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This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how social workers relate to societal notions of gender, class, ethnicity and sexuality in meetings with clients. As the basis of the study, qualitative interviews were conducted with four social workers. The results were analyzed by means of an intersectional perspective. The respondents described that societal power structures were present in social work and affected the clients. Male clients with Western origins were experienced in most situations less vulnerable, depending on other present power relations. Clients with non-European origin were perceived as more vulnerable, while LGBTQI-identified clients largely were invisible. All the social workers emphasized the importance of questioning their own beliefs and prejudices at work, in order to provide good treatment towards the clients. Social workers felt that the power structures of gender, class, ethnicity and sexuality may affect their treatment towards the clients, in one way or another. / Denna studies syfte är att ge en djupare förståelse för hur socialarbetare förhåller sig till samhälleliga föreställningar om kön, klass, etnicitet och sexualitet i mötet med klienter. I studien genomfördes fyra kvalitativa intervjuer med socialarbetare, verksamma inom socialt arbete. Studiens resultat analyserades med hjälp av ett intersektionellt perspektiv. Resultatet visade att socialarbetarna ansåg att samhälleliga maktstrukturer var närvarande i det sociala arbetet och påverkade de klienter som sökte sig dit. Manliga klienter med västerländskt ursprung upplevdes i de flesta situationer som mindre utsatta i socialt arbete, beroende på vilka andra maktordningar som samspelar. Klienter med utomeuropeiskt ursprung upplevdes som mer utsatta medan hbtq-personer upplevdes vara mer osynliga. Samtliga socialarbetare framhävde vikten av att ifrågasätta egna föreställningar och fördomar i arbetet, för att kunna ge ett gott bemötande gentemot klienterna. Socialarbetarna upplevde att maktstrukturer kring kön, klass, etnicitet och sexualitet kan påverka deras bemötande på ett eller annat sätt.

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This study examined job satisfaction among social workers in a correctional environment. A model was derived that defines job satisfaction as an attitude based on environmental and personal factors. The purpose of this research project was to examine what factors based on the model, lead to job satisfaction within the Ministry of Public Safety and Security using the Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1997). Questionnaires and surveys were sent to all social work and psychology staff employed in a correctional institution across Ontario. Results support the model that both environmental and personal factors influence the perception and assessment of job satisfaction. Overall the majority of social workers working within the Ministry reported being satisfied (M = 115.0, SD = 27.3); however, psychology staff reported greater job satisfaction (M = 137.9, SD = 21.3). For social workers, supervision, co-workers and the work itself were the factors that related to job satisfaction. Working conditions, communication, contingent rewards and opportunities for promotions were related to dissatisfaction. The proposed model offers suggestions to human service organizations that wish to improve recruiting and retention of social workers.

Human relations are analytical process oriented to acts. The purpose of this act is to help explaining the environment of work and to do the necessary acts improving this environment. The purpose of good human relations creation is to do workers acts more productive, to stimulate workers to do work better and more effective. That’s why human relations asking from social workers to be sensitive for their customers, try to make good works condition and positive work environment. (Barsauskiene, Januleviciene, 1999:26) The main idea of social workers professional activity – to protect human as personality and worth, to cherish his right to resolve and self expression. The social worker is trying to render the help to customer. Ethical consciousness – the necessary part of social worker professional ethics. (Ethics code of Lithuania’s social workers, 1998). That’s why very important to know how people realize worth. Worth have moral colour. It is mean, that these colours reflective human understanding about what is correct, good and desirable. (Robbins, 2003: 33-34). But lives problems, troubles make people acts roughly, rudely. Conflicts are surface. Then people found themselves at conflict situation they begun to understand reality wrong. People find not typical behaviour to themselves. It is mean, that worth’s and relations system is changing. That’s why it is important for social worker to know how to act at conflict situations. (Hanžina, 2001: 86-87). Social workers must... [to full text]

Während der sowjetischen Okupation, die 50 Jahre danerte, wurden keine Sozialbeamte vorbereitet. Soziale Probleme der Einwohner wurden nach zentralisierter, kommando – administrativer Metode gelöst. Ein Teil der Funktionen der Sozialbeamtem wurden von Partei, Gewerkschafts, komsomolorganisationen erfüllt. Der sowjetische kommando – administrative Staatsapparat, auf dem sich die sowjetische Ideologie stützte, hatte die sozialen Probleme nur auf renteauszahlung, Auszahlung des Unterstützungsgeldes, Verteilung der Talors für Möbelstücke, Haushaltsgegenstände, Berechnung der Sozialunterstützte gelegt. Nach der Wiederherstellung der Unabhängigkeit 1990, wählte Litauen den Weg zum Schaffen, einer demokratischen Gesellschaft und Marktwirtschaft. Man begann eine Reform der Sozialversorgung. Im oktober 1990 wurde das Gesetz der sozialversorgung erlassen. Die Jahre 1990-1991 kann man als Anfang der Sozialarbeit annehmen, als nach Litauen die erstern Sozialarbeiter kamen, die Vorlesungen hielten und Unterricht gaben. 1991-1996 hatte unser Land schon zwei hundert Sozialbeamte, die auf verschiedenen Gebieten der Sozialversorgung arbeiteten. Die Assoziation der Sozialarbeiter (Sozialbeamten) wurde in Litauen 1994 gegründet. Die professionalisierung der Sozialarbeit begann 1991-1992, als die Vilniusser und Kaunasser Universitäten und das Utenas Kollegium begannen Sozialarbeiter vorzubereiten... [to full text]

In Manitoba, as elsewhere, there is a growing trend towards the use of pharmaceuticals and medical technology (pharmaceuticalization) on children and youth in care (C/YIC). As legally mandated guardians and trained experts on children and youth, social workers in Manitoba may play pivotal roles in the decision to medicate C/YIC with psychotropics. Yet there are no studies on Manitoba social workers’ experiences with medicated children/youth or on their perceptions and attitudes towards medicating C/YIC with psychotropics. Using a multilevel Social Structure and Personality analytic, I explored what Manitoba social workers from various fields of practice have to say about this trend. Data consisted of five in-depth interviews and 29 self-completed questionnaires. Findings highlighted that social workers in Manitoba are dealing with increasingly complex cases within a system of residual social welfare. Funding and resource constraints, lack of skilled medical professionals and educators quick to refer all contribute towards medicating C/YIC.

Ten front-line maternal social workers were interviewed to determine how they are managing in terms of combining their work and family responsibilities. Supervisor support, and the effectiveness of family-friendly work place policies were explored. All agreed, that motherhood, has had a positive impact on practice including increased empathy and understanding, for both parents and children. The following workplace initiatives were determined to be helpful: flexible and predictable work hours; part-time options; and compressed-work-week. Despite half feeling unsupported by their supervisors, the majority indicated that they are managing well primarily due to flexible work hour scheduling. The attitude of supervisors, regarding the value of parenting, appears to be the key factor relating to their level of support. There was some indication of role conflict and much evidence of accommodation, including turning down supervisory/management positions, postponing education and restricting types of practice.

Stress is inherent in our daily lives and it is debilitating to our mental health. My assumption is that racism and stress are intertwined. The purpose of this research is to explore the narratives of Black social service workers who are working in mainstream social service agencies. I will explore whether, and how, they experience racism and how their experiences might result in a range of stressors in the workplace. This paper is based on the premise that the amount of stress Black social workers are subjected to is directly related to the social and structural forces within the agencies, in terms of racism, sexism and domination. / In particular, I am arguing that it is stressful for Black social workers to work in an agency that perpetuates and condones racism and this may bring about added tension to the working environment. By focusing on everyday forms of racism and its' impact on the mental health of Black social workers, the analysis will also reflect my experiences of personal and institutional racism, the effects of internalized racism and coping strategies aimed at retaining a mental stability and competency on the job. Exploratory interviews were conducted with six social workers, five of whom were front-line workers and one manager, in three social services agencies in Canada, to examine their experiences of racism, their responses and coping strategies which they have adopted to deal with the day-to-day stressors in their jobs. In addition, an examination of current policies, practices and procedures will be interpreted within the organizational structure of the agencies.

Studien syftar till att undersöka hur socialsekreterare resonerar kring omhändertagande av gravida missbrukare. I studien undersöks även tillämpning av tvångsvårdslagstiftning i förhållande till gravida missbrukare och socialsekreterares förhållningssätt till etiska aspekter när beslut om tvångsvård av gravida missbrukare tas. Studien är kvalitativ och genomförs med hjälp av intervjuer med socialsekreterare och även med hjälp av officiella dokument från olika myndigheter. I studien används teorier som empowerment och företrädarskap av Ole Petter Askheim (2007) och Malcolm Payne (2008), socialarbetares handlingsutrymme av Karin Svensson m.fl. (2008) och etiska koder i socialt arbete av Erik Blennberger (2006). Teorierna och kopplingar till det sociala arbetets praktik förklarar socialsekreterares förhållningssätt till omhändertagande av gravida missbrukare. Resultatet av studien visar att socialsekreterare förhåller sig till den svenska lagstiftningen. Socialsekreterare betraktar inte graviditet hos missbrukare som en avgörande faktor när de tar beslut om tvångsvård. / The study aims to survey how social workers reflect on involuntary treatment of pregnant addicts. The study also surveys the application of legislation that regulates involuntary treatment in relation to pregnant addicts and social secretaries' approach to ethical aspects when making decisions on compulsory care of pregnant addicts. The study is qualitative and is implemented with the help of interviews with social workers and also with the help of official documents from various authorities. Theories of empowerment and advocacy by Ole Petter Askheim (2007) and Malcolm Payne (2008), social worker's discretion by Karin Svensson et al (2008) and ethical codes related to social work by Erik Blennberger’s (2006) are used. The theories and issues connected to social work practice explain the grounds social secretaries stand on when taking care of such issues as compulsory care of pregnant addicts. The results of the study show that social workers relate to the Swedish legislation. Social workers do not regard pregnancy of addict as the crucial factor when deciding upon compulsory treatment.