Week 9 Assignment: Community-Based Research Project Proposal 250 Points Possible Instructions In this assignment, you will design a research study that incorporates anti-oppressive principles and meth

Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice

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Introduction

In recent years, the field of social work has seen increased pressure to be sensitive to forced migration, multiculturalism, and social justice. Anti-oppressive practice has emerged as crucial in engaging with the complex issues surrounding the lives of migrants, particularly in childcare and family services. This paper seeks to critically evaluate a recent study that focuses on how Finnish social workers make sense of their work with refugees and asylum seekers. Analyzing the research question, method, results, and implications of the study, the paper discusses how reflective practice and structural changes can enhance social work approaches that are more culturally inclusive, justice-oriented, and future-focused.

Summary of Research Study

This qualitative research study focuses on Finnish social workers' perceptions of their role in helping families of forced migrants. When a large new wave of asylum seekers arrived in Finland around 2015, many professionals adjusted their approach and increased their cultural competencies. The research aims to understand how child and family social workers identify and understand anti-oppressive principles in practice and their efforts to apply them (Anis & Turtiainen, 2021)..

The research question theme lies in defining what competencies might be necessary to undertake professional social work with minorities and migrants. It also examines how social workers evaluate their knowledge deficits and the necessary alterations in their practice.

A qualitative methodology was used, from social worker students in a specialized method of social work education practice class, and focus group transcripts from a team of workers interacting with asylum seekers and refugees were used. The participants were interviewed to reveal their current attitudes and practices regarding multiculturalism, racism, structural frames, and their micro-level practices.

Key findings include widespread uncertainty about effectively working with diverse populations, variability in the accessibility of services from region to region, and perceived but limited institutional support for cultural humility. The study reveals that many employed social workers enhance their practice by practicing self-reflection, peer learning, and advocacy.

Analysis of Findings

The findings highlight most of the challenges that social workers in Finland encounter in multicultural and transnational practice. A significant concern is the variation in services depending on where a family resides. In urban areas, where diversity is common, professionals are often more experienced and services are more developed. Rural areas, on the other hand, are rarely endowed with adequate manpower or infrastructure to support migrant families. This leads to the development of an unjust world in which some families are disadvantaged due to location.

Social workers also expressed a lack of confidence in their existing professional expertise. A significant number of participants expressed uncertainty about how to engage with families from other cultures. This uncertainty often led to hesitation or avoidance, which meant that children who needed it the most did not have the necessary support. Some of the tested professionals mentioned that they often experienced ‘freezing’ situations, mainly where interpreters were present or circulation issues were an issue of focus.

Another very prominent theme is the ability to realize and understand that the approach of color blindness or treating everyone the same is wrong. While this approach is often rooted in good intentions, it tends to ignore the unique challenges faced by migrants and refugees. This may include trauma, uncertainty of legal status, language, and racism barriers. Social workers accepted equal treatment for all as a sufficient model, while others learned that systemic injustice and recognition of diversity are crucial.

The study also reveals the effectiveness of national policies and the toll they take on migrants’ families. For example, limitations on access to healthcare and their family reunification rights expose asylum seekers to highly vulnerable situations (Anis & Turtiainen, 2021). Social workers frequently found themselves needing to intervene only after situations had escalated to crisis levels, such as when children were placed in out-of-home care due to a lack of earlier support.

Reflective practice was further identified as a useful approach to cultivating anti-oppressive practice knowledge. Social workers could start changing their approaches in educational and peer group settings if they examine their attitudes and biases. This led to learning how to ask non-leading questions, avoid making assumptions, and be more explicit when teaching clients about social work professions and services.

Ethical Considerations

In terms of ethical considerations, one possible concern is that the writer might stereotype a client or make assumptions based on their ethnicity only. This is sometimes called “culturalization,” where behaviors are understood solely within the cultural framework and not within the systemic or contextual one. This can lead to narrow conclusions that exclude issues of trauma, poverty, discrimination, or other relevant factors.

Some of the social workers in the study mentioned this risk but understood it as a caution that required self-reflection. They addressed how their cultural biases, arising from dominant cultural discourses and inadequate exposure to diverse cultures, can be a potential factor affecting practice. To tackle this, they vowed to ask more questions, promote more openness, and engage clients more directly in their service.

One important ethical consideration is power relations. Social workers, in their capacity as officers of the welfare system, sometimes wield considerable influence over their clients, especially in instances involving child safeguarding (Hollinrake, 2025). This may foster a culture of fear or apprehension, especially in instances where the clients are not well informed on the responsibilities of social workers or when services are likely to be associated with punishment. For ethical, anti-oppressive practice, clients must know their rights, be heard, and be treated with dignity.

To address these needs, one has to embrace fundamental values and standards of ethical practice including dignity, self-determination, and justice. Social workers should also engage in self-appraisal, receive supervision, and continue to learn and seek critiques. Community members should be open, willing to listen and learn, and able to address their prejudices and preconceptions.

Application to Practice, Policy, or Programs

To enhance the use of anti-oppressive practice in social work, the following recommendations can be made:

Integrate Anti-Oppressive Education and Training Across All Levels of Practice

Many social workers in the study explained how empowering and inspiring it was to participate in professional development centered on anti-oppressive and multicultural practice. These opportunities helped them question their perspectives, trigger awareness of structural injustice, and receive methodological skills for engaging with diverse communities (Gerassi & Nichols, 2021).

To ensure common access to such benefits, social work programs and employers must infuse anti-oppressive frameworks at the beginning of university education and throughout the career trajectory. This includes power relations, racism, cultural self-awareness, and trauma-informed care training. Education should be practical and wisdom-focused; students should analyze their roles and positions within the context of clients.

These trainings do not merely provide a basic understanding of diversity but also prepare social workers to tackle the underlying issues within their work scope and advocate for change in their organizations and communities.

Reform Welfare Systems to Provide Equitable Access to Services for Migrant Populations

One of the most prominent issues observed during the study was the issue of a lack of understanding of the needs of migrant families and the kinds of services that could help them. Regularity and access to health and social care services remain limited for asylum seekers and undocumented persons, while family reunion policies may leave families separated and desperate.

This requires policy reforms that allow immigrants to access basic services regardless of their immigration status. These services encompass inpatient and outpatient mental health services, parenting programs, education, housing, and legal services (Merkel-Holguin et al., 2022). Municipalities should be supported in developing longitudinal, multifunctional, and linguistically and culturally sensitive teams.

Efforts should be made to increase investment in preventative services in order to decrease the instances in which crisis-level interventions, including removal of the child, are necessary. By investing in community outreach, culturally sensitive programs, and early prevention treatments, health-related results may be enhanced, and costs can be mitigated in the future.

Practically, social workers should also actively advocate for policy changes. By mapping systemic threats, writing narratives from their practice, and working with external stakeholders, they can effect change and advocate for anti-oppressive welfare services.

Conclusion

This study offers a realistic view of the opportunities and risks of professional social work in multicultural and transnational environments. Finnish social workers are rarely spared from addressing the struggles encountered by refugee and migrant families. Some practitioners admitted that they were not well-equipped for this task initially, but through engagement, reflection, and guidance, this has led to positive changes in practice.

The rationale of anti-oppressive social work hinges on valuing and understanding differences, redressing inequities, and fostering meaningful relationships with consumers. It also means countering oppressive structures and fighting for a better representation of minorities. Education, support through peer networks, and an emphasis on human rights are the critical elements in this process. Social workers must constantly educate themselves, strengthen their skills, and build the courage to work with the vulnerable and excluded groups within the community. The world is increasingly interconnected and interdependent, and the profession of social work must be prepared to serve diverse and global communities.

References

Anis, M., & Turtiainen, K. (2021). Social workers’ reflections on forced migration and cultural diversity—towards anti-oppressive expertise in child and family social work. Social sciences, 10(3), 79.

Gerassi, L., & Nichols, A. (2021). Social work education that addresses trafficking for sexual exploitation: An intersectional, anti-oppressive practice framework. Anti-trafficking review, (17), 20-37.

Hollinrake, S. (2025). Anti-oppressive practice, social work values and ethics. In Innovations in Practice Learning (pp. 77-100). Routledge.

Merkel-Holguin, L., Drury, I., Gibley-Reed, C., Lara, A., Jihad, M., Grint, K., & Marlowe, K. (2022). Structures of oppression in the US child welfare system: Reflections on administrative barriers to equity. Societies, 12(1), 26.