SAP102 Welfare Systems and Services in Australia Report 1 Sample

Task description

The purpose of this task is to demonstrate reflection, critical thinking, analysis, research, referencing and writing skills. In addition, you will demonstrate an emerging understanding of social services fields of practice.

For this task you need to write a 1000-word reflective essay,

1. Explain your own beliefs and assumptions associated with the social issues

2. Propose an approach based on your chosen fields of practice using evidence from the course content.

You will utilise either news, media, government papers, or reports to show the existence of this social issue in Australia. In your proposed approach, explain why it would address the social issue, including evidence of the approach being applied in another context. By using a reflective process, you will explain how your own beliefs and assumptions have led you to this approach. You will write clearly and succinctly, referencing sources as appropriate.

Choose from one of the following fields of practice and social issue:

• addiction - drug use

• child protection - physical child abuse

• housing - primary or tertiary homelessness

• income support - unemployment

• disability – discrimination

Criteria

Use evidence (data/article/commentary) to show the existence of the social issue in your chosen field.

Provide a clear proposal of what you would do to address this social issue.

Show why you think your proposal would address the social issue by explaining an example of where this has been done historically, in other contexts, or other fields.
State your personal beliefs and assumptions that led you to the identified approach of addressing the social issue and describe what influenced your beliefs and assumptions.

Convey your writing with clarity by using correct APA7 formatting and referencing, as well as cohesive flow of your thoughts and reflections.

Solutions

Introduction

Drug addiction is a growing problem in the contemporary day society. It relates to the excessive usage of drugs despite suffering psychologically and physically. The consequences stretch beyond an individual's well-being. It may influence people to engage in risky behaviour and criminal activities that ultimately impact the general population. In the following study, I will reflect on the importance of addressing the issue of drug use. Further, I will suggest a strategy that can help overcome the issue and maintain harmony in society.

Main Body

Drugs, a substance that is typically used for treating diseases, when taken for non-medical purposes can lead to major altercations in the brain. These changes, I believe, lead to intense cravings in addicts that compel them to keep using the drug to experience similar pleasurable effects. In Australia, Gov.au (2018) states the most common types of illicit drugs used by individuals are cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, amphetamines and methamphetamine. I am confident that each of these can lead to long-term vein damage and have a significant impact on families and the rest of the community. For example, hallucinogens also referred to as ‘psychedelics’ affect a person’s senses, for which they may lose the sense of time and emotions. Further, Statista (2024), states Amphetamines has caused the highest number of hospitalizations in Australia in 2022. Such incidents, I believe can pose an additional burden on the families and even tear them apart emotionally. This public health concern also raises questions regarding the present prevention efforts and the stigma surrounding drug addiction problems in society for university assignment help.

In a survey carried out by Statista (2024), 8% of high school students between 16 to 17 years used drugs once in their lifetime. Further, 5% of the individuals between 12 to 15 years old admitted the same. I think that such early exposure can increase the risk of developing addiction in the later years of life as well. Statista (2024) states that 1.3% and 0.6% of males and females respectively were found to be suffering from drug use disorders in Australia. This is a complex condition where people show distorted behaviours, like changes in personality and abnormal movements. Each of these, I believe can make it difficult to carry out everyday activities like decision-making, learning or judgement. With such problems, individuals will indefinitely be unable to perform at their workplaces, leading to decreased performance and higher unemployment rates. As stated by Gov.au (2024) the unemployment rate in Australia increased by 4.0% in 2024. These people may have to cut back on their basic expenses, which can impact their quality of life. As a result, many addicts may resort to crime to make ends meet. This can be proven from the data recorded by Gov.au (2024) which claims 52,315 illicit drug offences mark the second most common principal offence in the nation. In my opinion, increased crime can make it highly stressful for individuals, who may become reluctant to go out, especially at night. Due to this erosion of trust, people may slowly withdraw themselves and become less willing to help the community or even the next-door neighbour. Additionally, Ceccato and Wilhelmsson (2020) state areas that are reported with high crime rates may experience a decline in property values. It can even discourage tourists and businesses from visiting and investing in the areas. Therefore, reducing economic activities and increasing the financial strains among the community members.

After deeply analysing the social issue of drug use, I think that ‘Trauma-informed Care” is a potential solution. As propounded by Forkey et al. (2021), an approach that acknowledges a patient’s entire life situation for providing effective services is known as trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed general practices according to Racgp.org.au (2022) form a key element of the responses to Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) in Australia. Long-term exposure to DFV can decrease life expectancy and even cause physiological dysregulation. This approach is used to help survivors disclose their experiences. It enables the survivors to gain access to necessary support, both emotional and legal. This helps in building trust with the domestic violence survivors and exploring all the possible safe housing options. Individuals working in the ‘field of addiction’ in social services can embrace this approach. This will allow them to see trauma survivors as unique individuals who have gone through extremely abnormal situations. To efficiently tackle this issue, they must first comprehend the nexus between the addiction and the trauma. They may find individuals who have suffered physical abuse or neglect in their childhood and have started using drugs to cope with their situations. Safety and transparency are some of the core principles of this care approach (Chcs.org, 2024). This may help social service workers eliminate judgemental behaviour and promote honest communication with the patients. Thus, creating a safe space which will motivate the person to lay out their concerns that have pushed them towards the addiction. Further, they must aim to empower the clients by continuously involving them in different stages of the treatment plans. For example, they can be asked their preferred way of therapy; this may increase the likelihood of their recovery and build confidence within them. It is also essential for the workers to be aware of the cultural differences in their attitude towards the trauma. Showing sensitivity can help in achieving confidence with diverse populations and providing a better support system to the clients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, drug usage is a significant issue impacting the entire society. The alarming rates especially among the school-going population highlight the far-reaching effects it can have on the lives of future generations. Besides a loss of productivity, an overdose may also lead to the death of the addict. This makes it essential for social workers, in the field of addiction, to use relevant approaches like Trauma-informed care. This will help in learning about the experiences that have compelled individuals to start using drugs. Such learnings can help tailor the treatment plans and improve the patient’s chance of recovering soon.

References

Ceccato, V., & Wilhelmsson, M. (2020). Do crime hot spots affect housing prices?. Nordic journal of criminology, 21(1), 84-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2019.1662595

Chcs.org (2024) What is Trauma-Informed Care? Available at: https://www.traumainformedcare.chcs.org/what-is-trauma-informed-care/ (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Forkey, H., Szilagyi, M., Kelly, E. T., & Duffee, J. (2021). Trauma-informed care. Pediatrics, 148(2). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052580

Gov.au (2018) Drug types and their effects Available at: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/staying-healthy/atods/drugs/types (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Gov.au (2019) Drug trends and statistics Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/drug-help/drug-information/drug-trends-and-statistics (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Gov.au (2024) Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol/alcohol-tobacco-other-drugs-australia/contents/priority-populations/people-in-contact-with-the-criminal-justice-system (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Gov.au (2024) Labour Force, Australia Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Racgp.org.au (2022) Recognising and responding to domestic and family violence in general practice Available at: https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2022/november/recognising-and-responding-to-domestic-and-family#:~:text=Facilitating%20ongoing%20connection%20through%20regular,trauma%2Dinformed%20care%

20for%20DFV. (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Statista (2024) Rate of drug-induced deaths in Australia from 2012 to 2021 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1006690/australia-rate-of-drug-related-deaths/ (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Statista (2024) Share of population with a 12-month substance use disorder in Australia in financial year 2021 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1322012/australia-share-of-population-with-a-substance-use-disorder-by-disorder-and-sex/ (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

Statista (2024) Total number of hospitalizations related to drug consumption in Australia in financial year 2022, by drug type Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1267544/australia-drug-related-hospitalizations-by-drug-type/ (Accessed on 25 June 2024)

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