This participatory study used online photovoice and digital storytelling to explore the experiences of children with migrant parents in a rural community in Southwest China. It focused on the ways in which these so-called 'left-behind children' understand the important places in their everyday lives. The findings illuminated the children's attachment to their homes, family land, and the surrounding natural world. The two themes highlighted in the article, 'My Home Is Here' and 'At Home in the Natural World', illustrate how these places nurture the children and scaffold their development. The children's photos and stories reveal the centrality of local natural environments in their everyday lives, and their emotional and symbolic attachments to homeplaces. They also reflect culturally embedded understandings of place, such as the 'Nu Wa' myth and the notion of 'An Tu Zhong Qian'. These findings open new understandings into the lives of children with migrant parents in China, who typically are represented as a troubled and troubling group. By illuminating the multidimensional nature of these children's lives, the study challenges prevailing stereotypes of 'left-behind' children, in China and globally, and contributes to more nuanced understandings of what matters to them and how they navigate their everyday worlds.

This article shares our experience of pivoting a place-focused participatory research project with children in rural China who have migrant parents from an in situ design to an online design during the COVID-19 pandemic. In redesigning the project, we shifted the photovoice component online, and substituted digital storytelling for go-along interviews. We found that the use of cell phone-supported photovoice and storytelling techniques not only provided significant flexibility in engaging children, but also empowered them to take an active role in presenting their viewpoints. Our experience demonstrated the potential for these virtual methods to increase confidence and participation among child participants, while allowing for a meaningful collaborative process between the children and researchers. Although we recognize that the data lacks the observational dimensions inherent in field-based place research, the online platform and associated digital technologies nonetheless enabled both children and researchers to capture meaningful aspects of children's lives in everyday places.

Background: Migration has been recognized as an important determinant of child health outcomes including childhood vaccination status. This paper aims to examine the association between parental migration status and a less studied aspect of child immunization outcomes, namely timeliness, within the context of New Zealand (NZ), a country characterized by a substantial proportion of its resident population born overseas. Additionally, the study explored the impact of residential duration on children 's immunization timeliness. Methods: The data was taken from a large, representative population -based cohort study in NZ (Growing Up in NZ study). A total of 6156 children and their parents, comprising 2241 foreign -born and 3915 NZ -born mothers and a sub -group of their partners were included in the analysis. The survey data was linked with the National Immunization Register dataset. Timely immunization was defined as receiving two vaccines at each scheduled vaccination point (at six -week, three-month, and five -month, totaling six doses of vaccines) within 30 days of their due date. We examined the associations between parental migration status, maternal residential duration, and child immunization timeliness while controlling for socio-economic variations. The results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The findings revealed that after adjustment for socioeconomic differences, children of foreign -born mothers exhibited higher odds of receiving all six studied vaccine doses on time compared to children of native-born mothers (AOR 1.51, 95 %CI:1.27 -1.78). Similarly, having a foreign -born father was also significantly associated with timely completion of all six vaccine doses. Children of recent immigrants who had resided in the country for less than five years demonstrated higher odds of timely vaccination of all six vaccine doses compared to children of settled immigrants who had lived in the country for five or more years (AOR 1.65, 95 %CI: 1.25 -2.19). Conclusion: This study revealed a significant pattern in NZ where immigrants exhibited higher rates of timely immunization for their children compared to native-born parents. However, the findings also underscore the importance of providing support to settled immigrants, as their children experienced declines in timely vaccination rates compared to children of recent immigrants and even those born to NZ -born parents.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, approximately 3000 people are enrolled in a recognized social work education programme at any one time. A collaboration between researchers at two social work education providers sought to understand the experiences of student financial hardship, and its impact on wellbeing, amongst current social work students and recent graduates. In total, 346 students and recent graduates participated in a survey that gathered information Glossary of te reo Maori terms regarding financial circumstances, caring responsibilities, mental health and social wellbeing. As social work qualifications require a significant component of unpaid field education, this study reflects growing interest in the financial impact of studying for a social work qualification. This article explores some of the findings with particular focus on the impact of financial hardship on mental and social wellbeing. In particular, the study found that nearly one in four respondents reported experiencing moderate or severe financial hardship while studying, and that this had a significant impact on their mental and social wellbeing. In addition, those with caring responsibilities, especially accumulative caring responsibilities for children and others, were more likely to experience financial hardship. These results add weight to the call for greater support for those preparing to enter the social work workforce.

Research on migration as a risk factor for obesity has produced inconsistent findings. Potential influence of migration as a social determinant of obesity has not been previously explored in New Zealand (NZ) as a migrant receiving country. This study aimed to investigate the link between maternal migration status and residential duration and childhood overweight/obesity risk in NZ, considering sociodemographic characteristics and obesogenic behaviors. Data on 5,506 4- to 5-year-old children and their mothers were taken from a large and nationally representative cohort study in NZ (the Growing Up in NZ Study). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between maternal migration status, maternal residential duration, and child’s overweight/obesity risk and the risk of adopting obesogenic behaviors independent of socioeconomic influences. A lower proportion of children of foreign-born mothers presented with overweight/obesity (26%) at age 5 years compared with children of NZ-born mothers (29.6%) (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.74, 0.98)). Maternal residential duration had no association with children’s weight status among migrant families. Regarding obesogenic behaviors, the findings were mixed with children of foreign-born mothers having lower odds of consuming fast food (AOR 0.77, 95% CI (0.65, 0.91)) and soft drinks (AOR 0.87, 95% CI (0.76, 0.99)); however, they had higher odds of having inadequate sleep duration (AOR 2.25, 95% CI (1.85, 2.73)). The lower prevalence of overweight/obesity and lower odds of consuming fast foods and soft drinks among children of foreign-born mothers indicate potential protective factors within migrant families. However, the increased likelihood of inadequate sleep duration highlights an area of concern that warrants further attention and intervention. The findings emphasize the importance of considering diverse social determinants of health and specific risk factors when developing targeted interventions to address childhood overweight/obesity.

This article examines the absence of a profession-wide response for facilitating the transition of transnational social workers (TSWs) into the host country. TSWs work with various racial, ethnic, and cultural groups and often in unfamiliar socio-political, policy and practice contexts. A qualitative study was undertaken in New Zealand, which involved six focus groups, three with managers of TSWs and three with TSWs themselves and a face-to-face semi-structured interview with a manager who was also a TSW. Coding and analysis of data were informed by critical realism (CR). We found that TSWs’ transitions are framed within an employer-employee relationship in the absence of a profession-wide response and TSWs encounter structural barriers in their transition. A suggestion has been made that the profession’s leadership acknowledge responsibility that attends to the transitional space and an emotional concern about the wellbeing of TSWs. The transnational nature of the profession demands greater accountability regarding inclusion, sustainability, safety and discrimination. It can positively impact on the overall wellbeing of TSWs and the client groups they serve.

Given the strong links between food security and wellbeing, addressing the increasing lack of access to adequate, appropriate food is necessary to realise the current Aotearoa New Zealand government's wellbeing-related ambitions. This qualitative survey study engages with the experiences of over 600 food insecure people by analysing open-ended survey responses regarding their experiences of food insecurity and their goals and dreams for the future. Countering neoliberal narratives of the poor as lacking 'ambition', our data suggest that participants have extensive goals and dreams for the future, but systemic income inadequacy severely limits them in achieving their aspirations. Many participants aspire for appropriate and fulfilling employment, financial security, and to secure a good life for their whānau; yet current welfare policy settings undermine their aspirations and are at odds with the Government's own vision of wellbeing, as formalised in the Treasury's Living Standards Framework. This suggests the exclusion of food insecure people from our national shared vision of wellbeing. We conclude by highlighting the value of understanding and including the goals and dreams of those who are food insecure in the intention, design, and delivery of reforms needed to enhance food security in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This qualitative study conducted three focus groups with transnational social workers (TSWs) in three cities of Aotearoa New Zealand. The aim of the study was to examine the transitional experience of TSWs, particularly in relation to any strategies and mechanisms existing in the host country to facilitate their personal and professional transition. A significant finding is that a coherent profession-wide programme for facilitating the transition is absent as the existing practices are mostly within the employer–employee relationships. Transitional experiences of TSWs are explained using the metaphor of ‘territory’ and some strategies for effective transition are suggested.

Introduction: Emerging research suggests that students who care for children, the sick, disabled or the elderly are a marginalised group in social work education. A recent study explored how the wellbeing of 16 female social work student caregivers was impacted by their engagement in tertiary studies and considered the factors that motivated and sustained these students on their educational journey. Methods: From a mixed method study investigating the social and financial impacts of study on the wellbeing of social work students in Aotearoa New Zealand, data were extracted relating to the needs and experiences of social work students and recent graduates who are also caregivers. Data from semi structured interviews were thematically analysed to produce an overarching theme and three key themes. Findings: Findings reveal that for some caregivers, studying social work was a journey that exacted considerable sacrifice to their personal wellbeing. Findings also point to the remarkable capacity student caregivers had to overcome adversity, and even thrive through their experiences by drawing on their collective strengths and sense of purpose. Conclusion: This research highlights the responsibility that social work education providers and governing bodies have to understand and respond to the inequities that are faced by students who are caregivers. Students themselves should be prepared for the significant personal and financial costs of their education, particularly with regard to field placement.

INTRODUCTION: Food insecurity in Aotearoa New Zealand is a growing concern but quantitative evidence focused on those in most need of support is scarce in the Aotearoa New Zealand context. This limits policy and practice decisions.METHODS: We modified Parnell and Gray’s (2014) Aotearoa New Zealand based food security scale to better capture the severity of food insecurity for individuals living in poverty and used a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of individuals seeking food assistance from foodbanks in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). We used confirmatory factor analysis to assess the psychometric validity of the modified scale. We also tested group differences in food insecurity by gender and ethnicity using analysis of variance and investigated correlations between age, household size and food insecurity.FINDINGS: We found a six-item version of Parnell and Gray’s (2014) scale to be psychometrically robust for use with the study population. The sample participants reported concerning and chronic levels of food insecurity. We did not find any group differences.CONCLUSIONS: At the severe end of the food insecurity continuum, gender and ethnic subgroups appear to suffer at similar levels; however, this does not suggest that different approaches are not required to best meet the needs of different demographic subgroups. Further research is needed to ascertain how similar levels of food insecurity may produce differential effects on wellbeing outcomes for different groups. We recommend more widespread and regular use of the modified scale to assess the experience and impact of food insecurity for individuals living in poverty because it provides a more fine-grained understanding of the severity of food insecurity challenges experienced by individuals seeking food assistance. Fit for purpose measures enable accurate assessments that can better inform policymaking and practice decisions to reduce inequality and promote economic justice.

INTRODUCTION: Given the diversity of practice and understanding of social work across the globe and its distinctive shape in specific national settings, practitioners working in a new country encounter different community, professional and workplace cultures which may pose challenges. This current study contributes to a larger programme of work undertaken to address the transnational nature of the social work profession in Aotearoa New Zealand and elsewhere. METHOD: The study aim was to explore the experiences of Aotearoa New Zealand qualified social workers who have practised in another country and have returned home. Participants in an online survey were recruited via an invitation to all members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers. The questionnaire was designed to obtain broad data about the experiences of social workers in their overseas employment and perceptions on their return home. FINDINGS: Many participants had layers of transnational experience having practised as social workers in multiple countries. Participants reported overall satisfaction with overseas experiences which had provided professional opportunities for learning and development, and better pay and conditions. Coming home presented new challenges and interesting perceptions of social work in Aotearoa. IMPLICATIONS: Adjustment to new practice locations and, as shown in this small exploratory study, returning "home" can be disruptive to professional perspectives. While overseas practice is enriching, it carries with it both relocation benefits and costs, confirming earlier research. Better employer recognition of the challenges of returning social workers, and the enhanced skills they bring home may offset any dislocation experienced.

Appropriate interventions for assisting transnational social workers (TSWs), nurses and teachers in their transition into the receiving country are significant for enabling competent and safe professional practice. These professionals form a significant part of the professional workforce of many countries as globalisation and liberal migration policies encourage many to cross borders for professional practice. Engaging in employment overseas, however, is a challenging process for them as it entails relocating to a new country and working in unfamiliar sociocultural and practice contexts. While some form of profession-wide assistance is found in nursing and teaching, social workers rarely receive any such interventions. This article discusses existing support offered to transnational nurses and teachers in English-speaking countries such as the UK, US, New Zealand, Australia and Canada and suggests how a similar approach to social workers can assist their transitioning into the receiving country. It draws on the findings of a thematic review of the literature addressing support for transnational nurses, teachers and social workers. The imperative of interventions to assist transition of TSWs into host countries is explored and the article concludes with recommendations for some intervention strategies and mechanisms.

This conclusion presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book shows that these desirable migrants do not necessarily achieve 'desirable' settlement outcomes in their host society, financially, socially, or emotionally. It explores how these relatively 'undesirable' settlement outcomes of new Chinese migrants are interrelated with their intercultural encounter patterns, identity dynamics, interplay between rootedness and openness and, most important, their ability to conduct cosmopolitanism in order to negotiate difference. The book takes a refined version of the concept that transcends its normative or philosophical dimension and focuses on everyday intercultural practices of individual migrants who negotiate the interplay between their rootedness and cosmopolitan openness. It examines how everyday cosmopolitanism has emerged and has been conducted in …

This chapter explores the preparedness of transnational social workers, and their employers in Australia, for the challenges of integrating foreign-qualified social workers into local practice settings. Drawing on an Australian exploratory online survey of 119 transnational social workers, the experiences of foreign-qualified social work professionals are analysed to assess the preparedness of the profession, and the professionals themselves, to deal with the challenges of transnational labour market mobility. The chapter uses the transnational professional space concept to examine migrant professionals’ advance knowledge of the professional and cultural milieu of their destination country, and their experiences of the induction and training offered by their initial Australian employers. The study suggests that a surprising naïvety persists among many employers and the transnational social workers (TSWs) themselves, regarding the preparation required to engage meaningfully in the increasingly transnational professional space that is Australian social work.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline the evolution of academic and information literacy (AIL) teaching initiatives in a first-year core social work course at the University of Auckland. It traces the development of AIL teaching, support and assessment activities over a 10-year period as part of a collaborative project involving librarians, learning advisors and an academic staff member. The paper clearly outlines the challenges arising because of the rapidly evolving and complex information environment in which tertiary students find themselves, as well as the student-centred pedagogical approaches which can assist them in navigating this environment and developing resourcefulness and resilience in undertaking research. Design/methodology/approach The case study presented in this paper outlines the evolution over a 10-year period of AIL teaching and activities taken to specifically develop AIL integration for the first-year core course, Sociology for Human Services, for the degree of Bachelor of Social Work. At its core, this case study demonstrates the application of reflective practice on the part of library staff, academic staff and student learning advisors with a view to implementing AIL initiatives which not only addressed information needs for assignment completion at university but also took a holistic view of students’ lives, recognising the importance of AIL in their civic, social and work lives. Reflection involved challenging key assumptions about the teaching of AIL initiatives and what constituted success and failure; gaining a better understanding of new and developing information environments in which students currently operate; and identifying existing and emerging AIL frameworks which could best equip students to survive and flourish in these environments. The paper focuses on the drivers, challenges, successes and impact of implementing and adapting AIL activities as well as the learning design and pedagogical approaches implemented to scaffold and develop initiatives with the whole three-year degree structure in mind. Special reference is paid to the application of new and emerging AIL frameworks, including the Research Skills Development Framework (Willison and O’Regan, 2006) and the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (Association of College and Research Libraries, 2015). The paper also outlines how mapping to graduate attributes, learning outcomes and core practitioner competencies can strengthen AIL and assessment activities. Findings Application of new and emerging frameworks of research and AIL can enhance both teaching and assessment activities in an undergraduate degree programme. This paper outlines a move away from reliance on teaching of tools and resources to a focus on mastery of threshold concepts and deeper understandings of the importance of information and academic literacy capabilities in study, work and civic life. The approach outlined here fosters the development of informed learners who are resilient and resourceful and who can easily navigate within the complex information environment in which they find themselves. This case study further demonstrates that students appreciate and recognise the value (as well as the transferability) of these capabilities to other areas of their life both at the tertiary level and post academia. In a practice-based course such as this one, the application of key frameworks and an understanding of expected practitioner competencies and graduate attributes can also help address a generally recognised research practice gap common in undergraduate practice-based courses. The paper further outlines the benefits of a collaborative approach to the integration of AIL. Such collaborative initiatives bring the fresh perspectives and deeper understanding; apart from this, they also serve as a springboard to work with other academic staff to develop AIL initiatives at different stages of a degree programme. Research limitations/implications This paper focuses on the development of AIL skills in one social work course at the University of Auckland. The information presented here may not be relevant for other disciplines or institutions. Practical implications This paper takes both a theoretical and practical approach. Challenges in the development of AIL initiatives are clearly contextualised within relevant pedagogical and AIL theories. Practical solutions for common challenges are clearly outlined. It is hoped that the problem − solution approach outlined in this paper will benefit other information professionals and academic staff who are implementing AIL in the current tertiary environment. Social implications Students find themselves in an increasingly complex information environment. Traditional information literacy (IL) skills may no longer meet their needs in this rapidly evolving environment. This paper outlines how application of current research frameworks, practitioner attributes and a focus on mastery of core threshold concepts can build information resilience and resourcefulness and better equip them to access, evaluate and utilise information both for their study and work and life beyond academia. Originality/value Demonstrating clear trends in how IL initiatives have developed over the past 10 years, this paper provides practical examples of how new and emerging research and threshold concept frameworks can be applied to the integration of AIL initiatives in undergraduate degree programmes.

The rapid proliferation and ongoing transformation of digital technologies and social media platforms have had a substantial influence on the participatory cultures of young people and their associated social connections. This social/digital nexus raises important questions of social cohesion, with digital technologies at once augmenting social interaction whilst simultaneously creating an uneven landscape of access for participation. To address this interface of the digital and the social, this paper presents a qualitative study of 24 tertiary students from ethnic minority backgrounds living in Auckland, New Zealand, who use social media. Incorporating a pre-screening questionnaire, a one-week social media diary and semi-structured interviews, this study presents the ways in which digital belongings influence participants' practices of friendship and family. The ways that connective media influence, and even constrain interaction alongside the politics of belongings, are theorised to further examine the meanings and experiences behind participants' social media usage and social contact. By integrating these ideas, this paper presents the ways in which young university students use social media and the extent to which digital interaction and networking influence social participation and social cohesion.

It remains a dilemma for social work educators to teach research so that it can be embraced by students as an integral part of social work practice. This article reports on an initiative to design a research course focused on the integration of research with practice. Drawing on developments in data mining and techniques in secondary data analysis, participating social work students gained experience in conducting analyses of existing data. The article presents the rationale for the nature of this teaching model and discusses both the challenges and benefits experienced by students, faculty, and agency-based staff. Access to agency practice data and workforce development, to parallel and support undergraduate competence, is recommended.

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of factors affecting the well-being of young people from refugee backgrounds in Aotearoa New Zealand. Reporting upon interviews with refugee-sector experts, we employ Portes and Rumbautu0027s u0027segmented assimilationu0027 thesis and Ungaru0027s u0027resilienceu0027 conceptualisation, aiming to better understand the resettlement education journeys of young people and how the Refugee Resettlement Strategy shapes those experiences. Our structural analysis explores how current policy overlooks complex nuances of resettlement needs and how educational institutions engage with young people. We suggest educational policy development emphasising reciprocity and mutual adjustment between refugee-background people and host societies to enhance holistic resettlement success.