The aim of this study is to examine how Swedish social services work withspecifically international adopted children and their sense of belonging. We alsowant to examine how social services take the child's best interest into consideration regarding international adopted children. We chose a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews with four social workers within units for child and family support and four social workers within family law in different municipalities aroundSweden. We have studied the results using belonging as a theory and identity andethnical identity as theoretical concepts. The results show that social workersbelieve that internationally adopted children may have more difficulties to formbelonging to their family and surroundings. It also shows that the Swedishmunicipalities do not really offer specific support for adoptees. The informants havestated that they cannot guarantee the child's best interest in every situation, since itis constantly changing, individually defined and adapted to needs. We did find thatthe support that is provided for adoptees and their families is mainly preventivemeasures. This includes parental education before adoption to equip the parents withall the knowledge they may need to adhere to the child's best interest. Manyinformants also state that many of the adoptive children have special needs in formof cleft palate, mental health issues as well as cognitive delays. They also state thatmany of these children have been institutionalised in orphan care and that it cancause trauma to these children later in life, which also can be considered a specialneed. The result also shows that the social workers believe that therapy can beeffective for these children and that the municipalities state that they would buythese services if needed. The municipalities work to prevent these health issuesamong adoptees by strengthening the parents to get the same knowledge as thesocial services to be able deal with the children. The informants say that theadoptees and their families should be able to feel like a “ordinary” family withoutthe state watching them if not needed which causes a dilemma.

<p>The objective of this study was investigating social worker’s perspective of how alcohol consumption can affect, and what elements in the social environment that may be of significance for, alcohol consumption and development of identity. The questions at issue were: Do social workers experience any positive effects from alcohol consumption in 16-17 year-old girls with problematic alcohol consumption and what influence do the effects have on self esteem, self image and development of identity? What do social workers experience are the negative effects from alcohol consumption on self esteem, self image and development of identity? How important do social workers find the social environment and how do they believe the social environment affect the alcohol consumption and development of identity? This was investigated with a qualitative approach from a social worker’s perspective, hence social workers were interviewed. The study’s theoretical basis was Symbolic Interactionism and Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial Development. According to interviewed social workers results showed only short-term positive effects on self esteem and self image and the negative effects were primarily feelings of guilt and shame, which could cause a long-term deterioration of self esteem and self image. Alcohol consumption brings only negative effects to development of identity, according to social workers who also stated that the social environment is of significance for the alcohol consumption and the development of identity.</p>

The objective of this study was investigating social worker’s perspective of how alcohol consumption can affect, and what elements in the social environment that may be of significance for, alcohol consumption and development of identity. The questions at issue were: Do social workers experience any positive effects from alcohol consumption in 16-17 year-old girls with problematic alcohol consumption and what influence do the effects have on self esteem, self image and development of identity? What do social workers experience are the negative effects from alcohol consumption on self esteem, self image and development of identity? How important do social workers find the social environment and how do they believe the social environment affect the alcohol consumption and development of identity? This was investigated with a qualitative approach from a social worker’s perspective, hence social workers were interviewed. The study’s theoretical basis was Symbolic Interactionism and Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial Development. According to interviewed social workers results showed only short-term positive effects on self esteem and self image and the negative effects were primarily feelings of guilt and shame, which could cause a long-term deterioration of self esteem and self image. Alcohol consumption brings only negative effects to development of identity, according to social workers who also stated that the social environment is of significance for the alcohol consumption and the development of identity.

Žmogaus sveikata – multidimensinis reiškinys, tai – tarpusavyje susijusių veiksnių: fizinės, emocinės/dvasinės sveikatos, socialinės gerovės, visuma. Todėl integruotos sveikatos priežiūros pagrindas yra visuminė (holistinė) idėja, reikalaujanti reiškinį suvokti kaip tam tikrą visumą, netolygią jos elementų sumai. Siekiant visapusiškai padėti sergančiam žmogui reikia ne tik medicininės srities specialistų pagalbos, tačiau reikalinga ir svarbi tampa sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoje dirbančio kompetentingo socialinio darbuotojo veikla. Socialinis darbas sveikatos priežiūroje yra pakankamai nauja socialinio darbo sritis Lietuvoje, dėl to susiduriama su: informacijos apie socialinio darbo profesiją, socialinio darbuotojo veiklą ir jo funkcijas, problema. Pastebėta, kad socialinio darbo problematika sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose aktuali, todėl reikalinga sistemingų ir išsamių tyrimų šioje srityje. Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose socialinio darbo profesija nuvertinama, o socialinio darbo specialistai susiduria su įvairiais sunkumai ir problemomis dirbdami medikų apsuptyje. Nors socialinių darbuotojų padėtis sveikatos priežiūros srityje nėra palanki, tačiau profesija reikalinga dėl sveikatos ir socialinių klausimų susietumo bei naujo požiūrio, kad sveikatos priežiūros paslaugos turi būti teikiamos kartu su socialinėmis paslaugomis. Socialinis darbuotojas, remdamasis savo profesine kompetencija, sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose, teikia socialines paslaugas, padeda asmenims... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Health is a multidimensional concept. It is a complex combination of a person's physical, mental, emotional and social health factors. Therefore an integrated health care is based on the total (holistic) concept and requires understanding the phenomenon into account and seen as a whole. In order to fully help to sick person need not only medical professionals, necessary and important are qualified social worker’s activities working in health care institutions. Social work in health care is quite new field of social work in Lithuania, therefore faced with: information about the social work profession, social worker’s activities and social worker’s functions, problems. It was noticed that social work issues is relevant in health care institutions and requires systematic and comprehensive research in this social work area. Social work profession is downplayed in health care institutions in Lithuania and social work professionals are facing to various difficulties and problems of working in the medical teams. Although the social worker’s status in the health care sector is not favorable, but the social work profession is necessary for the relationship between health and social issues as well as the new approached that health care services must be providing integrated with social services. In health care institutions, social worker on the basis of the professional competence, provides social services, he helps people with health problems to integrate into society and encourages... [to full text]

The serious shortage of social workers (nationally) caused by their exodus from the profession at an alarming rate and the resultant classification of social work as a "scare skill" served as motivation for this research project into retention strategies to retain social workers for the profession. A qualitative research approach and an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews with 15 purposely selected participants in the geographically defined boundaries of the Northern Free State and Gauteng. Tesch's (in Creswell, 1994) and Guba's models (in Krefting, 1991) aided the processes of data collection and verification, respectively. The research findings uncovered: general and specific reasons for the social workers' exodus, feelings and emotional reactions of social workers subsequent to the early exodus from the profession, and retention proposals to retain social workers. Based on the findings, recommendation directed to practice, education, policy and further research, were made. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

The serious shortage of social workers (nationally) caused by their exodus from the profession at an alarming rate and the resultant classification of social work as a "scare skill" served as motivation for this research project into retention strategies to retain social workers for the profession. A qualitative research approach and an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews with 15 purposely selected participants in the geographically defined boundaries of the Northern Free State and Gauteng. Tesch's (in Creswell, 1994) and Guba's models (in Krefting, 1991) aided the processes of data collection and verification, respectively. The research findings uncovered: general and specific reasons for the social workers' exodus, feelings and emotional reactions of social workers subsequent to the early exodus from the profession, and retention proposals to retain social workers. Based on the findings, recommendation directed to practice, education, policy and further research, were made. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)