SSR Seminar Series: Social Work Students’ Honours Theses Presentations 2023
Video Recording
About this Webinar
In our annual webinar featuring honours theses presentations by NUS Social Work graduates, we explore topics on digital privacy, adult child to parent abuse, and the role of participatory arts in end-of-life conversations. The presenters will also discuss the implications of their research on social work practice in Singapore.
Digital Privacy in Social Work
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in social work can enable social workers to communicate with clients, facilitate engagement, and gather information. However, digital privacy risks can threaten the social worker–client relationship, as well as the individual’s safety. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with both social work undergraduate students and a professional to explore the factors that affect digital privacy and ICT usage in professional social work practice in Singapore. With the ever-evolving nature of technology, it is pertinent for social workers to keep up-to-date with the emerging ICT trends and privacy concerns in order to safeguard both themselves and their client’s wellbeing.
Rachel has recently graduated from NUS with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) and is currently a Medical Social Worker at Ren Ci Community Hospital. As an avid social media user, she became concerned with her own digital footprint especially in relation to her career. Her studies into technology-facilitated violence deepened her curiosity about how the field of social work can interact with the digital world, and what privacy can look like with the omniscient nature of virtual communication. As the world moves online during the pandemic, Rachel undertakes this honours thesis to explore the future of social services and the digital privacy concerns that arise with emerging technology.
Exploring the Experiences of Social Workers in Working with Cases of Adult Child to Parent Abuse
This qualitative study focuses on adult child to parent abuse (ACPA), a form of family violence that has received limited research attention. The study specifically explores the methods and approaches employed by social workers in assessing and intervening in cases of ACPA. By examining this under-researched area, the study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of ACPA and shed light on the best practices for addressing this specific type of family violence. The study’s findings emphasise the necessity for further research on the prevalence, causes, and impacts of ACPA. It also underscores the need for tailored approaches to detect, assess and intervene in such cases, alongside raising awareness of ACPA among professionals and the public.
Suet Cheng graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Social Work from the National University of Singapore. She strongly believes in the importance of research in advancing the field of social work. Through her internship experience at a Family Violence Specialist Centre, she was inspired to embark on her thesis research to gain a deeper understanding of the complex issue of family violence in Singapore. She hopes that her research will generate awareness and understanding of adult child to parent abuse, and serve as a resource in enhancing the provision of effective support and services to affected families.
Exploring the Perceived Participation Experience of the Singapore Malay-Muslim Community in Participatory Arts Workshops Surrounding End-of-Life Topics
End-of-life (EOL) conversations have the potential to become some of the most meaningful and powerful discussions. However, these conversations are not frequently had. In Singapore, the Lien Foundation found that the Malay community expressed less comfort than the dominant Chinese community in talking about their own death. In 2021, Both Sides, Now, a community engagement project by Artswok Collaborative and Drama Box, conducted 2 Arts Engagement Workshops (AEW) with the Malay-Muslim Community in Singapore surrounding EOL topics. This presentation explores findings on the experience of the Singapore Malay-Muslim community in the AEW. It will expound on the impact of art mediums on having EOL conversations and provide insights into the Malay-Muslim community and their attitudes toward EOL conversations and the AEW.
Kaitlyn has a keen interest in the use of the arts for community development. She is particularly drawn to the use of participatory art in public spaces which compels onlookers to contemplate and participate, turning them from a passive audience into active collaborators of a transfiguring art piece. She believes the arts can be a tool for heartfelt and profound connection with others and one’s self. Motivated by this, her Honours Thesis explored the use of participatory arts in galvanising End-of-Life conversations. She is now a medical social worker with KK Women's and Children's Hospital supporting patients with cancer.
Zhi Han is a Research Associate at the NUS Social Service Research Centre (SSR). He is also a data analyst for the In-Work Poverty and the Challenges of Getting By Among the Young research project.
For enquiries, please contact Mr Tan Zhi Han.