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Subject: search.filters.subject.440901 Clinical social work practice

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    A neurodevelopmental lens in child protection social work : understanding and addressing the impacts of adversity : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Social Work at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Clark, Braden James Foster
    This research explores how child protection social workers understand and address the impacts of childhood adversity through the application of a neurodevelopmental lens. To achieve this, a practice research methodology was utilised. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were completed with three key informants (with expertise in the neurodevelopmental lens and/or te ao Māori) and 11 child protection social workers. The research drew on an ecological-transactional perspective. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings from the study extend the existing principles of the neurodevelopmental lens and suggest some new principles as being important to child protection social workers. The research findings provide a framework for child protection social workers to understand and address the impacts of childhood adversity. The principles informed the selection of interventions to address the impacts of adversity. This study highlighted the importance of social workers working across ecological systems to address the impacts of structural forms of adversity on children and families. The research proposes a model for child protection social work and recommends further research into the neurodevelopmental lens.
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    Let there be joy! : can joy be cultivated as a strength in Aotearoa New Zealand? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Social Work, Massey University, Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Murphy, Donna
    This thesis presents a challenge to social workers, to bring joy to the world. Through exploring how joy helps in hard times, this research contributes to emerging interest in the field of joy. It provides evidence that joy is a powerful strength that enhances lives, can be cultivated, accessed when required, and shared with positive effect for individuals and communities. Eight participants in this qualitative research saw joy as the essence of life, strongly associated with purpose. Joy made hard times more tolerable and increased resilience. They made a compelling argument for the power of joy to change lives, and its ability to be attained through choice and practice. With belief and commitment, the participants had confidence that joy can be experienced by all. Practical suggestions are provided in this thesis of how joy can be nurtured for transformational individual and societal change. Social work is a profession well placed to advocate for, and implement joy as a protective factor, an intervention, and a lifestyle. Joy can alter our experience of the world, shift us from actors to change makers, and counter many of the issues people face in their ecological systems.
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    The influence of spirituality on social work teaching, practice, and public well-being : an Aotearoa New Zealand research project : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work at Massey University, Albany, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Muhammed Shafi, Hairunnisa
    Over the past two decades, social work education has witnessed positive attitudes from teachers and practitioners towards including spirituality in social work education and practice. Several studies highlighted that spirituality increased the coping of individuals suffering from mental health issues, which expanded the scope of integrating spirituality into the social work profession. Social work teachers’ and practitioners’ spirituality guides their practice behaviours related to the inclusion of spiritual components into social work education programmes and social work practice. However, few qualitative studies have investigated the influence of spirituality on teaching and practice internationally and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the influence of spirituality on social work teachers, practitioners, and the public and determine how this can be utilised in social work education and practice. This study had five objectives. The first objective was to explore social work teachers’, practitioners’ and the public’s understanding of spirituality. As social work teachers are accountable for teaching their students how to address clients’ diverse religious and spiritual beliefs, addressing students’ beliefs and consequent actions is a significant teaching task and an important requirement for social work teachers and practitioners to achieve cultural competence. Thus, both social work teachers and practitioners need to examine their own beliefs and how these beliefs influence the way they address spirituality in either social work teaching or social work practice. Therefore, the second and third objectives of the study focused on exploring social work teachers’ and practitioners’ experiences and perceptions of the influence of spirituality on social work teachings and practice. As there are relatively few studies around spirituality and social work regarding clients’ perceptions, the fourth objective was to explore the public perspective of the influence of spirituality in their lives and their views about incorporating it into social work practice. The final objective of this study was to develop a conceptual framework that addresses spirituality in social work education and practice in a way that respects diverse spiritual views. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten social work teachers, six social work practitioners and nine members of the public and the data were analysed using grounded theory methods. Findings indicated that social work teachers, practitioners, and members of the public constructed meaning and purpose in unique ways, and their experiences of spirituality also vary. The experience of spirituality for social work teachers and practitioners included awareness of having a personal relationship with God, nature, social work, and family. Public participants showed religious and spiritual pluralism and diverse beliefs about the meaning and purpose of their lives, including self-improvement, listening to people, being creative and holding aspirations. This study suggests that a critical examination of the spiritual beliefs of social work teachers and practitioners is essential to include spirituality in teaching and practice effectively. A conceptual framework for addressing spirituality in social work education and practice was developed considering findings obtained from social work teachers, practitioners, and members of the public.  
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    Preparedness for practice : new social workers and the core competence standards : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work, Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Taylor Moore, Scott
    This thesis examines how newly qualified social workers (NQSW) perceive their readiness to practise social work measured against the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) core competence standards. The research also explores what additional skills, knowledge and training they think they need to assist them in their social work role. The findings were evaluated using the literature from both Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. In general, the literature indicated that NQSW do think that their education has prepared them for practise, with some studies expressing concerns about the working environments that they are graduating into. Graduates need to be supported once in employment and their profession requires a lifelong, learning, journey, and they should not be expected to begin practice with advanced skills. A qualitative methodology informed by a social constructionist framework and critical theory was used to explore the research questions. The data was collected using semi structured interviews with nine NQSW. Thematic analysis was employed to process the rich data and identify themes that assisted in addressing the research questions. There are limitations to the study: it is a small sample size, and the participants self-selection may influence the findings. There were demographic limitations too as the research did not gather specific data regarding, age and disability, or if they were from urban or rural environments. Another limitation related to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions at the time of the interviews which required the use of online interviews for some participants. The research findings support previous studies, where participants generally expressed a positive view regarding how their study had prepared them to practise social work. Field education placements remain a significant strategy for contributing to the sense of preparedness of NQSW. The findings highlight the wide range of perceptions regarding competence after graduating and a NQSWs journey from education to employment. It captured the sense of preparedness of NQSWs and how this is affected by the skills, knowledge and training gaps in their practice and also by the teaching and the learning of the competence standards. Preparedness was also found to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of graduate support programmes to assist in transitioning from academia to employment was also noted. A recommendation from this study is that there is benefit in more longitudinal studies to be completed into the field of readiness to practise in Aotearoa New Zealand. Due to the modest size of the study, it would be beneficial for a larger study to be undertaken using a larger sample size. Future research could capture additional demographic data that includes participants’ disabilities, caring responsibilities and if they are practising in a rural environment. Consideration of how NQSW might develop greater awareness of macro level social work was also a recommendation from the research. Due to the varied awareness of the competence standards by participants and the different curriculum in higher education institutions, a capabilities framework, rather than core competence standards, might be a more reliable measure to assess the perception of readiness of NQSW.
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    The experience of posttraumatic growth (PTG) for social workers working in healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic in Aotearoa, New Zealand : a qualitative exploration : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Social Work at Massey University, Albany Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Becker, Christine
    The risk of decreased mental health for healthcare workers working during the COVID-19 pandemic is well established. This risk was found to be a result of significant occupational stresses and fears in response to the spread of a novel virus. Numerous measures were identified to mitigate this risk. These measures are primarily directed at enhancing workers’ self-care and resilience and their ability to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels of coping. These measures are effective in reducing workers’ risk for negative outcomes; however, emerging research is finding that there may be positive and rewarding outcomes from working during COVID-19. The aim of this study was to contribute to this evolving research by qualitatively exploring the possibility of transformational growth for social workers working in healthcare in Aotearoa, New Zealand, during COVID-19. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of six social workers. A reflexive thematic analysis was performed by applying the theoretical lens of Tedeschi and Calhoun’s posttraumatic growth (PTG) theory. The key findings of this study were: All six participating social workers experienced transformational PTG from struggling with the challenges posed by the pandemic. PTG was experienced in the PTG domains, personal strength, new possibilities, relating to others, and appreciation of life. The participants expressed a high identification with their social work profession including its culture and focus on reflexivity, supervision, collegial support and self-care. This identification appeared to have increased their likelihood of experiencing PTG during the pandemic. Many participants experienced PTG in the form of an increased sense of self and a shift toward paying more attention to their own needs. These findings contribute to the development of future pandemic response strategies that emphasise healthcare workers’ experiences of positive transformational growth. Further research is recommended to explore the experience of PTG in greater depth, examine the prevalence of PTG for social workers in healthcare during COVID-19, and investigate the identified PTG experience of a shift toward paying attention to one’s own needs from a theoretical analysis perspective.
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    Empowering fathers through social work : barriers and solutions to father engagement in parenting programmes : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Gray, Melissa Joy
    This thesis explored six social workers’ perspectives on potential barriers and solutions to father engagement when delivering a parenting programme. Engagement with fathers in parenting programmes is an under-researched area and this thesis adds to this body of knowledge. This qualitative research was conducted using an interpretivist approach drawing on social constructivism as a theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews with six social workers allowed for flexibility and the collection of meaningful data. Thematic analysis was used to find meaning in the data, where there was a consensus among social workers. The findings of this thesis indicate that social constructions of parental roles impact on father engagement in parenting programmes. Perceptions from social workers, other professionals, communities and on a societal level may be marginalising fathers from attending or feeling included in parenting programmes. Gender safety for fathers in a female dominated social work industry was also thought to impact on engagement. Numerous practical factors also effect the level of father engagement in parenting programmes. It is recommended that social workers strive for father empowerment on different levels to ensure that fathers are valued and can engage in parenting programmes.
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    Supporting children who offend to be crime-free : strengths, challenges and aspirations : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Heijnen, Romy
    This research explored how social workers support children who offend to be crime-free. The study focussed on the experiences of social workers who work with children who offend and sought to understand their strengths, challenges, and aspirations as they supported children who offend and their family and/or whānau. The qualitative exploratory study involved semi-structured interviews with social workers to gather rich and descriptive data. The study results highlighted the complexity of working with children who offend due to the offending behaviour often being related to other difficulties in the child’s life. The child’s engagement with the justice system added to this complexity requiring a balance of holding the child accountable for their offending, ensuring the child's safety and those around them, and providing support within a resource-constrained environment. The study found that to increase positive outcomes for children who offend, social workers needed to be skilled in building and maintaining relationships with the child and their family and/or whānau, gathering relevant information to enable a holistic understanding of the child’s home environment and to encourage positive connections. These connections, either within the home environment, community or with other professionals, provide a basis upon which change can be supported. Ecological systems theory can be useful in helping the child and their family and/or whānau to build on skills and strengths to create change within the home environment. Building those skills often requires a variety of supports to address the different domains within the child’s life and that of their family and/or whānau. Often these supports are limited or only become available as part of an intervention once the child’s offending behaviour is serious enough to require Oranga Tamariki involvement. The study highlighted the importance of prevention, assisting children who offend and their family and/or whānau early rather than intervening only once the offending is more serious. This could reduce the need for youth justice involvement and possibly prevent children from engaging in future offending behaviour.
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    Responses to abuse, neglect, and trauma of children with intellectual disability : experiences from social workers and health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master in Social Work at Massey University, Palmerston North Aotearoa, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Simpson, Kim Louise
    A growing concern in child protection is the higher rates of disabled children being involved. Research has found that children with intellectual disabilities are three to four times more likely to be abused and neglected than their ordinary peers. Though Oranga Tamariki (Ministry of Children) has a legislative obligation to investigate and report on the numbers of child maltreatment among disabled children, this area remains under-developed. The current research focused on exploring the perspectives and experiences of practitioners, such as social workers, and their responses to abuse, neglect, and trauma among children with intellectual disabilities. Using a qualitative approach, eight practitioners were first involved in a focus group to provide a wider perspective of practice and policy issues of abuse, neglect, and trauma among children with intellectual disability. This was followed by a more in-depth exploration and investigation with four experienced social workers to understand issues and challenges to support this cohort of children and their families and whaanau and examine what best practices are needed to strengthen service provisions. Results indicated that practitioners require more skill development to strengthen knowledge about intellectual disabilities and understand disability-related needs to better inform their practice. Fostering and sustaining a strong relationship among disabled children, their families and whaanau and practitioners was a priority to ensure safety, reduce harm and implement support interventions. Addressing barriers, such as poverty and discrimination at structural and system levels, was identified as a key area to strengthen. This research has demonstrated that the abuse, neglect, and trauma of children with intellectual disability need to be urgently addressed to influence positive and transformative change. The importance of relational practice in advocating safety and reduction of harm among this cohort and supporting capacity development among families and whaanau is affirmed.
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    The effect of intimate partner violence on mother's parenting : adult children's views : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work at Massey University (Palmerston North) New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Masiyane, Noreen
    Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) has profound impact on mothers and their relationship with their children. This study, undertaken in Australia, examined the impact of (IPV) on mothers’ parenting by focussing on adult children’s perspectives of their mothers who parented in an IPV environment. It is estimated that one in six women in Australia has experienced physical or sexual violence by their current or former cohabiting partners and that more than half those affected women had children at the time of the incident. These statistics sparked interest to explore how the children who grew up in this environment perceived their mothers parenting, her relationship with them and her parenting style. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six adult children aged between 18 and late 40s who had grown up in the context of IPV perpetuated against their mothers. All participants resided in Victoria, Australia. The interviews were voice-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Thematic analysis highlighted the parenting challenges faced by mothers in the context of a violent relationship. Feminist theory and an analysis of societal patriarchy were used in this study to understand the impact of power and control over mothers and their children by fathers. Intersectionality highlighted the fact that, in addition to experiencing IPV, there were other factors that compounded on mothers’ situation, namely culture beliefs and language barriers. The study found that participants perceived that IPV had negatively impacted on their mother’s parenting. The mother’s ability to comfort and be emotionally present for children was affected. Participants felt they could not rely on their mothers for protection and this had affected their relationship. IPV had also impacted on mothers’ parenting style as they were viewed as either being strict with their children or preoccupied with their IPV experience and leaving children to take care of themselves. Findings indicate that some children had to take on adult roles and support their mothers. Another factor that impacted was language barriers, as mothers had limited English language which made it difficult for them to seek support. Mothers experiencing IPV had been isolated and this had impacted on their parenting as they relied more on their children and on fathers for financial support. The adult children did, however, acknowledge their mothers’ efforts in compensating for the violence they witnessed and noted their mothers’ strengths and resilience as they parented them during this challenging time. Participants identified that some of their mothers had spent time with them, taking them to the shops and to the playground. This study acknowledges that IPV has an impact on mothers’ parenting and therefore social workers and practitioners working with these mothers should work on changing societal beliefs about violence and men’s behaviours. This study makes a contribution to understanding the impact of IPV on mothers’ parenting, parenting style and mother-child relationships in Australia. The study highlights the importance of culture, language and gender in understanding IPV on mothers. Implications for policies and practices have been identified together with recommendations for future research.
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    Sustainable social work : a response to the climate emergency from social work education and practice in Aotearoa, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Ellis, Lynsey
    Evidence of the climate emergency is apparent in changing weather systems, rising sea levels, temperature extremes and challenges to food, energy and water security. These physical impacts have health and social implications that increase resource pressures and exacerbate inequities across all social systems. Those tasked with supporting the most vulnerable in the community must plan to face these challenges. Social workers in practice and education across Aotearoa New Zealand need to better understand the relevance of climate change impacts on their practice and prepare for a resilient future. The climate emergency has arrived and the time for action is now. This educational action research, informed by Transformative learning theory and the Transtheoretical model of change, engages social workers, students and educators across Aotearoa New Zealand in a process of transformative learning about the climate change impacts on their work. Transformative learning theory informs the design and interpretation of qualitative data generated through three action research cycles. These include educational workshops, individual interviews and focus groups. Working in collaboration with key stakeholders this thesis identifies the educational and support needs of future social workers. From the findings emerge a working definition of Sustainable Social Work, an educational framework for the future social work curriculum and a Model of Sustainable Action. Each creates a practice-based response to the climate emergency underway in Aotearoa New Zealand.