Year Four Social work placement within Te Whatu Ora

  Week 4 This week, I was placed in Ti Aho Mai Mental Health, working with individuals hospitalized under Section 13 of the Compulsory Assessment and Treatment Act 1992 for up to 14 days (Ministry of Health, 2024). During my time in Wards 40 and 41, I shadowed the social worker covering both wards. An Alcohol and Drugs facilitator was working with whaiora (patients) on understanding the effects of substance use on overall health. The patients present had stable mental health, which allowed them to participate actively in these sessions. We also explored alternative methods to support their well-being, including Rongoā Māori. I explained how trauma can be stored in muscles and how mirimiri (massage) can help release built-up tension, as well as the benefits of wairua (spiritual) sessions for addressing emotional pain. In a family meeting with a Sri Lankan family, we faced a language barrier. Although an interpreter was present, they spoke a different dialect from the family, leading...

Week 3: I observed the Social Worker conducting assessments and noted her effective use of whanaungatanga and ahurutanga, demonstrating Core Competence 8 by empowering whanau to effect positive change. In one particular instance, some information provided by the patient was unclear. By being present and fostering an environment of honesty during the MSD call, we aimed to clarify the situation and achieve the necessary outcomes. During this process, I discovered that the patient’s mother was attempting to use her daughter’s health situation as leverage to secure housing. I suggested that we participate in the MSD call to ensure accurate information was conveyed, which confirmed that the mother already had housing. Despite some initial tension arising from the disclosure of this truth, we successfully redirected the situation by providing the whanau with a clear, step-by-step guide on the process for relocating, should it become necessary. This approach helped mitigate any negativity and...

  Day 6-10 days of placement: This week, I have been advised by the SAFA coordinator that she would be the burns unit social worker for the week as the permanent staff are on leave and sick. The week started with whanaungatanga between the SAFA social worker and the MDT team. This week, I had the opportunity to observe the SAFA Social worker conduct an assessment with several patients. I did identify that her approach created ahurutanga (a safe space for whanau to express) and whanangatanga. This enabled me as a student to see the core competence two: working with a wide range of ethnicities and being aware and respectful of the patient's values and belief systems. The assessment consisted of gaining consent for a student to be present during the assessment and confidentiality of how information is stored and shared, followed by the psychosocial assessment method. The psychosocial method enables the social worker to capture vital information as stated below: History of the injury H...

Placement 1st July - 5th July Day 1 & 2  I have had the opportunity to do a split placement with Safa (safeguarding vulnerable adults from abuse) and at Middlemore Hospital in the National Burns unit. Monday & Tuesday I sat with the SAFA Coordination and discussed what SAFA role is and how referrals are received. We had two case consults and discussed the following. Who made the referral. What was the referral about. Are their services already involved with the client On Tuesday during the MDCAT hui (multi-disciplinary cross agency team's hui SAFA Coordinator presented her services to Government and non-Government to educate everyone on what SAFA do and what their role involves. I observed how Ecological Systems Theory looks at the individual as part of a system of interconnected influences. In your work at SAFA, where you discussed how referrals are received and case consults take place, this model helps you understand how individual behavior is shaped by multiple lev...