Using creative educational methods for social work and healthcare professionals: digital stories and neonate simulators
Authors: Khan, H. and Lim, H.-J.
Journal: The British Journal of Social Work
Publisher: Oxford University Press
eISSN: 1468-263X
ISSN: 0045-3102
Abstract:There is insufficient understanding of lived experiences of women who use drugs and/or alcohol during pregnancy, and the life-long impact of such substances on foetuses and children among social work [and healthcare practitioners]. This has led to judgemental attitudes towards these women, inconsistent services delivered by social workers whose (mis)perceptions may affect how they interact with, and support their service users. Moreover, despite the interrelated implications of women’s substance use during pregnancy for social workers [and healthcare professionals], there is a tendency to work in silos particularly in the UK.
To address these gaps, our project deployed creative educational tools in workshops to bring together social work [and healthcare] professionals] to watch a short documentary film based on lived experiences of women who used alcohol and/or drugs (AOD) during pregnancy, and interact with neonate simulator manikins affected by gestational AOD. This was followed by drawing activities and discussions to generate ideas to improve social work professionals’ knowledge and practice around fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and neonate abstinence syndrome (NAS) and the wider impacts to the families. The outcomes of our workshops utilising these creative resources were highly effective and positive, having created a vital platform to critically reflect on practice around substance users and their children while identifying the needs for more joined-up approaches within social work as well as between social work and healthcare] practice.
Source: Manual