Managing tensions in professional statutory practice

Living and working in rural and remote communities

Lesley Chenoweth

Donna McAuliffe Donna McAuliffe

Barrie O’Connor

Paula Jervis Tracey

Griffith University.

Daniela Stehlik

Charles Darwin University

AASW - Rural Social Workers Action Group 10th Biennial Conference

Resilient, healthy rural and remote communities

Ballarat 28-29 July 2011

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge the support of Natalie

Clements for her research support

and and

Dr Helen Klieve for assistance with data analysis.

This project is funded by the Australian Research

Council, Discovery Scheme.

Background

� Previous ARC Linkage – recruitment and

retention in child protection

� Current ARC Linkage – pathways to better

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� Current ARC Linkage – pathways to better

practice in child protection in rural

communities

� Common theme – difficulties of living and

working in rural communities, particularly when

statutory roles conflict with identity as citizen

The project

� Managing tensions in professional statutory practice:

Living and working in rural and remote communities.

� ARC Discovery grant

� Griffith University

» Social Work - Lesley Donna

» Education – Paula Barrie

� Charles Darwin University

» Rural communities, sociology - Dani

Aims of the project

� To map the scope and practice requirements of statutory roles across health, justice, education and human services

� To determine the characteristics of the relationships between professionals with statutory responsibilities who live and work in rural communities, and the communities in which they

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in rural communities, and the communities in which they operate

� To explore the strategies different professionals use effectively to negotiate the multiple relationships generated by their work and living situations

� To determine what factors contribute to more collaborative relationships and more effective outcomes of statutory work in rural and remote communities

� To identify the inter-relationships between working in rural/remote environments and being 'managed' from central agencies or departments

6

Description of the project� Phase 1: Scoping statutory work in two Australian States.

Two components - a scoping exercise, consisting of mapping the legislative and programmatic contexts in which statutory work is performed, and an online survey, of professionals working in rural and remote communities, of those factors likely to influence rural practice and statutory work

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likely to influence rural practice and statutory work

� Phase 2: Exploring the professionals' perspective. In-depth, face-to-face or by phone, interviews with a sample of professionals recruited from responses to the survey.

� Phase 3: Exploring communities' perceptions of statutory workers. Focus groups will be conducted with community members in 4 rural and remote communities.

Methodology

� Survey –

» Professionals – police, teachers, social workers, medical

practitioners, nurses, paramedics + others

» Current or recent (last 2 years) rural communities

» Queensland » Queensland

� In depth interviews – professionals (n=20)

� Community focus groups - 3 sites in Queensland

» Determine community views about these practitioners and

how they perform their roles

Who was surveyed?

Note: From 885 initial responses, 821 responses are included in the analysis, with professions

identified for 790 of these (those taking <2 minutes in survey, providing minimal information not

included).

Allied Health

Social Welfare

Human Services

Admin

Unstated

Other

Number of Respondents

0 50 100 150 200 250

Health/Med

Law & Order

Education

Allied Health

Number of Respondents

Professional Area

Basic profile of respondents

612 currently live in Rural/ Remote areas:

� Broad age distribution (see graph);

� 57% were female;

� 62% were married and 14% single;

� Over 50% with dependents

� 22% graduated within the last 5 years;

� The majority work for the State Government (69%) with

around 5% in private practice and 12% in NGOs.

Age of respondents by location (all responses)

100

120

140

160

Rural

Remote

Metropolitan

Total

0

20

40

60

80

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 and over

Number

Age Group

Areas of Tension82% indicated they currently experience tensions

Detailed comments documenting significant tensions faced in professional practice were provided.

Common themes were apparent (eg maintaining Common themes were apparent (eg maintaining confidentiality; factors of living in small remote communities; and issues in crossing personal and professional lives) were apparent.

While some very significant role-associated pressures were raised (perhaps most extreme in areas like police and medical) the pressures on daily life on all professions are clear.

I do not socialise in the community, and never have a drink after work as I do not want to bump into clients. I find managing relationships to be the key to managing how I live so close to colleagues from this organisation and other services.

One of the biggest tensions is the size of the community- you sometimes end up doing investigations on people that you went to school with, or people that you

Social Workers

doing investigations on people that you went to school with, or people that you work with (from other organisations), or the solicitor that you are "battling with" through court

The difficulties and potential tensions and sensitivities arise because of the increased chance of "crossing over" between work related relationships and social relationships. At times it can be very difficult to manage these situations

Living in a small community, people know that you work for a statutory department and that you need to be aware of your safety and personal conduct in social settings.

Social Workers

social settings.

Long way from large centres and the people who make all the decisions have not got

much of an idea of what working in rural and remote areas is like.

Lack of privacy/confidentiality. Lack of access to PD and other services remoteness

from family.

Other Professions

Small, remote communities depend on a small number of people to be involved in

many different community activities and events and these can clash with the

expectations and 'rules' associated with teaching.

Small town syndrome - this occurs frequently. Women do not disclose their domestic

abuse to friends and family because they fear the social networks they are in may

look down upon her and generally "gossip" travels very fast within a small

community.

Cultural difference communication Local events Violence Tensions between clans Political tensions Inefficiencies transport arrangements and costs sexual aggression towards females Unreal expectations from superiors Imposition of Government initiates with ineffective consultation

Same old… One persons business is everyone's. Rumors' travel about 1000x faster than in a city. faster than in a city.

Rural police are part of the community. There is tension when police have to deal with friends and family. There is stress when the officer's downtime is encroached upon by members of the community attending their homes wish to make complaints.

When having to notify Child Services or the Police I have threats made against me, rocks thrown at where i work and live.

Tensions include seeing numerous dead bodies in various manners of horrific deaths. Stress in dealing with family members of deceased.

Principles – comparison of key groups

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Av

era

ge

ra

tin

g

Health & Medical

Law & Order

Social Welfare

Education

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

fairn

ess

discr

etion

confid

entia

lity

honesty

just

ice

resp

ect fo

r pers

ons

effic

iency

valu

e for m

oney

do no h

arm

colla

boratio

nco

mm

ercia

l benefit

uphold la

wtr

ansp &

acc

ount

Av

era

ge

ra

tin

g

Principles – comparison of key groups

Top/Bottom 3

Health & Medical

Law & Order

Social Welfare

Education

Ist Confident. Uphold Law Respect for Persons

Respect for Persons

2nd Respect for Persons

Justice Confident. Confident.2ndPersons

3rd Do no Harm Honesty Transp. & Account.

Transp. & Account.

11th Justice Collaboration Uphold Law Do no Harm

12th Collaboration Do no Harm Efficiency Efficiency

13th Value for Money

Value for Money

Value for Money

Value for Money

Focus on Social Workers

41 respondents 41 respondents -- 28 Rural and 13 Metropolitan28 Rural and 13 Metropolitan

Of Rural Social Workers:Of Rural Social Workers:

�� 54% are under 40;54% are under 40;

�� 86% female;86% female;

�� 75% married/de75% married/de--facto;facto;

�� Employment Employment -- 50% State/29% Federal;50% State/29% Federal;

Prep for rural work – identified “themes”Trained in Uni of NT which had a rural/remote focus. Completed a remote and a rural placement in BA

(Welfare), Grad dip Rehab Counselling and 2 rural placements in Social Work. Study provided good theory.

Orientation at workplaces was poor

Both my placements were in a rural setting. I did a subject called Rural

sociology and social services. ...........Family support Induction at work

My Family background and my

Husbands' background gave me

appreciation of rural issues.

Specifically undertook subjects relating to child protection and working in Indigenous communities. Third year placement undertaken at small hospital in semi-rural area. Fourth year placement undertaken in Department of Families. Applied for rural position and attended 3 day orientation in rural area before completing placement and day orientation in rural area before completing placement and accepting position, ........ Some information provided at induction -but very "scrappy" and office was SO understaffed, I was literally "thrown in at the deepend" and it was "sink or swim". Promises by manager that I would be welcomed and "looked after" by other staff didn't happen

Strategies to deal with tensions (current)

Strategies % Agreed

avoid community events 7.1%

attend most community events 7.1%

professional networking 39.3%professional networking 39.3%

talking with colleagues informally 42.9%

avoiding colleagues 3.6%

seek support from family and friends

32.1%

other

Other strategies suggested

� Avoid certain clients that you have had conflict with;

� Choose carefully events and also information I give in social settings about where I work for safety reasons;

� Clear boundaries and a good understanding of my role;

� I bought a dog;

� making new friends;

� remove my name from the phone book;

� live out of town;

� avoid referring to family by name;

� try to change some things through membership of a political party;

Recruitment to rural position

20

25

30

35

Percent

How recruited

0

5

10

15

20

applied for

advertised position

specific rural

incentive scheme

recruited as

part of spousal or partner relocation

locum position word of mouth student

placement

required as

part of employment contract

Percent

Actual role - examples

Work with children with disabilities and their families, work with adults with

disabilities - counselling, community participation, independence.

Aged care clients are referred to me under HACC services - allied health. I

visit them in their homes and assist with various paperwork - entry into aged

care, EPA's, wills etc. I also do a lot of referrals to other agencies in towncare, EPA's, wills etc. I also do a lot of referrals to other agencies in town

I am an indigenous mental health worker who is also a social worker. Most of

my consumer group are indigenous who access the Mental Health Worker will

do:Intake AMHS Assessment Adult Case management Intake for Child &

Youth Mental Health

Provide a telephone access service to other rural or remote community that does

not have access to an on site Centrelink social worker.

AndM

Centrelink Social Worker providing services to people who are in crisis or

requiring additional assistance, assessments for young people unable to reside at

home, referral for counselling/support in other agencies, domestic violence work

I work with families who engage in a voluntary capacity to keep their children

out of the statutory system. I primarily work with families from an Aboriginal out of the statutory system. I primarily work with families from an Aboriginal

community, and non Aboriginal families who often live in isolated locations.

Working as a Family Group Meeting Convenor with Child Safety Services.

Preparing and compiling case plans for children deemed in need of protection,

under the Child Protection Act 1999. This requires working closely with

families, children, service providers

coordinate student placements throughout Australia

Professional support received

40

50

60

70

Percent

Form of professional support

0

10

20

30

40

Internal supervision provided by the agency

I work for

External supervision provided by the agency

I work for

External supervision, self-funded

Informal mentoring

Percent

What’s included in this?

70

80

90

100

Percent by item

Included in professional support

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Trauma debriefing Administrative Professional practice Supportive

Percent by item

Frequency of support

� 21% reported receiving support weekly or fortnightly

� 50% reported receiving support only monthly

� 10% reported receiving support less frequently; and

� 7% reported receiving support as needed.

Quality of support

30

35

40

45

50

Quality of support

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Very High Quality High Quality Average Very Low Quality

Percent

Comments where high quality reported

� Work in a very experienced team, along side a very experienced social work

colleague. Good Senior support from Senior professional. Good support to

attend Professional Development. Weekly team meetings for support

� I have a senior social worker who provides my supervision - we don't

always get to it as often as we should but I highly value her supervision and always get to it as often as we should but I highly value her supervision and

greatly admire her skills as a social worker - I believe she provides excellent

supervision when we are able

� I receive 2 types of support : operational and professional. The operational

is from the team leader -who is organised, knowledgeable about the area,

open minded, innovative and empathic. The discipline specific support is of

a similar quality- but not as frequent

Comments where low/average quality reported

� Nature of the work and the workload limits time supervisor has available to

staff for supervision

� My replies are concerning my current position which is relatively new and I

have only experienced low level supervision and/or provision of support and

information at this stage. information at this stage.

� My supervisor does not really understand the breath of my role, and therefore

clinically can only support me to a certain degree. I appreciate the

supervision, however if a session is missed it doesn't really phase me. Alot of

the time support from others

� Trying to find the time between remote and rural visits made for cancelled

appointments and missed meetings. Also due to period between meetings

their was to much information to discuss.

Common legislative situations

� Home and community care services - entry into aged care Elder abuse

Child protection issues

� People requiring treatment for mental illnesses under the mental health

act. Risk assessments for patients of the service. Reporting suspicions of

child abuse or neglect. child abuse or neglect.

� Adult GuardianChild ProtectionMental Health

� Young people unable to reside at home with parents that require income

support.People who are unable to fulfill their participation requirements -

social workers are required to assess their circumstances to see if they have

particular barriers to participation

� Mental health act- ITO, Child protection/safety

ctd

� Most obviously, that would be the three delegated areas of practice for CSC

social workers: crisis payments, Utlah assessments and maintenance

exemptions.

� The need to complete Investigation and Assessments (or to provide advice in

relation to these).The need to provide advice in relation to appropriate types

of Child Protection Orders for children and young people. of Child Protection Orders for children and young people.

� Statutory intervention with families- seeking court orders to remove children

or intervene in their households;Regulating obligations to children and young

people in care- placement, education, family contact, health etc;Regulating

foster carers- approval

� 1. A child who is in need of protection - one who has suffered harm, is

suffering harm or is at unacceptable risk of suffering harm.2. A child does

not have a parent willing or able to protect a child from harm.3. A child

who is deemed in need of protection

Thank you