Sophie Goldingay

Practising social inclusion

Part 1: Introduction 1. Scoping Social Inclusion Practice Ann Taket, Beth R. Crisp, Melissa Graham, Lisa Hanna and Sophie Goldingay Part 2: Practising Inclusion in Policy 2. Conscience Clauses: Your Right to a Conscience Ends at my Right to Safe, Legal and Effective Health Care Sarah Barter-Godfrey and Julia Shelley 3. Practising Inclusion in Policy Design for People with Disabilities Natasha Layton and Erin Wilson 4. Practising Social Inclusion Through Regulation: Occupational Health and Safety for Commercial Sex Workers Beth R. Crisp and Michael W. Ross Part 3: Practising Inclusion in Service Design 5. Inclusive Service Development: Exploring a Whole of Organisation Approach in the Community Service Sector Sarah Pollock and Ann Taket 6. Increasing Social Cohesiveness in a School Environment Karen Stagnitti, Mary Frawley, Brian Lynch and Peter Fahey 7. Inclusive Service Design for Young People with Learning Disabilities Who Exhibit Behaviours of Concern Sophie Goldingay and Karen Stagnitti Part 4: Practising Inclusion in Service Delivery 8. Working for Connection and Inclusion: The Role of Front Line Practitioners in Strengthening the Relational Base of Marginalized Clients Mark Furlong 9. Experiments in Social Inclusion and Connection: Cases From Lebanon Jihad Makhoul, Tamar Kabakian-Khasholian, Michael El-Khoury and Faysal El-Kak 10. Practising Social Inclusion: The Case of Street-Based Sex Workers and the St. Kilda Gatehouse in Melbourne Rachel Lennon, Pranee Liamputtong and Elizabeth Hoban Part 5: Practising Inclusion in Community Life 11. Promoting Social Inclusion of Frail Older People Living in the Community Ann Taket, Sarah Pollock, Lisa Hanna, Emily Learmonth and Peta Farquhar 12. Enabling New Students to Feel That They Matter: Promoting Social Inclusion Within the University Community Beth R. Crisp and John Fox 13. Community-Driven Social Inclusion Practice: A Case Study of a Multicultural Womens Friendship Group Lisa Hanna and Jan Moore 14. Practicing Social Inclusion: Comfort Zone - A Social Support Group for Teenagers with High Functioning Autism Jessica Gill, Pranee Liamputtong and Elizabeth Hoban Part 6: Practising Inclusion in Research 15. Preventing HIV Through Social Inclusion Using Community Based Participatory Research Suzanne M. Dolwick Grieb, Ndidiamaka Amutah, Jason Stowers, Horace Smith, Kimberli Hammonds and Scott D. Rhodes 16. Inclusive Research with People with Intellectual Disability: Recognising the Value of Social Relationships as a Process of Inclusive Research Erin Wilson and Robert Campain 17. Examining the Notion of Informed Consent and Lessons Learned for Increasing Inclusion Among Marginalised Research Groups Nena Foster and Emily Freeman 18. The Invisibility of Childlessness in Research: A More Inclusive Approach Melissa Graham 19. Inclusion in Participatory Research - What Were the Whitefellas Doing in an Aboriginal Health Project? Sarah Barter-Godfrey, Sarah Pollock and Ann Taket Part 7: Conclusion 20. Implementing the Social Inclusion Agenda Beth R. Crisp, Ann Taket, Melissa Graham and Lisa Hanna

Preparing social work graduates for digital practice: ethical pedagogies for effective learning

ABSTRACT Debate has arisen in social work about the value of online education, with proponents providing examples of innovative approaches to online teaching and those against it citing the need for face-to-face interactions to suitably teach and assess social work skills. At the same time, social workers are increasingly making use of social media, websites, online databases, email, and text messaging services for work with clients. Consequently, social workers must be adequately prepared to make use of online technologies in their practice. Drawing on examples of online interactive activities used at two regional universities and informed by Chi’s conceptual framework of cognitive processes of learning, this article argues that learning via information and communications technology (ICT) helps prepare graduates for emerging digital practice and should be an integral part of social work education. Further, ICT enables educators to monitor the levels and quality of student rehearsal of practice skills and knowledge in interactive learning experiences helping promote competent practice, grounded in social work values.

Transforming roles to support student development of academic literacies: a reflection on one team's experience

Abstract Social work is a discipline that attracts students from diverse academic backgrounds. Many are first in family to attend university, and come to university through alternative pathways such as vocational education. As a result, there are higher levels of attrition compared to other disciplines, especially in the first year. To address this, and in keeping with a commitment to provide accessible education, one school of social work undertook a project to embed academic literacies into the curriculum. This paper used Gibb’s reflective process to explore how this was experienced by team members. Data were collected via staff focus groups at two different points in time across the project and compared. The reflection unpacked a number of tensions experienced by team members, including concerns about potential loss of resources as a result of academics adopting new roles, and concerns about implementing what was seen as Westernised academic skills which may not fit with students’ ways of thinking and creating knowledge. Overfull curricula and constant change also appeared to be of concern. The reflection highlighted that to achieve effective and sustainable change, action was required at multiple levels.

An intervention to improve social participation for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Pilot study

Abstract Objective: To increase flexible thinking, self-regulation and empathy for adolescents with ASD. Method: Five adolescents (M = 13.5 years; SD = 0.84 years; four males) were assessed pre and post intervention for flexible thinking and social competence (as measured by the SSIS). Parents rated their adolescent’s social competence pre and post intervention. Results: A large decrease was found in parent rating of their child’s level of hyperactivity (12.8, SD = 2.3; 11, SD = 2.2) (p = 0.034) (Cohen’s d = 0.95). Parents increased their rating of their child’s cooperation and empathy (Cohen’s d = 0.71 and 0.56, respectively). A medium effect for flexible thinking was observed in three items (Cohen’s d = 0.5 to 0.62) and a large effect for one item (Cohen’s d = 1.35). Adolescents decreased self-scoring on the social scale post intervention. Conclusion: Improvements were observed in adolescents’ flexible thinking and social insights, and parent’s perception of their child’s self-regulation.

From institutional care to life in an Australian family: The experiences of intercountry adoptees

Intercountry adoption programmes have brought children from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds to live as Australians, including 30 Thai children from Rangsit Children’s Home who arrived in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This article provides insight into the experiences of intercountry adoptees at four key stages of the adoption process: leaving the orphanage, arrival in Australia, becoming a member of a family and reconnecting with Thai culture. As this study demonstrates, each of these phases can be challenging for both the adoptees and the families who adopt them and supports may be required long after adoptees become adults.

Evaluating a supported nature play programme, parents’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Concern has been raised recently in relation to excessive use of digital technology and the detrimental effect this has on familial relationships, well-being and development, andon people’s connection with nature. This article provides a timely response to this concern by presenting the findings of a qualitative evaluation of a supported nature play programme according to the parents’ perceptions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants and analysed using experiential thematic analysis. Analysis provided three major themes: enhancing interpersonal relationships; connections to nature and fostering emotional wellness. According to these participants, relational, well-being and developmental benefits continued both within and beyond the programme context. It is argued that supported nature play programmes, which include a therapy dog, have the potential to enhance interpersonal, nature and animal connections while simultaneously providing families with opportunities to strengthen their development and well-being.

Simulating social work practice online with digital storytelling: challenges and opportunities

ABSTRACT To help prepare students for the challenges of modern social work practice, a regional Australian University’s social work teaching team developed a client-centered web-based digital storytelling case study as a form of practice simulation (hereafter referred to as a digital case study) for use in a Master of Social Work qualifying program. A mixed methods evaluative study was completed. Descriptive statistics and a contextualist thematic analysis was undertaken on anonymous survey data collected from two cohorts (n = 29). Analysis demonstrated the learning benefits went beyond subjective confidence, toward mastering new skills consistent with course threshold concepts. Skill development in these areas meant students developed ways to self-manage and reflect on their emotional reactions to confronting and overwhelming situations without harming real clients. Nevertheless, during the digital case study trial, students found the discussion of controversial or sensitive issues in the online learning environment difficult. Other challenges identified included avoiding a sense of being overwhelmed by clients’ multiple challenges, and not being able to interact with the simulated ‘client’ to ask further questions.

Australian social work academics’ perceptions of their teaching roles within higher education

ABSTRACT The marketisation of higher education (HE) has created a number of tensions and ideological dilemmas that may influence how academics see their roles and teaching practices. This paper explores how academics in the discipline of social work (who were also in leadership roles) perceive their roles and identities and manage the tensions and dilemmas that arise for them as teachers in the current HE environment. Unless the tensions and dilemmas are articulated, it is not possible to understand and manage their impact on academics. This may lead to the loss of quality learning experiences for students and lower workplace satisfaction. This paper addresses the research question: were there ideological dilemmas experienced by social work academics in the current environment and if so, what subject positions did they adopt in response to these? A discursive psychology approach was used to answer this question. Data showed a range of ideological dilemmas represented by each of the different subject positions adopted. The paper concludes with questions for readers to consider, generating ideas for transferring understanding of these ideological dilemmas into positive action within the workplace.