Supervision of Chinese social work students during field practice: Harmonising a student-focused, egalitarian approach with traditional teaching and learning

This article explores the extent to which approaches to supervision developed outside of China fit with Chinese cultural approaches to learning and teaching. Qualitative data were collected from students and supervisors from three different regions in China. The findings suggest that a student-focused, egalitarian approach is fundamental to promote students’ learning at the current developmental stage of the social work profession in China. This approach is in conflict to some degree with the deeply rooted traditional teacher-centred, authoritative teaching and learning style. This study illustrates how a student-focused, equalitarian approach could be applied to alleviate such a tension

Social solidarity, social work and Chinese people

Differences in social solidarity among Chinese in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom have been identified from two linked studies. Significant differences emerged between the two Chinese communities. Notably, respondents in Hong Kong reported a higher sense of belonging to their community, greater engagement with the provision of care for others and made a greater contribution to the lives of others than did UK Chinese respondents. Consideration about construction and delivery of social services is discussed

Inspecting social work values

Under the 'Community Care' legislation inspection units will be set up by each local authority. The inspectors will be responsible for quality assurance in both local authority and independent residential units. This paper examines some of the difficulties that face inspectors from a social work values perspective. Three major aspects are considered; firstly the notion of social work values themselves, secondly problems that arise for inspectors in making judgements, thirdly an approach for inspectors making judgements is outlined

Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Explain Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine among Hong Kong Chinese in Britain

The UK Chinese are known for their underutilisation of western healthcare services. Reasons for this underutilisation are complex. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is a widely used model of social cognition, which in the present study is being applied to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilisation and satisfaction with TCM services. Two hundred and seventy-two UK Chinese aged between 15 and 91 years (; SD = 18.53) enrolled in the study. TCM utilisation was associated with gender, age, cultural attachment, and subjective norms. TCM users were more likely to be female and older and have a strong attachment to Chinese culture, and be influenced by the views of important others. Findings highlight the potential of the TPB in exploring TCM utilisation, whilst also throwing light on other factors influential in the use of TCM and satisfaction with TCM service provision among Chinese in the UK

A transnational bicultural place model of cultural selves and psychological citizenship: the case of Chinese immigrants in Britain

The transnational bicultural place of Hong Kong (HK) Chinese immigrants in United Kingdom (UK) comprises bicultural social networks of UK British and UK Chinese connected transnationally by a third network of home compatriots (HK Chinese). Through demonstration that these networks supported immigrants' dual (British and Chinese) cultural selves along ethnic lines (UK British network supported British cultural self, and Chinese networks supported Chinese cultural self), the present survey (N = 272) contributes to research on migration and transcultural identities. Further it confirmed as predicted that dual cultural selves formed the mental basis of psychological citizenship that was affected by (1) the transnational HK Chinese network mediated via Chinese cultural self and (2) the UK British network mediated via British cultural self. The predicted effect of UK Chinese network was non-significant. Unexpectedly Chinese cultural self decreased with the UK British network, possibly because immigrants did not feel fully accepted in UK