Brian Littlechild
Brian Littlechild is Research Lead for Social Work, University of Hertfordshire and Visiting Professor, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic. He has a long-standing commitment to the development of research and services in health and social work and social care settings, professional social work, violence and aggression in health and social work and social care settings, and coproduction and risk assessment in mental health and children’s work.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This article examines how social work values and knowledge can enhance empowerment of service users in coproduction decision-making within social work policies and procedures. It will examine some of the barriers to such developments in our work, with a particular focus on work with people with mental health challenges. THEORETICAL BASE: Social workers advocate for some of the most excluded and oppressed groups in our societies, and the article examines how we can best uphold our values of equality and inclusion within our services. METHODS: The basis for this article is a literature review of relevant policy, theoretical approaches and research which sets out to identify key issues for work in this field. OUTCOMES: The article examines how we can move towards a greater understanding about how we might include such groups more fully in processes of coproduction. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: This article provides a particular focus on the evidence we have that helps us understand possible mistrust of social work services in areas of intersectionality between experiences of mental health service users and experiences of black and ethnic minority groups in order to work towards greater inclusion of such groups.
Keywords
empowerment, marginalized and excluded groups, coproduction, social work values, practice
p. 73-84