social work reflection examples social work reflection examples

The Learning Centre - UNSW. [Online] Available at: www.parliament.uk/documents/fair-society-healthy-lives-full-report. Before we came together and realised we still had a lot of work to do, I was quite happy and thought we had been smart when we divided the work between us. (2010) An Introduction to Applying Social Work Theories and Methods, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Maidenhead: Open University Press. 191-198. Teater, B., 2014. Reducing the gender pay gap: Could more women in STEM be theanswer? more than 2 years ago. Stressful Encounters with Social Work Clients: A Descriptive Account Based on Critical Incidents. %PDF-1.6 % British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43, pp. I think that is [an] important [value]. Role of risk assessment in reducing homicides by people with mental illness. DCruz, H., Gillingham, P. and Melendez, S. (2007) Reflexivity, its meanings and relevance for social work: A critical review of the literature British Journal of Social Work, 37, 73-90. 55K views, 2.4K likes, 2.7K loves, 2.5K comments, 240 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from ABS-CBN News: Healing Eucharist Mass | Teleradyo (30 April 2023) The number of professions and agencies involved with this single client illustrates the multiple points of contact and potential challenges that operating in this contemporary inter-agency environment presents. Cambridge: Polity Press. Thompson, N. (2009) Practicing Social Work: Meeting the Professional Challenge, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Social Work, 47(1), pp. I am going back to school for Social Work. Sarangi, S. & Slembrouck, S., 1996. Working with Substance Misusers: A Guide to Theory and Practice, London: Routledge. For example, I utilize my time effectively. Laird, S., 2011. Alices deteriorating mental health led me to conclude that her social worker needed to be informed of the situation. Whatever approach one takes, being critically reflective involves a number of key things (Brookfield, 1998), including: An analysis of our assumptions. The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions. Parton, N. & OByrne, P., 2000. Critical Thinking and Professional Judgment for Social Work. Fook, J. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. Moss, B., 2017. WebUnderstanding peer reflection and CPD. WebSocial workers need to be prepared to critically reflect on the theory that they are bringing to practice. Often I lose confidence in what I am doing. Lam, C. M., Wong, H. & Leung, T. T. F., 2007. Tew (2005) noted that the in the social model of mental distress, core values required include looking at the person and their situation holistically, removing the us and them thinking that tends to dominate mental health services, listening to what people really have to say, and being committed to anti-oppressive practice. This rather simple statement camouflages the multi-layered nature of the exchange which involves an array of subjective attitudes and feelings which are projected onto the communicated information both from the perspective of sender and receiver (Sarangi & Slembrouck, 1996). JK clearly appreciated my anti-oppressive approach, where I tried to work with him in partnership, and he was always keen to know when we would meet next. The physical scars on Alices body as a result of these experiences can be understood from a postmodern perspective as embodied manifestations of power and oppression (Tangenburg & Kemp, 2002). Trevithick, P., 2012. I know what I need to do, but doing it regularly is tough. Luckily there are many models which you can use to guide your reflection. Poetics in Schizophrenic Language: Speech, Gesture and Biosemiotics. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Living in supportive housing for people with serious mental illness: A paradoxical everyday life. I will then explore my experience of reflection, and how reflective practice supported me to apply theory to practice. Fook, J. Macmillan.Parker, J. British Journal of Social Work, 28(1), pp. The asymmetry between the social worker and service user emphasises the need for the practitioner to be cognizant of the inherent power imbalance in the relationship (Leung, 2011). Firstly, reflection-on-action, which involves reflecting on an experience that you have already had, or an action that you have already taken, and considering what could have been done differently, as well as looking at the positives from that interaction. Study for free with our range of university lectures! The whole thrust of the conversations, whilst acknowledging the trauma of the past and the difficulties of the present, were very much focused on the aim of Alice moving-on in both a literal and metaphorical sense. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. For example, part of an encounter with a client/service user that you were involved with; a meeting you were part of as a participant or observer; an activity you were part of for example a group activity or assisting a client in Brookfield, S. (1998). Content from this Guide should be attributed to James Cook University Library. Rain: What didnt go well? The Analysis & Discussion are the sections where we would typically find critical reflection and evaluation linked to theoretical frameworks or policies. Firstly, I now believe that I saw and understood the situation in simplistic, binary terms. Did I view her mood swings and depression as simply emanating from her diagnosis of schizophrenia? Communication Skills in Health and Social Care. Many interns and student workers across various disciplines find themselves struggling to be heard in their field placements. Learn more , 2023 Field Educator | Simmons School of Social Work, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115 | T: 617.521.3970 | F: 617.521.3980 | [emailprotected], The Field Educator: A Scholarly Journal from the Simmons University School of Social Work, $1000 Prize for Excellence in Field Education Research, Experiential Learning in Preparation for Field Placement, Inauguration of Simmons School of Social Work Trauma Training Project, MSW Student Field Readiness: Boot Camp, Students and Field Instructors in Ongoing Supervision Groups, The Reflecting Team in Supervision of Social Work Interns. However, a judgment will ultimately need to be made as to whether the rights and needs of a vulnerable service user are best served by advocating for Alices wishes or actively encouraging another course of action that is safer for Alice (Kemshall, et al., 2013). International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 1(23), pp. Dedicated to your worth and value as a human being! These service users particularly challenged me, as I found their intersecting issues usually stretch well beyond their dual diagnosis, to other areas like housing or physical health. 7-19. a{Yk@p}r5h|yiPV8Gzc 4g@&S*/NNVw1{@F:db{1iQl9b:iA::~tTUkKGR?# !)oSb=\wI/#%tAJ Social Work: A Critical Approach to Practice. This week I met with a social worker at Cherry Health which is located a few blocks from Heart of the City. Cass, E., 2015. Before you can begin to assess the words and ideas of others, you need to pause and identify and examine your own thoughts. Support from colleagues and supervisors was also invaluable in this process (Ruch, 2002). Change). )Is L@LL X.V? U? 207-216. When we realised we couldnt hand in the assignment like it was, I got quite frustrated. 43-52. The Practice Competency Framework (PCF) domains provide some direction about what areas social workers are expected to emphasise in practice, and what needs to be evidenced in order to successfully complete a placement. Even where social work is undertaken with the best of intentions, for example in anti-oppressive practice, there is a danger that the voice and knowledge of the service user is lost by the intervention of the expert practitioner (Wilson & Beresford, 2000). 1st ed. WebAccountable: [the] social worker shouldnt be scared to ask for guidance and support. The other type of reflection Schon notes is reflection-in-action, or reflecting on your actions as you are doing them, and considering issues like best practice throughout the process. Care and Support Statutory Guidance. Schn, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner, New York: Basic Books. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! Boud, D., Keogh, R. &Walker, D. Example of 'Feelings'. Although I met his CPN and his drug worker, at no stage was a multi-agency meeting held that I was invited to. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods, Oxford: Oxford University Press. I was able to address issues that I saw and to offer interventions. Through active engagement with reflection, I was able to work with JK using an eclectic theory and knowledge base, but was also careful to note if JK was not comfortable with some aspects of my approach, and adjusted the approach accordingly. Applying the Strengths Perspective to Your Self-Reflection. Alice wishes to live independently and this is the preferred option for the social worker. British Journal of Social Work, 45(1), pp. Leung, T., 2011. 1st ed. Avoiding the traps: Seeking good practice in the use of self assessment and reflection in professional courses. The implementation of The Care Act 2014 introduced new responsibilities and statutory duties on local authorities and partner agencies with an emphasis on moving away from process-driven practice (Cass, 2015). In its simplest terms, reflection provides us with an opportunity to review our decisions and decision-making processes however, in practice, reflection is a far more complex concept (Trevethick, 2005: 251). However, it soon became clear to me that the fast-paced working environment, where at times paperwork was promoted over practice, meant that reflection could potentially be ignored in favour of bureaucracy and targets (DCruz et al, 2007). 63-72. An Unfinished Reflexive Journey: Social Work Students Reflection on their Placement Experiences. This involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and acknowledge Traditional Owners of the lands where our staff and students, live, learn and work. When I worked with him, he lived in a housing project that was specifically meant to house ex-offenders. WebI feel I have improved my skill of communication and the power of talk which is an important aspect of social work and to develop my practice and knowledge further during my first year as a qualified social worker I would like to attend training in relation to working with involuntary clients including researching further how to engage service Social Work: National Association of Social Workers, 56(1), pp. Yet risks remain, in essence, unpredictable phenomena that defy reliably accurate outcomes (Munro & Rumgay, 2000). Essential Guides for Early Career Teachers: Teaching Early Years and ProfessionalBehaviours, Observations and Reflections on my First Year Placement, Personal Value System vs Professional Value System, Understanding Roles and Responsibilities in Education and Training, Actually trying to "observe" children- the third free extract. Task: The Assessment Process 51-55. Findings. From a postmodern perspective, practitioners should not seek to totally eliminate risk by a scientized, calculated approach because this is doomed to failure (Parton, 1998, p. 23). Lightening: What came as a surprise? 291-307. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Am I going to be any good at this? Read, J., 2010. I will seek to examine and reflect on my interactions with Alice, primarily by applying a reflective model to a critical incident. The background to this case study, and my involvement with him, will now be discussed. JK is a man in his 50s who was born in Nigeria but moved to the UK at a young age. Parrish, M., 2014. This type of difficulty and uncertainty around reflection is common in placement settings and when starting a new role (Knott and Spafford, 2010). In 2021-22, Social Work England changed their requirements for social workers CPD (Continuing Professional Development) following a public consultation. `pIs3o+& &;`KAarYP/B%,{gZQ"_nt~u\X]Jet{=s(hglWN_. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 39(2), pp. British Journal of Social Work, 40(1), pp. Social Work Skills and Knowledge ; A Practice Handbook. Reflection on Group Activities Reflection is equally important in group tasks as in individual tasks. Your autobiography as a learner . What am I still working on? However, I do not recall being instructed or advised to use the two collaboratively. Boud, D. (1999). Thanks for writing this article. The importance of iatrogenic health, the process whereby possibilities and opportunities are acknowledged and explored, is part of a constructive narrative approach founded on a postmodern perspective (Parton & OByrne, 2000). Social Work Field in the Time of Corona: Moving Forward Professionally From the Unexpected, A Common Experience: MSW Interns and the Fear of Treating Trauma. hP0Pw/+Q0L)4 Client Participation in Managing Social Work Service-An Unfinished Quest. How can professionals support children and young peoples mentalhealth? Forenza, B. Tangenburg, K. M. & Kemp, S., 2002. That is to say, communication is not neutral and does not necessarily have a universal meaning to each element of the agency or profession (Hall & Slembrouck, 2009). The very nature of this type of accommodation means that the population is transient. I want to be able to help people who need the help. Boud (1999) describes how reflection can shape a reflective journal in a field seminar. It would also be remiss to discount the influence of gender and class on the assumptions I may have held. More time could have been spent on listening to JK and his perspective, rather than trying to fit him into a theory or model for the sake of evidencing my own case notes or reflective journals. Developing and building self-awareness is important so you can recognise areas for improvement and identify your learning needs to make positive changes. 679-687. Williams, C. C., Almeida, M. & Knyahnytska, Y., 2015. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 541-553. Mental Health, Resilience and Inequalities, Copenhagen: World Health Organisation. Reflection: Turning experience into learning. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. Munro, E. & Rumgay, J., 2000. For this example reflective log, I will use Gibbs reflective piece to unpick the learning gained. Risk, Advanced Liberalism and Child Welfare: The Need to Rediscover Uncertainty and Ambiguity. Often Alice would experience what appeared to be moments of psychosis during which she seemed to be transported back in time to a particularly traumatic event which resulted in repetitive phrases and sentences being used to describe what had happened. This means that each communication is potentially categorised differently and therefore there is a danger that co-agencies conceive of a given situation in completely different ways (Hall & Slembrouck, 2009). 1st ed. Please try again. He was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, and dealt with significant anxiety and depression. WebSocial workers often need their own psychiatrist first, in order to be the most efficient in their practice. Supported housing for adults with psychiatric disabilities: How tenants confront the problem of loneliness. i9-i26. If you are not used to being reflective it can be hard to know where to start the process. Kemshall, H., Wilkinson, B. (2010) Effective Practice in Social Work, Exeter: Learning Matters. Modern Social Work Theory. There is a stigma attached to having a mental illness, and even when contact with services has ceased, that stigma usually persists (Miles, 2005). Critically reflective practice. By this point, I was able to reflect on my performance, address the negative concerns that needed to be worked on, and highlight my positive attributes and moving toward them. Gibbs Model of Reflection (1988) and Atkin and Murphys Model of Reflection (1994) both promote a cyclical approach to reflection, whereby reflection is ongoing and not a linear process. This is why it is important for social workers to listen to the perspectives of the people with whom they work, and be willing to accept different paradigms than their own or the dominant paradigm (Milner and OByrne, 2002). I have printed out your article to reread so I can remind myself to self reflect. If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. Critical reflection is also part of this framework, making up the entirety of domain 6. Lishman, J., 2009. 840-850. An awareness of the social context, for us and for people who use services. 409-418. (2005) Social Perspectives in Mental Health London: Kingsley. When I met with the social worker we did a role playing exercise. The increasing influence of post-modern theory, which does not promote one paradigm over another, but focuses on the subjective nature of truth, has helped to alleviate these issues in social work to some extent (Fook, 2012). Basingstoke: MacMillan Press Ltd. Payne, M., 2014. Thank you! Anti-Oppressive Practice Social Care and the Law. 1st ed. The worker expressed a great deal of frustration at the lack of inter-agency communication, written or otherwise, and a failure to disclose key pieces of information. In this reflective essay, I have explored my practice setting in relation to a particular case study. It asks the student to consider: How could I improve? WebSP620 The Social Psychology of the Individual Exam 2013, Questions, Final Gibbs Reflective Report Formulae - Formula Drug-List - A list of all drugs required for the exam including they receptors, action, Effect of Potassium Bisulphite as a Food Preservative Unit 7 Human Nutrition and the Digestive System Presentation Notes Cell bio report My work with Alice has taught me many things, most notably the impact of personal and structural processes of oppression and discrimination. Developing a Health Inequalities Approach for Mental Health Social Work. 3rd ed. Knowledge and Skills Statement for Social Workers in Adult Services. What am I most proud of? Am I doing the right thing? JK also had a substantial history of criminal activity, which he said became necessary in order to maintain his addiction to certain illicit drugs. Journal of Integrated Care, 23(2), pp. Example - Medium reflection Today I spent time with James (client) and his family on the ward. An example could be recognizing that an individual facing housing troubles has a strong support system of family and friends who can help. Marmot, M., 2010. This aspect is known as the psycho part of the Biospycho-social Spiritual perspective. Maidenhead: Open University Press. He received depot injections monthly for his mental health difficulties, and he found these instances particularly distressing. An example could be recognizing that an individual facing housing troubles has a strong support system of family and friends who can help. Doctoral Student 1st ed. Schn, D., 1987. British Journal of Psychiatry, 176(2), pp. London: SAGE. I noted the way that Alices social worker handled difficult or emotionally salient passages during interviews (Goss, 2011), particularly the use of silence and the importance of being patient rather than asking superfluous questions to fill uncomfortable pauses (Trevithick, 2012). 55K views, 2.4K likes, 2.7K loves, 2.5K comments, 240 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from ABS-CBN News: Healing Eucharist Mass | Teleradyo (30 April 2023) Fook, J., 2012. Abingdon: Routledge. & Ehliasson, K., 2014. Szasz, T. (1961) The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct, London: Harper and Row. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. As I began to work with Alice it became increasingly clear to me that she had experienced discrimination and oppression throughout her life. Adopting this process has helped me to identify possible assumptions that I suspect I may have held. As will become apparent, forms of oppression and discrimination are a vital aspect of Alices narrative, and for this reason I propose to apply Fook & Gardners (2007) model to my critical incident and the subject of my case study. Knowledge and skills for child and family practitioners, London: HMSO. Reflective: Knowing when to say sorry and learning from your mistakes Motivated to care for them: [to] navigate difficult paths [in my life] and make time for me. Points and Questions to aid critical reflection: Healing Eucharist Mass | Teleradyo (30 April 2023) - Facebook As a plethora of Serious Case Reviews illustrate, clarity of inter-professional and interagency communication is vital for safe practice (Moss, 2017; Hall & Slembrouck, 2009; Flynn, 2010). WebSocial workers critically reflect on their practice, use analysis, apply professional judgement and reasoned discernment. Working with Substance Misusers: A Guide to Theory and Practice, London: Routledge. The Journal of Adult Protection, 15(1), pp. Self-reflection is a vital part of evaluation of services and abilities. I am currently on placement in a Supported Housing Hostel for adults in Cambridgeshire. *You can also browse our support articles here >. In this essay I will explore my experience of reflection during my practice placement, and in particular in relation to a specific case study. The Code of Ethics for Social Work, Birmingham: BASW. Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice. Healy, K. (2005) Social Work Theories in Context: Creating Frameworks for Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. At the time of my critical incident Alice was failing to attend to personal hygiene on a regular basis, frequently appeared to be experiencing low mood and would often break down in tears even when engaging in mundane, everyday conversation. You have subscribed successfully. Reflection also allows social workers to link theory to practice. It has been recognised in literature around theory in practice that overly focusing on theory when working with service users can actually hinder the work being done, as the service user can feel depersonalised (Parker, 2010).