- Title
- Rural social welfare practice : Stories from the western region of Victoria
- Creator
- Green, Rosemary
- Date
- 2003
- Type
- Text; Conference paper
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/59256
- Identifier
- vital:1382
- Identifier
- https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/7thNRHC/Papers/refereed IO papers/green.pdf
- Abstract
- 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.; E1
- Publisher
- Canberra : National Rural Health Alliance
- Relation
- Paper presented at the 7th National Rural Health Conference, Canberra : 1st - 4th March, 2003
- Rights
- Open Access
- Rights
- Copyright National Rural Health Alliance
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- Rural; Victoria; Social work; Welfare
- Full Text
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