Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Think ahead: social work poll
- Author:
- COMRES
- Publisher:
- ComRes
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 8
- Place of publication:
- London
Reports on the results of an online survey of 2,033 of British adults which asked about the role of social workers in providing support for people with mental health problems. The survey also asked about the type of support people thought social workers could provide for people with severe mental health problems and professionals involved in deciding whether someone could be detained under the Mental Health Act. Results included that only 41 per cent of those surveyed thought of social workers as important providers of mental health support, whereas 69 per cent identified psychiatrists and 65 per cent identified GPs. (Edited publisher abstract)
A traumatic life brought to book
- Author:
- SALE Anabel Unity
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 25.9.08, 2008, pp.28-29.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
Social worker Philip Hill's life story was so extraordinary that his psychiatrist urged him to complete his autobiography. The book details his story from being taken into care, being misdiagnosed as having learning disabilities as a child and experiencing two breakdowns and paranoid schizophrenia, to becoming a social worker. In this article Philip talks to the author about his experiences.
Stress and pressures in mental health social work: the worker speaks
- Authors:
- HUXLEY Peter, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 35(7), October 2005, pp.1063-1079.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Two-thirds of councils with social services responsibilities (CSSRs) took part in a UK survey of mental health social workers. A one in five sample of front line workers was drawn, and 237 respondents completed a questionnaire and diary about their work context and content, and their attitudes to their work, their employer, mental health policy and the place of mental health social work in modernized mental health services. The questions, that called for free-text responses, were completed in detail and at length. This paper reports the results of a qualitative analysis of these responses using NVIVO software. The paper is structured around the themes emerging from the analysis: pressure of work; staffing matters; job satisfaction and well-being; recruitment and retention issues; and being valued. The conclusions are that the social workers value face to face contact with service users, and that their commitment to service users is an important factor in staff retention. The most unsatisfactory aspects of their work context arise from not feeling valued by their employers and wider society, and some of the most satisfactory from the support of colleagues and supervisors. Without attention to these factors, recruitment and retention problems will remain an unresolved issue.
Well-being of asylum seeking children
- Author:
- CHASE Elaine
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 31.7.08, 2008, pp.22-23.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
Every year some 3,000 children and young people arrive on their own to seek asylum in the UK. The Thomas Coram Research Unit explored their emotional well-being and identified the factors that either helped or created difficulties for them. The study involved discussions with 54 children and young people from a total of 18 countries. Interviews were also conducted with over 30 social care, health, education and voluntary sector professionals. This article summaries the main findings and there implications for professional practice with this group of young people.
Measuring burnout among UK social workers: a Community Care study
- Author:
- McFADDEN Paula
- Publisher:
- Community Care
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 29
- Place of publication:
- Sutton
This report details the headline results of a survey of 1359 UK social workers on levels of burnout in the profession, focusing on emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. This research was commissioned and funded by Community Care as part of our Stand Up For Social Work campaign. Almost three quarters of the sample scored in the high category of emotional exhaustion while a further 18 per cent scored moderate levels of emotional exhaustion. More than one in four scored in the high category of depersonalisation while 35 per cent scored in the moderate category. Depersonalisation describes a lack of feeling and an uncaring response to service recipients and is correlated with the emotional exhaustion subscale. With the majority of the sample scoring in the high category in relation to personal accomplishment with no one scoring in the low category, UK social workers in the sample are feeling competent and successful in their work despite high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. (Edited publisher abstract)
Post-qualifying mental health social work practice
- Authors:
- CAMPBELL Jim, DAVIDSON Gavin
- Publisher:
- Learning Matters
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 224p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Social workers and other professionals working in the area of mental health often face complex and difficult practice dilemmas shaped by increasingly demanding policy and legal contexts across the UK. This book focuses on the post-qualifying role played by mental health social workers, drawing on theoretical and research perspectives on the subject, before outlining how professionals can achieve best practice. The topics covered include: models of mental health and illness; discrimination and social exclusion; addressing service user needs; carer perspectives; working with individuals, families and communities; and multi-disciplinary working. The chapters are accompanied by exercises, aimed at encouraging readers to critically reflect on their own professional and personal experiences. Case studies are also included to illustrate the information provided in the text. This book will be of interest to social work practitioners taking postgraduate courses in mental health and for those training to become Approved Mental Health Professionals.
Laying the foundations
- Authors:
- BURTON Sheryl, SAWYER Emma
- Journal article citation:
- Professional Social Work, May 2012, pp.18-19.
- Publisher:
- British Association of Social Workers
The authors consider how the concept of resilience can help social workers support families with complex needs, including those with mental health or severe substance misuse issues. They highlight the benefits that motivational interview training can bring in helping social workers develop their listening skills and engage more constructively with service users. A number of areas that social workers can focus on when building the resilience of children and families are also listed. These are: secure relationships, education, positive social support networks; coping skills and competencies; plans for the future; a confiding relationship in a parent; cohesive parental relationship; parental self-esteem; social life and routines; receiving treatment.
Back to the future of social work: child and adolescent mental health and the post qualifying curriculum in England and Wales
- Author:
- WALKER Steven
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Education (The International Journal), 29(6), September 2010, pp.616-632.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The author sets out his rationale, knowledge base and outline content for ways in which the post qualifying social work curriculum could be developed to equip social workers with the necessary skills to engage purposively in the area of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The first social work course to focus on children's mental health in the UK began in 1929 at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The subsequent child guidance movement led to the genesis of CAMHS where social workers held a pivotal and respected role among multi-disciplinary teams. It is suggested that this role has been undermined in recent years. The author believes that post qualifying social work education and training needs to recognise and reflect the potential social work contribution to modern CAMH services to enable social workers in England and Wales to engage and contribute to supporting the increasing numbers of troubled young people. He puts the onus on social work educators to create dedicated modules and pathways in their PSQW curricula to make this happen.
Mental health social work and the bureau-medicalisation of mental health care: identity in a changing world
- Authors:
- NATHAN Jack, WEBBER Martin
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work Practice, 24(1), March 2010, pp.15-28.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Social work in the United Kingdom has become increasingly specialised over the last 30 years, reinforced by the recent division of local authority social service departments into children’s and adults departments. Psychiatry seems to be moving towards ‘bureau-medicalisation’ – a combination of the medical model and organisational imperative. This article looks at the roots of these developments and one possible trajectory toward a generic mental health practitioner. The authors, providing a rationale for mental health social work (MHSW), argue against the temptation to modernise mental health care by seeing the demise of MHSW and creating a generic mental health practitioner. A case is made for the unique role of the mental health social worker, requiring a redefinition of MHSW. Because of the recent changes in the National Health Service, the authors propose that, instead of moving to the generic mental health practitioner, MHSW has a key role to play in providing a challenge to this generic model, through having an identification with both the institution it represents and representing the service users' relationship to that institution. The authors suggest that no other professional body carries this unique role.
Staffs' knowledge and perceptions of working with women with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems
- Authors:
- TAGGART L., MCMILLAN R., LAWSON A.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54(1), January 2010, pp.90-100.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
There is evidence suggesting that women are more likely than men to develop mental health problems; likewise there is literature indicating that people with intellectual disabilities are also more prone to developing mental ill health then the non-disabled population. The aim of this study was to explore a range of health and social care staffs' knowledge and perceptions of caring for women with ID who have mental health problems, focusing upon risk and resilient/protective factors and barriers to accessing care. The qualitative methodology used eight focus groups involving a total of 32 frontline hospital, community and residential staff across one region of the UK. Transcripts were subjected to thematic content analysis using Newell & Burnard's framework. Six inter-related risk factors were identified as potential causes for women with ID developing mental illness: having an ID and being female; unmet expectations; dysfunctional family upbringing; unstable relationships/loss of children; domestic violence; and negative life experiences. Hormonal issues were rarely acknowledged. Resilient/protective factors included being proactive, greater community participation, early recognition, and mental health maintenance. The authors discuss their results in light of current developments and policy within mainstream psychiatric gender approaches. They recommend greater recognition of a proactive health approach for both staff and women with an ID.