Finding permanent homes for children with developmental disabilities (DD), whose parents have voluntarily relinquished their care, is a problem for social workers. Ontario adoption social workers at a biennial business meeting in November/04 (N = 49) were asked about possible solutions, using a questionnaire designed for this study; information was also collected on relevant experience and caseloads. Workers believed that: (1) a majority of parents who voluntarily relinquish the care of their child do so because of the burden of care and/or financial reasons; (2) subsidies would be more effective than open adoption in improving chances of adoption. Also, a significant number of these adoption workers did not have an experience with DD on which to base their casework decisions. / These findings highlight the need for specialist training on DD for social workers who deal with these children, and also the importance of subsidies for families who must care for them.

The objective of this study was to examine the screening criteria for all reports of child sexual abuse received at a Montréal-based child protective services agency during a two-year period. A retrospective review of 303 files was conducted, analyzing information regarding 39 variables pertaining to three variable blocks: characteristics of the sexual abuse situation, of the report, and of the child and family. Bivariate analyses were carried out, followed by logistic regression analyses. Characteristics that increased the odds of screening in a report are: the presence of an adolescent or adult perpetrator, knowing the perpetrator's full name, their access to the child, police awareness of the situation, the presence of another protective concern, consulting with a manager, knowing the legal custody arrangement, and the number of siblings reported. Conversely, the longer a file remained open prior to making a decision significantly increased the odds of screening out a report. / L'objectif de cette étude était d'examiner les critères associés à la rétention de rapports d'agressions sexuelles envers les enfants reçus par une agence de services de protection durant une période de deux ans. Une révision rétrospective de 303 dossiers à été menée, analysant l'information concernant 39 variables en trois blocs: les caractéristiques de la situation d'agression sexuelle, du rapport, et de l'enfant et de sa famille. Des analyses bivariées ont été complétées, suivies par des analyses de régression logistiques. Les caractéristiques augmentant la probabilité que le rapport soit retenu sont : la présence d'un agresseur adolescent ou adulte, la connaissance du nom de l'agresseur, leur accès à l'enfant, la connaissance de la situation par la police, la présence d'une autre situation de protection, la consultation avec un superviseur, la connaissance de la garde de l'enfant, et le nombre de fratries signalé. À l'inverse, le nombre de jours que le dossier demeurait ouvert avant qu'une décision soit prise augmente la probabilité qu'un rapport ne soit pas retenu.

This multiple case study explored the experiences of adult immigrants who came to Canada alone, separated from those with whom they would normally share life transitions. Data were collected through individual interviews with eight participants, and analysed using an ecological framework to explore their migration experiences in the context of separation from family and friends. Key findings included negative experiences of emotional isolation, positive and negative reactions to social isolation, and changing self-identities. Separation also had implications for the relationships between participants and those from whom they had been separated. Findings were consistent with research done previously with specific refugee populations in the Canadian context, and with broader immigrant populations in different contexts. The findings have potential implications for practice with immigrants and Canadian immigration policy, and point to areas for further research. / Cette étude de cas multiples a exploré les expériences d'immigrants adultes arrivés seuls au Canada, séparés de ceux avec lesquels ils auraient normalement partagé cette transition importante dans leurs vies. Les données ont été recueillies par le biais d'entrevues individuelles avec huit participants, et ont été analysées à partir d'un point de vue écologique. La perspective écologique a été utilisée afin d'explorer les expériences de migration dans le contexte de la séparation entre les immigrants et leurs familles et amis.Les résultats majeurs incluent la présence d'émotions négatives liées à l'isolement émotionnel, la présence de réactions négatives et positives face à l'isolement social, et des changements au niveau identitaire. La séparation a aussi eu des effets sur les relations entre les participants et ceux avec lesquels ils ont été séparés. Les résultats de cette recherche confirment les résultats d'études antérieures auprès d'immigrants dans le contexte Canadien, ainsi qu'avec d'autres populations dans d'autres contextes. Les résultats peuvent informer la pratique du travail social auprès des immigrants, influer sur les politiques sociales d'immigration, et indiquer de nouveaux champs de recherche.

Thousands of women were affected by the civil war in Sierra Leone, which took place between 1991 and 2002. Using a postcolonial framework, the study explores the wartime experiences of women, and examines the ways in which women provided assistance to one another in the early post-conflict period. Qualitative interviews were conducted with two distinct sets of participants in rural Sierra Leone: 1) women who suffered various forms of abuse during the war, and 2) female leaders who were active participants in the healing process of others. Results reveal discrepancies between the model of intervention used by international agencies and local helping mechanisms. Overall, help provided by local female leaders was shown to be more significant to war-affected women than international interventions. Based on these findings, recommendations for improved social work practices in post-conflict settings are presented. Implications of these findings for the field of international social work are also discussed. / Des milliers de femmes ont été touchées par la guerre civile en Sierra Leone qui a eu lieu entre 1991 et 2002. À l'aide d'un cadre théorique postcolonial, l'étude explore les expériences de guerre des femmes et examine les différentes manières dont les femmes se sont entraidées dans la période d'après-guerre. Des entrevues qualitatives ont été menées en région rurale en Sierra Leone avec deux groupes de participantes distincts : 1) des femmes ayant subies différentes formes d'abus durant la guerre, et 2) des femmes qui sont intervenues auprès d'autres femmes dans le besoin. Les résultats démontrent des écarts importants entre le modèle actuel d'intervention utilisé par les agences internationales et les interventions utilisées par les instances locales. De manière générale, les interventions locales ont eu un effet plus significatif sur le processus de guérison des femmes que les interventions internationales. Les données de cette recherche sont utilisées pour développer des recommandations afin d'améliorer les pratiques de travail social en période d'après-guerre. Les répercussions de ces résultats sur le domaine du travail social international sont également discutées.

In 1949 the Educational Department of the Montreal Young Women's Christian Association was merged with the arts and crafts interest groups of the Young Adult Department and the new Art Workshop and Educational Classes Department was assigned the challenging responsibility of developing an imaginative and creative program in the arts and crafts. The decision to initiate workshops in which young and enthusiastic amateurs could explore the world of design, rhythm and beauty and experience the thrill of creation put the Montreal Association into the ranks of those few Y.W.C.A.'s (1) who for some time have pioneered in the field of arts.

To better understand Anglophone elderly experience in accessing health care services in a Francophone area, it is important to look beyond availability of healthcare services near their homes. This study explored factors such as language competence, preference, motivation, reaching and waiting times, as contributors to elderly people's choice. / A questionnaire designed for this study was administered to 199 males and females, aged 55 years and older, recruited from the only Anglophone Seniors' Centre in East-End Montreal. It was found that elderly people with limited French proficiency were more likely to travel out of their area for healthcare services, resulting in significantly longer average travel and waiting times. Of those who would have liked an interpreter, very few were actually able to get one. The most frequently expressed need was for more English or bilingual workers and services. / To improve access and enhance elderly people's quality of life, training and intervention programs need to be developed in collaboration with the government.

In September of 1951, a group worker was added to the social service staff of the Allan Memorial Institute. This marked the first instance, in Canada, of group work in a psychiatric setting, and very little was known as to what this new service might contribute to the welfare of the patients, and as to how the aims of group work might be accomplished in a setting which was primarily, although not entirely, concerned with the treatment of psychiatric ills by individual methods, such as individual psychotherapy and case work.

The study was undertaken in order to clarify and evaluate the role of the medical social worker in helping patients with skin diseases. This analysis was based on an examination of the hospital and social service records of 30 skin patients who had been known to the worker on the dermatology service at the Royal Victoria Hospital between January, 1950 and March, 1953. Their environments, personalities, and reactions to the illness were studied to determine whether certain factors influenced the worker's role.

The Montreal Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre represents, in its statement of function, the latest approach towards treatment of handicapped people, namely, that of providing a number of different services and utilizing a diversity of professional skills in an agency setting, to provide for the total possible rehabilitation of its clientelle of handicapped patients.

The following thesis describes the experiences of a non-Native, female, social worker as a participant-observer among First Nations people. The setting was that of an Intensive Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program for male Aboriginal ex-offenders, held over a period of four months in 1993. The environment was a secluded camp site, situated to the North-East of Montreal. The material describes, in narrative form, the interactions between non-Native and Mohawk workers, and between non-Native worker and Native clients of various cultural backgrounds. Also considered are general issues which affect First Nations peoples, such as alcohol and drug abuse, grief and loss, sexual abuse and the resurgence of traditional Native spiritual practices. Implications of the work reflect on effective cross-cultural communication, and the importance of facilitating appropriate healing processes for First Nations peoples.