Forbes, Amy (2017) The 3C's of mental health in Social Work: competence, confidence and compassion. James Cook University.

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Abstract

Knowledge about mental health and the skills to work effectively with consumers who have mental health problems are basic requirements for contemporary social work practice. This research and accompanying video highlight that in the current context of practice and the challenges faced by the profession, by embedding the 3Cs – competence, confidence and compassion in social work education, social workers will be able to re-orient their practice frameworks, respond to the challenges with a new lens and become an effective multidisciplinary team member.

Research Statement

Research Background	Mental health issues are common and can affect people on a temporary, sporadic or lifelong basis. Burton et al. (2009 p. 593) state, “Mental health problems include the wide range of emotional and behavioural abnormalities that affect people throughout their lives.” They identify that the spectrum covers cognitive injury, disabilities, panic attacks, drug-related damage, personality disorders and psychosis, and further, that mental disorder suggests the survival of a clinically identifiable set of indications and behaviours that produce distress to the person and impair the aptitude to function normally (Burton et al., 2009, p. 594).
Research Contribution	It is acknowledged in the literature that irrespective of the field of practice a social worker chooses, they will be confronted with the issues of mental health in their practice. In the current context of practice, social workers are called on to demonstrate competence, confidence and compassion in their practice as they engage with some of the most marginalised, vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people of the society. We discuss the ways these aspects have been incorporated into the course subject so that the students are exposed to these aspects and are made to reflect on them.
Research Significance	Mental health care is moving away from an illness model toward an integrated, evidence-based, recovery-orientated strengths-based mental health service system. This research work highlights the need for such inter-professional collaborations and the synergies they bring to curriculum development as well as presents some of the areas for further research that have emerged through the proces
Item ID:	47699
Item Type:	Other
Media of Output:	Digital recording
Keywords:	mental health, social work, compassion, confidence, competence
Related URLs:	https://vimeo.com/203926660
Funders:	James Cook University (JCU)
Projects and Grants:	JCU Teaching and Learning Development Grant 2016
Date Deposited:	05 Jun 2017 01:28
FoR Codes:	16 STUDIES IN HUMAN SOCIETY > 1607 Social Work > 160799 Social Work not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9399 Other Education and Training > 939999 Education and Training not elsewhere classified @ 90% 92 HEALTH > 9202 Health and Support Services > 920209 Mental Health Services @ 10%
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