This study involved in‐depth exploration of good helping relationships in child welfare. A select sample of six child welfare worker–client dyads was interviewed to determine worker attributes and actions that were key to the development of good working relationships. Innovative features of the research design, such as a multiple interview format with two individual and one joint interview for each worker and client (five interviews per dyad) and opportunities for the worker and client in each dyad to reflect on and respond to the other’s interview transcripts, produced rich data and revealed high levels of congruency among workers, clients and researchers about worker relationship competencies. Two categories of themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis are discussed: (1) soft, mindful and judicious use of power; and (2) humanistic attitude and style that stretches traditional professional ways‐of‐being. Implications for the hiring, education and training, and supervision of child welfare workers are presented.

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Introduction: Suicide risk is higher in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans than the Canadian general population (CGP). Suicidality is understood to be caused by incompletely clarified, complex interacting combinations of multiple factors. One of the precipitating factors for suicide is thought to be the social identity challenges known to occur in major life transitions. Methods: The 2016 Life After Service Studies survey representatively sampled Regular Force Veterans stratified by two release groups: earlier in 1998 to August 2012 ( n = 1,575) and more recently in September 2012 to 2015 ( n = 1,180). The linked dataset included socioeconomic and military characteristics and well-being indicators in multiple domains. Weak group identity was indicated by weak sense of local community belonging and/or not feeling part of a group with shared attitudes and beliefs. Associations were evaluated with multiple logistic regression. Results: Suicidal ideation, weak community belonging, and perceived difficult adjustment to civilian life were more prevalent in Veterans soon after release (September 2012 to 2015) than in Veterans released earlier (1998 to August 2012). Suicidal ideation and weak community belonging were more prevalent in the Veterans than in the CGP. In the more recently released Veterans, weak group identity was endorsed by the majority with suicidal ideation (93.3%). In adjusted regression models, mental health problems had the strongest association with suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 13.4–79.3); however, weak group identity was moderately strongly associated with both difficult adjustment (AOR = 2.4–4.1) and particularly suicidal ideation (AOR = 3.8–9.0), independently of mental health problems. Discussion: Weak group identity was associated with difficult adjustment to civilian life and suicidal ideation in CAF Regular Force Veterans within 3.6 years after military release. These findings indicate the importance in suicide prevention of attending to social identity during transition to post-military life.

Theoretical work on feminist psychotherapy ethics has been useful in challenging conventional psychotherapy, but its narrative assumes that the therapeutic relationship is potentially benign. In contrast, feminists in public practice who work in settings that are closer to state power and social control must assume that therapy has the potential for malignancy, on the basis of the history of mental health and the state. Therefore, they require a conception of ethics that acknowledges the relationships of therapists and clients within a state apparatus. This article discusses the two types of ethics and stresses the need for ethics that are congruent with the locations in which therapists practice.

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study with 29 parents of children who have been in residential mental health care. It examines three main patterns identified by parents: (a) the importance of respite, (b) feeling welcomed and understood, and (c) improved personal and family functioning. It argues that benefits for parents and siblings of placed children deserve equal valuation with the needs of children in residential care and that the processes of achieving such gains are independent considerations from creating systems of care for troubled children or engaging family members in treatment plans for these children.