Reflection and Emotional Containment: Therapeutic Work in Family Centres

This paper considers the need for developing a theoretical framework for therapeutic practice in family centre work. Drawing on theories of parent-infant relationships it examines the contribution of concepts of emotional containment' and 'holding' to the related tasks of management and therapeutic work. It explores ways in which the anxieties of workers can be managed so that reflective practice and therapeutic relationships are supported. It considers the particular suitability for family centres of a model of work based in parent-infant psychotherapy.     

Family Practice Social Work

Many physical problems presented to family physicians by their paticnts often involve psychosocial variables with stress being a major one. Though family rncdicine advocates a biopsychosocial focus, one that is compatible with social work, the psychosocial aspects of health are often ignored. Thc involvement of social workers in the private practices of family physicians to deal with such problems is discussed in this paper as a new area of specialization. Issues such as the medicine-social work gap and the financing of social work services in private family medical practice are also addressed. It is concluded that this should be considered a new area of specialization. However, social workers must take thc initiative in its development.     

Identifying Potential Family Practice Social Work Opportunities

The results of a survey of private primary care family physicians relative to their interest in having social workers associated with their practices are reported. There are several family physician and practice setting variables associated with a positive response to the question of whether family physicians have or would like to have a social worker associated with their practice. These findings should be beneficial to social workers interested in becoming established in family practice. Implications of these factors are discussed.     

Current Practice in Meeting Child Health Needs in Family Support Services: Variation by Service Type and Perspectives on Future Developments

The needs of all service users include those related to physical, emotional, sexual and mental health. This article documents where child health needs are recognised and being met within family support services in the west of Ireland, investigates whether there is variation across different types of family support services and presents the views of service providers as to how health needs could be more fully addressed. Four randomly selected service managers were interviewed; followed by a census survey of managers within the region. Thirty-three managers returned questionnaires (80% response) on their formal briefs in relation to health, perceived health needs being met and unmet, approaches to meeting health needs and resources required to adequately meet client health needs. Emotional and mental health needs were most frequently being met within current services, while group work, one-to-one work and referring on were all popular approaches. Systematic differences emerged by service size and client group. Access to expertise and staff training were perceived as the most popular approaches to improving service provision. These data illustrate that there is a need to develop guidelines for practice, foster links between services and provide for specialised staff training in relation to child health issues.     

An Argument in Support of Suicide Centres

In the UK and elsewhere suicide presents a major cause of death. In 2008 in the UK the topic of suicide rarely left the news. Controversy surrounding Daniel James and Debbie Purdy ensured that the problem of assisted suicide received frequent media discussion. This was fuelled also by reports of a higher than usual number of suicides by young people in South Wales. Attention attracted by cases such as that of Daniel James and Debbie Purdy can lead to a neglect of the problem of how to respond to the vast majority of suicides, in which there is no obvious accompanying health problem. This paper seeks to redress that balance to some degree. Its focus is primarily on the provision of assisted suicide when the person seeking such assistance has no accompanying health problem. It is argued that a network of suicide centres (SCs) should be established, the purpose which in certain circumstances, will extend to assisting suicide in cases where a competent person has a definite, sustained intention to end their own life. Arguments in support of this proposal are provided, focusing on respect for autonomy, relief of suffering and respect for the ‘life-plan’ of a person. Considerations relating to reduction of harms to third parties are also recruited. Eight responses to the proposal are considered. But none is found compelling, nor are they found jointly compelling.     

School, Family, and Work: Factors Associated with Child Care Providers' Persistence in College Course Work

There is a relationship between child care providers' educational level and child care program quality. Hence, many quality enhancement initiatives include support for child care providers to take college courses. In order for these programs to be successful, factors that may promote college persistence must be examined. This study examined school, family, and work factors as they affect college persistence for a sample of child care providers enrolled in community college course work. One hundred and twenty-nine child care providers completed surveys measuring college integration as well as general support from work and family members. Results suggest that college integration and family support are associated with both commitment to earning a degree and re-enrollment in courses.     

Child and Family Agency

Child and Family Agency     

儿童哮喘管理在基层医院儿科临床工作中的实践

目的探究在基层医院儿科临床工作中加强儿童哮喘管理的临床价值。方法选取于2017年5月-2019年5月该院收治的哮喘患儿120例,随机分为观察组(儿童哮喘管理)和对照组(常规管理),各60例。结果与对照组相比,观察组患儿临床症状消失时间(4.25±1.02)d较短(t=12.514,P<0.05);同时相比于对照组(38.33%),观察组疾病复发率(11.67%)较低(χ^2=10.023,P<0.05)。结论在基层医院儿科临床工作中加强儿童哮喘管理的临床价值十分显著,能够促进哮喘患儿临床症状消失时间明显缩短,同时使疾病复发率有效降低。     

The Family and Child Welfare System in Poland: Family Assistantship as a New Solution in Social Work with Families

Poland is a post-communist country rooted in the idea of a nanny state. Although the state is still highly involved in social policy, the social and constitutional transformation that began in 1989 led to many changes which in turn influenced the functioning of an individual and family life. Numerous reforms have gradually changed the shape of the family welfare system as well as the method of providing care for children from problem families. The main goal of the article is to present the role of family assistantship as a new solution in work with families facing difficulties in daily life. However, a question arises of whether, despite an innovative approach to work with families, assistantship does bring the expected results or do barriers caused by historical background hinder it? It seems that family assistantship definitely helps to improve the functioning of families; nevertheless it still encounters many barriers that hinder the practical implementation of the concept. Information presented in this article has been based on Polish publications pertaining to family assistantship as well as research and reports from abroad.     

The Value of Family Welfare Conferencing within the Child Protection and Welfare System

The Family Welfare Conference (FWC) is a model used within the child protection and welfare services to address concerns about the needs of children and their family's ability to respond to these needs. The FWC model operates in partnership with family members, who participate in identifying both the issues of concern and potential responses to address these. The core premise of the FWC model involves greater engagement by family members in the process of responding to matters connected to their children's protection and welfare. This paper presents the findings of a research study on the value placed on the FWC model by social workers working in a statutory child protection and welfare department in the Republic of Ireland. A mixed-methods study was employed with social workers asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire and to participate in a face-to-face interview. The main findings highlight the value of the FWC as a model of relationship-based practice, with participation and partnership with family members viewed as crucial elements. The particular strengths identified in the model include the relationship that is established and developed between the FWC coordinator and the family members, the decision-making methods engaged in by families, and the increased understanding of the issues involved by virtue of participation within the FWC process. The place of the FWC within child protection and welfare services is considered in light of these findings, with an overall positive viewpoint presented.     

Connecting with Practice in the Changing Landscape of Family Support Training

In order to effectively meet the needs of families, this paper argues that there is a need for people working in the arena of family support to incorporate theory and research into their practice and to engage in a process of reflective practice. An inter-disciplinary cyclical model of training for experienced family support practitioners is described, which involves identification and implementation of a practice task and subsequent reflection on the task one year later. The value of the model lies in the fact that it connects theory to practice in “real world” contexts, allows busy practitioners the time and space to reflect, facilitates the practitioners' agency to engage in service development, and, most importantly, supports services to examine how they can best meet the needs of children and families.     

Processes of Discernment when Considering Issues of Neglect in Child Protection Practice

The researchers describe a study conducted to explore how child protection practitioners negotiate their way through ambiguous and contradictory evidence when working with families under a suspicion of neglect. In depth interviews were conducted in order to understand the processes of discernment that practitioners used to determine how to proceed. Through our practitioners’ practice narratives, we provide a glimpse into the complex relationship between discernment, identity and contexts where neglect is a concern. Implications for training, education, and practice are included.     

北京市ICU护士工作压力、工作-家庭冲突对灵活工作实践归因的影响

目的 分析北京市重症监护室(ICU)护士工作压力、工作-家庭冲突与灵活工作实践归因相关性.方法 运用便利抽样方法选取2017年1月—2018年1月北京市6家医院364名ICU护士作为研究对象,调查其基本情况、工作压力、工作-家庭冲突和灵活工作实践归因得分.采用单因素比较、Pearson相关性和多元线性回归,分析灵活工作...     

加强保健科工作的管理实践

本文结合保健科工作管理实践，着重阐述了加强军队干部保健服务的八点做法，即：更新理念，加强领导，规范管理，优化流程，简化手续，拓展功能，改善环境及健康干预。     

A Retrospective Critical Analysis of Family Support in Practice: Facilitate not Dictate

The parental role in childcare is explored by drawing on a whole child perspective and eco-systemic theory. Partnership between parents and staff in the formal childcare context is then discussed. A workshop undertaken with staff in a community childcare centre to explore the concept and reality of the parent as primary carer is then outlined, including the mechanisms participants identified for translating the theory of partnership with parents into practice. Finally, the strengths and limitations of the approach employed are noted, followed by an analysis of the future potential of this method.