Context and relationship: defining resilience in health social workers Dr Carole Adamson School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work University of Auckland New Zealand Liz Beddoe, University of Auckland Allyson Davys, WINTEC, Hamilton

Research into the resilience of social workers Theoretical perspectives on resilience – a move from a focus on the individual towards relational characteristics; from pathology to a dynamic, meaning-making and contextualised process Significant research on service user resilience not yet fully matched by focus on ourselves Potential to strengthen arguments for supervision, other professional supports & organisational responsibilities Impetus for ongoing curriculum design focused on developing robust social work graduates

The research projects Mental health, physical health and social work student supervisors (Adamson, Beddoe & Davys) Semi-structured, qualitative interviews (27) Self-defining the concept of resilience Participants initially defined resilience as a personal characteristics but all then ‘unpacked’ it as a strongly contextual and relational construct Literature review and research findings both suggest a three part framework that interrelates self, context and mediating factors Linking feature between these factors is self-awareness, capacity to reflect and make meaning

Professional identity Coping behaviours & relational skills Supervision & peer support Attributes Personal history & sensitisation Moral & ethical code Organisational structures Political & legal frameworks Mediating factors Work-life balance Developmental learning Knowledge, education & theory Self Practice Context

Future imperatives (1) Social work education: – the research suggests the need for assessing, developing & sustaining mindfulness and reflection – Using the ‘big picture’ of theory to assist reflective meaning-making – The centrality of practice learning The relational and the reflective space in practice: – Importance of supervision as a space to reflect, on make linkages and process experience – Organisational contexts & systems have crucial role responsibility for determining resilience as an outcome of professional activity

Future imperatives (2) Defining the social work role in relation to other professionals and the public image of social work And finally: clinical/practice focus of social workers – thinking about the ‘other’: wellbeing is linked to professional identity & role and the wellbeing of others

Resilience as a fluid & dynamic, contextually- dependent process: “What holds me firm [is] client-centredness and transparency of practice... buttressed by the strong connection that I have with social work values and my legitimacy in terms of the social structures around me. So in my job description, the organisation I work for, the legislation that has certain expectations of me, [these] orient me in terms of not only my professional identity but my personal one as well and it’s that strong sense of ethic... [that allows me] to go home and feel like despite a lot of the messages I’ve received on that day, that on a cognitive level I can say ‘well, I’ve done a good job’.” ‘Chris’, Mental Health

Publication for this study Beddoe, L., Davys, A., & Adamson, C. (2011). ‘Educating resilient practitioners’. Social Work Education, doi: / Two other publications pending by same authors.

Kia ora and thank you! The New Zealand silver fern