Masking hegemonic masculinity: reconstructing the paedophile as the dangerous stranger

This paper reviews the social constructions of the paedophile as these are embodied in clinical and journalistic discourses. It considers how these discourses have influenced community perceptions of risk and professional responses to the concerns they portray. It then locates these professional constructions within a context of hegemonic masculinity and unsafe families. It concludes that community safety is not adequately addressed by professional assessments of risk that focus primarily on the problems posed by known paedophiles. It is important to consider the problem of sexual violence in a much wider context that problematises the context in which sexual abuse occurs.</p

Ethics and governance in social work research in the UK

The application of formal research ethics and governance structures in social work research have lagged behind those applicable in health, although in the UK, social care has been deemed to be covered by those that were used in the NHS. Whilst this link is useful, it does not facilitate researcher involvement in the small-scale qualitative studies that feature in social work more than in health. Our exploration of the subject reveals that the dominance of the natural sciences paradigm in the social science is evident nationally, regionally and internationally. So, in this sense, the UK follows the usual paths that favour quantitative studies. In this article we explore the trajectory of governance structures in social work research in the UK to argue that social work needs its own ethics and governance structures, but that some agreement should be sought with other professions, particularly in those projects that cross professional and discipline boundaries so that social work research does not have to undergo dual processes for ethical approval. This implies a broader recognition of social work research ethics and governance structures than currently exist. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved

Educación para el trabajo social bajo un sistema de globalización : corrientes y cambios en Gran Bretaña

La educación para el trabajo social en Gran Bretaña ha sido influenciada por las fuerzas de globalización, administración, armonización y las demandas del consumidor. Esto ha resultado en un currículo que cambia constantemente y que esta muy influenciado por los deseos de los empleadores. El trabajo social esta sujeto a las demandas internacionales, a la competición, al modelo comercial en la provisión de servicios. Los educadores no han tenido mucha influencia en estas arenas movedizas. Irónicamente, las dimensiones internacionales, la necesidad de llegar a un grupo profesional bien pagado y bien entrenado han sido marginalizadas. El lugar académico y la posición del trabajo social como disciplina adelantada por las investigaciones continúan siendo dudosos.British social work education has been shaped by the forces of globalisation, the ‘new’ managerialism, European harmonisation, devolution, and user empowerment. This has created a constantly changing curriculum which has been dominated by employer concerns with routine practice. These developments have subjected social work to the demands of international competition and commercial providers with the state losing provider status. Educators have been unable to exercise much influence in these shifting sands. Ironically, the international dimensions of social work and the need for a truly professionalised, highly paid and well-trained workforce able to deliver empowering practice, have been marginalised. The place of social work education in the academy remains suspect and social work’s position as a research-led subject remains wea

The State of Regulation in England: From the General Social Care Council to the Health and Care Professions Council

In this paper, we analyse the way in which social work, as a profession, has coped with and responded to the various forms of regulation to which it has been subject in England. First, we briefly detail the rise of external regulation of the professions, discussing both the rationale for, and criticisms of, such developments. Second,wetake a closer look at developments within social work and the operation of the General Social Care Council (GSCC)’s conduct proceedings from its inception in 2001 until its dissolution in 2012. Third, we focus on the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and consider how it has begun its regulation of social workers since it took on this responsibility from August 2012. We conclude by outlining some of the concerns we have as well as discussing reasons as to why we feel this area of work needs to be explored further

Use of respiratory protection in Yogyakarta during the 2014 eruption of Kelud, Indonesia : community and agency perspectives.

The 2014 explosive eruption of Kelud volcano, Indonesia ejected fine-grained volcanic ash in a plume which travelled westwards across the island of Java. In Yogyakarta, without warning, up to 5 cm of ash was deposited within a few hours. This paper investigates the community and organizational response to the respiratory hazard of the ashfall, in the city of Yogyakarta. In any location where ashfall is a rare event, people located away from the primary volcanic hazards will be concerned about whether volcanic ash in their environment is dangerous to inhale, and how they should protect themselves. The World Health Organization primarily recommends that people stay indoors, or use light-weight face masks if outdoors. In the first study of its kind, we undertook a rapid questionnaire survey (with 125 respondents) on the use of community respiratory protection when ash is in the air. We documented the types of masks people wore, where they had got the mask from, why people wore masks, who advised them to wear a mask, and whether people thought their respiratory protection was effective. We also conducted informal interviews with a range of emergency management and health agencies, NGOs and a children's charity, to understand how those involved in mask procurement and distribution responded to the crisis, and to determine their understanding of the effectiveness of the masks that they provide. The study showed that a wide range of respiratory protection is used by those who choose to protect themselves, from cloth through to highly-efficient face masks, but with most people wearing surgical masks. Masks are widely available, from street stalls and shops, but are also distributed by government agencies, NGOs and employers. The organizations interviewed mainly distribute surgical masks to the public. Most people wore masks through their own initiative because they understood that there could be a health hazard, although some people wear them anyway when riding scooters (to protect from inhaling vehicle exhaust and street dust). Around 40% of the respondents thought that their existing protection was not sufficiently effective and around 30% of the respondents took measures to try to improve the effectiveness of their chosen protection method (e.g., wearing two types concurrently). This pilot paves the way for the Health Interventions in Volcanic Eruptions (HIVE) project which aims to provide an evidence base on effective respiratory protection for community use when ash is airborne, so that health agencies and other suppliers can provide reliable protection for the general population. The HIVE project will experimentally test the effectiveness of the range of types of respiratory protection identified in this study, as well as understanding the behaviours and environmental and cultural issues which affect whether people will wear masks when ash is in the air

Social work education, training and standards in the Asia-Pacific region

This article discusses the joint project between the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) to establish guidelines for the training and standard setting that elucidates what social work represents on a global level. While it is impossible to address all the issues that might be significant in such a large scope, attention is given to the challenges establishing global standards might encounter in a region as diverse as the Asia-Pacific

Causal attributions, lifestyle change and coronary heart disease: illness beliefs of patients of South Asian and European origin living in the UK

OBJECTIVE We examined and compared the illness beliefs of South Asian and European patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) about causal attributions and lifestyle change. METHODS This was a qualitative study that used framework analysis to examine in-depth interviews. SAMPLE The study comprised 65 subjects (20 Pakistani-Muslim, 13 Indian-Hindu, 12 Indian-Sikh, and 20 Europeans) admitted to one of three UK sites within the previous year with unstable angina or myocardial infarction, or to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery. RESULTS Beliefs about CHD cause varied considerably. Pakistani-Muslim participants were the least likely to report that they knew what had caused their CHD. Stress and lifestyle factors were the most frequently cited causes for CHD irrespective of ethnic grouping, although family history was frequently cited by older European participants. South Asian patients were more likely to stop smoking than their European counterparts but less likely to use audiotape stress-relaxation techniques. South Asian patients found it particularly difficult to make dietary changes. Some female South Asians developed innovative indoor exercise regimens to overcome obstacles to regular exercise. CONCLUSION Misconceptions about the cause of CHD and a lack of understanding about appropriate lifestyle changes were evident across ethnic groups in this study. The provision of information and advice relating to cardiac rehabilitation must be better tailored to the context of the specific needs, beliefs, and circumstances of patients with CHD, regardless of their ethnicity

Impact of Scottish vocational qualifications on residential child care : have they fulfilled the promise?

This article will present findings from a doctoral study exploring the impact of 'SVQ Care: Promoting Independence (level III)' within children's homes. The study focuses on the extent to which SVQs enhance practice and their function within a 'learning society'. A total of 30 staff were selected from seven children's homes in two different local authority social work departments in Scotland. Each member of staff was interviewed on four separate occasions over a period of 9 months. Interviews were structured using a combination of repertory grids and questions. Particular focus was given to the assessment process, the extent to which SVQs enhance practice and the learning experiences of staff. The findings suggest that there are considerable deficiencies both in terms of the SVQ format and the way in which children's homes are structured for the assessment of competence. Rather than address the history of failure within residential care, it appears that SVQs have enabled the status quo to be maintained whilst creating an 'illusion' of change within a learning society