question: What could "Social Workers and Community Welfare Workers making a difference” mean in your chosen field of practice? I have chosen field of child protection. 1500 words, at least 5 academ

question: What could "Social Workers and Community Welfare Workers making a difference” mean in your chosen field of practice? I have chosen field of child protection

Research into the literature on social work and community welfare work in your chosen field of practice.

Important: Develop a well-researched and well-synthesised overview of what ‘making a difference’ means in your chosen field of practice.

Researching the field using practitioner journals is very relevant here. Through a library literature search, there is information to be harnessed about gaps in service, service users needs and what is offered as assistance.

Exceptional:(up to 15)

Succinct and well informed description of what social workers/community welfare workers do and are doing to reduce and minimise the injustices of social, political, legal, cultural and organisational contexts and systems that impact on people to create and maintain disadvantage in a particular field of practice;

Examples given from your reading;

Identifying what workers could be doing more of to reduce and minimise the injustices of social, political, legal, cultural and organisational contexts and systems that impact on people to create and maintain disadvantage in a particular field of practice;

some analytical critique of current social work / welfare practice given around this focus and/or educational preparation towards being able to take up this focus.

Demonstrate a higher order level of understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, doing and being in social work and welfare practice, integrated throughout the paper. use example

making a difference when working in child protection means social worker build relationships that lead to positive change for family.

The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance wellbeing. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work (IFSW 2001, as cited in AASW Code of Ethics 2010, p. 7). https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/2215.

‘..social workers are recognised throughout the world as the core professional group in child protection policy, management and practice.’

Child protection services deal with the consequences of colonisation and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families; they deal with the unequal position of women, who are seen as having the main responsibility for childrearing; and with the social exclusion experienced by people who are homeless or have disabilities or mental health problems that interfere with parenting. In child protection systems, children tend to be the objects of interventions that often do not recognise their social rights or powers, but transfer decision-making from their parents to the state

Social work practice has a dual focus on individuals and the social system. In addition to working directly with children and families, social workers must have the capacity to constructively engage with the system as a whole, and contribute to social justice through social policy and advocacy work. However, the dynamic political context surrounding the child protection field creates numerous challenges for effective practice.

Because children and families in the child protection system face a range of problems and often have few extended family and community supports, solutions are not straightforward. Placement in out-of-home care is made to provide a safe and caring environment when parents are unable to provide this, but placement also brings confusion and losses for children, and many children do not do well. Research on educational attainment, health and wellbeing shows that children in care are worse off compared to their peers, and this adversely affects their adult outcomes (Barber & Delfabbro 2005; Berridge 2012).

according to the lecture, social worker works with children to. understand each child’s experience, build relationship with parents families and communities and use collective wisdom, skills and use courage to achieve positive change.

https://create.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CREATE-OOHC-In-Care-2018-Young-Persons-Report.pdf.

Develop an overview of where social workers and community workers could make a difference at individual client level and also at creating change in our wider society = at a macro level. Challenges they face and what we can do to combat these challenges?

Reflect on and demonstrate a higher order level of understanding of First Nations' ways of knowing, doing and being in social work and welfare practice. Integrate this throughout the paper.

Important: Consider what you have learnt from the guest lectures, the readings in the learning guide, critical reflections examined in class with your tutor and your peers as well as writing up the summary report of your interview.

Criteria 2: Describe your own beginning practice framework. (out of 8 points)

Exceptional

Describe your own beginning personal/professional practice framework that demonstrates a clear understanding of what a framework is; i.e. application of foundational skills, knowledge and values in social work and welfare practice particularly in it's endeavour to minimise disadvantage individually and in society more broadly. Integrate this understanding throughout the essay.

Identify areas for further development and specific strategies for attaining this.

Identify some of the complexity within striving to meet these goals of the profession

Inadequate

Did not describe an integrated practice framework that identified your skills, values and knowledge base; did not demonstrate an understanding of these as linked to foundational the social work or community welfare professions.

Placement in out-of-home care is made to provide a safe and caring environment when parents are unable to provide this, but placement also brings confusion and losses for children, and many children do not do well. Research on educational attainment, health and wellbeing shows that children in care are worse off compared to their peers, and this adversely affects their adult outcomes (Barber & Delfabbro 2005; Berridge 2012).

The needs and experiences of ethnic minority families in the child protection system also require attention, particularly if assessments are made according to mainstream cultural norms and ignore cultural strengths. Cultural factors such as diverse norms about child-rearing practices and guarding family privacy must be balanced with understanding the individual and family context (Sawriker & Katz 2014). Migratory factors such as language barriers and lack of awareness of child protection laws must also be considered.

Describe your own developing practice framework and reflect on the areas you can now develop further knowing what making a difference can look like. How can you begin to make a difference in the way you describe above? 400 words:

Criteria 3: Wide range of exploratory reading identified and referenced.(out of 5 points)

Exceptional

Wide evidence of exploratory reading (10 articles or chapters) and Evidence of access of online material ensure you include material that will be relevant to the next stage of your course experience, that of a professionally supervised placement.

Inadequate

Little or insufficient evidence of exploratory reading (less than 4) or e-searching undertaken. Little relevance of material to future placement learning requirements.