title: The social work regulation project in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Hunt, Sonya

subjects: social work regulation

abstract: INTRODUCTION: In this second of two articles on the history of professionalisation of social work in Aotearoa New Zealand, consideration is given to the more recent coalescing of forces from the 1990s to the initial implementation of the Social Workers Registration Act (2003), which led to our country’s example of a social work regulation project. 
APPROACH: This critical consideration of social work regulation in Aotearoa New Zealand situates it within the international social work professionalisation context alongside the national context. Consideration is given to the place of leadership and buy-in from the profession, political sponsorship, cultural considerations, and another ministerial review. Overlaying this, an examination of concepts of public trust, respect, and confidence in professions such as social work, are linked to crises of trust in professions in general, and placed within the current neoliberal, market-driven environment in which this project is anchored. 
CONCLUSION: The literature serves to document the history of social work regulation in Aotearoa New Zealand and as background for an ongoing research project which aims to uncover interests at work and interrogate the legitimacy of those interests, while enabling the voices of key actors from the time to surface, be explored, and be recorded.

text: The social work regulation project in Aotearoa New Zealand INTRODUCTION: In this second of two articles on the history of professionalisation of social work in Aotearoa New Zealand, consideration is given to the more recent coalescing of forces from the 1990s to the initial implementation of the Social Workers Registration Act (2003), which led to our country’s example of a social work regulation project. 
APPROACH: This critical consideration of social work regulation in Aotearoa New Zealand situates it within the international social work professionalisation context alongside the national context. Consideration is given to the place of leadership and buy-in from the profession, political sponsorship, cultural considerations, and another ministerial review. Overlaying this, an examination of concepts of public trust, respect, and confidence in professions such as social work, are linked to crises of trust in professions in general, and placed within the current neoliberal, market-driven environment in which this project is anchored. 
CONCLUSION: The literature serves to document the history of social work regulation in Aotearoa New Zealand and as background for an ongoing research project which aims to uncover interests at work and interrogate the legitimacy of those interests, while enabling the voices of key actors from the time to surface, be explored, and be recorded.

year: 2017

title: Effects of Mindful Engagement and Attention on Reciprocal Caregiver and Client Interactions: A Behavioral Analysis of Moment-to-Moment Changes During Mindfulness Practice

authors: Singh, Nirbhay N.

abstract: Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) training on the nature of caregiver and client reciprocal interactions at a moment-by-moment level using behavior analytic methodology. Specifically, we compared the behavior of caregivers and clients before and after MBPBS training for the caregivers in terms of caregiver-client engagement, percent of learning and leisure interactions during caregiver-client engagement, and percent of the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors during learning and leisure interactions. In addition, we examined the effects of specific conditionality of attentional responses of the caregivers to the clients’ challenging or socially acceptable behavior in terms of frequency, latency, duration, and quality. Method: Caregiver and client engagements were videotaped before and after MBPBS training for the caregivers. The percent of caregiver-client engagement was analyzed using partial-interval recording for overall engagement and the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors during learning and leisure interactions. The effects of the caregivers’ attentional responses to the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors were analyzed using whole-interval recording. Results: Training caregivers in MBPBS significantly increased caregiver-client engagement during learning and leisure activities, which resulted in the clients exhibiting fewer challenging behaviors and more socially appropriate behaviors. Furthermore, an analysis of the effects of different types of caregiver attention showed differential effects on the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors. Conclusions: The results indicated that behavior analytic methods can be used as an objective and reliable way of capturing the nature of changes in predefined behaviors of both caregivers and clients at a moment-by-moment level following training of the caregivers in a mindfulness-based program. Using such an analytic method may provide an effective way of objectively measuring some experiential processes involved in mindfulness training.

text: Effects of Mindful Engagement and Attention on Reciprocal Caregiver and Client Interactions: A Behavioral Analysis of Moment-to-Moment Changes During Mindfulness Practice Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) training on the nature of caregiver and client reciprocal interactions at a moment-by-moment level using behavior analytic methodology. Specifically, we compared the behavior of caregivers and clients before and after MBPBS training for the caregivers in terms of caregiver-client engagement, percent of learning and leisure interactions during caregiver-client engagement, and percent of the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors during learning and leisure interactions. In addition, we examined the effects of specific conditionality of attentional responses of the caregivers to the clients’ challenging or socially acceptable behavior in terms of frequency, latency, duration, and quality. Method: Caregiver and client engagements were videotaped before and after MBPBS training for the caregivers. The percent of caregiver-client engagement was analyzed using partial-interval recording for overall engagement and the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors during learning and leisure interactions. The effects of the caregivers’ attentional responses to the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors were analyzed using whole-interval recording. Results: Training caregivers in MBPBS significantly increased caregiver-client engagement during learning and leisure activities, which resulted in the clients exhibiting fewer challenging behaviors and more socially appropriate behaviors. Furthermore, an analysis of the effects of different types of caregiver attention showed differential effects on the clients’ challenging behaviors and socially acceptable behaviors. Conclusions: The results indicated that behavior analytic methods can be used as an objective and reliable way of capturing the nature of changes in predefined behaviors of both caregivers and clients at a moment-by-moment level following training of the caregivers in a mindfulness-based program. Using such an analytic method may provide an effective way of objectively measuring some experiential processes involved in mindfulness training.

year: 2023-01-01

title: Mahi Toi Skills in Contemporary Education, Training and Maori Development

authors: Joseph, Makarita Ngapine Tangitu

subjects: Kia mau ki nga taonga tuku iho o nga tupuna

abstract: Since the 1980’s, national investment in human capital and skill formation policy in education has been promoted as key to economic success and social inclusion. Social inclusion, however, is often expressed as helping citizens to become employable. Although employability is a key focus of skills formation and education policy, the context of the western ideologies that it derives from and caters to perpetuates the exclusion of mahi toi (arts and crafts) skills in education. Using a kaupapa Māori approach, two key informants who specialise and teach mahi toi skills, either rāranga (weaving) or pounamu (jade/greenstone), were interviewed. The aim was to get a better understanding of how these skills can contribute to personal, professional and Māori development in the 21st century, and to provide information indicating where and how these skills can be learnt, either through private training enterprises (PTE) or public tertiary educational institutions (TEI), thereby highlighting the value of teaching and learning rāranga and pounamu skills. Findings from analysing their pūrākau indicate that learning rāranga or pounamu skills can provide a foundation for believing in your potential, contribute to cultural identity, improve confidence and communication skills, help an individual be bestowed or acquire mana, offer a type of therapy, enhance career progression and professional identity, provide financial rewards and stability, and help with the revitalisation and transfer of cultural knowledge. Ultimately, it is concluded that mahi toi skills such as rāranga and pounamu can contribute to the development of an individual’s personal and professional lives, but also has benefits for the organisation where they become employed as well as extended whānau, hapū and iwi.

text: Mahi Toi Skills in Contemporary Education, Training and Maori Development Since the 1980’s, national investment in human capital and skill formation policy in education has been promoted as key to economic success and social inclusion. Social inclusion, however, is often expressed as helping citizens to become employable. Although employability is a key focus of skills formation and education policy, the context of the western ideologies that it derives from and caters to perpetuates the exclusion of mahi toi (arts and crafts) skills in education. Using a kaupapa Māori approach, two key informants who specialise and teach mahi toi skills, either rāranga (weaving) or pounamu (jade/greenstone), were interviewed. The aim was to get a better understanding of how these skills can contribute to personal, professional and Māori development in the 21st century, and to provide information indicating where and how these skills can be learnt, either through private training enterprises (PTE) or public tertiary educational institutions (TEI), thereby highlighting the value of teaching and learning rāranga and pounamu skills. Findings from analysing their pūrākau indicate that learning rāranga or pounamu skills can provide a foundation for believing in your potential, contribute to cultural identity, improve confidence and communication skills, help an individual be bestowed or acquire mana, offer a type of therapy, enhance career progression and professional identity, provide financial rewards and stability, and help with the revitalisation and transfer of cultural knowledge. Ultimately, it is concluded that mahi toi skills such as rāranga and pounamu can contribute to the development of an individual’s personal and professional lives, but also has benefits for the organisation where they become employed as well as extended whānau, hapū and iwi.

year: 2018