Case study
SWK313 Engaging with Individuals and Families
Module 3: Week 5
Anti-Oppressive Practice
Module 3: Online Learning Activity
Reflection on the first interview: the client's perspective
Listen to the recording of Erica's reflections on the first meeting with the worker at the community centre.
Drawing on the information provided in the recording, critically examine how Anti-Oppressive Practice and Strengths Based Practice could inform your understanding of Erica's situation and your approach to working with this client and her family.
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Back to an Integrated Framework
Anti-Oppressive practice
Theories
Organisational context
Skills
Phases of helping
Maidment, J., & Egan, R. (2009). Practice skills in social work and welfare: More than just common sense. Allen & Unwin.
Evolution of AOP
1900- 1970s development of social work movements
The emergence of radical social work in mid-1970s
Structural social work
Feminist perspectives
Anti-racist practice
Postmodern approaches
Critical social work
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What is AOP?
Umbrella term for a number of social justice oriented theories
A ‘set of politicised practices that continually evolve to analyse and address constantly changing social conditions and challenges’(Baines 2011, p. 5)
Social change
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Systems of Oppression
Privilege
Stereotypes
Prejudices
Discrimination
Oppression - “the domination of subordinate groups in society by a powerful group” (Mullaly 1997)
Structures of oppression are reflected in and reproduced in everyday lives
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In the news…
“Doctors, health professionals support Safe Schools program”
http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/doctors-health-professionals-support-safe-schools-program-20160322-gnoart.html (WA today.com.au)
Beyond Blue Initiative
#oscarssowhite
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Power?
Multidimensional & intersecting
Differences in power can be explicit or hidden and difficult to identify
Power can be reflected in economic, social, cultural structures
Oppression can be internalised
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Power?
History is important
Legacies of oppression includes lateral violence, intergenerational disadvantage and trauma
Oppressive relationships exist at structural (macro) and individual levels
Power and oppression can be reproduced and reinforced within practice (worker-client relations)
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Identifying oppression…
How is reality being constructed (discourses)
Who is making decisions (and how)
Whose interests are being served?
Who is advantaged?
Whose voice is being heard?
Whose voice is silenced or absent?
Where are the imbalances?
Language?
Binaries?
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Relevance of AOP?
“The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being.
Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments.
Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.”
Definition of the social work profession, adopted by the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) at its General Meeting in Montréal, Canada, July 2000
Key Principles
Encourage, support, the knowledge and perspectives of those who have been marginalized and incorporate these perspectives into policy and practice
Articulate the multiple and intersecting bases of oppression and domination.
Conceive of social work as a social institution with the potential to either contribute to, or to transform the oppressive social relations which govern the lives of many people.
Support the transformative potential of social work through work with diverse populations
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS CENTRAL
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For practice
Social work is not a neutral, technical profession, but an active political process
Social workers needs to build allies and work with social causes
Participatory approaches between practitioners and clients are necessary
For practice
Understand power, oppression & marginalisation as it affects clients and communities
Self-reflexive practice and ongoing social analysis are essential components of social justice-oriented social work practice
Actively look for assumptions and seek different perspectives
Minimise intervention, maximise client control
Reduce isolation & marginalisation - validate, normalise, strengthen connections
For practice
Ensure appropriate resourcing, training, and tools are available
Ensure transparency and accountability – clear account of role, complaints mechanisms, avenues for appeal, feedback, information freely available, rights of people are protected
Identify and address constraints of practice context
For practice
Advocacy, brokerage, resource creation
Information sharing
Power of groups, consciousness-raising
Policy feedback, policy development
Know your rights and act to protect the rights of others
Activism…
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Principles for action
Critical reflection of self in practice
Reflection of our own membership of social categories
Critical assessment of service users’ experience of oppression
The language of power and its effect on clients
Empowering service users
Levels of oppression:
Personal, institutional, cultural, structural
Working in partnership
Obstacles – power relations in social work, need to maximise collaborative possibilities
Minimal intervention
Early intervention, linking services, prevention
Critiques
Challenges of having so many concepts within the umbrella term of AOP
Challenging to put into practice
Tensions for statutory contexts of practice
Dealing with the rise of new manageralism and risk management – impact on discretion, choice and rights
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Case study
An Aboriginal man has begun attending a drug counselling program. He is not communicative in interviews and does not maintain eye contact. He says he has come to counselling because his lawyer told him to. The worker challenges him by stating that he is not serious about wanting to rehabilitate. The client responds by becoming aggressive, abusive and departing the program.
How is AOP relevant to understanding this case study?