Exploring the perspectives of practitioners on the needs and experiences of young refugees settling in regional Australia

Across the world large numbers of people are displaced every year and seek asylum in other countries. For example, in 2010 ‘…there were an estimated 43.7 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including 15.4 million refugees, 837 500 asylum seekers and 27.5 million internally displaced persons’ (Phillips, 2011, p. 1). This number is increasing with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees stating that there are currently over 52 million refugees and displaced people worldwide (UNCHR, 2016). The number of refugees settled in Australia is comparatively small–in the five-year period, 2011-2015, 70,721 humanitarian refugees were settled in Australia (Department of Social Services, 2017c). This paper focuses on the findings of a qualitative exploratory study examining the perceptions of professionals working with young refugees resettled in Townsville, a regional city in northern Australia with a population of just under 200,000. Themes presented include emotional well-being, adapting to a new environment, schooling experience, and living in poorer areas

Getting to know the context: the complexities of providing off-site supervision in social work practice learning

Field education is central to social work education, facilitating the development of practice skills, professional identity and a professional practice framework. External supervision in social work field education is becoming more prevalent due to economic, social and political changes at a global level and is likely to continue to be a feature of field education. This article provides findings from current Australian qualitative research exploring 'social work student placements with external supervision', focusing on the experiences and views of external field educators. It explores the research findings in light of international social work education research, particularly with reference to experiences and contexts in England, UK. A range of themes emerge from this study, including a focus on supervision, relationships, roles, placement preparation and assessment. Findings suggest that knowledge and understanding of the placement context is a dominant consideration in social workers' reflections on their experience of providing external supervision to social work students. External supervisors apply a range of strategies to build the understanding of the context of the students' experience and the nature of host agency policies, practices and culture. This can lead to an active engagement of students in their learning, but has implications for resourcing

Five years after Carmody: practitioners' views of changes, challenges and research in child protection

Child protection work is a complex and difficult area of practice, one that is closely scrutinised and criticised, and impacts on the lives of many children. In Australia, child protection systems are overloaded and increasing numbers of children and families receive child protection interventions each year. This study explored the views of North Queensland practitioners who work in the child protection field, examining changes and challenges in this field of practice, and their suggestions for the future research that is needed in child protection. The study took place five years after the 2013 Queensland Carmody inquiry into child protection intervention, which recommended sweeping changes to the child protection system. Twenty-two practitioners participated in this study. Respondents reported an increase in the complexity of cases, a gap in legislation change/practice frameworks and practice, and the application of trauma-informed practice. They highlighted the intersection of child protection, domestic violence and family law and observed that women and children continue to be exposed to violence because of Family Law Court orders. Respondents identified a number of areas where research is needed

The importance of context for 'external' social work supervisors in social work practice learning

In social work education practice learning is recognised as central to the degree, facilitating the development of practice skills, professional identity and a professional practice framework. Social work practitioners, organisations and social work education are exposed to global, economic, social and political changes and workplace pressures that impact social work education and practice including the provision of student practice learning. Social Work practice learning with 'external' supervision is becoming more prevalent, but in some countries it is considered less desirable than practice learning with 'in house' supervision. The small body of literature on practice learning with external supervision through the use of practice assessors/external field educators explores the benefits and the complexities of these set-ups, but particularly emphasises the importance of establishing and maintaining the triad relationship of supervisor, on-site and off-site supervisor and the provision of continued support. Equally, literature on external supervision raises concerns about the visibility of students' work when the assessor is external to the organisation. Literature also suggests that students are more positive about practice learning where the social worker is on site. This presentation provides interim findings of my current Australian PhD research into exploring 'Social Work Student Placements with External Supervision'. The aim of the research is to explore the experiences of key stakeholders in social work practice learning with external supervision and develop practice in this area. A qualitative approach guided in –depth interviews with Australian students, field educators/practice assessors, task supervisors and university liaison persons. This presentation reports on the experiences of social workers who provide 'external' supervision and assessment in practice learning. The implications that can be drawn from the data for an International context are considered. A range of themes have emerged, including a focus on supervision, relationships, roles, placement preparation and assessment. Preliminary findings suggest that knowledge and understanding of context is dominant in social workers' reflections on their experience

Focusing on professional growth: the experiences of external social work supervisors in field education

Social work field education relies on experienced social work practitioners supervising student in human service organisations. Current work contexts and increasing number of students mean that providing placement opportunities for social work students with social work qualified supervisors on site is becoming more difficult. Literature points to limitations, opportunities and important components of placement with external supervision. This paper presents a subset of data from a larger PhD research which examined the experiences of all the key stakeholders involved in social work placements with external supervision. This presentation seeks to illuminate the specific views, concerns, interests and strategies shared by the people who identified as external supervisors, and thus provide the social work supervision to students who undertake their field education in agencies where there is no qualified social work on site able to provide the required social work supervision to them. Participants highlighted the challenges and opportunities posed by external supervision. They discussed formal supervision, where they took on educational roles, and focused on promoting student's professional growth within the profession developing a framework for practice and the social work component to the placement. External supervisors foregrounded relationship building and role clarification as important prerequisites of working supervision arrangements

We can't go shopping without police coming': north Queensland’s at-risk youth feel excluded and heavily surveilled

[Extract] Youth crime in Australia has been the subject of sensationalist media coverage and growing community concern, particularly in north Queensland. We wanted to understand the experiences of young people in north Queensland who were involved in the juvenile justice system, or at imminent risk of becoming so, through their own eyes, and use the findings to improve local services. We worked with a partner organisation that runs an after-hours diversionary service for young people 10-17 years old. This service supports those who are engaged in crime or are at high risk of doing so, by engaging them in activities such as educational sessions, sports, arts and craft, and outings to the park. We found young people using this service often felt under heavy surveillance in public spaces, felt excluded from the community, and felt physically, emotionally and culturally unsafe on public streets. These young people wanted to feel safe and included in the community, but often felt the opposite

A systematic review of social work in general practice: Opportunities and challenges

Purpose: This study identified the nature of social work practice in primary health care and described the reported patient outcomes, benefits, challenges and enablers of social work in general practice [GP] settings. Method: A systematic literature review applying the Prisma framework was conducted. Results: A total of 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. Social work practice in GP assists in delivering positive health outcomes for patients, improved patient care, offers value for money and supports interdisciplinary teams. Identified challenges include funding impediments, organisational barriers and a lack of understanding of and undervaluing the social work role. Discussion and Conclusions: The review outlined the benefits of social work practice in GP practices; however, these must be further evidenced. Funding for social workers in primary health care was identified as a challenge when it was lacking, and as an enabler when it was available. Further research to evidence the patient outcomes and overall benefits, the fiscal value of social work and funding pathways in primary health care is recommended

Grandparents must be included in decisions about children in out-of-home care

[Extract] Across Australia, growing numbers of children are entering out-of-home care, including disproportionate numbers of Indigenous children. As a consequence, more grandparents are becoming primary carers for their grandchildren, often due to family breakdown, incarceration of a parent, substance misuse, or family violence. Intergenerational relationships are crucial to the transmission of cultural knowledge, and severed family relationships can trigger trauma. Yet some grandparents report decreased, precarious or even denied contact with grandchildren after child protection concerns, or an unpredictable cycle of maintained and then lost contact, even in circumstances where a child is placed in kinship care. Our latest research builds on previous research to optimise grandparent contact after child protection concerns. Findings reveal that grandparents yearn to maintain a significant role in grandchildren's lives. Yet grandparents reported being overlooked and routinely sidelined in decision-making by child protection workers

Students in research placements as part of professional degrees: a systematic review

The current emphasis of Governments is on research that shows engagement and impact. At the same time, there is a focus on Work Integrated Learning [WIL] in tertiary education, however, in an increasing neoliberal climate of resource constraints, it can be difficult to provide sufficient quality placement opportunities. Student research placements are an opportunity to support the engagement and impact agenda and fill the scarcity of placements. In order to explore the viability of, challenges of and insights about research placements a systematic literature review covering the years 2008-2017 was undertaken. Findings highlight beneficial learning outcomes for students but reporting in the identified studies scarcely considers the outcomes for organisations, supervisors and academics or the impact of the research. The discussion highlights the need to establish student research placements systematically and to report on the outcomes

The importance of connection: A quantitative study of students’ learning in placements completed remotely from an organisation

This quantitative study surveyed 82 Australian social work students who completed their placement during COVID-19. The delivery of health and welfare services during the pandemic had a significant impact on field education with the result that many placements had to be offered remotely from an organisation. The research was interested in whether this practice learning model can provide quality learning experiences for students by exploring various aspects of the placement experience. Frequency data were generated and the data were analysed using Chi-square tests to determine, firstly, if there were any statistically significant relationships between student learning outcomes and model of supervision, supervisor contact, type of e-placement and student demographics. Secondly, the various learning activities were rated against the students attainment of their placement learning outcomes and their developing confidence, skills and social work identity. Findings highlight that student learning is enhanced when they have opportunities to experience work within an agency setting and when agency staff are involved in supervising and supporting students in e-placements. There were also indications of negative learning outcomes when students are not provided with direct observation opportunities of agency staff and some evidence that e-placements might be more suitable for second placement students