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Child-focused practice in social services for adults in Norway
- Authors:
- KRISTENSEN Kjersti B., LAURITZEN Camilla, REEDTZ Charlotte
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work, 22(4), 2022, pp.931-951.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Summary: Children of social service users are at risk for developing mental health problems as well as social and behavioural problems. Social service counselors should therefore be aware of service users' children and provide support for them. In fact, they are obligated by law to consider children's views and their best interests in cases affecting them. Despite this, little is known about social service counselors' child focus in their practice. In this study, self-reported survey data from 93 counselors working for the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV) were analyzed to explore their child focus. Findings: Findings suggest that a particular focus on children is no part of common practice among NAV counselors; nor is use or knowledge of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Knowledge and use of the CRC may be a predictor of child-focused practice. The results showed a significant difference of medium effect size between NAV counselors who ask about children and NAV counselors who do not when it comes to knowledge and use of the CRC. Applications: Policy makers and practitioners should utilize NAV's potential as a preventive arena. For NAV counselors to be aware of and support children of social service users they need a stronger focus on children and hence know and use the laws concerning children's rights. Incorporating children's rights into social workers' education and internal training may strengthen the focus on children in NAV counselors' practice. (Edited publisher abstract)
Methodical principles and prevention-focused outcomes in professional youth work: a longitudinal analysis
- Authors:
- SONNEVELD Jolanda, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work, 22(4), 2022, pp.1056-1084.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Previous research has suggested that professional youth work settings empower socially vulnerable youngsters, strengthening their personal development and social participation. It is expected that youth work can prevent personal and social problems of youngsters, which may have longer term positive social returns. How the underlying methodical way of acting of youth workers contributes to prevention-focused outcomes remains unclear. This article presents a four-wave longitudinal cohort study (16 months) that investigated longitudinal associations between 12 individual methodical principles that youth workers apply in interactions with youngsters and four prevention-focused outcomes: prosocial skills, self-mastery, social network and civic participation. The sample consisted of 1,597 Dutch youngsters with a mean age of 16.5 years (SD = 3.60). Findings: Linear mixed models analysis found that all individual methodical principles were longitudinally associated with one or more outcome. The strongest associations were observed with regard to prosocial skills and civic participation. Depending on the outcome measure, methodical principles seem to be more effective for boys, for youngsters who participate for 3 years or longer in youth work settings and for youngsters between 10 and 19 years old. With regard to the effect of methodical principles on improving self-mastery, 9 of the 12 principles appeared to play no positive role in increasing self-mastery of youngsters. Applications: This study provides youth workers with a better understanding of which methodical principles are positively associated with prevention-focused outcomes as well as reinforcing the evidence-based practice of professional youth work. (Edited publisher abstract)
Parent-focused sexual abuse prevention: results from a cluster randomized trial
- Authors:
- GUASTAFERRO Kate, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Maltreatment, 27(1), 2022, pp.114-125.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This study tested whether a child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention program, Smart Parents-Safe and Healthy Kids (SPSHK), could be implemented as an additional module in evidence-based parent training and whether the added module might detract from the efficacy of the original program. In a cluster randomized trial, six community-based organizations were randomized to deliver Parents as Teachers (PAT) with SPSHK (PAT+SPSHK) or PAT as usual (PAT-AU). CSA-related awareness and protective behaviors, as well as general parenting behaviors taught by PAT were assessed at baseline, post-PAT, post-SPSHK, and 1-month follow-up. Multilevel analyses revealed significant group by time interactions for both awareness and behaviors (ps < .0001), indicating the PAT+SPSHK group had significantly greater awareness of CSA and used protective behaviors more often (which were maintained at follow-up) compared to the PAT-AU group. No differences were observed in general parenting behaviors taught by PAT suggesting adding SPHSK did not interfere with PAT efficacy as originally designed. Results indicate adding SPHSK to existing parent training can significantly enhance parents’ awareness of and readiness to engage in protective behavioral strategies. Implementing SPHSK as a selective prevention strategy with at-risk parents receiving parent training through child welfare infrastructures is discussed. (Edited publisher abstract)
“I would report it even if they have not committed anything”: social service students’ attitudes toward minor-attracted people
- Authors:
- WALKER Allyn, BUTTERS Robert P., NICHOLS Erin
- Journal article citation:
- Sexual Abuse a Journal of Research and Treatment, 34(1), 2022, pp.52-77.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This study explores future mental health providers’ assumptions about minor-attracted people, using data from a survey of 200 students preparing for entry into social service professions at a public university in the state of Utah. Survey results show that more than half of the students believe clients who identify themselves as pedophiles must be automatically reported to the police, which has implications for providers’ understandings about the term “pedophile,” as well as their knowledge of guidelines for when clinicians may break client confidentiality. This belief was not significantly affected by taking ethics courses, nor courses that discussed mandated reporting guidelines. Despite this finding, 91% of students did not believe that they would need to report a client who had attractions to children, but who had never committed a sexual offense against a child. The majority of students indicated a willingness to work with minor-attracted clients, and commonly indicated in comments that they wanted more information about MAPs and when to break client confidentiality in their programs of study. Study results indicate a need for education among social service students about these issues. (Edited publisher abstract)
A moral education? British Values, colour-blindness, and preventing terrorism
- Authors:
- WINTER Christine, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Critical Social Policy, 42(1), 2022, pp.85-106.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The Prevent Strategy tasks the British education sector with preventing radicalisation and extremism. It defines extremism as opposition to fundamental British Values and requires schools to promote these values and refer students and staff believed to be vulnerable to radicalisation. Little research examining the enactment of the Prevent and British Values curriculum has included students. To fill this gap, this study investigated how students, teachers and Prevent/British Values trainers engage with this curriculum by conducting individual interviews in two multicultural secondary schools in England, framing the study in recent work on colour-blindness. This study found that whilst multiculturalism was celebrated, discussion about everyday structural racism was avoided. Critical thinking was performed strategically, and classrooms were securitised as sites for identifying potential safeguarding referrals. Moral education, colour-blindness and safeguarding intersected to negate racialised experiences, whilst exposing students and teachers to racialised Prevent referrals (Edited publisher abstract)
Economic evaluation of public health interventions: an application to interventions for the prevention of violence against women and girls implemented by the “What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls?” Global program
- Authors:
- FERRARI Giulia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(21-22), 2021, pp.NP11392-NP11420.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) has important social, economic, and public health impacts. Governments and international donors are increasing their investment in VAWG prevention programs, yet clear guidelines to assess the “value for money” of these interventions are lacking. Improved costing and economic evaluation of VAWG prevention can support programming through supporting priority setting, justifying investment, and planning the financing of VAWG prevention services. This article sets out a standardized methodology for the economic evaluation of complex, that is, multicomponent and/or multiplatform, programs designed to prevent VAWG in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It outlines an approach that can be used alongside the most recent guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions in LMICs. It defines standardized methods of data collection and analysis, outcomes, and unit costs (i.e., average costs per person reached, output or service delivered), and provides guidance to investigate the uncertainty in cost-effectiveness estimates and report results. The costing approach has been developed and piloted as part of the “What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls?” (What Works?) program in five countries. This article and its supplementary material can be used by both economists and non-economists to contribute to the generation of new cost-effectiveness data on VAWG prevention, and ultimately improve the allocative efficiency and financing across VAWG programs. (Edited publisher abstract)
Pathways to child abuse prevention: seeking and embedding public opinion
- Author:
- TODAHL Jeff Lane
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(17-18), 2021, pp.8538-8558.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Child abuse and neglect is a perplexing public health, human rights, and social justice issue that persists at unacceptable levels. This qualitative survey, involving brief oral conversations (n = 721) about perceptions of child abuse and neglect and its solutions, was drawn from a randomized telephone survey of residents in two U.S. communities. The study focused on two research questions: (a) individual and collective actions that would give child abuse and neglect prevention the best chance for success and (b) what participants would expect to see in a local child abuse prevention effort to have faith in its effectiveness. Participants were mostly female (61%), with the average age of 55.7 years, and had a median income of US$35,000 to US$49,000. Thirty-one percent identified as mandatory reporters and 76% were a primary caregiver for a child at some point in their lives. Thematic analysis identified six themes and one subtheme for the first research question and four themes for the second research question. Participants emphasized the importance of awareness raising, education, broad public support and the value of a locally developed plan, credible leadership, and reliable follow-through. Participants’ beliefs and recommendations were mapped to existing and promising child abuse prevention frameworks and implications for prevention planning are outlined. (Publisher abstract)
Developing and validating a new scale to assess signs of neglect of infants and caregivers
- Authors:
- ARIMOTO Azusa, TADAKA Etsuko
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(19-20), 2021, pp.8960-8983.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This study aimed to develop a scale assessing the early signs of infant neglect and to test its reliability and validity. Neglect is a frequent type of child maltreatment and a serious problem worldwide, but it has received limited research attention. Previous studies of neglect assessment have mainly been targeted toward assessing the risk of apparent neglectful caregivers and neglected children. Early needs assessment scale focused on neglect evaluated by public health professionals in infants is necessary for the urgency of preventing neglect from infancy. Participants were community/public health nurses across Japan with experience working with neglectful caregivers of infants. The initial Signs of Neglect in Infants Assessment Scale (SIGN) was developed and refined based on previous studies, community/public health nurse consultation, and expert review. In 2017, 474 community/public health nurses completed a questionnaire regarding one infant neglect case. Item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and comparisons with a preexisting scale and case reporting status were used to narrow the scale and assess its psychometric properties. Item and exploratory factor analyses reduced the scale to 14 items on three factors: lack of basic supervisory care, child underdevelopment, and lack of emotional behavior. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good model fit (adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.921). Cronbach’s alpha was >.80 for total SIGN and all three factors. SIGN score was positively correlated with the preexisting scale (r = .335, p < .001) and with child protection services reporting status (M = 12.8 for reported cases vs. 9.2 for unreported cases, p < .001). The SIGN is an innovative scale with good psychometric properties for assessing signs of infant neglect. It has the potential to contribute to preventing infant neglect by providing early support to infants and their caregivers. (Edited publisher abstract)
Embedding preventive lawyering principles in preventive social work as a response to clients with complex problems in the post-Covid-19 era: an opinion piece
- Author:
- SEGAL Michal
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 64(5), 2021, pp.796-800.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Social workers are facing complex requests from clients coping with multi-system life problems resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Such requests require broad knowledge and innovative approaches. Macro-level Preventive Social Work, a new model based on preventive lawyering and social working, focuses intervention to minimize future problems created by the pandemic. (Edited publisher abstract)
Providing virtual suicide prevention groups for people experiencing suicidality: pivoting service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Authors:
- BERGMANS Yvonne, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 64(5), 2021, pp.801-805.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Skills for Safer Living is a 20-week group intervention for people with recurrent suicide attempts. This article details how it pivoted from in-person to virtual groups due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns of privacy, client safety, and how to deliver the program virtually are explored, along with lessons learned. (Edited publisher abstract)