Florida high court to rule on same-sex adoption ban

Journalist:  Janine Zeitlin 

Date:  December 27, 2008

Summary:  Under the current law in Florida gay individuals and couples are not allowed to adopt children.  A recent court ruling will be presented to the Florida State Supreme Court which could change the current law.

Relevance:  This article describes the proponent and opponent views of the same sex adoption ban.   

Questions:

1. Describe the views of those who say no to same-sex adoption.  Do you agree or disagree with these views? Why or why not?
2. Describe the views of those who say yes to same-sex adoption.  Do you agree or disagree with these views? Why or why not?
3. What additional information do you feel that you would need to make a personal or professional decision regarding same-sex adoption?
4. What is the view of the Florida chapter of the National Association of Social Workers regarding the same-sex adoption ban?
5. Which states have a ban on same-sex adoption? Does Florida ban gay individuals and couples from becoming foster care home providers?

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Recession deals Ann Arbor area charities double blow; needs increase, but big donations down

Journalist:  Khahil Hachem

Date:  December 29, 2008

Summary:  This article describes the observations of local nonprofit organizations in terms of donations, and the results of a new research study which found that Americans continue to generously donate to charities.  The nonprofit organizations are reporting that while the number of donors has increased, the number of large donors has decreased and demand for services has increased. 

Relevance:  This article describes the impact of the recession on nonprofit organizations. 

Questions:

1. Describe the results of the new study investigating private giving.  When did private giving decline and why?
2. Why are more donations needed at the end of the year?
3. What is the impact of rising food costs and foreclosures on service utilization?
4. Using data described in the article, describe how the need for food and emergency services have increased.

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Baby P backlash may scare off potential social work recruits

Journalist:  Sam Marsden

Date:  December 27, 2008

Summary:  This article states that potential social workers with an interest in working in child protection services in the UK may scared away from taking such positions because they fear being vilified if they make mistakes such as the mistakes that were made in the Baby P case. 

Relevance:  Social workers provide a variety of services to protect children.

Questions:

1. According to the article, how many of the child protection councils were experiencing difficulty recruiting children’s social workers prior to the death of Baby P?
2. Do you agree that potential social workers with an interest in working in child protection services may scared away from taking such positions because they fear being vilified if they make mistakes such as the mistakes that were made in the Baby P case? Why or why not?
3. Would you be worried about accepting a children’s social worker position in such an environment? Why or why not? What concerns, if any, would you have?
4. Can you identify a high profile case in your community involving a child protection social worker?

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Abderdeen’s child care ‘improving’

Journalist:  BBC News Channel

 

Date:  December 22, 2008

 

Summary:  This article describes recent statements regarding child protection services in the UK.  Child protection services were previously criticized for not protecting children who were at risk.

 

Relevance:  Social work programs should be evaluated to assess whether services are effective.

 

Questions:

 

1. Why is important to evaluate services? What skills are needed to evaluate services?
2. What does the NASW Code of Ethics suggest regarding evaluation of services and programs?
3. Was evaluation data provided in the article?

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Sex assault victim falls through cracks

Journalist:  Kelly Pedro

Date:  December 22, 2008

Summary:  This article describes the experiences of a mother seeking mental health services for her son who was sexually assaulted in 2004.  It is taking years to receive services and there appears to a lack of services within the family’s immediate area.  Mental health services that are available nearby are restricted to individuals who live within a particular jurisdiction.

Relevance:  This article describes the need for child mental health services within a community.

Questions:

1. What diagnosis did the child receive following the sexual assault?
2. Do you know of children’s mental health services or services for children who have been sexually assaulted within in your community?
3. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, what percent of children experience a mental illness?  How many children receive mental health services? 
4. Do you think that few children receive mental health services? Why or why not?
5. Is there a Mental Health Association in your community that can provide you with statistics similar to those discussed in the article?

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Social care is Stalinist. That’s not an insult, it’s a fact

Journalist:  Simon Caulkin  

Date:  December 14, 2008

Summary:  This article describes a social work department in the UK as rigid, dehumanizing, utilizing a top-down management approach, and suggests that because of these factors the social work department is unable learn and improve from what is not working.  The author suggests that parallels exist between the structure of the social work department, Soviet central planning and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Relevance:  This article suggests reasons why a social work department has been unable to learn and improve.

Questions:

1. What do you think about the author’s parallels between the social work department and the collapse of the Soviet Union? Why?
2. Are problems associated with using a top-down and rigid management structure in social work practice? Why or why not? Can you provide an example?
3. In what ways does the author suggest that improvements in the UK public sector can be achieved?
4. Why do the public sector managers perceive their jobs as complying with rules?
5. According to the article what needs to be done in order to experiment and learn?

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Graduate student sues RIC over liberal views

Journalist:  Gina Macris 

Date:  December 14, 2008

Summary:  This article describes the reasons for a pending lawsuit filed by a former student against a school of social work.  Central to the lawsuit are the NASW Code of Ethics and social justice. 

Relevance:  The NASW Code of Ethics, the social work profession, and academic programs throughout the nation have previously been criticized for their liberal views.

Questions:

1. Why have the NASW Code of Ethics, the social work profession, and academic programs throughout the nation been criticized?
2. Summarize the former student’s claims.  Summarize the school of social work’s claims. 
3. What are your thoughts about the criticisms of the NASW Code of Ethics, the social work profession and academic programs throughout the nation?  Do you think that such criticisms are justified? Why or why not?

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Warning over social work software

Journalist:  Unknown 

Date:  December 14, 2008

Summary:  This article describes the results of a two-year study which found that a computer system designed to help social workers monitor vulnerable children actually increased risk among these children.

Relevance:  This article explores the effectiveness of technology in social work practice related to vulnerable children. 

Questions:

1. Who conducted the study described in the article?
2. What are the major findings of the study?  What conclusions were made regarding the computer system?
3. How can the computer system be improved considering the limitations regarding how it was developed?

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Kids’ mental health concerns meet barriers in primary, specialty care

Title of Article:  Kids’ mental health concerns meet barriers in primary, specialty care   

Journalist:  Unknown 

Date:  December 16, 2008

Summary:  This press release describes the results of the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health which found more than one-half (56%) of the parents questioned reported that their primary care physician had never asked about the mental health concerns they may have regarding their child.  National estimates suggest that 1 in 10 children experience an emotional or mental health concern.

Relevance:  This press release explores the mental health of children and parents experiences with physicians and child mental health services.

Questions:

1. Why might some PCPs not ask about mental health problems?
2. How old were the children whose parents were polled?
3. Describe and discuss four major findings from the National Poll of Children’s Health.

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Pledge to reform social work after death of Baby P

Journalist:  John Roberts

Date:  December 8, 2008

Summary:  This article describes the experiences and training needs of social workers employed in child protective services in England following the death of a 17 month old baby.  A new task force has been developed that will reform the role of social work in child protection cases.

Relevance:  This article explores whether social work training in England is adequate to prepare social workers to protect vulnerable children

Questions:

1. What areas of social work does the article suggest should be improved?
2. Do you think that such improvements are difficult to implement in social work? Why or why not?
3. Why do you think that social work lags behind teaching in terms of transformation? Do you think that this is the case in the U.S.?
4. What would you suggest be done to transformed the social work profession in ways that has transformed teaching?

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