International Social Work

There is a significant lack of development studies on reproductive health, especially in developing countries. The field of social work has especially marginalized the study of reproductive health. Adding to this deficiency is the lack of meaningful theoretical frameworks guiding the reproductive field, especially in developing countries. This paper explores Amartya Sen’s theoretical perspectives as a possible theoretical framework that both guides the reproductive field and helps social work put reproductive health at the forefront of its agenda.

Inclusive education in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Arab societies is at a developmental stage with a paucity of research data recording this process. To clarify an obscure topic an online survey was conducted targeting 48 agencies in the GCC offering rehabilitation for children with disabilities and their families. Although the response rate was statistically disappointing, the outcome of the study nevertheless offers insights into the changing perceptions towards disability and education in Arab societies. However, crucially the study also generated an in-depth exploration of the ethical and geopolitical dimensions underpinning research initiatives in this region.

This article examined generational inequity in social spending between the elderly and children using both country-level aggregate and household-level survey data. We calculated the allocation of social spending towards the elderly and children in 13 OECD countries based on OECD Social Expenditure Database (SOCX). We also presented the age-profile of social transfers for the same countries utilizing data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS). The results showed that the allocation of social spending in the United States was tilted toward the elderly compared to other countries. Policy implications for the United States are further discussed.

Multiculturalism in South Korea in recent years necessitates inclusion of cultural competency in South Korean social work education and practice. We examine the demographics of South Korea’s ‘diverse’ population, followed by a theoretical framework of cultural competency and whether and to what degree cultural competency training can be effectively incorporated in South Korean social work education. Educational implications are also discussed.

This article examines the devolution of social welfare services in the Philippines, focusing on its ideological underpinnings and implications for social welfare. It argues that the devolution resulted in a policy environment that allows for varying levels of social support across municipalities and, consequently, the fragmentation of Filipino citizenship.

This article describes the system development processes for an electronic case library, built to facilitate and support the suicide prevention service provided by a social service organization in Hong Kong. It is a knowledge management system in which both ‘rule-based reasoning’ (RBR) and ‘case-based reasoning’ (CBR) are adopted. Initial test results, potentials and limitations of this knowledge management approach are discussed.

This article analyses the effects of burnout in a sample of social workers from Malaga, Spain. The results obtained with the structural equations model confirm that burnout has a negative influence on workplace support, job satisfaction and life satisfaction and that workplace support has a positive influence on job satisfaction. Workplace support acts as mediator variable between burnout and job satisfaction and buffers the negative effects of burnout on job satisfaction and life satisfaction among social workers.