Date of Award

2006

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

School

School of International, Cultural And Community Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Community Services, Education and Social Sciences

First Supervisor

Professor Margaret Sims

Second Supervisor

Associate Professor Trudi Cooper

Abstract

The research process described in this thesis brought to consciousness, for myself, the researcher, and for the youth work practitioners involved, the limitations placed upon their ability to practice effective youth work by the divergent understanding of `youth work' held by those responsible for either managing or funding the services in which they worked. The study set out to discover why youth work practitioners were not identifying or responding to the needs of young women living with violence at home. The study sought to identify the problem and then to formulate practical strategies to enhance youth worker knowledge and skills in working with this group of young people. What was discovered, however, is that the thirteen youth work practitioners involved in the study lacked confidence in their understanding and ability to respond to the needs of these young women; whereas, through focus group discussion and the development of concept maps they demonstrated that they do have a good understanding of the issues surrounding family violence, which young people might be affected and what sorts of supports might be useful for them.

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