Aotearoa New Zealand Strengths-Based Counselling Practice Framework for Social Work

Abstract

The practice of counselling in social work has been contentious over the years, both globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Social work can be considered along a change continuum with a therapeutic work/counselling perspective on one end and a community work/social change perspective on the other. One perspective might be favoured above the other at a particular time and in a particular context, or social work practice could fully comprise both perspectives. It is noteworthy that the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) is committed to the dual perspective in social work in Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZASW, 2013). Recent research, regarding the therapeutic work perspective, confirmed that many social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand consider therapeutic practice or counselling to be an integral part of their social work role and are offering counselling within their general social work practice (Staniforth, 2010c). A significant number of these participants, however, indicated that they did not feel adequately supported and equipped for the counselling role in their social work practice and that they sought additional professional development in this regard. This qualitative study aimed to explore the core contextual considerations and practice components that are vital for counselling in social work practice. In particular, the study focused on strengths-based counselling in social work practice in the Aotearoa New Zealand context. The reason for the focus on strengths-based counselling is significant. Social work in Aotearoa New Zealand (including the therapeutic component), is committed to bicultural as well as culturally competent practice. This is in fact a requirement of membership or registration for both the ANZASW and Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB). Culturally competent social work, which aims towards socially just, non-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice, often draws on strengths-based theories (Maidment & Egan, 2016; McCashen, 2010). The international as well as local literature are clear that culturally appropriate social work practice is aligned with strengths-based practice (Eketone, 2006; McCashen, 2010; Munford & Sanders, 2011; Saleebey, 2013). Data for this project were collected in two phases. In the first phase the knowledge and views of key stakeholders in the social work profession in Aotearoa New Zealand were explored through in-depth interviews. Based on these findings, the study produced a draft practice framework for strengths-based counselling practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. In Phase 2, practising social workers appraised the proposed framework through focus group interviews. The draft practice framework was consolidated with the findings from the focus group data and the relevant literature to produce the Aotearoa New Zealand strengths-based counselling practice framework for social work. The researcher hopes that the results of this study will, as encouraged by Connolly, enhance existing knowledge, support, and tools for social workers in their counselling practice in social work and contribute to the knowledge bases through a “conceptual map” with which interventions and outcomes in social work counselling might be influenced (Connolly, 2007, p. 827).