Working with survivors of sexual assault : Attitudes and beliefs of rural health workers
- Authors: Radcliffe, Margaret , Green, Rosemary , McLaren, Suzanne
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Women Against Violence Vol. 15, no. (2004), p. 22-29
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The central purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and beliefs about sexual assault of health and welfare professionals in a rural area. These front line staff are often the professionals to whom a woman discloses her story, yet many generalist health and welfare workers feel ill equipped to deal with such disclosures. This study sought to understand the frameworks and beliefs held by generalist health and welfare workers about sexual assault. The findings of this study indicate that attitudes and beliefs of many participants included theoretical frameworks that ignore the role of power and gender, and are based on myths and assumptions about the behaviour and/or psychology of victim/survivors and perpetrators. Such beliefs have an impact on outcomes for survivors, and the quality of service offered to them, and indicates a need for comprehensive further training for health and welfare workers about sexual assault. Participants also lacked confidence in their ability to work effectively with survivors, although they clearly understood the long-term effects of experiencing sexual assault.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000956
The development of 'expert-ness': Rural practitioners and role boundaries
- Authors: Gregory, Raeleene , Green, Rosemary , McLaren, Suzanne
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Social Work and Community Practice Vol. 12, no. 2 (2007), p. 16-21
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- Description: Health and welfare practitioners have reported challenges in their personal and professional lives brought about by the realities of dual and multiple relationships in small communities. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative grounded theory study of 70 such practitioners living and working in rural Victoria. Australia, with regard to the development of worker expertise in dealing with personal and professional role boundary issues. The research findings suggested that this group of rural health and welfare practitioners dealt with personal and professional boundary issues through a process of sensitive decision-making and strategic behaviour that became increasingly intuitive over time. Participants oftern adopted elastic and fluid boundaries using their personal experience and local knowledge to inform their professional judgement. These findings have implications for practitioners, for employers, and for educators.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003005777
Only in exceptional circumstances! : Education in Australia for rural social work and welfare practice
- Authors: Green, Rosemary
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Social Work Vol. 8, no. 1 (2003), p. 50-57
- Full Text: false
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- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000510
Welfare workers' experiences of rural practice - similar but different
- Authors: Green, Rosemary
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Social Work and Community Practice Vol. 12, no. 1 (2007), p. 41-46
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- Description: This research project investigated the experiences of six rural welfare professionals living in the Western region of Victoria, Australia. In particular, this paper reports on their experiences of managing dual and multiple roles, confidentiality and their privacy. The six participants, five women and one man, were purposely chosen for in-depth interviews using criterion sampling from 23 survey respondents who participated in a larger rural practice study. Issues of particular interest to participants were managing confidential information gathered from formal and informal sources, providing services that are non-stigmatising, managing complex ethical dilemmas arising from fual and multiple roles, and lack of anonymity and privacy. Participants' experiences of these issues had varied considerably. Some expressed feeling of anxiety and stress, while others expressed strong confidence about their management of these matters in their daily practice. Many participants were anxious about whethr their practice fully met the ethical guidelines of the profession, however they felt their practice appropriate to the context. Most of the participants commented that their pre-service education did not adequately address rural issues or prepare them for their work role in small communities.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003005771
Preparing for social work practice in diverse contexts : Introducing an integrated model for class discussion
- Authors: Green, Rosemary , Gregory, Raeleene , Mason, Robyn
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Social Work Education Vol. 28, no. 4 (2009), p. 413-422
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Understanding the context of practice is an essential component of social work practice as is providing service that respects diversity. These twin concepts are necessary to include in planning and delivering services across all levels of practice. However, while we might understand how the context impacts on service users (and such an understanding is a vital part of assessment processes), the context has greater and more far reaching impacts. For example, in rural practice research, there is evidence that the context strongly influences the choice of practice methods, the behaviour of the professional as an individual and as a community member, and the management of complex ethical situations. This paper proposes a model that may be useful in analysing the various impacts of diversity and context in social work practice, and is relevant for the education of social workers and other human service personnel. The SUPAmodel (Service User, Professional, Agency) uses practice examples to explore how changes in context impact on professional decision making and choices about intervention. © 2009 Taylor & Francis.
- Description: 2003006215
Rural social welfare practice : Stories from the western region of Victoria
- Authors: Green, Rosemary
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at the 7th National Rural Health Conference, Canberra : 1st - 4th March, 2003
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- Description: This study explored rural welfare practice issues with six welfare professionals working in contentious fields of practice such as child welfare, family violence and the justice system in the western region of Victoria. Participants were selected on the basis of difference to provide a range of experiences. The six participants completed a questionnaire and were subsequently interviewed in depth about their own experiences. The study asked participants about issues of concern to them and strategies that they find useful in their professional practice in small communities. Issues of concern included: risk and experience of violence and harassment, managing confidential information gathered from formal and informal sources, providing services that are non stigmatising, managing dual and multiple roles and lack of anonymity and privacy. Participants were concerned about the dilemmas of personal privacy versus community “right to know” particularly when they had privileged information about perpetrators of violence and child sexual assault within their communities. Participants shared their practical solutions and personal survival strategies, as well as their concerns. Many employing organisations did not recognise these factors effectively in work practices, and supervision was focused on agency accountability rather than professional development and support. On a broader level, workplaces and educators need to recognise the impact of the occupational demands and stressors relevant for rural practitioners, where anonymity and privacy are frequently compromised, and respond sensitively to these issues. This paper includes a number of recommendations for educators and organisations employing welfare staff in rural areas. The author sincerely thanks the six welfare professionals for sharing their stories in such rich detail and with such honesty and frankness. Identifying details have been altered to protect their privacy.
- Description: E1
- Description: 2003000562
Rural and remote social welfare practice: Differences and similarities in the Australian context
- Authors: Green, Rosemary , Gregory, Raeleene
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Society Vol. 14, no. 3 (2004), p. 245-255
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- Description: Welfare practice in rural and remote areas has some particular challenges for professionals. There is a developing body of knowledge about the differences between urban and rural welfare practice, and some evidence that remote practice is experienced differently from rural practice. This article provides an introductory discussion of the differences and similarities of rural and remote welfare practice (in terms of organizational, professional and personal aspects) in Australia using material gathered from two exploratory studies of social work and welfare professionals in Victoria and the Northern Territory. While there were many similarities about satisfaction with lifestyle and the work role, major differences were related to the emphasis on ethical dilemmas in the rural area, strong dissatisfaction with organizations and employment conditions expressed by the remote practitioners, and a lack of professional support and networking which was particularly noted in the remote area.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000951
'Great lifestyle, pity about the job stress': Occupational stress in rural human service practice
- Authors: Green, Rosemary , Lonne, Robert
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Society: the journal of research into rural & regional social issues in Australia Vol. 15, no. 2 (2005), p. 252-266
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- Description: Social workers, welfare workers and others living and working in small rural communities report that they are generally highly satisfied with their work and lifestyle. Paradoxically, high levels of occupational stress are also reported
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001252
Ensuring the future of rural social work in Australia
- Authors: Brown, Grace , Green, Rosemary
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Society Vol. 19, no. 4 (2009), p. 293-295
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The article focuses on several approaches to improve social work in remote, rural and regional locales in Australia. It says that despite the need for social work services, human service agencies face difficulty in retention and recruitment of qualified staff. To address such problems in rural social work, it suggests the involvement of urban universities, which provide social work education, by supporting rural student placements. It mentions the need for industry support to encourage and assists student in rural placements. It also states that distance education can be an alternative for students from rural locales. Moreover, it says that continuing professional development opportunities should be provided for rural social workers.
- Description: 2003007962
40 degrees above or 40 degrees below zero : Rural social work and context in Australia and Canada
- Authors: Bodor, Ralph , Green, Rosemary , Lonne, Robert , Zapf, Michael
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Social Work Vol. 9, no. December (2004), p. 49-59
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000963