Suchergebnisse

Cultural competence is today a prominent concept and aspiration in all aspects of international social work. In this article, I argue that the common understanding of 'cultural competence' from the so-called essentialist perspective is inadequate, and even risky, when working in an international context. Drawing on examples, I suggest that a more constructive and reflective view of cultural competence be adopted in order to meet the challenges of international social work in the contemporary world, and to better equip ourselves as ethical and anti-oppressive practitioners and educators.

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of poverty-stricken Israeli nonresidential fathers raising their children in a disadvantaged neighborhood characterized by poverty and hardship. Using a case study design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 nonresidential fathers living in poverty. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed, and two themes emerged. The first focuses on the challenges and barriers to the fathers' involvement in their children's lives. The second focuses on the elements that create support networks in the neighborhood context. Our findings suggest the importance of adopting an intersectional perspective on manhood and fatherhood. This could facilitate a better understanding of the complex experience of nonresidential fathers living in poverty by exploring issues of power relations and oppression while remaining sensitive to differences both within and among social groups.

Summary This article explores the relationship between social workers and adult Eritrean refugee service users in the context of a hostile political climate and restrictive state policies. It examines the implications of politics and policies on the formation of this relationship based on findings from a qualitative study conducted in Israel and Germany. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 participants – 16 Eritrean refugees and 22 social workers who work with refugees. Findings Despite different political, social and organizational contexts, especially in the asylum policies towards Eritrean refugees, our thematic analysis yielded two main themes common to both countries: First, changing relationship structures, in particular moving away from a 'traditional' conceptualization of the social work relationship towards 'informal' practices. These included modifications of the setting, of professional boundaries and of the therapeutic language. Second, shifting power relations, characterized by a friend-like dynamic, which enabled more egalitarian relations, and a parent–child dynamic, which included increased power imbalances and dependency. Implications An increased understanding of the role of restrictive policies, everyday racism and exclusionary political discourse in the reconstruction of the user-worker relationship dynamics could inform social work education and practice. Beyond the refugee arena, establishing informal relationship structures could help to reduce power differentials, increase trust-building and improve therapeutic outcomes with refugees and other service users. The possible risks of informal relations, such as misunderstandings or worker burnout, are also discussed.

AbstractThis article explores the perceptions and constructions of child risk and protection for children growing up in poverty, from the perspective of parents and social workers serving them, in an impoverished neighbourhood in Israel. Of the 50 in‐depth semi‐structured interviews conducted overall, 35 were with parents and 15 with social workers employed by the neighbourhood's social services department. The analysis yielded three themes: The first focuses on the social services' involvement in the neighbourhood. While social workers viewed the social service agency's location within the neighbourhood as positive, offering the opportunity to build a close relationship with the local population, some parents experienced this proximity as intrusive. The second theme deals with gaps in perceptions of help: Whereas parents felt that they needed material assistance, social workers preferred to offer therapeutic assistance. The third theme relates to the child‐at‐risk label, with diverging perspectives between social workers and parents regarding the extent to which living in a poor neighbourhood places a family at risk. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating anti‐oppressive and poverty‐aware paradigms in social work practice and education.

Abstract
Multi-cultural encounters pose challenges and ethical dilemmas for social workers. A common form of dilemma in these settings stems from the clash between the ethical requirement of cultural sensitivity and contradictory ethical principles. This article presents qualitative findings from an exploratory study of social workers (n = 30) working with Jewish Ultra-Orthodox families and children who are at risk in Israel. Our exploration was guided by the following research question: What are the constructions, perceptions, beliefs and meanings associated with the dilemmas social workers face while working with the Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel around issues of child well-being, risk and protection? A thematic analysis of 30 in-depth interviews yielded three themes of dilemma: the collectivist nature of the Ultra-Orthodox community, religion and spirituality and gender and sexuality. Further analysis of the findings revealed a typology of three elements that constitute a culture-bound dilemma: laws, values and norms. This article, which also addresses limitations and recommendations for future research, suggests how the understanding of what components make up a specific dilemma can aid social workers in managing the dilemma and may require a different course of action.