David Wilkins, Rebecca Jones and David Westlake
The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast what is spoken about in supervision case discussions in Children’s Services with what subsequently appears in the written…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast what is spoken about in supervision case discussions in Children’s Services with what subsequently appears in the written record on the child’s file. As an exploratory study, the authors set two research questions – how do supervision conversations and corresponding records compare? And how do social work supervisors make use of these records?
Design/methodology/approach
The authors sampled ten pairs of supervision audio recordings and written records from the child’s file. Using a content analysis approach, the authors compared what was spoken about (on the audio recordings) with what was subsequently written down (on the child’s file).
Findings
The complex activity of social work case supervision is not easily captured in written form. Written records did not reflect objectively the content of the audio recordings and on occasion, even contained information absent from the discussion. Supervisors seemed to engage in an interpretative process when creating the records, translating what was spoken about into a record thought (more) suitable for the file.
Research limitations/implications
The sample was limited to one authority and did not compare between different models or approaches to supervision.
Practical implications
Supervisors understandably orient their recording behaviour towards anticipated audiences (chiefly, senior managers and Ofsted inspectors). To change recording practices, it would help to promote the role of children and families as the more important audience for written recordings of supervision case discussions.
Originality/value
The major strength of this study is the inclusion of audio recordings of actual supervision case discussions and real case records. This is an advantage over the more common methods of vignettes, role plays and self-reports because it allowed the authors to examine directly what happens in practice. The findings from the study are strengthened via the use of a focus group with social work managers, helping the authors to validate and test the themes the authors’ identified.
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C. Verity Bennett, Louisa M. Roberts, Phil Smith, Melissa Meindl, Philip Pallmann, Fiona Lugg-Widger, Elizabeth-Ann Schroeder, Linda Adara, Kim Munnery, Lena Meister, Sharon Ayayo, Sarah Rawlinson, Donald Forrester, Stavros Petrou, James White and David Westlake
School social work, in various forms, is well established internationally and has a growing evidence base. Yet existing research focuses on professional perspectives rather than…
Abstract
Purpose
School social work, in various forms, is well established internationally and has a growing evidence base. Yet existing research focuses on professional perspectives rather than those of students. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring secondary school student perspectives of having social workers in schools (SWIS). It was undertaken in England as part of the SWIS trial, which tested whether secondary school-based social workers could improve child safety and well-being, identify issues more quickly and reduce the need for statutory services.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-methods approach comprised a survey (n = 1,998 students) and interviews (n = 27 students). Surveys included questions on awareness, understanding, interaction with and attitudes towards the school-based social workers. Interviews involved a Q-sort activity followed by semi-structured questions on general attitudes and experiences. The Q-sort characterised prominent perspectives and how many students subscribed to them.
Findings
Students were broadly positive about having a social worker in their school in the survey and interviews. Two prominent perspectives on SWIS were identified. The first (n = 17) was defined by students feeling positively overall and strongly agreeing that they trusted the social worker. The second (n = 4) was mixed in sentiment, defined by some anxiety about working with the social worker. In interviews, students relayed that social workers were easily accessible, offered emotional support and acted as a bridge between school and home.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to quantify student perspectives on having social workers at school and evidence attitudes and experiences about school-based social work as practiced during the SWIS trial.
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David Westlake, Lorna Stabler and John McDonnell
This paper presents findings from a project that aimed to support social work managers to observe, evaluate and give feedback on social work practice skills.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents findings from a project that aimed to support social work managers to observe, evaluate and give feedback on social work practice skills.
Design/methodology/approach
An embedded team of researchers observed over 300 meetings between parents and social workers and gave feedback based on an established research instrument that facilitated quantitative coding of individual skills such as empathy and purposefulness. Then managers took on this task to sustain ongoing feedback on practice skills beyond the timescale of the project.
Findings
A practice tool was successfully developed to take the place of the research instrument and aid managers in these observations, and it was implemented across a range of social work settings. The tool was used in a variety of ways by different managers which highlighted a range of views on what constitutes good practice. This raises questions about how far authorities can (or should) expect to achieve a consensus about the type of practice they want to deliver.
Research limitations/implications
The value of this project is primarily pragmatic, in that it shows the potential for using research to develop practice tools collaboratively. However, in doing so, it brings into focus key questions around the nature of good practice.
Practical implications
This paper presents a practice tool, based on an established research instrument that was co-developed with senior managers. It is an aid for observation that practitioners and managers can use to support practice development.
Originality/value
Few research studies have worked so closely with practice managers to develop a tool that can be used to support practice. The paper also highlights the crucial and neglected role of observation in practice development.
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Richard Devine, Katy Benson, Samantha Fitz-Symonds, David Westlake, Katie Campbell and Clive Diaz
The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the current state of literature on peer parental advocacy, offering practical insights and ideas for researchers and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the current state of literature on peer parental advocacy, offering practical insights and ideas for researchers and practitioners interested in this evolving field.
Design/methodology/approach
This narrative review is a comprehensive, critical and objective analysis of the current knowledge on peer parental advocacy.
Findings
Parental peer advocacy (PPA) has seen growing interest, with increasing research detailing the benefits and challenges. It is now being considered within children’s services across the UK, drawing upon the success of similar initiatives, especially in the USA. There is a compelling case for PPA, not least as it may contribute to resolving the longstanding challenges within children services of families having the opportunity to meaningfully participate in decision-making (Corby et al., 1996; Muench et al., 2017; Bekaert et al., 2021).
Research limitations/implications
Parental advocacy (PA) continues to be an evolving area of academic research and policy development both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Emerging research suggests a compelling case for an expansion in PPA within child welfare and protection systems, specifically in case, program and policy advocacy.
Practical implications
PA continues to be an evolving area of academic research and policy development both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Emerging research suggests a compelling case for an expansion in PPA within child welfare and protection systems, specifically in case, program and policy advocacy.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first UK-based narrative reviews that critically analyses the research, highlighting the limitations and strengths of adopting PPA as an approach.
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Charlotte Gill, David Weisburd, Zoe Vitter, Claudia Gross Shader, Tari Nelson-Zagar and Linda Spain
The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study of a pilot program in which a collaborative problem-solving approach was implemented at hot spots of juvenile and youth crime…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study of a pilot program in which a collaborative problem-solving approach was implemented at hot spots of juvenile and youth crime in downtown Seattle, Washington.
Design/methodology/approach
Two matched pairs of youth crime hot spots were allocated at random to treatment (“non-enforcement problem-solving”) or comparison (“policing-as-usual”) conditions within matched pairs. In the treatment condition, police collaborated with community and local government partners to develop problem-solving strategies that deemphasized arrests and other traditional law enforcement approaches. Impacts on crime incidents, calls for service, and police activity were assessed using difference-in-differences Poisson regression with robust standard errors.
Findings
No significant impact on crime or calls for service was observed at one site, where several problem-solving approaches were successfully implemented. However, crime and calls for service were significantly lower at the other site, where some enforcement activity took place but non-enforcement problem-solving was limited.
Research limitations/implications
The authors find mixed support for non-enforcement problem-solving at hot spots. The enforcement may be necessary for stabilization, and must be balanced with the risks of justice system involvement for youth. Political support at the city level is necessary for collaboration. Limitations include the small number of sites in this pilot study and key differences between treatment and comparison locations.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to assess the impact of primarily non-enforcement problem-solving specifically at youth crime hot spots.
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Jill M. Gradwell, Jonathan Amidon, Danielle LaJudice and Mary Westlake-Douds
This lesson uses Steel Town to explore the making of steel and life in a steel mill town during the Great Depression. Moving through four centers, students explore resources such…
Abstract
This lesson uses Steel Town to explore the making of steel and life in a steel mill town during the Great Depression. Moving through four centers, students explore resources such as photographs, first-hand accounts, recipes, and songs from the era to learn what life was like at a steel mill, in a steelworker’s home and neighborhood, and throughout the town. Based on their analyses of the resources provided, students compare the benefits and drawbacks of technology to answer the ultimate question regarding steel production: “Is it worth it?” This lesson was created for use in a second or third grade classroom but can be adjusted for older students with the extensions provided.