PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN LIRA UGANDA: PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN LIRA UGANDA
Translated title
THE PSYCHOSOCIAL NEEDS OF ADOLESCENT YOUNG CARERS AND THE WHOLE FAMILY APPROACH MODEL IN RELEVANCE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Author
Alum, Miriam Magdalen
Term
4. Semester
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-06-21
Pages
60
Abstract
COVID-19-nedlukninger holdt mange unge hjemme og begrænsede adgangen til skole, sundhed, fritid og andre vigtige tilbud. For unge omsorgsgivere – unge, der passer familiemedlemmer i hjemmet – betød afstandskrav og isolation endnu mindre kontakt med netværk og usikkerhed om, hvor de kunne få hjælp. Denne undersøgelse vurderer, om Whole Family Approach Model (WFAM), en tilgang der støtter hele familien samlet, er relevant og mulig at bruge til at imødekomme unge omsorgsgiveres psykosociale behov i Lira, Uganda. Studien er kvalitativ og bygger på et casestudie: Tre cases med unges levede erfaringer blev dokumenteret og brugt til at udvikle en semistruktureret interviewguide, som blev gennemført med ni socialarbejdere fra TPO Uganda samt medarbejdere ved probation and welfare office og lokale community development-kontorer i Lira-distriktet. Resultaterne peger på centrale psykosociale behov hos de unge: behov for forældrekærlighed, omsorg og vejledning; behov for at høre til; og behov for personlig frihed til aktiviteter, der gør dem glade, fremmer venskaber og giver støtte fra jævnaldrende. Med hensyn til WFAM viste der sig betydelige barrierer under pandemien, som begrænsede anvendelsen af tilgangen, så den ikke var fuldt relevant i COVID-19-perioden. Det anbefales, at socialarbejdere tilpasser og kontekstualiserer deres metoder efter situationen i stedet for at følge en rigid model.
COVID-19 lockdowns kept many adolescents at home and limited access to school, health care, youth services, and recreation. For adolescent young carers—young people who provide care to family members—physical distancing and isolation reduced contact with support networks and created uncertainty about where to find help. This study examines whether the Whole Family Approach Model (WFAM), an approach that supports entire families, is feasible and relevant for meeting the psychosocial needs of adolescent young carers in Lira, Uganda. Using a qualitative case study design, the researchers documented three cases of lived experiences from young carers and used them to develop a semi-structured interview guide. This guide was administered to nine social workers from TPO Uganda, the probation and welfare office, and sub-county community development offices in Lira District. Findings highlight key psychosocial needs: parental love, care and guidance; a sense of belonging; and personal freedom to engage in activities that bring joy, build friendships, and provide peer support. Regarding WFAM, significant barriers during the pandemic limited its use, so it was not fully relevant under COVID-19 conditions. The study recommends that social workers adapt and contextualize practice models to the situation at hand rather than apply them rigidly.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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