Workshop

October 11, 2021 |  – 16
Language: English

Topic: “Inadvertently addressing ACEs: How social workers are unknowingly mitigating the negative impact of older persons’ childhood adversities.”

Contributors: 
Mary Kennedy

Goal / aim of the workshop?

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) evidence base contains compelling scientific evidence about how childhood adversities can potentially impact health outcomes throughout the lifespan. Despite the fact that internationally, gerontological social workers remain largely unaware of the evidence base, this workshop will explore how the integration of the social work principle of social justice throughout the education curriculum, and practice expertise, contributes to the profession inadvertently ameliorating the negative impact of older persons ACEs.

Expected outcomes?

Using an interactive and participatory approach, workshop participants will learn about the following topics: Increased international life expectancy and social work; social work principles, education, and practice expertise; social work utilisation of scientific evidence bases; the ACE evidence base; social determinants of health, and how social workers are inadvertently ameliorating the potential impact of ACEs for older persons.

Theoretical background?

This workshop will draw upon systems theory to demonstrate how acknowledging that social workers are inadvertently alleviating the potential negative impact of ACEs without uniform education relating to the evidence base, provides evidence to support the need for social workers to be educated about the ACE evidence base so that they can both knowingly and actively build resilience and adapt their practice to improve outcomes for older persons.

How will active participation be achieved? Interactive ice-breakers, surveys and quizzes will be used during the workshop. To achieve this the presenter will make use of the following websites: How to make interactive presentations – Mentimeter and Slido – Audience Interaction Made Easy. The presenter will also leave time for discussion at the end of the workshop.

Participants will be asked to provide live feedback to the following questions:

• How are social workers different to other professionals?

• Did you learn about ACEs in your Social Work Masters or Degree Programme?

• What knowledge do you use to inform your practice?

They will also be a 20 minute timeframe at the end which provide an opportunity for participants to talk about there experiences of inadvertently addressing ACEs in practice and how the opportunities for social work to use the ACE evidence base to build resilience.