November, 2023

article thumbnail

‘Empowering the Next Generation: Upholding Every Child’s Rights Through Social Work and Positive Parenting

International Federation of Social Workers

The IFSW Asia-Pacific conference held two weeks ago in Cebu, the Philippines, was a vibrant center for sharing innovative ideas and transformative practices in social work.

97
article thumbnail

Let’s give social work with older people the recognition it deserves

Social Work With Adults

Lyn Romeo: I am delighted to host this blog from Gerry Nosowska, founder and Director of Effective Practice , which supported the Social Work with Older People research project. For too long, this vital area of practice has been largely unseen. Real improvements in the lives of older people, including outcomes that matter to them, arise out of good social work practice.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Digitising social care: reflections on progress

Social Care

"Many providers have jumped at the chance to access the funding and support available and are positive about the opportunities technology opens up to improve the ways they work." [Image created by freepik.com ] Building momentum It’s been 18 months since the Digitising Social Care programme began, delivering the three year £150 million investment in digitally transforming adult social care, set out in the 2021 white paper, People at the Heart of Care.

Adoption 110
article thumbnail

Rising children’s social care costs deepening councils’ financial woes, finds study

Community Care

Rising children’s services demand and care placement costs are deepening English councils’ financial problems, a study issued this week has found. Despite authorities budgeting to spend 11% more in real terms on children’s social care in 2023-24 than 2022-23, they are on course for a significant overspend on their financial plans, said the County Councils Network (CCN).

article thumbnail

5 Must Haves for Case Management

Thousands of nonprofits rely on case management software to help collect data, manage programs, coordinate with agencies, and provide life-changing health and human services. Adopting a cloud-based case management platform is essential for nonprofits and government agencies to operate more efficiently and make better use of their funding and budget.

article thumbnail

When The Trauma is Extreme

Gary Direnfeld

I asked. She told. She spoke about her experiences with things unimaginable to most. She said that previous therapists had said her background was the most extreme they have ever heard. Hearing that, my concern was that she worried about overwhelming the therapists. I don’t know. They may have been. However, I assured her that although her experiences were indeed extreme, I have actually heard similar and worse.

Therapist 113
article thumbnail

Embracing Imperfection: The Power of Self-Compassion (Guest Post)

My Brains Not Broken

Today’s guest post is from Michael Vallejo, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Mental Health Center Kids. When we watch TV, scroll through social media, or see other people’s achievements in life, we can develop unrealistic standards of beauty, intelligence, and success. This can create a habit of constantly comparing ourselves to others, which can lead to harsh self-criticism.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Promoting progressive AMHP anti-racist practice

Social Work With Adults

Lyn Romeo: It's an honour to host blogs from social workers, researchers and people with lived experience of health and social care. This post addresses core challenges for Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) and others involved in anti-racist mental health practice. Dr Caroline Leah: Since the Mental Health Act came into force, rates of compulsory detention in mental health hospitals have more than doubled.

article thumbnail

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST TO HOST THE SWSD 2026 CONFERENCE

The International Association Of Schools Of Social

The Joint Steering Committee, representing the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) for organising and hosting the 2026 World Conference on Social Work and Social Development (SWSD2026).

Welfare 119
article thumbnail

Mental Health Act reform ditched, King’s Speech confirms

Community Care

There will be no reform of the Mental Health Act 1983 before the next election, the government has confirmed. Today’s King’s Speech – setting out the government’s last full legislative programme before an election in 2024 or early 2025 – did not include a mental health bill, meaning any reform would have to be carried out by a future government, if at all.

article thumbnail

Treating Anxiety

Gary Direnfeld

About that anxiety. It referred to as a disorder because those feelings of fear are either unfounded or far greater than what is reasonable to the trigger. Given an anxiety disorder, the saying, “trust your gut,” just doesn’t hold. The nature of the disorder is to be held hostage by feelings that don’t fully fit the situation.

Anxiety 147
article thumbnail

Get Connected: Using Social Media for Social Work Success

Speaker: Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW.

You may have the clinical skills to manage a private practice, but your success could actually hinge on marketing skills. For a thriving practice, you need to differentiate yourself from others and present yourself in a way that attracts referrals. These days, much of that happens online, including on social media. In this webinar, Gary Direnfeld will discuss how social media marketing can help you build your private practice and grow your client base.

article thumbnail

One Foot in Front of the Other

My Brains Not Broken

Time can be tricky to manage. Sometimes, it feels like time is moving at a snail’s pace. Other times, it feels like our life is moving faster than we can keep up with – weeks, months (even years!) might feel like they pass in the blink of an eye. Regardless of how it moves, my least favorite aspect of time is when I tend to lose track of it.

article thumbnail

Is this family police agency leader really bragging about misleading the public?

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

Perhaps if we all say it often enough we can stop family police agencies from misleading us about this. Last week, Virginia’s Director of Social Services, Danny Avula, gave a presentation to the state Commission on Youth. According to Virginia Public Media : Avula noted Virginia’s rate of placement with relatives is less than half of the national average — a statistic he said is skewed by the fact that local social services departments in the state prioritize informal placements with relatives b

article thumbnail

IFSW Europe Webinar to mark Human Rights Day 2023 – Social Work Practice and the Protection of Human Rights in Europe: freedom, equality and human rights for all

International Federation of Social Workers

Monday 11th December 3 PM CET Time ONLINE ZOOM Platform Kindly use this link for registration __ Join us in this free webinar organised by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) Europe […]

article thumbnail

Supporting the Unsung Heroes: Clinician's Guide to Easing Caregiver Distress

CAPC

How clinicians can help caregivers alleviate their distress—from a simple, "how are you" and assessment to the adoption of strategies that can improve their well-being.

Adoption 105
article thumbnail

More staff found to be practising illegally as social workers, says regulator

Community Care

An increasing number of staff have been found to be practising illegally as social workers, the regulator has said. Social Work England issued the warning on the back of an increase in cases referred to it about people misusing the title ‘social worker’, which is protected in law. The regulator opened 164 misuse of title cases in 2022-23, up from 105 in 2021-22, revealed figures in a paper to its board meeting last month.

article thumbnail

The Narcissistic Ex – a 90-minute workshop

Gary Direnfeld

The Narcissistic EX- my 90-minute workshop helping people better understand their situation and how to manage: Are you following me on Facebook yet? If not, you are missing many more posts! I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice.

article thumbnail

When the Bipolar Medication Isn’t Working — Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder

Nnatasha Tracy

I have spent years of my life with bipolar medication not working -- or, at least, bipolar medication not working to the extent that one would want. I know this isn't the common refrain around medication -- the common refrain being, take bipolar medication and get better -- but it is a reality that many of us live with. So, the question is, what do you do when the bipolar medication isn't working?

article thumbnail

Pushing back on a child welfare poll full of loaded questions

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

A new poll reveals that even when the questions are rigged, Americans are less likely to buy the snake oil the family police establishment has been selling. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Adoption and Safe Families Act have destroyed the lives of millions of children and families. But the "Bipartisan Policy Center" thinks they're models of a glorious era of bipartisanship.

article thumbnail

SDGs Halfway Point: Social Work for Transformative Change

International Federation of Social Workers

The following statement has been endorsed by the participants of the 27th IFSW Asia-Pacific Conference: In an inspirational display of solidarity and commitment, over 1,000 social workers from across the […]

article thumbnail

Social Workers Set Sights on Preventing Gun Violence

Beyond Advocacy

The recent tragic mass shooting in Lewistown, Maine , once again focused the nation’s attention on the growing menace of guns and firearms in the United States. Planned long before the shooting, about three dozen social work researchers, scholars, and practitioners gathered at the Crown School of Social Work at the University of Chicago on Friday and Saturday, November 3 rd and 4 th, for a Summit on Social Work’s Role in Gun Violence Prevention as a precursor for the launch of the 14 th Grand Ch

article thumbnail

Councils rationing adult social care through ‘subjective’ eligibility judgments, finds think-tank

Community Care

Councils are rationing adult social care through “subjective” eligibility judgments, a think-tank has concluded. The Institute for Government (IFG) said that a long-term decline in the number of people receiving adult social care, amid increases in requests for support, was most likely down to rationing, not the use of strengths-based practice to make people more independent and less in need of care.

article thumbnail

Don’t Take That Away From Him

Gary Direnfeld

His problems seemed endless. The list of problems was long and the parents were exhausting all their punishments. There was only one left, his part time job. As awful as school was and as much as he got into trouble there, no amount of punishment would make things better. That job looked like something he might work for. They wondered about taking it away.

article thumbnail

Be a part of my new book project!

Beautiful Voyager

Hello dear beautiful voyagers, I’m embarking on my most ambitious writing project to date and I need your help! I’m looking for a wide range of perspectives from people who have experienced mental breakdowns. My goal is to help readers understand what the landscape of a mental breakdown looks like and what the future may hold. If you have any interest in sharing your breakdown story (anonymous or not), please answer the 4 questions below.

97
article thumbnail

Our annual call to end child welfare’s public celebration of family executions

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

Tomorrow, on “National Adoption Day, who will stop to remember that for some children and some young adults every mass adoption ceremony, every treacly feature story on the local news is an act of cruelty – ripping the scab off a wound that never fully heals? Termination of parental rights is child welfare's "death penalty." So why do some of the very judges who order a family "executed" preside over public celebrations of the aftermath?

article thumbnail

United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities

International Federation of Social Workers

On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we come together to recognise and reaffirm the rights, dignity, and well-being of persons with disabilities.

article thumbnail

Speech Pathology Assessments

Prosper Health Collective

Speech pathologists rely on a variety of assessments tailored to the unique needs of each child. Assessments are essential to the therapy process as it shows your starting point which you can compare to later. They can help with accessing funding and support for your child. It also identifies areas of strength and weakness to better understand your child’s needs and it helps other professionals, like teachers, tailor learning to suit your child.

article thumbnail

Social care staff carrying out tasks previously undertaken by NHS, without extra funding, say directors

Community Care

Adult social care staff are carrying out tasks previously undertaken by the NHS in most areas, without compensatory funding, council heads have reported. Seventy per cent of directors said this was the case, in response to an Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) survey carried out in September and October of this year. ADASS described the finding as “startling” ‘People being charged for previously free care’ “Not only does this add to councils’

article thumbnail

Still Lecturing Your Teen?

Gary Direnfeld

If you are in your thirties or forties, consider what it feels like if I ask if you have put grab bars in your shower. It probably feels irrelevant at the moment. It’s just is not a consideration. Indeed, if I tried to convince you of the need before you actually need them, you will likely be annoyed with me. That is what many teens feel when we seek to advise them of how current choices can play out in their adult life.

article thumbnail

"Hear, hear!" for this year's 'Nursing in Social Care' award winners

Social Care

Suzanne Mumford (left) and Natalia Stan celebrate their team's thoroughly deserved recognition for a truly transformative project. Passion, motivation and the desire to do more We were delighted to win the Nursing Times Nursing in Social Care Award for a project we are both passionate about. This nurse-led research project, funded by care provider Care UK and The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) in collaboration with Tympa Health , researched ways to identify and treat hearing loss and reversible

article thumbnail

The two questions reporters covering child welfare in NYC should always ask

NCCPR Child Welfare Blog

Even these two excellent stories leave two key questions unanswered - as almost always happens when reporters write about family policing in New York Brooklyn Defender Services has filed a lawsuit against the New York City family police agency, the Administration for Children’s Services, on behalf of a family that has been subjected to repeated, traumatic investigations as a result of false anonymous reports alleging child abuse.

article thumbnail

A testament to the vital role of social work in societies: Former IFSW President David Jones receives honorary doctorate

International Federation of Social Workers

On 22 November 2023, the University of London celebrated its esteemed Foundation Day, a tradition that had been part of the university’s history since 1903.

article thumbnail

Covid taskforce had no warning of ‘eat out to help out’, inquiry told

The Guardian

Former head of body set up to coordinate pandemic policy agrees that he was ‘blindsided’ by Rishi Sunak’s plan UK politics live – latest updates The government body set up to coordinate Covid policy had no warning about Rishi Sunak’s “eat out to help out” scheme and felt “blindsided” by the Treasury over it, the inquiry into the pandemic has been told.

article thumbnail

Fast-track programme to train 320 more social workers in £19m contract extension

Community Care

Fast-track programme Think Ahead will train 320 more mental health social workers after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) extended its contract up to 2027. The £18.9m extension covers two cohorts, starting in 2024 and 2025, each of 160 trainees, the same size as the 2023 cohort. Following a five-week grounding in social work law and theory, mostly delivered online, the participants will be placed in units of four to six in NHS or local authority mental health services and expected

article thumbnail

Mental Health Advocate: Rosalyn Carter

Bipolar Bandit

Rosalyn Carter was not only the First Lady of Georgia and the United States, she was also a huge mental health advocate. She shared a story of a relative who had mental illness and he scared her because he would run down the street yelling. She would later share he probably just wanted friendship. He was different and back in those days I’m sure the stigma attributed to lack of knowledge and made her hide.

article thumbnail

What is Palliative Care’s Role When Caring for Patients with a Serious Mental Illness?

CAPC

A psychiatrist explains how palliative care can help patients living with a serious mental illness, and shares five practical tips for successful patient encounters.

Clinic 98