Are councils passing the buck over social work training?

By Simeon Brody on July 3, 2009 3:27 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is the suggestion Social Work Taskforce chief Moira Gibb has made at a conference today:

Ms Gibb said councils seemed to take little direct interest in training future social workers but currently expected external bodies to do the work for them - creating a reality gap between what was needed and what educators provided.
Continue reading Are councils passing the buck over social work training?.

Alcohol, smoking, tagging and schizophrenia

By Simeon Brody on July 2, 2009 3:57 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
A few things caught my eye today.

Only 8 units of alcohol a week is enough to increase the risk of hospital treatment of mental health problems during your lifetime, research suggests. Eight units? Is there anyone who doesn't drink 8 units a week?
Continue reading Alcohol, smoking, tagging and schizophrenia.

Social workers get more support and turn to novel writing

By Simeon Brody on July 2, 2009 2:23 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Barnardo's chief Martin Narey has told delegates at this year's Local Government Association conference that they should do more to stick up for social workers.
Continue reading Social workers get more support and turn to novel writing.

CBT video

By Simeon Brody on June 24, 2009 12:10 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Spotted a video from the NHS explaining cognitive behavioural therapy.
Continue reading CBT video.

Are social work students leaving with the skills they need?

By Simeon Brody on June 24, 2009 11:59 AM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks
The Family Rights Group charity is warning that social work students are graduating without the skills they need to prevent another Baby P, according to the Standard.
Continue reading Are social work students leaving with the skills they need?.

Is social work in a permanent state of crisis?

By Simeon Brody on June 22, 2009 4:52 PM | 5 Comments | No TrackBacks
It sometimes seems that way. A quick look at some of the headlines from local papers today reveals that in Nottingham, a social services chief has had to deny claims that "children are being put in danger because of staff shortages and poor IT."
Continue reading Is social work in a permanent state of crisis?.

Meditation, mindfulness and mental health

By Simeon Brody on June 17, 2009 12:14 PM | 5 Comments | No TrackBacks
OK, I've decided to explore the use of meditation in tackling mental health problems. I've not managed to track down any experts, so I'm going to have to rely on that trusty font of all erroneous knowledge - the internet. (If you are a meditation and mental health expert - please get in touch!)

My curiosity was initially pricked by a recent survey, which suggested that brain chemistry, particularly in relation to stress, could be altered by meditation.

Continue reading Meditation, mindfulness and mental health.

Politically incorrect truths and the dangers of positive thinking

By Simeon Brody on June 15, 2009 2:54 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here's a few interesting things I've found around the web today.

Firstly, here's a list of "politically incorrect truths about human nature", according to Psychology Today. To be honest, I didn't really find them that politically incorrect but I'm sure it boosted their traffic.
Continue reading Politically incorrect truths and the dangers of positive thinking.

Was Robert Burns a manic depressive?

By Simeon Brody on June 15, 2009 12:00 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks
There is apparently a row brewing over whether 18th century Scottish writer Robert Burns suffered from manic depression.
Continue reading Was Robert Burns a manic depressive?.

Teaching happiness: a story from the USA

By Simeon Brody on June 10, 2009 12:24 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
A student from UCLA in the US talks about happiness lessons in the video below.
Continue reading Teaching happiness: a story from the USA.
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