Karen Roscoe

Narrative social work: conversations between theory and practice

This paper begins by reviewing the current situation in social work practice. It is contended that much of the literature around social work consists of diverse models of practice that urge social workers to take up various theoretical positions. Equally, social workers are often encouraged to listen to the views of service users. In this complexity, it is often difficult for social workers to know which approach to take. This paper goes on to propose a narrative-based approach to social work practice. Narrative social work is defined as a conversation between theory and practice, which can lead to development in both social workers and service users. An example from the lead authors practice is used to outline the model in action. The paper concludes with some comments about the values inherent in narrative based social work.

Wake-up call Achieving compliance with Youth Justice Orders

Community disposals, which are privileged over custody as a response to young offenders, incorporate both punitive and rehabilitative elements in order to punish, deter and rehabilitate. Failure to comply with them has serious implications for young people, in both the short and longer term. In the literature a clear distinction is made between short term formal compliance with requirements of community orders, and more substantive (less measurable) engagement with the spirit of the endeavour to help young people turn away from crime. The article draws on a small qualitative study of young people in receipt of community orders and YOT workers, to explore aspects of supervision of young people in receipt of community disposals. In particular it focuses on ways in which YOT workers support young people to achieve compliance, how this support is received by young people and the implications for their longer term outcomes. The article suggests that while driven by an imperative to avoid breach among young people, levels and type of support provided may not necessarily enable young people to realize the longer term objective of desistance from crime.

More sinned against than sinning? Perceptions about European migrants and crime

The article draws on perceptions of those working in professional capacities with European migrants in one area of the UK, to explore understandings about the relationship between European migrants and crime at the local level. The qualitative study informing the article involved semi-structured interviews with representatives from the criminal justice system (CJS) and community representatives. A key finding of the study was that both CJS and community representative respondent accounts were largely congruent. European migrants were more likely, in respondent accounts, to be victims, rather than perpetrators, of crime. Much of the predominantly ‘low-level’ crime associated with European migrant offending was reported to be largely a function of cultural difference and based on misunderstanding of UK law and CJS processes. The article concludes with some implications for the enculturalization and education of new migrants and the fostering of better understanding between European migrants and CJS agents and processes.

Case Work in Social Work: Exploring the use of Reflective Letters in the Intensive Family Support Services

This paper begins by reviewing the current policy context of ‘evidence based interventions’, a term littered in social work literature and more recently working with complex families in Wales. This study demonstrates the application of practice of a range of workers located in the Integrated Family Support Services (IFSS) in Wales in the context of reflective letters utilising motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. As part of the MI method, which is used as a model for practice in the IFSS, the consultant social worker, alongside other practitioners, uses a range of tools including the use of reflective letters and narrative principles. These letters are evidence themselves of the work and therapeutic conversations that happen during sessions within the family home, and with various family members. This paper draws on 14 samples of reflective letters from current practice in Wales and explores and considers their application to practice and areas for further development.

Review: Carolyn Hilarski and John Wodarski (eds) Comprehensive Mental Health Practice with Sex Offenders and Their Families New York: Haworth Press, 2006, 226 pp., £29.95 (pbk), ISBN 0789025434

are a number of short vignettes, based on the authors’ experiences, scattered throughout the book and these bring to life the issues being discussed. Overall, the authors widen expectations of what people with dementia can do and what social workers can offer them. The reader is empowered to understand dementia in interesting and invigorating ways simply not available by recourse to the medical model. This book sells a vision as well as providing the practical tools for the job. Some minor flaws can be suggested, such as the wait until Chapter 4 for a picture of the social model and the absence of any critique of it. However, once read and absorbed, the reader may find that this book plants the seeds of a moral imperative to help stop the disablement of people with dementia.