Welfare Reform on the Web (August 2003): Social Care - Overseas

INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL COLLABORATION AMONG SOCIAL WORKERS: THE CASE OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS AND LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IN ISRAEL

V. Amir and G.K. Auslander

British Journal of Social Work, vol.33, 2003, p.557-566

Paper explores professional collaboration between two agencies, a community mental health centre and a local social service department, which are involved in caring for the same clients. Examines the nature of their collaboration and a number of factors which may promote or impede it.

IMPACTS ON PRACTITIONERS OF USING RESEARCH-BASED CARER ASSESSMENT TOOLS: EXPERIENCES FROM THE UK, CANADA AND SWEDEN, WITH INSIGHTS FROM AUSTRALIA

N. Guberman and others

Health and Social Care in the Community, vol.11, 2003, p.345-355

Researchers and practitioners in several Western countries have recently developed tools for assessing the situation of carers of vulnerable adults. Article describes the impact of three such tools, from Canada, the UK and Sweden, on the professional practice of assessors, using data from focus groups, workshops and interviews. Experience across all projects suggests that, used sensitively, such tools can play a key role in transforming the relationship between carers and the health and social care system. Giving carers a voice, acknowledging their perspective and making them central to assessment processes accord them status both as active partners and as individuals with their own needs rather than seeing them as simply resources.