Gavin Heron

Examining the Perceptions and Attitudes of Staff Working in Community Based Children’s Homes Are Their Needs Being Met?

There remains considerable ambiguity and negativity around the purpose and effectiveness of children’s homes. High levels of unqualified staff, low status and poor pay and conditions have continued to be the norm within residential child care. In light of this situation it is appropriate to ask why staff are viewed as a key ingredient in the service provision. It is particularly significant given the views of staff and the tasks they undertake have not been widely researched. This article provides a summary of findings from a doctoral study that attempted to address this deficit by examining the context of children’s homes, especially those social processes and interactions that shape key tasks.

Exploring the perceptions of staff towards children and young people living in community-based children's homes

• Summary: This article examines the perceptions of staff working in community-based childrens homes. Data from interviews with staff, using the repertory grid technique, are analysed and presented in the form of a case study. Particular consideration is given to the child-worker relationship and how it might affect the quality of care provided. • Findings: The findings are selected from a doctoral study and suggest that despite significant changes in the residential sector, many staff feel powerless to address the real issues and problems affecting children. Rather than confront the realities of the situation and implement strategies that empower staff, it would appear that current developments in social work continue to de-prioritize the needs of children. • Applications: The authors argue that a fundamental change in residential care is needed if social work is to meet the needs of many of the most vulnerable children in society.

The place of writing in social work: bridging the theory-practice divide

• Summary: Despite the rhetoric surrounding the merits of practitioners’ contributions, writing for publication in social work continues to be an activity dominated by academics. Furthermore, it could be argued that the influence of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is reshaping what can be considered as quality research. This article examines the nature of writing for publication within social work and gives particular focus to residential child care, where the problem is most striking, although this discussion will have relevance for professionals in other social work settings. We argue that without greater involvement of practitioners, quality research may be quite narrowly defined. • Findings: There would appear to be minimal discussion of the absence of practitioner writing in the social work literature. The causes for this absence have not been fully explored; potential factors, such as inequality, barriers to writing and current education and training programmes, have not been addressed as fully as in other professions. • Applications: This focus on academic writing shows the need for a more inclusive approach to social work practice and research. There is a need for further discussion of strategies to involve residential child care practitioners in research.

Examining the terminology of race issues in assessments for international exchange students

English This study examined assignments by students from a university in Scotland and a university in the USA. The findings suggest the terminology of race issues in assessments may be inappropriate for students because they allow racism to be marginalized from practice or presented in a way that conveys little analysis. French Cette étude a examiné les missions des étudiants d’une université en Ecosse et d’une université aux Etats-Unis. Les découvertes suggèrent que la terminologie des questions de race dans les évaluations existantes puisse être inappropriée pour des étudiants parce qu’elles permettent au racisme d’être marginalisé de la pratique ou présenté d’une façon qui conduit peu à l’analyse. Spanish Este estudio examina trabajos realizados por estudiantes de una universidad en Escocia y una universidad en EEUU. Los resultados sugieren que los problemas con la terminología ‘raza’ dentro de los trabajos existentes pueden ser inapropiados para los estudiantes porque permiten que el racismo sea marginado de la práctica o presentado en una forma que permite muy poco análisis.

Re-engineering the multiple choice question exam for social work

The aim of this study is to devise a multiple choice question (MCQ) exam that provides students with opportunities to engage in a deep approach to learning. Multiple choice assessment is largely unused in social work degree courses in the UK because of associations with techniques such as guessing and rote learning, which do not correspond with deep approaches to learning. Strategies used to enhance opportunities for a deep approach to learning within the MCQ exam used in this study included certainty-based marking (CBM), enhancing the use of formative feedback and giving students responsibility for devising the MCQs. Results show that students use similar levels of deep learning when they completed a MCQ exam compared to those students who completed an essay exam. The deep learning approach for the MCQ exam was, however, less when compared to a different module that used an essay assignment. There is an increasing pressure on Higher Education to provide more robust assessment practices, and findings in this study suggest it may be time for social work tutors to reconsider the role of the MCQ format within the existing range of assessment tools.

Influence of National Qualifications Frameworks in Conceptualising Feedback to Students

Social work students in Britain receive feedback on a range of academic and practice issues as they progress through qualifying courses, however the way in which feedback differs to reflect the increasing complexity of learning as the course progresses is unclear. There is little, if any, guidance at a national level and the most widely known documents that provide information about the hierarchy of qualifications are the National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs). Despite the widespread acceptance of NQFs there is little evidence supporting their use in professional areas such as social work. This study uses a documentary analysis to critique the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). The findings suggest that there are fundamental difficulties with the SCQF and its value in helping academics to better conceptualise feedback that reflects the increasing complexity of learning throughout the social work qualifying course. Whilst the SCQF is specific to a Scottish context, it is suggested that the inherent limitations and dominance of a neo-liberal ideology are common to other NQFs. It may be necessary to create the conditions where academics and students are able to discuss and debate the merits of NQFs and their implementation in social work qualifying courses.

Portfolios and practice-based learning : a student perspective

Whilst the practice placement is widely regarded as an integral component of social work qualifying courses there is less agreement about the most effective way of assessing student learning during this period on the course. This study explored students’ perceptions of a portfolio that was linked to the practice placement. The findings suggest the portfolio contributes positively to the learning process; however, this may be determined more by the separate parts of work than the compilation of an integrated or ‘holistic’ portfolio. If the portfolio is to be an effective assessment tool, it needs to complement fully students’ experience on placement rather than detract attention from it. Improvements in design will have to be mirrored by effective communication between tutors and practice teachers if the portfolio is to maximise practice learning.

Evidence-based policies for residential childcare staff: who benefits from a minimalist approach to education and training?

Despite the well-publicised inadequacies of residential childcare social work in Britain, minimal progress has been made towards implementing an effective education and training policy for those staff who care for some of the most vulnerable children in society. This study focuses on the Scottish context and examines the effectiveness of a range of accredited and non-accredited education and training courses for residential childcare staff. The findings would suggest that courses have a positive impact on learning and practice; however, their existence appears to be incompatible with recent developments in education and training policy in Scotland.

Using practical philosophy to enhance the self-regulation of children in secure accommodation

ABSTRACT Secure accommodation provides extreme forms of control and support for a small minority of society’s most vulnerable children. Within such environments it is unclear how children exhibit or develop self-regulation when external controls affect every aspect of day-to-day life. This study provides an insight into self-regulation by examining children’s adherence to the rules associated with a practical form of philosophy, namely Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI). Data was collected from a series of CoPI sessions which took place in secure accommodation and a thematic analysis was used to identify key themes emerging from participant’s rule-adherence. The findings suggest that argumentative dialogue allows children to demonstrate self-regulation in relation to the CoPI rules, although it is often sporadic and variable between individuals. Whilst encouraging argumentation and dialogue can seem counterintuitive, it might promote more adaptive behaviours, which will give children in secure accommodation greater control over their lives.

Portfolios and practice-based learning

Whilst the practice placement is widely regarded as an integral component of social work qualifying courses there is less agreement about the most effective way of assessing student learning during this period on the course. This study explored students’ perceptions of a portfolio that was linked to the practice placement. The findings suggest the portfolio contributes positively to the learning process; however, this may be determined more by the separate parts of work than the compilation of an integrated or ‘holistic’ portfolio. If the portfolio is to be an effective assessment tool, it needs to complement fully students’ experience on placement rather than detract attention from it. Improvements in design will have to be mirrored by effective communication between tutors and practice teachers if the portfolio is to maximise practice learning.