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Computer Applications in Social Work and Allied Professions Computer Applications in Social Work and Allied Professions VOLUME 3 NUMBER 4 AUTUMN 1987 Using Computers to Plan Services for People with a Mental Handicap David Columbi's Personal Computer Odyssey Computer System Development in Lothian Computers in the Dutch Social Services Obtaining Extra Staff Using ' Special Funding Measures PLUS Abstracts of over 130 papers which will feature during the HUSITA Convention CASW ISSN No. 0267 1980 1 Up-Front Advertising Address Planning for progress. CASW 3 A Micro-Menu for Macro Planning PO Box 52 Sheila Clark details the use of computers in planning services for people Stourbridge with a mental handicap in Hampshire. DY8 3NN United Kingdom 8 A Computer Odyssey David Columbi is wondering why everyone keeps telling him to get an TEL: 021 356 6911 (ext. 303/301). Amstrad. 11 Resourcing Computer Development Editorial Address Peter Ashe describes the Lothian Social Work Department approach to developing computer systems. Dept. of Social Work Studies, 15 Computers in Dutch Social Services The University of Southampton, Hein de Graaf considers the possible 'collision' when information S09 5NH. technology meets the social services. TEL: 0703 559122 ext. 3536/2576 20 Soft but not Squidgy Stuart Montgomery relates how Swathclyde Social Work Department Subscription Rates have obtained extra staff resources by using special funding measures. (This Volume) 24 CASW Reviews UK The usual mix of software, book and periodical reviews featuring a first Personal £8.00 per annum look at the new Aspect Relational Database Libraries PLUS & institutions £25.00 per annum HUSITA '87 Convention Europe £UK (Euro Cheques Please) 26 Convention Abstracts Abstracts of over 130 papers which will feature during the Personal £12 HUSITA Convention Libraries & Institutions £30 (UK) USA US$ CASW Editorial Group Personal 17$ Managing Editor - Stuart Toole (City of Birmingham Polytechnic) Libraries Editor - Bryan Glastonbury (University of Southampton) & Institutions 42$ Associate Editor - Paul Dolan (Birmingham Social Services Dept.) News Editor - Colin Barnes (Coventry Social Services Dept.) Australia US$ Review Editor - Mike Ferriter (Hampton Hospital) Editorial Board Personal 17$ Walter LaMendola (University of Denver) Libraries Dick Shoech (University of Texas, Arlington) & Institutions 44$ Norman Tutt (Lancaster University) Ian McArdle (City of Birmingham Polytechnic) Published by CASW Ltd David Phillips (University of Sheffield) c/o Dept. of Sociology & Applied Peter Gorbach (National Institute of Social Work) Social Studies, City of Birmingham Polytechnic, Clive Miller (National Institute of Social Work) Perry Barr,Birmingham, B42 2SU. Up Front Planning for Progress It is embarrassing to make predictions which prove to be false within such a short time of making them, but HUSITA 87 almost before the printer's ink was dry on the last issue, To change the subject, this is a special issue of the I heard the news that the DHSS had withdrawn its plan journal. It is volume 3 number 4, but it also contains to fund some computer research. Whatever the reason abstracts of the papers to be presented to HUSITA 87. (and it appears to have been an internal restructuring of The response to the call for papers was massive - nearly research priorities and organisation) several groups 200 before they were filtered down a little. Even so well wasted a lot of time building up viable research over 100 will be offered. Stuart Toole and Walter proposals. More importantly, we are left with severely LaMendola, helped by a British advisory group, have restricted opportunities for research into this vital subject organised them under nine topics: area, and the leadership void in relation to technology developments in the personal social services has been • Information Systems and the Consumer exposed once again. • Education and Training including CAL International Co-operation and Development • Empowerment Can that void be filled? One way may be through the • Privacy, Information Ownership and Codes formation of an International Association for Information of Practice Technology. A proposal to set up such an organisation has been circulated by Stuart Toole of CASW and Dick • Technology Transfer and Third World Schoech, who edits the American journal. Computing in Issues Human Services. Anyone interested is invited to contact • Direct use with Clients, Automated Dick in Cardiff, where he has been spending the last Assessment and Treatment Decision Making year. He can be reached through the School of Social Work, POB 78, University College, Cardiff, CFl IXL. • Networking and Electronic Communications The plan is to synthesize comments and circulate them at • System Design and Development HUSITA 87 in September. If there are signs of support then at the end of the Husita conference a formal move • Policy Development and Administration will be made to establish an International Association. This will not wholly fiU the void. Co-ordination across However, rather than devote the whole issue to national boundaries wiU serve the enormously important HUSITA abstracts, it seemed important that those puipose of promoting research, communications and coming to the conference (who will find a copy in their technology transfer, but it will not provide leadership . conference folders) should have the chance to see what Britain is already lagging behind other countries - not the contents of a typical Computer Applications in Social just America, but Scandinavia and Israel for example - Work and Allied Professions look like. Some might and will fall further back if DHSS continue in hiding. even be interested in the details of subscription! o Contributions to the Journal Computer Applications in Social Work and Allied Professions All contributions to the journal should be typed or printed welcomes articles, reviews, news items and letters from (draft quality is acceptable), double-spaced and single-sided. readers. Please send three copies of articles and reviews. Articles should be from a minimum 750 words to a The journal does not maintain a long waiting list of material maximum 5,000 words. for publication and those who have a contribution accepted can Reviews of printed material or software should not normally expect it to appear within the next two issues. Potential exceed 300 words, unless discussed beforehand with the Editor contributors are invited to contact the Editor or the Review or Review Editor. Editor, to discuss a possible item. Up Front Featured in This Issue of the Journal New Readers Start Here! This issue of the journal is primarily concerned with the Many of you may be reading a copy of Computer Applications practical end of computer applications. Sheila Clarke tells us in Social Work and Allied Professions for the first time - we about the development of programs for helping plan the lives hope that just a simple glance through the pages of this issue and futures of people with a mental handicap. The packages, will show you what you have been missing! now on sale, have been written and given field trials in The CASW Journal aims to provide a range of both Hampshire Social Services Department. Further along the informative and challenging articles which examine the role of south coast David Colombi, a senior probation officer in West information technology in social services and the other human Sussex, gives us an entertaining account of the difficulties service professions. CASW features are written by those who facing anyone who wants to get involved in computing on a are involved at the forefront of the computerisation of the shoestring. human services and so write very much from practical experience. In addition each edition of the journal contains a Searching for Resources leading feature from an international conlributer. In this volume of CASW alone we have covered the following areas: The theme of searching for resources to carry out computer developments is pursued by two contributors from Scottish projects who argue for appropriate and adequate resources, but CASW Vol.3 No.l just what does this mean in practical terms? It means either Walter LaMendola from the University of Denver's Graduate School making a strongly argued claim for scarce money and staff, in of Social Work looks at the issues and problems involved in developing software for the human services; Bryan Glastonbury competition with many other compelling demands facing (University of Southampton and CASW editor) considers the agencies, or searching around for possibilities elsewhere, problems and pitfalls of managing the social services computer which represent additions to the overall resources of the system; Paul Dolan and Elis Envall discuss the ethical dilemmas involved in protecting the privacy of clients in computer aided social agencies. In both instances the bids have to be backed by work; Stuart Toole and Mike Winfield of Birmingham Polytechnic rational, objective analysis of the likely costs and benefits of lay down their thoughts on Expert Systems and their implications for new projects. Peter Ashe offers a casestudy of the social workers and the FidoNet communications system is introduced. development of a home care system which followed the regular stages of a project management schedule - feasibility study, CASW Vol.3 No.2 cost/ benefit analysis, critical path analysis, and so forth. In Peter Marsh, Bill Ormerod and Jane Roberts from Coventry Social contrast Stuart Montgomery tells how progress was facilitated Services describe the Coventry Social
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