2. Imagine you were going to lead a parent support group in a country DIFFERENT than your own. How would you use Global social work principles that Healey describes to plan how to go about it? What content would you use to promote parenting that does not encourage violence, using the ideas from readings from the class about child development and family relationships? You can include topics such as avoiding practices such as child trafficking, female genital mutilation and stigmatizing youth based on LGBTQ status.
Leading a parent support group is a challenge. Personally I have done it myself a few times in my work and you have to prepare a lot if you want it to go well. Doing it in a different country than my own would be even bigger and harder challenge. Using principles that Healey describes in her book, I, first of all, would gather as many information about the group I am planning to lead: their culture, community, natural environments and I would seek to recognize all aspects of a person’s life and treat each person as a whole. Second, I would focus on the strengths of the group, what they can give to each other and if they don’t see these strengths I would help them recognize it and work with it. Third, I would respect every person in the group opinion and promote to make their own choices and decisions no matter if I agree to that or not. In my opinion, this is how I would prepare for the group and hope that the meeting would go well.
ReplyDeleteI believe that using violence in parenting is a big no. If I am leading a group to promote what you can do instead of using violence I would recommend other punishments. A child can learn to change their behavior if they feel the consequences of the behavior. The purpose of punishment is to teach the child to behave well, allowing him to experience the consequences of the misbehavior. Punishment cannot be the outpouring of negative emotions from parents. In addition, it must not degrade the dignity of the child, be appropriate to the age of the child and understanding of the child and the extent of the offense. You can restrict a child to enjoy activities or ask them not to touch a favorite toy or his favorite thing. The child should not be punished without warning. He needs to hear what he did wrong, why he is being punished, what he should learn. If a child has damaged something or his actions have caused other damage, it is necessary to discuss how he will compensate them. After the child has served the sentence, it is necessary to talk to him about his feelings (how the parents feel when the child needs to be punished), ask how the child feels. And I think this is the best way to teach child a lesson if you need to. I would promote such behavior to parents and maybe talk about how using violence is a horrible way to raise a person in this world.
References:
1. Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent Word. New York: Oxford University Press.
2. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. ir Liobikienė, T. N. (2012). Gebėjimai socialinio darbo praktikoje: tėvystės ir vaikų socialinio gebėjimų lavinimas. Mokomoji knyga. Kaunas: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas.
When preparing a parental support group in another country or in your own country with war refugees, it is very important to evaluate and respect the culture, traditions, and religion of that country. However, always emphasize that a person is the greatest value, regardless of his gender, race, religion. It is very important to have knowledge about the family values of that country, the peculiarities of raising children. It is always possible to share the models, experiences and practices of child blindness used in your country.
ReplyDeleteThe basic principle of social work is human rights. Therefore, it is very important to talk about it, to share it, to promote free choice, freedom.
The most important topic in Lithuania today is the Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country. Social work with refugees can be seen as international. Most of them are women with children. Therefore, global social work with families is very important here. Women come to Lithuania with cultural differences, different religions, trauma, loss of loved ones and no money. Therefore, the parental support group is very important to them. The main topics for such a group could be violence, poverty, protection of children's rights. Most of those female men may not return and die in the war. Women will have to take care of their children alone and support their families. Another topic is the integration of children into society in the country where families currently live. Children's education, lack of language skills, acceptance of peers, different religions.
Hugman R, Moosa-Mitha M, Moyo O. Towards a borderless social work: Reconsidering notions of international social work. International Social Work. 2010;53(5):629-643. doi:10.1177/0020872810371203
According to L. Healy (2008), that competent social work practice requires new knowledge and competencies in solving social problems in many countries, it is very important to take care of one's competence before starting a parent support group. If I had to lead a parental support group in another country, I would first have to get to know and take into account the culture, politics, economy, traditions, religion of that country. It is important to know and be aware of human rights as well as consider and build on values. Values are an essential element of social work practice. They set the criteria for everyday decisions and are benchmarks in social work. It is like a moral compass that shows the direction in the daily activities of a social worker. (J. M. Kouzes, B. Z. Posner). According to L. Healy (2008), one of the most important principles of social work is non-discrimination, confidentiality and equality, and I support these values.. I would try to make contact and connection, which is very important for open communication and achieving results. (Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. and Liobikienė, TN (2012)). During positive parenting skills sessions, I would teach parents to respond appropriately to their child’s needs. I would introduce the peculiarities of the child's age stages and their influence on the child's behavior. Parents would be taught how to communicate effectively with their children, and the skills of applying positive discipline would be developed. The sessions would take place in a group, each with an important assessment and taking into account the values available and all existing contexts. Practical tasks are essential for better knowledge acquisition. The content I would use to promote parenting does not encourage violence, is preventive education that can address the direct and indirect causes of violence. Parents need to be helped to understand the effects and consequences of violence. Very important is to introduce non-violent alternatives and lifestyle changes, to influence stereotypes and habits that justify or ignore parental violence against children.
ReplyDelete1. Healy, L. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. Oxford University Press, Incorporated.
2. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. and Liobikienė, T. N. (2012). Abilities in social work practice: development of parenting and children's social skills. Educational book. Kaunas: Vytautas Magnus University.
3. Kouzes, J.M. and Posner, B.Z. (1995) The Leadership Challenge.
PART 1:
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important parts of working with parents in a different country than my own would be knowledge about their traditions linked to raising children. According to Hugman, Moosa-Mitha and Moyo (2010), for an international social worker is essential to understand the local context, local socio-culture, meaning – how people are used to raising children, what is acceptable for them and so on. I would like to stress that not only knowledge is crucial but respecting their ways of raising children as well. Even if these ways might shock us at first, as it was seen in the movie “Babies” (2010): mother shaving baby head with a big knife, cleaning baby with milk, toddlers roaming around goats and other farm animals. However, as Healy and Thomas (2020) point out, it is very important to use human rights knowledge in these situations and to rely on international law and policies like UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Such international policies set human rights standards which are essential for social workers globally – non-discrimination, equality, inclusion regardless of race, age, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status (United Nations Population Fund, 2005). For me, as a social worker, the application of human rights practices and standards is very necessary.
Another important part would be good preparation for a parent’s support group involving a consultation with a social worker in that country. According to Healy and Thomas (2020), professional exchange is one of the key global social work dimensions. Understanding how families are raising children, what methods they use, even how they raise children of different age groups – all that information from a social worker’s perspective would be beneficial. As Bonta (1997) mentions, there are so many different parenting habits as well as each country and each family have different values they want to give for their children. Therefore, being aware of those details would be a good base for leading a parents support group in a different country. Another important aspect, as Healy and Thomas (2020) stress out, is not only knowledge about international policies, agencies, and social welfare, but knowledge about specific country social welfare system and laws protecting children.
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DeletePART :
DeleteIn Lithuania we have parents support groups which are called ‘positive parenthood groups’. According to Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė ir Matulevičiūtė (2016), the purpose of such groups is to help parents learn new parenting patterns that are different from those under which they were brought up by themselves. Positive parenthood groups focus on creating a good relationship between parents and children. It’s important to use strength-based methods, guide parents to find a way to nonviolent solutions and to accept the differences. For example, a child is a part of the LGBT+ community and parents have a hard time accepting that, it would be important to focus on the connection they have with their child, help them talk about their fears related to the child’s gender identity and analyse their childhood because some parenting habits can come from their own experiences. In these positive parenthood groups, role-play is used a method. Parents get to play the children's role and experience their own parenting methods on themselves. A social worker leading the parenthood group talks to parents as if they were a child and the social worker were their mother or father. This can be a very eye-opening experience and show how children are feeling when parents use certain negative talk or punishments. Therefore, I would try to apply these positive parenthood groups principles while working with parents in a different county as well as be aware of mentioned culture knowledge about parenting habits and values. Mostly I would try to encourage communication between parents and children using positive parenting methods and nonviolent problem-solving thru the creation of flexible rules and agreements.
References:
1. Bonta, B. D. (1997). Cooperation and competition in peaceful societies. Psychological Bulletin, 121(2), 299.
2. Healy, L. M., & Thomas, R. L. (2020). International social work: Professional action in an interdependent world. Oxford University Press.
3. Hugman, R., Moosa-Mitha, M., & Moyo, O. (2010). Towards a borderless social work: Reconsidering notions of international social work. International social work, 53(5), 629-643.
4. United Nations Population Fund. (2005). Human Rights Principles. Access through internet: https://www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-principles
5. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J., & Matulevičiūtė, D. (2016). Tėvystės įgūdžių lavinimas tėvų grupėse: socialinių darbuotojų patirties refleksija. Socialinis darbas: patirtis ir metodai, (18), 77-91.
Aisté, I found the 'positive parenthood groups' you described so interesting. I especially thought the role play activity where the social worker takes the role of the parent and the parent takes the role of the child can be so eye opening and insightful. Even for a social worker, I think "role-playing" a parent can be incredibly insightful.
DeleteI wonder as a social worker in another country how this activity would translate. Because for some cultures this activity involves open and direct communication and it may be intimidating or uncomfortable for parents to participate in. For example the article, "When Asian Immigrant Women Speak: From Mental Health to Strategies of Being" talks about Western approaches and ideas (such as open and direct communication) are seen as the "norm" but is not the case for many other countries throughout the world. I am just thinking about how this activity could be utilized in parent support groups where the culture is more reserved.
Wong, Yuk-Lin Renita & Tsang, A. Ka Tat, (2004). When Asian immigrant women speak: From mental health to strategies of being. American Journal of Orthopsychatry. 74, 456-466.
Hello, Naomi! Thank you for your comment. I agree with your point that in some cultures role-play as a method can be too intimidating. However, as I mentioned in my answer, the first and most important thing to me is understanding and respecting each country’s culture. From there it’s important to know parent’s needs, what they are expecting from the parent’s support group, because in some cases as you mentioned Western approaches can be not fitting to use. However, I think it’s possible to use different methods of positive parenting like encouraging and strengthening their parenting thru strength-based methods. And down the line if parents from more reserved cultures seem interested try and use role-playing. Even in Lithuania role-play method requires a social worker to create a safe space for parents to feel comfortable to open up. Therefore, the role of the social worker is to understand parent’s needs and create space for them and encourage parents to talk. This can reflect on their communication with children as well - to be more open. Because in my opinion good communication is a great tool to learn and use in every family.
DeleteIf I were to lead a parent support group in another country, I would first pay attention to the culture and traditions of the country. According to Healy & Thomas (2020) social worker should have international knowledge for effective practice. The movie "Babies" perfectly reveals the differences in parenting. So one of the topics of the parent support group would be to find out what the peculiarities of parenting in that country are and how they affect the child. I would also ask parents what their expectations are and what is important to them, and I would adjust the content of the topics according to the wishes of the parents in that country. As Healy & Thomas (2020) mentioned for Global social work it is important professional exchange so I would add elements of the “Successful Parenting Program” which social workers use in practice in Lithuania. According to Vyšniauskytė – Rimkienė & Matulevičiūtė (2016) the goals of the “Successful Parenting Program” are: to promote good relations between parents and children; to prevent (serious) problems in raising children; to prevent behavioral problems in children. According to Healy & Thomas (2020) for global social work it is important to promote human rights so this kind of parenting support group would help to promote the protection of the rights of the child and reduce violence against children. Vyšniauskytė – Rimkienė & Matulevičiūtė (2016) found out that attending the Successful Parenting Skills Development Group has a positive effect on parents. They can share their parenting experiences, support and learn from each other. Also I would like to add a topic about parenting styles because Hart et al. (1998) found that maternal and paternal parenting styles and marital interactions are related to childhood aggressive behavior. Following the news these days, I think it would be useful to organize support groups for refugee parents as well. El-Khani et al. (2018) wrote that war, conflict and flight affect refugee children’s mental health and also change family environment and quality of relationships with parents and primary caregivers. El-Khani et al. (2018) study show that parents wanted support and result indicated that providing tailored support for families could have significant benefits for the well-being of both refugee children and their parents. I would also include lgbt-related topics in the group's content. Okanlawon (2021) made a literature review about homophobia in Nigerian schools and universities. „Findings show that LGBT students experience rejection, bullying, and victimization from parents and siblings at home, and from students, teachers, and school administrators who sometimes expel LGBT students from schools and universities.” Okanlawon, 2021, p. 327). All over the world people from Lgbt+ community are facing stigmatization so that's why it is importat to teach parents to respect others. If parents respect other people then children will do the same.
ReplyDeleteGintarė Patašiūtė
References:
El-Khani, A., Ulph, F., Peters, S., & Calam, R. (2018). Syria: Refugee parents’ experiences and need for parenting support in camps and humanitarian settings. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 13(1), 19-29.
Hart, C. H., Nelson, D. A., Robinson, C. C., Olsen, S. F., & McNeilly-Choque, M. K. (1998). Overt and relational aggression in Russian nursery-school-age children: parenting style and marital linkages. Developmental psychology, 34(4), 687.
Healy, L. M., & Thomas, R. L. (2020). International social work: Professional action in an interdependent world. Oxford University Press.
Okanlawon, K. (2021). Homophobia in Nigerian schools and universities: Victimization, mental health issues, resilience of the LGBT students and support from straight allies. A literature review. Journal of LGBT Youth, 18(4), 327-359.
Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J., & Matulevičiūtė, D. (2016). Tėvystės įgūdžių lavinimas tėvų grupėse: socialinių darbuotojų patirties refleksija. Socialinis darbas: patirtis ir metodai, (18), 77-91.
What you are saying reminds me of Kimma’s (2021) book ‘Assessing Culturally Informed Parenting in Social Work’, where input from both parents and practicing social workers need to be both included for a successful social initiative (e.g. parenting workshop). The voices of parents ground the place of traditions, cultural understandings, religious practices, the need to build identity with their children that is rooted in culture and how communities build resilience and support. Preconceived notions shield of the social worker needs to be broken down so they can cross the space between themselves and the parent- to see what the parents can really offer their children. The universality of any assessment tools relies on the social worker building enough knowledge to soften the strict notion of their clients being seen as parenting in the right way. The key for a power-balanced and client-centred programme must first bridge the typically very alive cultural understanding gap between the social worker and the client (parents).
DeleteReference:
Kimma, D. (2021). Assessing Culturally Informed Parenting in Social Work. Abingdon: Routledge.
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ReplyDeleteWhen leading a parent support group, it is vital that the social worker be extremely patient and understanding when working with their clientele. Adding the factor of leading this support group in a different country will add additional challenges and hurdles to overcome. With the influence of being outside your native country, it will become difficult to fully comprehend the set customs/beliefs this culture may have. It is important to note the immense influence culture has on a group of individuals in shaping their belief system. Expanding your knowledge of the culture and the ideals that are held is essential for the social worker leading this parent support group. You may face new challenges on issues that were never discussed in one’s native country. Coming from the perspective of growing up in the U.S., it may not be as prevalent to discuss the topics of child trafficking or female genital mutilation within a support group in America. Yet once relocated to another country, it is my duty to come prepared with the knowledge and background information about these topics, along with the minority beliefs of the area that I am in, in order to conduct a safe and brave space for my group.
ReplyDeleteWhen analyzing Healey’s global social work principles, it is vital to apply these principles when working in any social work setting. When applying these concepts to the specific parent/child support group setting, it is important to have a non-judgmental attitude and exhibit a sense of acceptance to your clientele. Every social worker will experience a time where their beliefs or values may not correspond with a client’s, yet it is important to remain understanding and accepting in this setting. Establishing a safe space where the parent can communicate their thoughts is the set goal for these support groups. This preliminary step can then lead to further establishing individual plans and provided resources for the parents and their children.
References:
1. Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent Word. New York: Oxford University Press.
2. Global social work statement of ethical principles. International Federation of Social Workers. (2018, July 2). Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.ifsw.org/global-social-work-statement-of-ethical-principles/
I said something very similar, Bella. While it may not be as common to face female genital mutilation or child trafficking in the United States compared to elsewhere, it is significantly important to maintain a level of cultural awareness and non-judgemental perspective to ensure rapport with the client. This will allow for a more productive collaboration. In particular, it is important to note the parent's childbearing attitudes as this will "affect parents’ practices toward their children and the types of environments that parents create for their children" (Bornstein, 3). In doing so, even though this culture is one different than your own, the social worker will be able to use the parents' childbearing perspective to collaborate with them for a solution.
DeleteReferences:
Bornstein, M. H., D. L. Putnick and J. E. Lansford (2011). Parenting Attributions and Attitudes in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Parent Sci Pract 11(2-3): 214-237.
- Natalie Archdeacon
DeleteI thought your mention of “nonjudgmental” when working with clients was extremely important, especially in an international social work sense. It is crucial to our jobs as social workers that we allow for completely safe and brave spaces with our clients, especially if the client is of a different origin than us. It is vital to our role as social workers that our clients trust us and know that we have only the best intentions for them and being accepting of any cultural practice will help one’s client open up to their social worker. I appreciated how you mentioned that these cultural experiences and values may not be the same as ours because it is important for us to remember that our culture is special, yet one of many. As social workers we are going to experience many situations involving people of all different cultures and it is important to remain open minded when experiencing a new culture.
Delete-Claire Lewing
Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent Word. New York: Oxford University Press.
In a parent support group held in a country outside of the United States, I would consider Healey’s description of universalist vs. cultural relativism. It raises the question of if a universal set of social work values can be defined and be applied to social work in any country around the world. Many argue that this cannot be done. Universalist perspective declares that actions are inherently right or wrong, whereas cultural relativism views ethical decisions as made based on the context in which they are made or of the consequences they create. There is a point made about how social workers interact with others with differing cultural practices and leaves them to wonder if different is just different or when different is considered wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe role and status of women and children within their families, economies, and societies are very much in the center of many of these dilemmas. Because of this, considering universalism vs. cultural relativism is highly relevant when planning a parent support group outside of a country that is not your own. I would do my own research on what the social work role looks like in the country, as well as read their code of ethics and research about the country in general. This would provide a better sense of what the parents’ values might be. When reading about how self-determination can be considered problematic in other countries, I would consider how in Africa, self-determination is collectively sanctioned by the community, not just the individual person. Using the group as a self determinating space could offer a commonality between the parents. Some content I would cover would be highlighting the differences between cultures (if present), talking about traditions within the family, and emphasize the development of the child. Bringing information back to science and biology/development could potentially reduce thoughts or actions that may be harmful to the child’s development and be easier for the parents to connect and understand.
Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent Word. New York: Oxford University Press.
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Delete2. Leading a parental support group in a country other than mine would be a challenge in terms of encountering a different culture, a worldview, and would require a different vision in order to understand and delve into how people from different cultures see everything. It is fundamental to understand that parents are themselves influenced by a different culture, which means that they have their own beliefs and what they do seems right and acceptable to them. It would be useful to refer to Healey's principles of self-determination, confidentiality, equality, autonomy and freedom, less harm, truthfulness and non-discrimination (Healey). I believe that these principles would help to prevent prejudice and judgment, and at the same time allow individuals to open up and talk about painful events. Also, these principles would help to build a relationship, give mutual trust. In such sensitive topics and in this context, it becomes important to talk about promoting tolerance, to avoid pre-defined boundaries between oneself and a stranger, it is also important to talk about trying to understand that there is reciprocity and the ability to be together and have dialogue. This would encourage and create an atmosphere in which to learn from each other. It would be worthwhile to use the negative consequences of stigmatization, female genital mutilation, or child trafficking as examples, as this would lead to deeper vision and less strong beliefs.
ReplyDeleteHealey, L. M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. Oxford University Press.
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ReplyDeleteIf I was going to lead a parent support group in a country different than my own, I would use the Global social work principles to help understand the environment and culture in which I was leading this group. In utilizing this principle of globalization, I would understand how the environment these families are in is affecting and influencing child behavior and parental responses. This would be especially relevant if the topic of the parenting group were to be discussing parenting techniques. If it is a cultural norm to sell children into work in order to support the family, I must keep my ethnocentrism in check and move forward with the conversation in a non-judgment and encouraging tone. In doing so, I can ensure rapport with the clients, which will allow me to explore other opportunities to support the family that do not endanger the child. This will not inhibit the child’s long-term development and safety nor will it damage the child’s relationship with the parents and family. In presenting these parenting tactics, I would be invoking the principle of Human Rights and Transnationalism; even though our cultures are different, the basic respect and care for all human beings should remain upheld.
ReplyDeleteReferences: Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent Word. New York: Oxford University Press.
^ Natalie Archdeacon
DeleteIf I were to lead a parent support group in a country different than my own, there are many global social work principles that would be important to keep in mind. The first thing that would be crucial to recognize is that there is not just one correct way when it comes to parenting. While something may seem strange or unfamiliar that parents do to care for their children in another country, that does not necessarily mean that it is wrong. This became apparent to me when we watched the video in class of parents from different countries caring for their babies in many ways, but they were all still having their basic needs met, and they were being taken care of with love. While the parents of different countries went about tasks in very different ways, the end result was often very similar. I think that this ties into global social work principles of cultural awareness and respect for diversity. When leading a parenting support group in a different country it would be imperative to understand the culture and the norms when it comes to parenting, as well as having respect for diversity and different ways of doing things. While it is important to respect differing beliefs, when it comes to the context of global social work it is important to stick to the principles of human rights and human development. In a parenting support group, teaching should be centered around nonviolent parenting, since violence in parenting is an issue in many places around the globe. One significant issue that I would talk about in a parenting support group would be avoidance of child trafficking. The book International Social Work: Professional Action in an Independent World by Lynne M. Healy talks about human trafficking and says, “‘women and children are overwhelmingly trafficked in labor arenas because of their lack of power, social marginalization, and their overall status to men’” (USDHHS, p.89, 2001). Children are trafficked at a high rate because of their lack of power, and their status in comparison to men in society. I would talk about this in a parenting support group, and connect this to many aspects of parenting. I would talk to a parent about the negative consequences that result from children experiencing violence, and talk about ways to promote parenting that does lead to violence. It is also important to discuss gender roles in families, and the position that children, particularly girls, hold in their families. I would talk about respect and human dignity for children, as well as gender equality when it comes to female children. While child trafficking may be seen as more of a cultural norm in some societies, a parenting support group would be a good time to talk about and challenge this belief, since it does not uphold human dignity, and it subjects individuals to violence. I would also try to empower parents to work towards healthy and respectful family relationships so that violence does not occur and parents raise their children in a loving and supportive way. Conversations like this could help lead to new ideas around child development, and the way that children should be treated and raised across the globe.
ReplyDelete
Healy, Lynn M. and Rebecca Thomas. (2020). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
I agree with your answer and find it really interesting. I want to touch on a point of child trafficKing. You chose a quate that states that woman and children fall victim to it do to lack of power, social marginalization and power play. It's known that women who are abused, do lack in power, independence and usually are stopped in fear. I do believe providing women with hope and believe that they are strong, teaching them to be independent will help them and their children. Since children learn from their parents (social learning theory), for them to see a strong independent parent would allow them to learn to believe in themselves and be emotionally resilient against manipulations and coersions.
DeleteDominika Viduolytė
This is a very interesting topic about parent support group in a different countries. I agree with the idea that parents are raising their childrens very differently. Each family has it own customs inherent. The most important thing is that parents are raising their children with love and warmth. And the social vorker can not make them love each other. The social vorker can help them enable to reconnect with the child or parents.
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ReplyDeleteSocial workers understand how important cultural sensitivity is; indeed, one of the hallmarks of good social work practice is cultural competence. The challenge for all helping professionals, including social workers, is delivering services that respect the dignity of the individual while providing for the greater common good. Cultural competence, as defined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, “requires workers to take reasonable steps to understand and be sensitive to clients’ cultures and social diversity”. To work effectively in cross-cultural settings, social workers must become aware of their own worldview and value systems (Bosch, 2011). Every social worker, including me, relied by Healy (2007) on the seven principles of confidentiality, equality and inequality, autonomy and freedom (including self-determination), least harm, quality of life, privacy and confidentiality, truthfulness and full disclosure.
ReplyDeleteThe documentary "Babies" presents the growth, development, knowledge of the environment, self-expression, and relationships with four other children under the age of one. These babies live in different countries: Namibia, Mongolia, Japan and America. From this it can be understood that they are not brought up in the same culture. According to (Jonynienė, 2010), the traditions of raising each child differ according to the ethnic ethnicity and cultural peculiarities of the parents. The author's or implementer's correct assessment of parents' and child's behavior in the cultural context, without attributing them to the specifics of a particular family, is very important: only parental training programs that meet the family's cultural values and needs can be maximally effective. Through parenting skills training, parents have the opportunity to learn new patterns of parenting that are different from those they have raised themselves. Extensive research in various countries shows that parents educate their children in different styles, and the way they are educated determines the child's development, self-esteem and achievements. (Vyšniauskienė-Rimkienė, Matulevičiūtė, 2016). In the group, we would discuss the goals and expectations of the groups with the parents. I would get to know their culture during parenting skills training. Next c) I would acquaint the parents with the peculiarities of the child's development, d) different styles of parenting, e) we would try with the parents how they were brought up, f) delimitation, saying no, g) conflicts and solutions, h) conclusion
1. Bosch, L. (2011). Cultural Efficacy in Communication and Practice in Global Context. Handbook of International Social Work: Human Rights, Development, and the Global Profession. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195333619.003.0017
2. Healy, L.M. (2007). Universalism and cultural relativism in social work ethics. International Social Work, 50(1), 11-26. doi: 10.1177/0020872807071479
3. Jonynienė, J. (2010). Tėvystės įgūdžių lavinimo programų efektyvumo veiksnių apžvalga. Tarptautinis psichologinis žurnalas: biopsichosocialinis požiūris, (5), 119-137.
4. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J., & Matulevičiūtė, D. (2016). Tėvystės įgūdžių lavinimas tėvų grupėse: socialinių darbuotojų patirties refleksija. Socialinis darbas: patirtis ir metodai, (18), 77-91.
I agree that cultural competence is very important for working effectively with parents in another country. Keep human rights and dignity in mind when working. I think that we often forget such aspects, and it would be very useful for any professional to review the code of ethics from time to time in order to achieve quality, genuine social work. including self-determination), least harm, quality of life, privacy and confidentiality, truth and full disclosure.It is important to remember that children are our future, so any investment is very important. Thanks, Lina, for sharing about the film, I think all the professionals should review it and add to their knowledge of children’s development, environmental awareness, self-expression.
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DeleteWhen it comes to positive parenting, the first thing to pay attention to is parents and parenting. It’s no secret that often parents simply lack the upbringing or social skills that children often suffer from in the family. Raising children means helping them to follow the right path in life, gaining the necessary skills and forming their own opinions. Parenting requires skills and knowledge that do not appear anywhere. Certain deficiencies in a child's development, abilities, and behavior reinforce a high degree of family neglect and even the possibility of violence. Based on Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. and Liobikienė, TN (2012). the social work profession is not just about knowledge. Values are the foundation of social work. If the social worker does not find a way to communicate or make contact with clients, there is no real and open connection between them. This means that the social worker can easily manipulate clients and easily turn in their direction, but the social worker needs to be paid, trained with confidence and openness. Based on the principles of Healy (2008), according to other authors, there are 8 parts that make up Parent Support Groups: 1. Get to know each other. 2. Child development and behavior; 3. Building a better relationship with the child; 4. Understanding and managing feelings; 5. Positive discipline; 6. Sexuality; 7. Addictions; 8. What do I know about violence? This shows that parents also need to work for their children, to improve and deepen their knowledge about their upbringing, about strengthening the connection.
ReplyDeleteHealy, L. M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Dependent World (3rd Edition). Oxford University Press.
Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. and Liobikienė, T. N. (2012). Abilities in social work practice: development of parenting and children's social skills. Educational book. Kaunas: Vytautas Magnus University.
When it comes to positive parenting, the first thing to pay attention to is parents and parenting. It’s no secret that often parents simply lack the upbringing or social skills that children often suffer from in the family. Raising children means helping them to follow the right path in life, gaining the necessary skills and forming their own opinions. Parenting requires skills and knowledge that do not appear anywhere. Certain deficiencies in a child's development, abilities, and behavior reinforce a high degree of family neglect and even the possibility of violence. Based on Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. and Liobikienė, TN (2012). the social work profession is not just about knowledge. Values are the foundation of social work. If the social worker does not find a way to communicate or make contact with clients, there is no real and open connection between them. This means that the social worker can easily manipulate clients and easily turn in their direction, but the social worker needs to be paid, trained with confidence and openness. Based on the principles of Healy (2008), according to other authors, there are 8 parts that make up Parent Support Groups: 1. Get to know each other. 2. Child development and behavior; 3. Building a better relationship with the child; 4. Understanding and managing feelings; 5. Positive discipline; 6. Sexuality; 7. Addictions; 8. What do I know about violence? This shows that parents also need to work for their children, to improve and deepen their knowledge about their upbringing, about strengthening the connection.
ReplyDeleteHealy, L. M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Dependent World (3rd Edition). Oxford University Press.
Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. and Liobikienė, T. N. (2012). Abilities in social work practice: development of parenting and children's social skills. Educational book. Kaunas: Vytautas Magnus University.
Tautvydė Liubinė
Tautvyde,
DeleteI like your statement about the manipulative abilities of social workers; despite having good intentions we must be wary of the very vulnerable spaces that we may come to inhabit, and how our own subconscious biases may seep into our practice. When working with a client whose culture and worldview differs from us from either the United States or Lithuania, we must take care to prioritize the value systems that -- though it may be foreign to us -- they understand as reality.
Global social work statement of ethical principles (2018) in article 3.2 states that „social workers work toward strengthening inclusive communities that respect the ethnic and cultural diversity of societies, taking account of individual, family, group, and community differences“. Healey (2008) states in her book that the lack of knowledge of a culture can lead to misdiagnosis and labeling of clients. As a social worker, if I would be to host a parent support group, firstly I would take my time in studying the culture and doing my research. Movie „Babies“ is a great example of how different every culture is, but the parents still do the most to care and love their children. Knowing what’s normal in a culture could give a lot of material to work with in regards of educating parents. Parents are doing the best they can at the moment and receiving new knowledge would help them react adequately to situations. Language is a big part of making families feel heard, understood and safe. Since I would be the one leading the parent support group, I would try to make sure that everyone has a way of expressing themselves. Maybe finding a native person, who could translate something if people forget words, get lost or confused in the Lithuanian or English language. Lithuania has positive parenting groups, which like to involve learning through games. I would personally try to implement games like „crossing light“, acting out situations, drawing family trees and so on. All these exercises should motivate parents to discuss and share their experiences, which could be hard depending on the culture. Providing research based parenting styles strengths and weaknesses, showing them how it affects children to feel and how it changes them when they become adults. I would discuss with parents about their childhood, what kind of parenting style they experienced and how it made them feel. Creating an environment that is safe for the families, based on the culture. It would be important to figure out if they feel safer outside or inside, maybe even a Church. I believe parents use physical abuse because of lack of knowledge that there is something else that could work, or even they experienced it themselves when they were little. Acting out scenes where they try different methods of raising a child would help them little by little.
ReplyDelete1. Global social work statement of ethical principles. (2018). International federation of social workers.
2. Healy, L. M., & Thomas, R. L. (2020). International social work: Professional action in an interdependent world. Oxford University Press.
3. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J., & Liobikienė, N. T. (2012). Gebėjimai socialinio darbo praktikoje (tėvystės ir vaikų socialinių gebėjimų lavinimas) [elektroninis išteklius]: mokomoji knyga. Kaunas: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas.
Dominika Viduolytė
2) If I had to work in another country, my competence as a social worker would be important first. For me, human rights and social justice come first. I also always adhere to Biestek’s principles: individualization, purposeful expression of feelings, controlled emotional engagement, acceptance and a disposition not to judge, client self-determination, and confidentiality. I rely on that now, it would be important to work anywhere, in any country. The next thing to prepare for is the history, traditions, culture, knowledge of the prevailing religions and values in the country where I work. Social work involves people and structures to cope with life’s challenges and increase well-being. I should be aware, perhaps, families face challenges that may be specific to the society of that country. To do this, before I start working, I should analyze what has happened in the country in the past, what is happening and what possible scenarios could happen in the future, thus shaping the context. As a social worker, I would try to create content where freedom and human rights are the basis of everything, and tolerance, acceptance, and illegitimate attitudes are the means to achieve this. As children grow up, they see their parents as authorities and often copy their behavior. For example, if a child swears at school, the parents of the other children are mocked in search of "guilt." The teacher is bad, the other children in the class are not good. But they should look back to themselves. If a child hears profanity at home as parents mock neighbors because they are out of work and living on benefits and therefore cannot buy shoes for their children, the child will do the same. We all raise children differently because we are all different. However, we live in communities where certain rules apply. And children from an early age should not only know them, but also understand why they are needed and what the consequences may be if we don’t follow the rules. Consequences for both the one who broke the rules and the one who suffered as a result. It should not be a punishment, but an awareness that your actions have consequences for other people. That this can cause others to feel physical or psychological pain. This group would discuss the important implications of different ways of educating a child. The most important thing for parents is to love their children, and for children to feel loved. Parents need to understand their role because their children are not alone and future generations will be part of society. When it comes to issues such as child trafficking, female genital mutilation or the stigmatization of young people (LGBTQ +), there should be information about these in a particular country so that you can know how to deal with it. It is necessary to understand that the culture and religion of a country can influence how most of the public responds to the LGBTQ + community. They don’t have to feel that we are judging them and keep stressing what they did wrong or shouldn’t do, so they will only create rejection. But first I tried to strengthen the parents themselves, to find their strengths, to provide motivation that things can change. I would encourage them not only to educate their children, but also to get involved in community activities, volunteering in this way, developing children's attitudes towards life in the community, helping others.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost with this group, I would strive to be informed and knowledgable while remaining open-minded and humble about the fact that I am not an expert. Even though I’m “leading” the group, I need to let the clients lead. In terms of not encouraging violence, one of the bases for the group would be freedom with boundaries, which is an idea we’ve talked about in class. Living in society should mean that freedom exists for everyone until it infringes on that of another, and to me this feels like the most culturally humble way of being understanding and being able to disagree while simultaneously avoiding shaming or condoning violence. That being said, Bonta (1997) argued that circumstances, beliefs, and attitudes of a society have to focus on nonviolence in order for peace to be possible. Drawing on this and the idea of positive peace (discussed in class), I would continuously reinforce the importance of nonviolence in every context. In addition to this notion, I think Healy’s examination of international social work values in the context of globalization would be especially helpful in leading a support group in a different country with people from another culture, with different norms and backgrounds (Healy, 2008). Healy (2008) argues that goals for the social work profession around the world currently grow from current trends of new problems that require new ways of coping, changing populations, interconnectedness, and increased sharing and exchange between people. Our rapidly-changing world and our lack of personal power over it really requires us to let others be free so we can do so as well. I believe all of these patterns point to the social worker’s need to bear witness to people we work with as it has become clear that change is the only constant in our worlds.
ReplyDeleteBonta, Bruce. (1997). Cooperation and competition in peaceful societies. Psychological Bulletin, 121, 299-320.
Healy, Lynn M. and Rebecca Thomas. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(Phoebe Siegel-Horne)
ReplyDeleteI believe that one of the most paramount factors that needs to be considered when leading a parent support group ,in a country other than my own, would be to have a strong sense of cultural competence. However, it goes beyond having reverence and understanding for another person’s culture – as a practitioner of social work it is important to understand the foundations of your own education and how it influences the work you produce. Essentially, as an American, it is important to understand that many social work theories and methodologies are rooted in white supremacy/ have origins in the education white males. In an article titled “Wringing Out the ‘Whitewash’: Confronting the Hegemonic Epistemologies of Social Work Canons (Disrupting the Reproduction of White Normative)” by Anna Ortega-Williams and Denise McLane-Davison, they say that “education in a white supremacist social context serves to maintain the status quo; it is not benign, innocent, neutral, universal, or objective” (573). Beginning with this understanding that my own social work education has such roots, it is then that I can begin the process of decentralization and understanding the nuances of another person’s culture. Healy touches on the concept of universalist vs. cultural relativist viewpoints. The former posits that all humans share the same fundamental, inalienable rights, and the latters states that “culture is the sole source of the validity of a moral right or rule” (Healy 295). Each view, in my opinion, carries validity and should be utilized in such a way that benefits the client. In the context of this hypothetical parent support group, we can agree that childrens’ well-being is in our best interest. However, the methods in which we can ensure that “best interest” would differ from culture to culture. In the United States, the typical emphasis might perhaps be on encouraging the child’s sense of entitlement, or their ability to manipulate their surroundings to suit their needs. In other cultures, efforts must be made to learn how a family is defined, and what types of values underlie the family unit.
Resources:
Healy, Lynn M. and Rebecca Thomas. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ortega-Williams, A., & McLane-Davison, D. (2021). Wringing Out the ‘Whitewash’: Confronting the Hegemonic Epistemologies of Social Work Canons (Disrupting the Reproduction of White Normative). Advances in Social Work, 21(2/3), 566–587. https://doi.org/10.18060/24475
Social workers practicing and serving parents and children outside their own country have much to be mindful and considerate of. Bornstein, Putnick, and Lansford (2011) write, “Parents and cultures are, therefore, intimately bundled because two intertwined major goals of parenting are to successfully transmit the prevailing culture across generations and effectively embed the next generation into the existing culture.” Therefore, as a social worker coming into a different country to lead a support group, one must ensure the parents’ culture is understood, valued and respected. Parents will not feel supportive if they feel as though their culture and beliefs are being erased or disrespected. Next, social workers must remember no parent fits one mold and may have different values and ideas outside of their country’s norms. As Bornstein, Putnick and Lansford (2011) point out, “On the one hand, parents, regardless of culture, need and might share certain cognitions, and cognitions presumably serve comparable functions for everyone, irrespective of culture; on the other hand, community-specific cognitions about childrearing can be expected to arise and be compatible with each specific society’s setting and needs.” Therefore it is crucial to listen to each parent as an individual and not make assumptions regarding their parenting practices, beliefs and ideas. Based on these two points, as a social worker leading a parent support group outside of the United States, I would be sure to educate myself as much as possible on the history and culture of the country. I would take the time to understand the influence the United States may or may not have had throughout this country’s history and accept any unfortunate truths. The case example included in the text, International Social Work, provided by David Bourns describes social workers creating educational programs for children in Bosnia. In this example, Bourns describes the social workers working closely with Bosnian educators, “establishing constructive cross-cultural communication to develop a mutually acceptable curriculum” (Healy & Thomas, 2021). For a parent support group, I would be sure to work with local citizens of the country who play any role in serving and advocating for parents. Some countries may not provide formal social work education and therefore may not have individuals with the formal title of “social worker” but still are doing the work of a social worker. I would be sure to find and collaborate with those individuals to best meet the needs of the parents in this country. The Bosnia case goes on to state, “The task of international staff, as in most development projects, was to help build local capacity, not to do the job” (Healy & Thomas, 2021). In order for the support group to be successful, the community where I am located must be part of the foundation and execution.
ReplyDeleteLastly, in terms of content for the support group, this would all be dependent on the needs of the parents in the specific country. As a social worker, working with others in the country, I would hope to understand the support the parents needed instead of just bringing in my own agenda. Needless to say, I do like the idea of showing films like Babies by Thomas Balme to show differences of parenting but also the overarching similarity of love and nurturing parents have no matter where they live in the world. I think content like the film, Babies would be an excellent way to explore differences as well as unify before beginning to challenge certain topics.
To lead a parent support group in a different country than the United States, I would first have to understand the problems that the parents of that country are looking for support in and I would fully have to understand the economic, social, and political situation of that country to support parents and their children. Healy mentions how necessary it is for social workers to understand how our profession is being practiced in other countries (Healy 4), so to start a parent support group, I would be sure to learn about the current social work organizations in place and how I can expand on their programs. International social work has the ability to expand social work principles using global examples to understand how certain solutions to social issues can have different outcomes based on the situation. International social work gives social workers a better understanding of their practices by seeing them played out in different settings and allows social workers to see situations that resemble their home country occurring and being solved in another country. International social work allows for social workers to see the positive and negative effects of globalization, as social workers are working on international issues, but using international remedies as well.
ReplyDeleteLike the movie Babies, I would like to show parents comparisons between children around the world to expand their preconceived ideas about how children should be raised. By showing parents how children are brought up in different countries, parents would be able to see the natural skills babies pick up, no matter what kind of home or toys they are raised with. Showing parents, the natural tendencies that babies are born with would allow them to open their minds towards other cultures’ methods of raising children. The international combination of childrearing methods could be used to find the most successful methods globally, overall improving our understandings of raising children.
While showing comparisons of different ways of raising children, I would also focus on how we perceive mental health globally and I would show parents how certain countries handle their mental health issues and what the benefits and hindrances are of each country’s approach. Looking at the United States, I would show how our capitalistic ideals turn mental health into an individual issue that gets pushed aside by most, while Asian countries see the importance of a community and the healing power that one’s community can have. Showing the comparison between these two ways of viewing the importance of mental health would show parents how beneficial it could be for children to be raised with communal ideals. Raising children in a country like the United States leads to children to be focused on their own personal successes, freedoms, and futures, because of the values instilled in us from a young age. With this parent support group, I would focus on expanding how these parents assume they should raise their children, and instead show them many other methods of raising children that they could implement with their children.
-Claire Lewing
Healy, L.M. (2007). Universalism and cultural relativism in social work ethics. International
Social Work, 50(1), 11-26. doi: 10.1177/0020872807071479
ReplyDeleteWhen leading a parental support group in another country, first you need to find out the culture and attitudes of that country. Attitudes towards children, family, women, etc. differ from country to country. As the topic of the parental support group will be about violence and intolerance. At the beginning, I would give specific examples of domestic violence from other parts of the world and give my own examples from the place where I live. Also I would like to tell you how our state is working to reduce outbreaks of violence, how in this case a social worker works with a family and where there is violence. Firstly, introduce the group to the principles of global social work according to Healy. I would describe them and explain how these principles can be applied in practice.
Global Social Work has four key dimensions by Healy:
1) Internationaly – related domestic practice and advocacy: addressing problems that cross national boundaries (e.g., tafficking drug sales) Working with international populations.
2) Professional exchange: using knowledge gained form other countries to improve practice and policy in home country.
3) International practice: Social workers contribute to international development by working in international development agencies – Grameen Bank Example.
4) International policy development and advocacy: Social work as a worldwide movement influencing policy at the international level, as in educational efforts with UN policy deliberations on violence against women.
Role of social worker: Promate social development via Direct services (micro and meso level) Participating in international policy – making or planing organizations. I would explain to a group of parents what the levels of microscope and meso are and how they are applied in practice. I would communicate with my parents that I need to educate my knowledge about the ways of raising children. The child grows, he changes, the rules and ways of upbringing have to change automatically with the child. However, the main goal of this group is for parents to understand that violence is not a way to solve problems. Under no circumstances should a child be abused to bring up or punish a child for abuse.
Midterm Question 2
ReplyDeleteIn leading a parent support group, the main topic I would emphasize is self-determination for their children. Many parents worry for their children and as a result they try to control what they do. However, this is detrimental for their relationship as well as the child’s confidence in themselves. In the support group, I would outline certain communication strategies that the parent can utilize with their child in order to feel comfortable with their child making their own decisions. By increasing communication, self-determination can naturally be increased for both of them. Healy talks a lot about self-determination as a principle of social work, and it is essential that we as social workers emphasize it for our clients. This can be especially helpful for combating parental stigmatization of their children who are LGBTQ+. Ideally, if a parent encourages self-determination for their child, that includes empowering their children to discover all parts of themselves and pursue them.
The principles of equality and nondiscrimination also come into play in this scenario. In this instance, it would be in another country, so I would have to educate myself greatly on the culture of my clients. This would include me refraining from judgment on my clients’ beliefs about how they should raise their children, even when they differ from mine. By learning more about their culture, I could get a broader understanding of why they behave the way they do and it would prevent me from consciously or subconsciously discriminating against my clients. I would also implement steps to help these parents reverse any of their ideas of discrimination that they feel towards their children. The LGBTQ+ example applies here too— if I am able to educate my clients on this population, it could hopefully reduce the discrimination they direct at their children and strengthen their relationship.
- Jilly Kornak
Healy, Lynn M. and Rebecca Thomas. (2020). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2008 edition
First and foremost, maintaining a perspective of cultural relativism, as opposed to universalism, would be the best place to start. If one goes into a support group setting where the group is of another culture, it is imperative that social worker recognizes the cultural differences and does not judge them based on their own cultural standards by formulating “a set of basic principles for social work, which can be adapted to cultural and social settings” (Healy, 2001). This would allow the social worker to understand the actions and motivations of the group better, without being too influenced by their own biases. This would even be helpful for social workers who are working with transnational families who have multiple cultures within one family. However, it cannot go unsaid that when taken to an extreme cultural relativism can have negative consequences. A social worker must keep a basic set of universal values that cannot be broken, such as abuse or neglect (Healy, 2001). This would be especially important for a group setting in another country where parenting can have different practices within different cultures.
ReplyDeleteWhile the differences in parenting between genders can vary and shows that parenting is heavily influenced by culture, the overall consensus of parents were more “progressive than authoritarian (Bornstein Putnick, & Lansford, 2011). The group setting is a great place to practice non-violent forms of coping. By engaging everyone in a culturally competent discussion about what they need support with, they will learn better ways to deal with their issues in a healthier manner. Having a space for parents to get support from one another will also allow them to build community with people who have the same cultural values and can help with various parenting issues.
Healy, Lynne M. (2001) International Social Work : Professional Action in an Interdependent World, Oxford University Press, Incorporated. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/luc/detail.action?docID=430927.
Created from luc on 2022-03-17 23:36:57.
Bornstein, M. H., Putnick, D. L., & Lansford, J. E. (2011). Parenting Attributions and Attitudes in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Parenting, science and practice, 11(2-3), 214–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295192.2011.585568
-Capri Abernathy
Capri,
DeleteI really agree with your wrote meaning that social workers must keep a basic set of universal values that cannot be broken in families, such as abuse or neglect. I also want to add, that I think the main struggle is that most of countries don’t have single institution with responsibility for all the parenting programmes and groups. It makes difficulties to ensure that every group for parents is based on the main values and principles. We in Lithuania (and often in other countries) have a lot of different programmes for parents to deepen their knowledge of parenting, but I think that those programmes would have a greater effect if they were coordinated by one institution, evaluated all other programmes and agreed with everyone on the main goal. Such coordination of parenting groups should be customized into the cultural differences as you mentioned, but they should not interfere with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other important instruments that ensure the safety and equality of the child.
References:
Baltic workshop on building capacity in parenting programmes to prevent violence: Vilnius, Lithuania, 8–9 January 2019.
I think that leading a group of parents in another country would be a challenge because of the language barrier, culture, and customs. Therefore, I should first be very familiar with the traditions and daily life of the people in that country. I should also be familiar with the problems this country faces most often. But basically, I think the difficulties around the world are similar only because cultural differences can make it easier or harder to reach a group of parents.
ReplyDeleteInternational social work can and should play an important role in consolidating democracy, social justice, and the implementation of international conventions such as human rights, elimination of discrimination against women, rights of children, and so on, as well as preventing conflicts and supporting peace by promoting global cultural integration it was said in the article „globalization of consciousness and new challenges for international social work“.
In the Lynne Moore Healy and Rebecca Leela Thomas book „International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World“ it is written that international social work should take part in globalization, development and human rights as foundational concepts. Then a global history of the profession. Global profession history it is nececcery to know more about ethics, social policy, international development practice, and practice at the international/domestic interface. Always it is important to talk about modalities of international professional exchange that provides recommendations for international action.
My main mission in leading a parent support group in another country would be for parents to understand that the problems lie not only in the children but also in us, I associate this with many aspects of parenting skills development. As J. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, a lecturer at Vytautas Magnus University, has said, “as a mother, you did everything you could to raise your child the best”, it could be the basis to start with. It is important to understand that what we did in the past was the best we could do. So with respect and dignity, I would like parents to start hearing their children. I would try to be like a mirror who would explain or reflect through situations how parents could still treat their children in the future. Not forgetting values and human rights.
-Paulina Šlepavičiūtė
References:
Ahmadi, N., 2003 Globalisation of consciousness and new challenger for international social work. (Lecture material)
Healy, L. M., Thomas, R. L., (2020). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World. 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
The world has quickly transitioned to a borderless world through a process of globalisation. In this regard, the Social work profession is not spared as social workers and their clients are increasingly transnational and hence the need to look at its practice in this context. This then validates the quest for global ethical principles, which recognise cultural and national differences, which govern social work practice. The profession is guided by International human right statutes which are mandatory to all persons in the practice.
ReplyDeleteHealy recognises social work as a value-based profession and calls for universal principles applicable to social workers around the world taking into cognisance the cultural specificity of the area/ country that they are working in. The principles include belief in the worth and dignity of each person; commitment to non-discrimination and equality; acceptance of the rights of persons to self-determination and to confidentiality in their dealings with social workers; and recognition that social workers have multiple ethical responsibilities to those served, to the profession, to employing institutions, to fellow professionals and to society at large. Leading family support groups for Social workers who are not practising in the country that shaped their personal identity should therefore be guided by Healy`s universal principles to avoid promoting violence and encourage peace and cohesion.
Parenting refers raising a child and not exclusively for a biological relationship. Its aim is to promote and support the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. The cut of limit of adulthood to my thinking is however relative and is contextually defined as to some cultures it means until a person is financially independent, to some disadvantaged groups like disability adulthood might not be reached at all yet the universal law tends to mean reaching 18 years. This is equally important to be mentioned in this discussion because in the practising field doing parenting programs, I personally felt that that results in inclusion and exclusion errors when we are designing parenting programs as the cut off age of adulthood is often distorted and lacks the individualisation of the claimants whom we serve, an aspect present globally.
I am imagining myself doing parenting programs in the Western world, being born bred, raised as an individual in Africa, Zimbabwe to be precise, and having gained my Social work qualification and practised for long in the same mentioned country. Africa and the Western world are have great differences in raising a child hence parenting is viewed with different lens altogether and Healey`s universal social work principles will be important for me to guide practice. I am imagining the complexities of navigating tensions between ‘African’ and ‘Western’ cultural values. I desire to come up with parenting strategies that blend the best aspects of African and Western cultural values for my intervention to be contextually relevant. I am also thinking about the groups of people I will be working with in parental education, migrant families, western families, minority groups families such as refugees and the group that has high likelihood of being left out as they are illegal inhabitants whose existence is not recognised under law and often fear deportation but somewhere in the world they are parenting a child.
ReplyDeleteFor migrant families, my critical role will be to support them to negotiate transitions in parenting contexts. It is interesting to note that these migrant families appear in different forms, some have brought with them their children, some only part of the children and for others they came alone and left children in their own countries and are still parenting in a mobile way. Social work in parenting programs have a tendency to deal with parents whose children are physically present and overlooks and excludes mobile parenting.
Unauthorized parents attempt to withstand the double burden of basic survival and effective parenting. The Trump administration for example, made policy changes and anti-immigrant rhetoric, negatively affected children from unauthorised parents. This led to violence and family break up as some ended up in marriages of convenience to get citizenship which was detrimental to family units. As a practitioner, I should aim to provide tools for parents to effectively engage with their children to sustain healthy environments.
The above understanding helps to expand knowledge on the complexity of parenting in multicultural, transcultural and intercultural contexts and Am thinking of collaborating with the government in terms of coming up with intervention methods to include everyone in parenting. I will therefore lobby for diverse parenting programs are necessary to fulfil various communities’ needs. Social services should, thus, be provided to strengthen both virtual and face-to-face parent–child interactions via mobile phone parenting and periodic visits. New policies should be developed to provide migrant parents with more options regarding family reunion. Of my interest in this scenario is also the need to educate law enforcement personnel, such as the police, in understanding parenting norms in a different culture that they also devise policies that are culture sensitive.
ReplyDeleteIt is also important at this point for a social worker to be conversant of the poverty levels of the different groups as Western countries are comprised of multi nationalities with poverty levels different. The importance of this lies in the fact that social workers work with vulnerable groups hence this helps to know the appropriate interventions and parenting techniques that do not provoke violence. African American and Latino populations report significantly higher poverty rates in the United States than non-Hispanic Whites (Creamer, 2020), leading to poorer health outcomes for children (Gupta et al., 2007). Recognizing the health disparities experienced by various classes and racial groups is an essential component in identifying successful parenting education programs. The entry point in therefore can be prenatal parenting programs to make parents aware of good parenting before a problems emanates.
A family directed parenting program is more appropriate in multi-national countries for Social work to be in tantrum with the different socio-cultural diversities. Bauman et al. (2001) found that a family-directed education program reduced rates of tobacco and alcohol use among children and adolescents in non-Hispanic households. Family directed program will therefore recognise ethno cultural inclusivity in parenting education groups which I think is lacking in the Western world.
In Zimbabwe, the traditional family structure is still present and children are usually raised inside the family system no wonder why families are against institutionalisation. This is different from families in the Western and as a social worker in parenting education, it is important for me to recognise that there may be single parents, LGBT families, blended families, and so on. Topics for discussion should therefore include education, religion, family budgeting, community resources, civic participation and disciplining children. This will ensure no-one is left behind
It is also imperative for looking at social work interventions, parental education included, in a sustainable manner. In light of this, I am thinking of the need for self-regulation implementation strategies in parenting education programs as parents need to develop skills to self-monitor themselves and be capacitated to be able to independently be their problem-solvers. Family open talk sessions where parents and children set a day at least once a month to discuss about what is being done best and what to be improved for this specific household. This will reduce communication barriers and openness in families, a contributory factor in substance and alcohol abuse.
First of all, I should find out more about families, do the families have social problems. Then it depends what country it is what traditions and customs this country have. It is also important to find out more about each family.
ReplyDeleteThe primary task of social work varies by practice context. Across the different practice contexts, the primary task of social work is extremely varied and may include, but is not limited to, any one, or combination of, the following tasks (Healy, 2005).
• Risk management;
• Implementation of statutory law;
• Support and advocacy;
• Therapeutic intervention;
• Community education;
• Community capacity building;
• Research;
• Policy development, implementation and evaluation;
• Social service administration.
I would try to rely on risk management to provide information on violence against children. I would try to prove that any form of violence against children is prohibited, I would tell about the consequences of violence. Also I would concern in laws of that country, human rights. I think the most important thing is to develop public attitudes towards violence and to show the negative effects of violence. It is also important to introduce what help victims of violence can get.
1. https://is.muni.cz/el/fss/podzim2016/SPR476/um/Healy_2005_SW_Theories_in_Context.pdf
First of all, child abuse is one of the hidden forms of violence, and evidence shows that the prevalence is unacceptably high in 53 countries in the WHO European Region. The World Report on Violence and Health defines child abuse as physical, sexual or emotional abuse, deprivation and neglect. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requires all Member States to offer effective protection of the child, which is of particular importance to the rights and interests of children under the age of 18.
ReplyDeleteIf I lead a parent support group outside my own country, I will focus on a family program that includes both parents and adolescent children, focusing on building a positive regard for self and others . I would try to adapt this support group to different cultures, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. I know that strengthening parent-child relationships requires work and effort, but I really believe it can help parents stay in touch with their children at all stages of their lives. In addition, a strong parent-child relationship actually facilitates parenting, as children who feel more connected to their parents are more likely to listen, help, and follow parental instructions. So it can be a really good tool to show how parents can improve relationships between children and avoid violence against them. The first and most important step will be to motivate parents to show their love for their children. It is very important for parents to tell their children that they love them every day, no matter what age or even after disagreements. Parents should make sure their children know that despite their behavior, their parents love them unconditionally. Another topic we could touch on is the importance of playing with children. It’s really important to say that no matter what you play just enjoy each other and commit to giving parents undivided attention. I think it will be good to show different games in this part because sometimes parents and kids don’t know what to do together and how to make fun together. Involving both parents and children will be a good opportunity to try out the games themselves and then talk about emotions. Another important thing is to invite families to create their own rituals (for example: to create a ritual to read something together, eat with the family, etc.). After all the previous steps, it should be possible to move on to the next part: helping parents agree with the children on the rules and agreeing on helping each other. This part could help families find a new positive way to manage all conflicts with children.
When organizing a support group, it is important to ensure the rights and dignity of all persons, freedom of choice, and equality. The group program should be tailored to the needs and situation of the group members (Healy, Link, 2011).
References:
Baltic workshop on building capacity in parenting programmes to prevent violence: Vilnius, Lithuania, 8–9 January 2019.
Healy, L. and R. Link (2011) Handbook of International Social Work: Human Rights, Development, and the Global Profession. New York: Oxford University Press.
When it comes to parenting in the first place, it can be said that parenting can be positive and negative. Positive parenting is an approach to parenting as a teaching that is based on respect for the individual. It is the setting of guidelines for behavior, taking into account the child's needs for healthy development, protects against physical or psychological violence, and respect for the child's views in dealing with issues related to him or her. Positive parenting needs to be developed: parents need to know about the child's needs and development, and to help parents develop the skills they need. Knowledge can be provided by organizing parenting groups. When organizing a parenting group outside my country to get acquainted with the culture, values and traditions of that country, I would in any case follow the principles of equality and non-discrimination, self-determination and confidentiality according to the principles of Healy's global social work. During the parenting team, I would encourage the father not to defeat his children, to look at them as equals. I would encourage parents to emphasize the good behavior of their children when the parents want to punish the child for something, so that the punishment is meaningful and in no way physical that parents do not use violence against their children. When taking care of their children, parents must not forget to show their warm feelings to them, to say that they love them. It is also important that when raising children, clear boundaries and rules are set that are understandable and adhered to by children. As a parent support group, I would encourage positive parenting.
ReplyDelete1. Healy, L.M. (2008). International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent Word. New York: Oxford University Press.
2. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J. ir Liobikienė, T. N. (2012). Gebėjimai socialinio darbo praktikoje: tėvystės ir vaikų socialinio gebėjimų lavinimas. Mokomoji knyga. Kaunas: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas.
Aurika Šataitė
I am from a society and country where cultural norms and values are highly respected when it comes to parenting and to a social global point of view, parenting can be of diverse ways in other countries be it their political, economic and cultural policy. so first if I am to conduct a parenting program in another country, as a social worker I will have to recognized all the policies that guides parenting rules in that country. This is to ensure that, the will be no bias in either side. also it is important to know the various backgrounds of all the parents that may be involved in the group discussion and expecting to hear their point of view first as they are my priority. As a social worker, we must take into consideration that all parents are right with the way they take care of their kid and we don't have to make them feel there are failing even if the case may seem. also, at times it is good to make the parent play the role of their children to easily make them understands how their children feel and what they want.
ReplyDeleteAnother important part would be good for preparation for a parent’s support group involving a consultation with a social worker in that country. Healey and Thomas (2020), professional exchange is one of the key global social work dimensions. Understanding how families are raising children, what methods they use, even how they raise children of different age groups all that information from a social worker’s perspective would be beneficial.
when all these is settled, I have to educate now the parents on the possible certain rules to follow to become a successful parent regardless of culture or other social influential force. first, as a parent, understanding the child best interest is the perfect way of parenting. children best interest encompasses the most critical aspects of their life which include both physical and emotional needs.
In addition, parents should learn how to use praise or positive reinforcement, more effectively, to encourage the behaviors they want to encourage. the purpose is that, kid learn to modulate their behavior to meet expectations and enjoy much more positive interaction with their parents.
If you work in another country, it is good to know their traditions related to raising children. According to Hugman, Moosa-Mitha and Moyo (2010), for example, hitting and scolding children is still normal in most Iraqi families and even in most schools, and bullying of children is common in most families. The global social factor is necessary to understand the local context, local social culture, and meaning - how people are used to raising children, and what is acceptable to them. I would like to emphasize that not only knowledge is crucial but also respect for ways of raising children. Even if these methods initially shocked us, as seen in the movie "The Children" (2010): the mother shaves the child's head with a large knife, and cleans the child with milk. As Healy and Thomas (2020) point out, it is very important to use knowledge of human rights in these situations and to rely on international law and policies such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Such international policies set human rights standards that are essential to social workers globally - non-discrimination, equality, and inclusion regardless of race, age, gender, nationality, language, religion, and political affiliation (United Nations Population Fund, 2005). For me, as a social worker, the application of human rights practices and standards is absolutely essential.
ReplyDeleteAnd as explained in the social service, the most important and primary goal is human rights, which is freedom of expression, freedom of choice, freedom of movement, and so on, in addition to providing for the basic human needs. And in the current situation we see waves of displacement of Ukrainians fleeing the war, a large part of them come to Lithuania, leaving everything behind, carrying nothing but their clothes. In this case, they need shelter, food and drink in the first place, as is found in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and then social work takes a larger role in how these refugees from different backgrounds integrate with the new environment, most of them are women and children. I see that the main themes of such cases are the protection of children's rights, violence and poverty.
Another important part is good preparation for a parent support group that includes a consultation with a social worker in that country. According to Occupational Exchange, one of the major global dimensions of social work is professional exchange
While working in social work, I never get a chance to leading a parent support group. Just thinking about leading a parent support group in a foreign country I realize it would be a big challenge for me. According to L. Healy (2008) when working in social work, a social worker should have international experience or international knowledge in order to achieve good work results. The leaders of the parenting skills development group should be professionals with knowledge of the development of children and adolescents, able to conduct a parenting skills training program designed for that purpose, adhere to the core values of the program and familiar with the principles of group work.
ReplyDeleteThe role of parents in the lives of children is very important. Although children’s personality and behavior are influenced by others, not just parents, parents are the direct creators of their children’s lives. So parental support groups are especially important for parents, where they can share their problems and not feel lonely.
Before leading a parental support group in another country, I would first learn about that country’s culture, religion, prevailing attitude. These aspects are especially important when working with a parent in another country, as not knowing a person’s culture has the potential to offend him or her. For meetings, I would take care of a cozy environment and the right time for all of group members. It is important to communicate respectfully with each member of the group during meetings. In leading the group, I would first try not to talk about political matters, so that there would be no conflicts or no necessary conversations.
In a group, it is crucial to promote parenting that does not encourage violence. Violence encourages violence, and if parents punish a child with violence, the child will probably punish their children with violence, do we want to create such a society? There are various ways to encourage parents to talk to their children, a good and real conversation can solve many problems. In Lithuania, there is a “Successful Parenting” program for parents, in which a social worker leads support groups for parents. In this program, one of the methods is role-play, where the social worker becomes the father and the father becomes the child. In this way as parents become children and experience certain situations, they begin to understand what mistakes they are making in their upbringing. I would think that when leading a group I would also use this method to show parents how speaking instead of violence also improves relationships with the child.
Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J., & Matulevičiūtė, D. (2016). Tėvystės įgūdžių lavinimas tėvų grupėse: socialinių darbuotojų patirties refleksija. Socialinis darbas: patirtis ir metodai, (18), 77-91.
The role of parents in children's lives is very important, although children's behavior, values and personality are influenced by other people, the whole environment, not only parents, but parents are the direct creators of children's lives. In these times of technology, it is difficult for parents to perform their duty to be parents independently and with high quality. But the parenting style is their own upbringing when they were children, and it is also known that parents who have had children have experienced more than just positive parenting, so negative parenting or violence can sometimes be included in their parenting. Negative parenting occurs when children are abandoned, brought up inconsistently, authoritarianly, or allowed to do so, without setting any boundaries or rules. The consequences of such upbringing are low and poor children's self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, inability to communicate, communication difficulties, and a tendency to addictions ( Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė and Matulevičiūtė, 2016). Also, as I mentioned in the first answer, when it comes to the war in Ukraine, where not only women but also girls are sexually exploited, it is incomprehensible and difficult to gather words to describe this situation. As far as help is concerned, I really enjoyed being a non-governmental organization in the United Kingdom, because that is how I envisioned helping children who have been victims of violence in various fields. I would seek to reduce the impact of long-term domestic violence on children through counseling. I would offer comprehensive, psychological assistance, counseling for children victims of domestic violence, as well as prevention and assistance programs for parents and their families. I would also pay close attention to parenting programs and helping children with one of the most serious forms of violence, sexual abuse. After such painful events, it is important to complete the help to the end, it means to help the recovery from violence and violence, if sexual abuse has been used in the procedures, to ensure that the perpetrators of the violence are brought to justice, the child is treated during legal proceedings.
ReplyDeleteI have never lead a parent support group in my country so I can only imagine how much effort it takes to lead it in a different country. Firs of all, „multicultural social work focuses on understanding the importance of culture in people‘s lives, acces to resources, and ways of communicating with one another“ (Healy 2011: 12). So the first most important thing would be learn about the country, its traditions, its culture, values and communication ways. I believe it is a very responsible task to get all knowleges about these aspects because without those knowledges there is significant risk to make serious mistakes while trying to help a client. Speaking about parent sopport group in a different country, one of the most important thing to do while preparing for this practise – to learn about parenting culture and models in that country, about government efforts toward improving/helping or ignorating parenting. It is a responsible task to be prepared before meeting clients, in this case parents. To learn all these aspects we can find several ways. According to Healy (2001) one of the dimensions that support international social work definition is “Professional Exchange – the involvement of social workers with international colleagues through correspondence, reading materials, hosting visitors, and participating in international meetings” (Johnson 2004: 149). Professional Exchange is a way to learn (to get reliable information) about certain country which is needed. Leading parent support group I would use support and encouraging without judging even though some mindset or behavior doesn’t relate with my culture norms. First things that I would work on in parent support group would be creating a connection with parents and creating safe environment for parents. Only after I reach these aspects I can expect to help to improve their parenting style by always having in mind their cultural background.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
1. Healy, L. M., & Link, R. J. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of international social work: Human rights, development, and the global profession. Oxford University Press.
2. Johnson, A. K. (2004). The past, present, and future of international social work. Journal of Community Practice, 12(1-2), 145-153.
I have my own experience to share. In my previous work practice, I had a general parent meeting where we talked about domestic violence and its relationships. Since this is my first live conversation with the children’s parents, I wasn’t fully prepared for it because my colleague had been in contact with the children’s parents for a long time. It can be said that I was an observer throughout the meeting, but in support of the topic of the meeting, I asked me questions. I saw the emotions of my parents during this meeting, my body language is changing fast. It can be said that as a result, not everything was clearly discussed. Summarizing my experience, I think for the first time, it is like the beginning of a big meeting during which I would lead myself. This example I think can be like a preparation.
ReplyDeleteI would like to follow this support group, which deals with parenting skills and the ability to raise teenagers. Because I think there’s a topic with teenagers right now, in today’s world. Not because it is necessary to exclude this group, but because many of the missing problems arise in raising a teenager, not infrequently cases of anger and violence, in addition to such events that teenagers leave the home. often parents raising a teenager constantly emphasize their children’s illness, so it’s no wonder they can’t be expected to behave well. It can also be said that many parents use their abilities from their childhood experiences. Many parents do not delve into understanding the child and, in cooperation with him, educating him. The main thing that is important in the development of parental skills is cooperation, empathy, respect for the child's person, a positive example of parents. When raising a parent, it is important to notice his or her needs and respond appropriately to them. Therefore, the response of parents is rapid, adequate, consistent, and systematic. Adequate response means responding appropriately to a child’s needs according to his or her age, development, and understanding the difference between a child’s wants and needs. Pay close attention to your teen’s emotions and respond to them appropriately. Also notice how the teenager communicates with those around them, friends, acquaintances, how to follow rules and agreements, or returns on time. During adolescence, parents need to know where the child is playing, making friends with them, noticing whether the teenager is returning sober, and so on. It is the right and duty of parents to set rules and limits for their children. On the one hand, children feel insecure if their parents do not set rules for them, on the other hand, overly strict rules inhibit a child's development, creativity and initiative, and during adolescence they force resistance. There cannot be the same rules for all families. each family has the right to set its own rules for children. The main tasks of parents in raising a teenager are: to reduce stress, to help form an identity, to learn to take responsibility for oneself and decisions, to give help when a teenager has difficulty coping with stress. Parents of teens should understand and carefully appreciate the fact that I can’t protect children from all the challenges and inconveniences. They need to be accepted and loved by their child even when he or she is in the aftermath of a disaster or risky behavior. I think it would all be good to talk both in the group and to the parents themselves in between. The key would be to hear parents ’views on what they think and how they think about their ability to raise adolescence.
References:
1. Vyšniauskytė-Rimkienė, J ir Liobikienė, T. N. (2012). Gebėjimai socialinio darbo praktikoje: tėvystės ir vaikų socialinio gebėjimų lavinimas. Mokomoji knyga. Kaunas: Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas.