Suchergebnisse

Abstract
The impacts of neoliberal managerialism mean that practitioners working in child protection programmes are often challenged to balance social work values, with formal compliance activities to reduce risk. Within this context, what are the possibilities for practitioners to creatively navigate complex practice environments to achieve better outcomes for children and families? And how might transformative research empower practitioners to improve practice by reconnecting their work with the emancipatory values of the profession? This article seeks to address these questions by showcasing key findings of a state-wide study focused on empowering children's voices, through the presentation and analysis of a case study. The research used a pre-test/post-test design with critical reflection as a methodology to transform the practice of front line workers and managers who work with children and families in an Australian-based non-government organisation. The case study illustrates the conceptual and practical processes involved in achieving change in a way that can be replicated by others and transferred to other contexts. The findings of the research suggest that critical reflection can be effective to enable practitioners to improve practice with children and families. The article concludes by highlighting implications for organisations in supporting critically reflective practitioners.

Cognitive-constructivism has gained increased scholarly attention within the social sciences with roots grounded in a variety of human behavior theories. A major limitation inherent within constructivist meta-theory, however, is the paucity of strategic and pragmatic techniques to substantiate its practice utility. Specificity of technique, whereby clinical procedures are introduced within this theoretical framework, has not proliferated as strongly as the philosophical critiques in this content area. This analysis responds to this theoretical limitation by presenting a treatment framework that integrates art therapy methodology into a cognitive-constructivist theoretical model in treating early adolescent girls who have experienced childhood sexual abuse. The presented treatment methodology details art therapy techniques as linked to constructivist treatment phases, with therapeutic goals reflective of the theory's underlying principles.