Hilary A Abrahams

From pillar to post: homeless women's experiences of social care.

This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of homeless women. Thirty-eight women were recruited with a retention rate of 58% over three rounds of interviews. Interviews explored specific events in womens lives, their current living arrangements and how their experiences and needs, including for social care, changed over time. Data were analysed thematically using a priori codes. Women reported a range of complex issues, consistent with experiences of deep social exclusion and received support from both statutory and voluntary agencies. Although women appreciated the support they received, many reported that services were fragmented and rarely personalised to their needs.

Ethics in Counselling Research fieldwork

Research dealing with sensitive subjects, feelings and emotional wellbeing requires constant reflection and rebalancing in order to meet the needs of all the parties involved and to be ethical. This paper examines some of the issues involved in applying ethical guidance to the reality of fieldwork in a study of the personal and emotional support needs of women who have left an abusive relationship. It considers organisational ethics, the complexities of informed consent, the duty of care and the need for reciprocity, and argues that the key to ethical research lies in respect for the individual.

A Review of the Provision of Intervention Programs for Female Victims and Survivors of Domestic Abuse in the United Kingdom

This article is concerned with the provision of intervention programs aimed at female victims/survivors of domestic abuse in the United Kingdom. Social workers, and other statutory professionals, are increasingly referring clients who have experienced abuse to these interventions, but there has been little debate about the aims and objectives of them or consideration of their effectiveness. This article includes a discussion of the key elements of the programs and criticisms of these types of interventions.