Christa Fouché

Still doing what we do: Defining social work in the 21st century

• Summary: Members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) were asked to provide their definition of social work. Over 300 responses were analysed thematically in order to determine if practitioner views corresponded to recent shifts in social work education and theory which emphasized the importance of social change, strengths based perspectives and the importance of local and indigenous contexts. • Findings: The findings demonstrate that while there was some recognition of social change and strengths-based perspectives in the definitions of social work provided, that those working in the field remain focused on ‘helping individuals, families and groups’ engage in change. Respondents did not, for the most part, acknowledge local or indigenous perspectives in their definitions. • Applications: Results from this study may be useful for social work professional organizations, and social work educators, students and future researchers who are interested in the definition of social work and its scopes of practice.

Migrant Social Workers' Experience in New Zealand: Education and Supervision Issues

Social work has recently featured a mobile workforce, joining other professions in having members navigate the opportunities and challenges posed by working and living in countries other than their country of birth and the country where they obtained their professional qualifications. Local data on professionals employed in the social services workforce in New Zealand were needed to inform educational and institutional responses to this complex phenomenon. Study findings highlighted a range of themes with significant implications for research, practice and education. This paper reports on a sub-section of a larger project, namely the views and reported experiences of overseas-qualified social workers in New Zealand with respect to education, professional development and supervision. Core themes emerged related to the experience of the ‘politics’ of social work in New Zealand and conflicts over cultural and practice issues. The implications are discussed with reference to education and supervision.

Networking practitioner research: synthesising the state of the ‘art’

The aim of this paper is to examine what we know about the experience and outcomes of networked initiatives aimed at facilitating practitioner research. We outline the roles and significance of practitioner research within social work; review emerging understanding of practitioner research network initiatives; and draw conclusions from a comparative analysis of three such initiatives in Auckland, New Zealand, Arhus County, Denmark, and across Scotland. We consider the nature and challenges of practitioner research and a number of responses to how such work should be formulated and conducted. Central to our argument is an empirically informed consideration—from our separate and shared experiences—of how well networks enhance the process and consequences, and art and craft, of such research projects.

Using Groups to Advance Social Work Practice–Based Research

A discussion about the importance of research for social work practitioners and the nature of academic–practitioner partnerships set the scene in this article for a discussion about an innovative academic–practitioner partnership. This partnership, aimed at strengthening research mindedness and research activity in social service settings, has been fuelled by a belief in the power of groups to achieve what individuals cannot. The authors reflect on the range of inputs and synergistic group processes that allowed for a series of outcomes that would not have been possible within an individualized initiative. In conclusion, lessons learned from the use of groups to advance practice-based research are outlined.

“They don't even greet you”: HIV Stigma and Diagnosis Disclosure Experienced by HIV-Positive African Immigrants and Refugees in New Zealand

Due to recent changes in New Zealands HIV and immigration situations, there is a growing need to understand the lives of HIV-positive African newcomers there, including how and when they encounter HIV stigma and discrimination. To illuminate the experience of these individuals, interviews with 13 African immigrants or refugees in New Zealand described difficulties with and causes of HIV stigma and decisions about disclosure of HIV diagnosis. The continued presence of stigma suggests that more work must be done on HIV education, privacy enforcement, antistigma campaigns, culturally competent care, and enforcement of existing human rights laws.

Clinical data-mining: Learning from practice in international settings

This article describes a practice-based, mixed-method research methodology – Clinical Data-Mining (CDM) – as a strategy for engaging international practitioners for describing, evaluating and reflecting upon endogenous forms of practice with the ultimate goal of improving practice and contributing to knowledge (Epstein, 2010). These knowledge contributions are perforce ‘local’, but through conceptual reflection and/or empirical replication they may also be ‘globalized’. More specifically, the article defines, describes, and details CDM methodology; discusses its strengths and limitations; and illustrates international applications in Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, and the United States. It also describes various infra-structural support platforms and CDM’s primary and secondary organizational benefits.

Practitioner research: collaboration and knowledge production

Practitioner research has received growing attention across a number of professional fields, including health, social services and education. Supporting the development of practitioner research raises a series of important political questions addressed by the authors: how should projects and initiatives be sponsored; how are research questions best shaped; what arrangements exist for ongoing project support; and how are findings best shared? Drawing on two practitioner research initiatives from New Zealand and Scotland, this article points towards the opportunities and challenges of collaborative knowledge production within practice settings.

Practitioner perspectives from seven health professional groups on core competencies in the context of chronic care

Abstract The prevalence of chronic illness is growing worldwide and management is increasingly undertaken by interprofessional teams, yet education is still generally provided in separate professions. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of New Zealand healthcare practitioners from seven professional groups involved in chronic care (general practice medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physiotherapy, social work, and speech language therapy) on the core competencies required of those working in this area. The study was set in the context of the chronic care and shared decision-making (SDM) models. The core competencies for chronic care practitioners proposed by the World Health Organisation were used to shape the research questions. Focus groups with expert clinicians (n = 20) and semi-structured interviews with practitioners (n = 32) were undertaken. Findings indicated a high level of agreement that the core competencies were appropriate and relevant for chronic care practitioners but that many educational and practice gaps existed and interprofessional education in New Zealand was not currently addressing these gaps. Among the key issues highlighted for attention by educators and policy-makers were the following: teams and teamwork, professional roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, cultural competence, better engagement with patients, families, and carers, and common systems, information sharing and confidentiality.

Work-Life Balance: Practitioner Well- Being in the Social Work Education Curriculum

Drawing on the debates of ‘work–life balance’ (WLB), subjective well-being (SWB) and life satisfaction (LS), this article seeks to reflect on the issue of social work practitioner well-being in the social work education curriculum. The authors argue that, to enable the elusive ‘work–life balance’ for social work practitioners, we need conversations about the life domains that define balance for each individual. Discussions about life satisfaction or dissatisfaction in social work education can be a crucial starting point for ongoing assessment of aspects of balance for the individual as part of the future workforce. We propose that awareness of, and dialogue about, core domains of life satisfaction during training will also eventually enable more effective management of stress and burnout and quality of service delivery in practice, as well as provide a framework for professional development and career progression of practitioners. We adopt a three-fold discussion: first, we explore the meaning of work–life balance and sketch the implications thereof within social work; second, we trace the relationship between work–life balance, subjective well-being and life satisfaction; and finally, we outline issues for social work education and suggest practices that can enhance practitioner well-being in the longer term and promote safe habits within social work education.

Atypical Alliances: The Potential for Social Work and Pharmacy Collaborations in Primary Health Care Delivery

The growing prevalence of chronic conditions is a cause for concern globally, both in terms of its impact on the health of populations and also the strain it is predicted to place on health resources. There is a push to adopt more holistic and collaborative approaches to health care, and for the education of health care professionals to be reformed if these efforts are to be successful. A research project was undertaken in New Zealand in 2010–2011 aimed at exploring the perceptions of health care professionals on competencies in the field of chronic care. This article aims to highlight learning from the project regarding the “atypical alliance” between social work and pharmacy. Based on this, the authors argue that, with the growing expectations for interprofessional collaboration, effective primary and community health care delivery is increasingly dependent on relationships between educators in different health disciplines, between health professionals-in-training, and between education providers and health organizations.