and their impact on the SDGs. Furthermore, it seeks to explore social workers' perceptions and attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Thus, this research aims to answer the following research questions: How do entrepreneurial intentions among social workers influence their contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and what are the implications of these intentions for social work practices and policies within the framework of sustainable development? Based on a quantitative approach, this study leverages microdata from the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) survey. The dataset includes responses from 4545 social workers across 30 high-income countries. The study employs logistic regression analysis as the primary statistical method to delve into the determinants of entrepreneurial intentions among social workers within this diverse international sample. Key findings indicate that the aspiration to establish a future business is a significant factor, underscoring the importance of entrepreneurial intention in this context. Additionally, social workers in the private sector exhibit a greater predisposition to entrepreneurship compared to their public sector counterparts. The study's implications for the SDGs are substantial, as promoting entrepreneurship among social workers can contribute to economic growth, poverty reduction, and reduced inequalities (SDGs 1, 8, and 10). It also emphasizes the importance of access to entrepreneurial education, sustainable job creation (SDG 4 and 8), and the development of partnerships among academic institutions, social assistance organizations, and entrepreneurial entities (SDG 17). Furthermore, the research highlights the significance of gender equality and access to entrepreneurial resources (SDGs 5 and 9) in fostering entrepreneurship among social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on Bangsamoro social workers' journey to achieve inner peace and well-being in conflict-stricken and violent communities. It described their experiences, challenges encountered, self-care approaches, and lessons learned. The study employed a descriptive research design as it was seen as suitable to generate narratives from 12 Bangsamoro social workers through purposive and snowball sampling. The study utilized a transcendental phenomenological approach and followed the rigorous data collection and analysis following Colaizzi's seven steps of analyzing the narratives of the research participants. The study's key findings are threats and aggressive complaints, delayed salaries and insufficiency of allowances, non-performance of family roles, and other challenges encountered. They are still capable of achieving their inner peace and well-being through self-initiated and peers, family, and faith-motivated self-care initiatives, which allow them to pause from their heavy workloads, manage their stressors into manageable parts, find better solutions to their problems, and regain their motivation to continue their work. This journey of Bangsamoro social workers implied that they could not achieve inner peace and well-being alone. Several individuals should deal with it collaboratively by influencing negative or positive experiences. It also implied that for social work practice to be efficient and progressive—the institutional mechanisms of MSSD-BARMM and other social welfare offices, the programs implemented, and the social work education should be context-based and culturally responsive.n the years, the deaf community in Vinh Long province has had to confront issues of harassment and sexual abuse due to their disabilities. Unfortunately, the majority of the deaf population lacks full awareness of harassment and sexual abuse, often misunderstanding behaviors such as teasing and unwanted touching as not constituting sexual harassment. This article focuses on analyzing the awareness of the deaf community in Vinh Long province, examining aspects such as understanding of sexual harassment behaviors and awareness of responses to harassment.

Social worker is one of the professions particularly vulnerable to burnout. This is due to the helping nature of the work, which causes an emotional burden resulting from the client’s growing expectations and often limited possibilities of fulfilling them, as well as from the sense of responsibility for the client’s fate. Moreover, social workers are aware of their moral responsibility for the decisions they make towards their own conscience, the client, the work environment or their superiors, as well as awareness of legal responsibility. Their occupational stress is often intensified by the need to enter the extremely sensitive, difficult and often complex sphere of their clients, because they are witnesses of human misfortunes, their learned helplessness or adaptation difficulties that make it impossible to function socially or effectively perform parental roles. Sometimes social workers become victims of aggression from demanding clients. The aim of the research was to determine the relationship between the burnout of the surveyed social workers, manifested in its various dimensions, and the level of their general occupational stress. In solving the main research problem, first of all, the diagnosis of burnout of the surveyed social workers (explained variable) was made. For this purpose, the LBQ Questionnaire (Santinello) was used, which is the Polish adaptation of the Italian Link Burnout Questionnaire (LBQ). The occupational stress of the surveyed employees (explanatory variable) was determined by using the Stress Feeling Questionnaire. An additional dimension was introduced into the questionnaire – a lie scale, which can serve as a reliable tool for the initial verification of the respondents’ statements. The statistical analyzes performed confirmed the adopted hypothetical assumptions about a statistically significant positive correlation between the two variables. For this reason, this issue requires constant research and analysis as well as adequate preventive actions. The article is one of the attempts to diagnose this phenomenon and contains specific conclusions that are not only cognitive but also utilitarian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in social life have caused social work to evolve over recent years. Both the nature of work and the profile of a social welfare client have changed. Social workers are constantly faced with new challenges. They are expected to have a professional approach to the client. Increasingly, professionalism is evidenced not only by substantive knowledge, but also by the competences and personal resources of social work students. The aim of this study is to characterize the competences and resources of social workers in the context of challenges in helping others. The research problem is: What resources should characterize a social worker in the context of his/her work? The article was prepared based on the desk research method. The work of a social worker was placed in Znaniecki’s concept of social arrangements. The next parts of the article are a theoretical analysis of concepts related to human work, professional work and the professionalization of social work by paying particular attention to the competences and personal resources of people who want to pursue a professional career as a social worker. The values that should guide a social worker, developed by Kantowicz, were the basis for selecting the competences and personal resources of social workers described in the last part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a noticeable dynamism and variety in the occurrence of social problems. In addition to the common difficulties of helplessness, poverty and unemployment, new ones are emerging. They are linked to information overload, addictions and the loss of social relationships. The way society functions is also strongly influenced by conflicts and economic problems, such as the armed conflict in Ukraine, rising inflation and the progressive impoverishment of society. Recently, there has also been a significant diversification of society on a political, religious, philosophical and cultural level. The role and tasks of social workers are not indifferent to the changes taking place in the world. The need to improve, update and broaden their knowledge is increasingly expected from this professional group. Emerging new social problems and research in the field of assistance activities show the need for new opportunities to develop, educate and support social workers. The aim of the article is to try to show the changing role of a social worker and the importance of developing moral values, new skills and problem-solving strategies. It is also important to recognize the role of the support that should be provided for this professional group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A social worker, supporting social welfare clients in the process of empowerment and social integration, often performs professional duties at risk of his own health (and sometimes his life). Even the best-prepared social workers, confronted with the realities of social welfare and the expectations of both the employer and clients, may decide to leave their job. The purpose of the research was to analyze the reasons for leaving the profession of a social worker based on the experience of a long-term employee of the municipal social welfare center. The focus was on the diagnosis of burnout of the examined case and the factors that led to his resignation from work in the area of social assistance. The subject is analytically difficult, it is a pioneering area of scientific inquiry. The article is one of the few to address the issue of research in the area of professional decisions of experienced social workers in Poland. The research presented in the article shows that the changing economic and social realities have posed many new challenges for social worker, which has caused the need to revise the existing motivations and willingness to continue working in the profession. It should be emphasized that the results of the presented qualitative research do not allow one to make too far-reaching conclusions and generalizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical development of social service supervision reveals that the professional and organisational demands do not co-exist without challenges. The tension that often manifests between professional and managerial supervision is explained using the analogy of “polity dualism”, a concept widely used in political science to describe the co-existence of democratic and traditional rulership. The study adopted a qualitative exploratory-descriptive design underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. Seventeen social workers and supervisors were purposively sampled at the Department of Social Development, King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu-Natal. The findings were presented in terms of two main themes and two related subthemes. These included participants’ understanding of supervision and relating their understanding of supervision with experience. The recommendations could be summarised to involve the need to limit supervisors’ responsibilities to providing supervision only and to address the challenges posed by polity dualism by relying on professional supervision that offers more support and guidance and encourages collaboration between supervisors and supervisees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses role theory as a lens to explain the experiences of social workers working within healthcare multidisciplinary teams, which are characterised by interprofessional dominance and subordination. A qualitative case study design was used to explore and describe the experiences of social workers in working with other healthcare practitioners in multidisciplinary teams. A purposeful sampling technique was used to select sixteen participants from a particular health district. Data were collected through interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Professional power dynamics, a sense of agency with a need for collaborative contribution, and a lack of understanding of the social work profession are three themes that summarise the findings. The article concludes that the ineffective management of multidisciplinary themes creates a barrier to different professionals’ ability to communicate, work and learn together. The article recommends preparatory training for multidisciplinary team members and the need for a structured framework for interprofessional engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]