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Narrative strategy can strengthen social work practice, given its usefulness in revealing how social forces influence people’s experiences with situations that can compromise their well-being. In this paper, a product of long-term developmental research, the authors consider the versatility of narrative strategy to address homelessness among older African-American women, a growing segment of the homeless population in the United States. After considering homelessness as a social issue, and the distress it can produce, often resulting in serious health and mental health problems among older minority women, the authors examine vulnerability from a narrative perspective, offer background on their long-term narrative research and summarise their observations about the nature of narrative practice in working with members of vulnerable populations. The authors develop a thematic framework for conceptualising narrative as a practice research tool for social workers and other human service professionals. For each of the four narrative themes (involving plight, efficacy, hope and recovery), useful in helping people who are vulnerable, the authors document the distinctive focus of each one, and they then conclude the paper with implications for helping people who are vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service users were interviewed as part of a multi-method evaluation of an alcohol and drug social work service in Scotland. This paper explores service user interviews that were conducted in the evaluation, addressing the following questions: What did the service users feel about the service itself? Leading on from this, what did they see as helpful in facilitating their recovery in general? The research will be contextualised in Scotland’s culture of problematic drug and alcohol use, Scottish drug and alcohol policy and the emerging recovery-orientated approach. The methodology of the evaluation will be explained and findings from the service user interviews will be outlined under the headings: therapeutic relationships, outreach, timeframe, and holistic approach and joint working. The paper demonstrates the importance of service user accounts not only for providing general feedback on social work services, but also for giving specific insight into what is helpful for individuals seeking to recover from substance use problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hoarding can impact on people’s activities of daily living, pose a significant health risk and put people at risk of eviction and mental health issues. There is growing awareness of how hoarding affects people. However, there remains little clarity about how local authorities and other agencies can collaborate to address the problems that hoarding can cause, and with whom the primary responsibility lies. Although social workers may frequently come into contact with hoarding, there is little evidence of the impact social work practice can have with people who hoard. This paper focuses on the work taking place with hoarding in the Adult Community Social Work team of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF). Collaboration with other agencies, a commitment to supporting people who hoard and some intensive work with service users have been central to the work in LBHF so far. This paper discusses the key role that social workers have to play in supporting people who hoard, with a focus on the importance of relationship-building with service users. It argues that social workers are well placed to support people affected by this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses applying an action learning methodology across the multi-agency network when working with child maltreatment as a way of enhancing case management. It offers a realistic application of the methodology, illustrated through recent practical experience and pilot, which aims to promote the opportunity for the multi-agency network to critically reflect on their interventions with children and families. By exploring the methodology and how it aims to encourage individual and group reflection, particularly through the use of facilitated and structured conversations but also assessment frameworks, the paper offers thoughts on both the strengths and challenges of adopting such an approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the complex challenges faced by social workers carrying out age assessments for young asylum seekers. They must weigh up many competing factors to decide whether someone is a child or an adult, with significant implications for that person's future. Lack of statutory guidance and training has led to huge inconsistencies in practice in this area. Social workers must navigate a complex legal territory which crosses the boundaries between immigration and welfare law and presents significant ethical dilemmas. They must maintain their professional judgement whilst under pressure regarding resources, and all the while hold these vulnerable young people and their previous traumatic experiences in mind. This paper explores why this is such a complex area of social work, whilst drawing conclusions for better practice and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the deaths of Victoria Climbié and of Peter Connelly (Baby P) the media has raged about social work competence, the public have expressed dismay and the government has responded with proposals designed to alter practice procedures. Altering procedures gives the appearance of change without necessarily improving practice. Do social workers have sufficient knowledge to make the decisions that they are responsible for? This paper examines whether a restricted knowledge base contributes to social workers missing or misjudging signs of maltreatment. The paper also looks at evidence suggesting that social workers are resistant to developing new ways of working. A more positive approach to developing expert knowledge and engagement with the inter-professional knowledge base is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The politics of recognition is a common framework through which both individual and group demands are made today. Demands are made not only for individual distress to be validated, but also for cultural identities to be accorded positive recognition; in the acknowledgement of past trauma or abuse in the former, and in showing respect towards different lifestyles and beliefs in the latter. This paper discusses the politics of recognition in its historical specificity, in particular its interaction with the new social movements (NSMs) that came to the fore in the latter decades of the twentieth century. Such movements increasingly focused on cultural issues with a concomitant decline of a more materialist politics that emphasised economic redistribution. The forms that such demands for recognition can take are also highlighted. In addition, some implications for social policy and social work are discussed as whilst welfare recipients are often people requiring recognition, increasingly, welfare providers also articulate a desire for their professionalism and societal worth to also be accorded positive cultural recognition. In light of this, barriers to, and strategies for, the achievement of a form of ‘mutual recognition’ between professionals and social workers are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MAZE project is an innovative specialist domestic abuse service that undertakes intensive work with women affected by domestic abuse and their partners. This paper will describe the project and present findings from a small evaluation undertaken in 2010. Examples from MAZE work with individual women, direct work with men, and the MAZE project contribution to multi-agency work are used to illustrate how and why the project is successful and the challenges in achieving this. An important theme arising from this work is the central importance of keeping focused upon the safety of women and children, and upon understanding, assessing and addressing the risks and responsibilities of the domestic violence behaviours. Importantly this turns professional attention towards men and their behaviour and benefits women and children. Whilst the MAZE project is an example of innovation in service user-led organisations, it also demonstrates new directions for working with high risk families where domestic abuse is a feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a four-staged training model (the STEP Model) which underpins a rights and child-centred approach to working with street-connected children and acts as a basis for change and improvement in the quality of their lives. The model moves through a sequence from planning to reconnaissance, to contact and development of practice. It has been informed primarily by training developed by StreetInvest (a London based charity), the subsequent evaluation of their training in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and literature on street work practice. Much has been written about street-connected children but much less about those who work with them on the streets. This model is intended to add to the broader discourse and practice surrounding street work and street-connected children globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]