Professionals unprepared: A critical appraisal of social work practice at the Drugs Abuse Rehabilitation Centres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.jhsms/2.1.10

Keywords:

social work, philanthropy, medical social work, indigenous, Drug Addicts Treatment Centres, Medical Social Workers, drug addicts, social workers, indigenous philanthropy

Abstract

Social work is a practice-based profession that facilitates, enables, and rehabilitates the neglected segments of society facing various issues, including substance abuse. However, social workers' efficiency in substance use rehabilitation is constrained by several factors. Pakistan follows the imported theoretical models of social work, which face enormous challenges during implementation for lacking contextual understanding. This study examines professional social workers' role to examine the challenges in providing institutional service delivery in substance (drugs) abuse treatment centres in Pakistan. The study found that the social work theory and practice gap hurts services delivery in Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Centres through qualitative approaches. Training in social work theory does not adequately equip the students to provide the required social services at the drugs rehabilitation centres. Donor-driven social work drives and demotivated social workers testify to the mismatch between social work theory and practice. Indigenous philanthropy models and broadening institutional support could remedy the situation.

Author Biography

Abida Bano, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan.

Dr. Abida Bano earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Western Michigan University, MI. as a Fulbright scholar in 2017. Currently, she teaches at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Peshawar, Pakistan. Previously, she worked as a regular faculty member at the Department of Gender Studies, University of Peshawar (2008-2018). Her research interests are women and politics, political institutions (formal and informal); democratization; civil society and women’s movement; women and peacebuilding; and qualitative research methods. She teaches courses on research methods, democratization and peacebuilding, the war on terror, women, peace, and security. Also, she has attended the Institute of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research – IQMR at Syracuse University, NY. She has published in national and international journals.

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Published

2021-08-29

How to Cite

Ahmad, S., & Bano, A. (2021). Professionals unprepared: A critical appraisal of social work practice at the Drugs Abuse Rehabilitation Centres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Journal of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences (JHSMS), 2(1), 108–120. https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.jhsms/2.1.10

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles

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