Towards a Human Rights Culture in Social Work Education

Anti-stigma advocacy for health professionals: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Many anti-stigma programs for healthcare workers already exist however there is less research on the effectiveness of training in skills for health professionals to counter stigma and its impacts on patients.

AIMS

The objective of this study was to examine the theory base, content, delivery, and outcomes of interventions for healthcare professionals which aim to equip them with knowledge and skills to aid patients to mitigate stigma and discrimination and their health impacts.

METHODS

Five electronic databases and grey literature were searched. Data were screened by two independent reviewers, conflicts were discussed. Quality appraisal was realized using the ICROMS tool. A narrative synthesis was carried out.

RESULTS

The final number of studies was 41. In terms of theory base, there are three strands - responsibility as part of the professional role, correction of wrongful practices, and collaboration with local communities. Content focusses either on specific groups experiencing health-related stigma or health advocacy in general.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest programs should link definitions of stigma to the role of the professional. They should be developed following a situational analysis and include people with lived experience. Training should use interactive delivery methods. Evaluation should include follow-up times that allow examination of behavioural change. PROSPERO, ID: CRD42020212527.

Racial Injustice in Schools: Underscoring Social Work's Obligation to Promote Antiracist Practice

Children of color (COC) continue to have a range of disparate educational experiences that implicate structural and institutional racism as powerful, detrimental forces in P-12 schools. As members of a profession dedicated to empowerment and the dismantling of oppression, social workers are called to respond. Social workers work in and with schools in diverse roles (for example, as practitioners, community partners, organizational leaders, and contracted providers) and are ethically obligated to challenge injustice. This article-anchored in a framework focused on how race operates in schools and in the field of social work-considers the state of affairs for COC in schools, social work's professional and ethical obligations, and extant opportunities for social workers to learn to address structural racism. The authors identify a gap between COC experiences and social work candidates' preparation to respond, and therefore advocate for social work's more explicit commitment to antiracist practice, research, and pedagogy. The authors share examples from within and beyond the field of social work that can guide next steps, anticipate challenges that would arise, and assert the importance of pursuing antiracism as a route toward meeting our profession's ethical obligations. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for social work education, research, and practice.

A Social Work Education Grounded in Human Rights

In response to a mandate to advance human rights through social work education, this article focuses on the curricular redesign and program evaluation of one MSW Program. The program's specialization focused on advanced social work practice with individuals, families, and communities grounded in social justice and human rights. A pre-experimental one-group posttest-only program evaluation design was implemented. Multiple assessment instruments were used to measure human rights exposure in social work education, as well as a human rights lens and engagement in social work practice among 93 graduating MSW students from a public university with suburban and urban campus locations. How the program applied a human rights-based approach to social work field education will also be discussed. Findings suggest that a human rights exposure in course work and practicum is related to students' practice lens and engagement. The imperative is now to train social work students to address complex social issues through human rights exposure, engagement, and lens as we prepare for a post-pandemic world. Recommendations are provided to strengthen academic leadership and research in this area and empower students to drive a paradigm shift in the profession.

A Look in the Mirror: Unveiling Human Rights Issues Within Social Work Education

Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this study explored the financial effect of the field practicum requirement on BSW students. This project was conducted at a mid-sized university in the Southwest region of the United States where current and recent field students responded to surveys and social work field instructors and faculty participated in interviews. The study describes financial burdens and reveals human rights issues affecting nontraditional and underserved students that have answered the call to a career of serving the most vulnerable in society. This study fills a gap in the literature and provides recommendations for further research and anti-oppressive approaches for the academy to employ in the education of future social work professionals.

Análisis de la producción científica sobre Derechos Humanos en Trabajo Social: perspectiva internacional (2000-2015)

Los derechos humanos forman parte de la misión e identidad del Trabajo Social, sin embargo, en su producción científica dicha materia está muy poco desarrollada. El objetivo de este estudio es establecer un perfil de la producción del Trabajo Social en materia de derechos humanos en los últimos años. Para ello se realiza un análisis de carácter descriptivo observacional de la producción científica del Trabajo Social en materia de derechos humanos en las revistas especializadas del área de ciencias sociales, indexadas desde 2000 a 2015 en las principales bases de datos internacionales: «Scopus» y «Web of Science». El análisis cualitativo permitió establecer la existencia de 4 tipologías de temas principales. Se constata la escasez de trabajos que abordan esta temática, la predominancia de lo teórico sobre lo empírico y la hegemonía de lo anglosajón. Este objeto de estudio nunca antes ha sido abordado, por ello el principal aporte de este trabajo es su novedad.