Leadership. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman Limited. This is helpful in reconsidering an event, and determining whether something could have been done differently or better. 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). Communicating misunderstandings: Multi agency work as social practice. I will seek to examine and reflect on my interactions with Alice, primarily by applying a reflective model to a critical incident. 5-27. Effective Approaches to Risk Assessment in Social Work: An International Literature Review. A closer critical analysis of the factors and experiences that have shaped Alices life expose the fundamental flaws and prejudices in my misplaced assumptions. S$QFOH5{H_>\*_PCM i{xRO+ba.u_ ? endstream endobj 148 0 obj <>stream Please try again. Suter et al (2009) have found that a willingness to communicate is a key characteristic needed for effective collaboration, and after the other professionals were not active in engaging with me, I lost this willingness, potentially to the detriment of my work with JK. Referrals to the agency could come from social services, GP surgeries, and other not-for-profit organisations. Finally, I used this reflection to look at things that I could have done differently, including a decreased focus on theory and engaging more with other services. i9-i26. 175-188. 721 Words3 Pages. 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. JK had clearly been the subject of this stigma throughout his life. Social work will be a good fit for me as a helping profession because I believe I have a passion for seeing and helping people improve. The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions. Thank you for sharing! 207-216. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. KW\Q>RMFV! This article aims to demonstrate being reflexive and doing reflexivity through reflection where, within the research, for example, the first author addressed the difference between meanings of research participants perceptions of their experiences and her own interpretations of the meanings. The issues that social workers are engaged with, and that I have discussed here, do not only reflect the concerns of the service user, but are a reflection of the issues that are inherent in wider society (Davis, 2007). McCarthy, T. and Galvani, S. (2004) SCARS: A new model for social work with substance misusePractice, 16(2), 85-97. Adopting this process has helped me to identify possible assumptions that I suspect I may have held. Finally take a critical look at my practice, and suggest things that I could have done differently. Skills for Care, 2015. 3rd ed. Thanks for writing this article. 145-154. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods, Oxford: Oxford University Press. The first stage of the reflective model is designed to question the underlying structural and social assumptions of the practitioner and analyse how and why feelings of discomfort and concern have been generated (Fook & Gardner, 2007, p.92). 553-573. Reflection was particularly important when making the transition from university learning to the learning experienced in a placement setting. (1993) How we Think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the education process, Boston: Health Publishing. The assessment stage typically involves: Collecting, organizing, and interpreting data. Lishman, J., 2009. Graham, M. J., 2017. I have, therefore, chosen to discuss one such case, where I engaged in substantial reflection. Can Poverty Drive You Mad? The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding. [Online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/411957/KSS.pdf. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. hVmO0+^%] !v6-D%R_P6s6tHh{9'JJ"Di"U@T0.90|aI9auxiA8hp:: \Ih%T1*r|5M^-S/;q-?xg!Y^4r;Na#:yJWkrN7|O_b/\?QeN-W<>W\ Developing and building self-awareness is important so you can recognise areas for improvement and identify your learning needs to make positive changes. & Herrman, H., 2012. British Journal of Social Work, 30(1), pp. (2010) Getting Started in C. Knott and T. Scragg (eds.) Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. It asks the student to consider: How could I improve? WebSocial workers often need their own psychiatrist first, in order to be the most efficient in their practice. Care and Support Statutory Guidance. 146 0 obj <>stream Reflection leads students to be curious about the human condition, and to challenge their existing assumptions. {^X@|%JcN" &3g8KY9p+a6D1 sJ,hp( FYjF Oj,+*[ZA9X"82I0N$#Re7+TNQxsn$;Kb^ x7677i7)UnS\KHNrd?H{n'_{n)>:;d-(nG$$,z>/`J|RyKg:3PxoI3znYqok\\^_[5GE6N.Ig9iE^>BQ^Z*,q[X&?N;|(q0]K$B:3ObE2X1=dO'. During the course of this exchange Alice disclosed to me that she felt trapped, bullied by a member of staff and other residents, and that she was feeling utterly powerless with no hope of moving on from the hostel. My initial observations and impressions of the hostel were largely defined by the levels of socio-economic deprivation that dominate many of the residents lives. Adrian is studying for an MA at Anglia Ruskin University and he was nominated by his lecturer Dr Wendy Coxshall. It has been noted that the theory base of social work is dominated by euro-centric discourse, meaning that certain paradigms or perspectives may be excluded unintentionally (Trevethick, 2012). He was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, and dealt with significant anxiety and depression. Tober, G. and Raistrick, D. (2004) Organisation of Services Putting it all Together in T. Peterson and A. McBride (Eds.) The historically oppressive nature of mental health services is widely recognised in literature (Szasz, 1961; Foucault, 1967), and JK expressed to me at times that he felt that he was not listened to by medical professionals, and just moved from service to service having things done to him, rather than with him. Inequalities in Child Welfare: Towards a New Policy, Research and Action Agenda. It is essential that social workers have the confidence to question their own practice, the organisation that they work in, and dominant power structures in society at large (Fook, 1999). 43-52. Parton, N. & OByrne, P., 2000. Stephen Brookfield, a health educator, says: Critically reflective practitioners constantly research [their] assumptions by seeing practice through four complementary lenses; these lenses are: the lens of their own autobiographies, the lens of learners eyes, the lens of colleagues perceptions and the lens of theoretical, philosophical, and research literature. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. Biosemiotics, 4(3), pp. hWO8WUiU 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: Teater, B. Friedli, L., 2009. The diversity of roles within Alices network highlights the danger that various professions and agencies may assign different levels of priority or even conceptualisations to the arising issues (Hudson, 2015). Communication Skills in Health and Social Care. Applying the Strengths Perspective to Your Self-Reflection. British Journal of Psychiatry, 176(2), pp. Dewey (1993) recognised the importance of discovering new information in reflection. 3rd ed. %PDF-1.6 % Social Work: a forgotten piece of the integration jigsaw?. Critically reflective practice. Oppression and discrimination also takes place at a wider level. & Burke, B., 2006. She played a client What am I still working on? Hall, C. & Slembrouck, S., 2009. Poetics in Schizophrenic Language: Speech, Gesture and Biosemiotics. An Exploratory Analysis of Unhealthy and Abusive Relationships for Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses Living in Supportive Housing. Change). Although I met his CPN and his drug worker, at no stage was a multi-agency meeting held that I was invited to. Boud and Knight (1996) equally describe how reflection has come to be seen as self-evidently worthwhile without significant critique (p.32). I noted this in my journal and tried to think, to be self-aware and to question as a first step towards reflecting on practice (Rutter & Brown, 2012, p. 30). WebIn this webinar we explore reflective writing in social work, providing hints and tips. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Keeping a reflective diary of critical issues and my own thought process encouraged me to construct my understanding of the work I was doing, and justify what actions I had taken (White, 2001). I learnt that Alice had endured severe and multiple adverse childhood experiences. 6-23. 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. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. People diagnosed with schizophrenia are often stigmatized by a discourse of otherness which portrays people with mental health challenges as a problem who must be controlled by bio-medical, biogenetic models (Beresford & Wilson, 2002). Anti-Oppressive Practice Social Care and the Law. University of Kentucky, Both of her parents committed suicide, she was raped and endured physically abusive relationships with two consecutive partners. Opinions expressed on this site are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Please contact the publisher for permission to reproduce or reprint any materials on this site. Revisiting the assumptions that I outlined above has helped me to explore how I experienced the initial incident. reflective model, Gibbs reflective cycle and Kolb reflective model. (2004) Dual Diagnosis in T. Peterson and A. McBride (Eds.) 1st ed. Contemporary Social Work Practice. `pIs3o+& &;`KAarYP/B%,{gZQ"_nt~u\X]Jet{=s(hglWN_. It has been noted that the theory base of social work is dominated by euro-centric discourse, meaning that certain paradigms or perspectives may be excluded unintentionally (Trevethick, 2012). Am I doing the right thing? Schon advocated 2 types of reflective practice. Yip, K. (2006)Self-reflection in reflective practice: A note of caution British Journal of Social Work, 36(5), 777-788. Tannebaum, R. P., Hall, A. H. & Deaton, C. M., 2013. Reflection also allows social workers to link theory to practice. Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook. Although I engage with and explored multiple models of reflection during my placement, the model of reflection that I found most useful was Schons theory of reflection (Schon, 1983; 2002). Supported housing is often regarded as a positive environment that promotes recovery-oriented practice (Harvey, et al., 2012), but it can also be experienced as an oppressive and hostile setting where staff are at best indifferent to the needs of service users or can actively act as the oppressor (Bengtsson-Tops, et al., 2014). Self-reflection is an important part of figuring it out. Jessica The role of housing in adult safeguarding. This type of difficulty and uncertainty around reflection is common in placement settings and when starting a new role (Knott and Spafford, 2010). Ruch, G. (2002) From triangle to spiral: reflective practice in social work education, practice and research, Social Work Education, 21(2), 199-216. Below are brief outlines of four of the most popular models arranged from easy to more advanced (tip: you can select any of the images to make them larger and easier to read). Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Department of Health, 2014. This relationship-based work (Woodcock Ross, 2011) with Alice highlights the importance of partnership working and emphasises the need to avoid top-down structural models (Hudson, 2015, p.102). Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. 987-1004. This involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. 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 Maidenhead: Open University. Supporting Lifelong Learning: Perspectives on Learning. 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). Journal of Integrated Care, 23(2), pp. Whatever approach one takes, being critically reflective involves a number of key things (Brookfield, 1998), including: An analysis of our assumptions. Moss, B., 2017. 1st ed. Social workers must have leadership skills to help promote social change. Risk management can be seen as a continuum (Nolan & Quinn, 2012), so whilst service user vulnerabilities must be taken into account when assessing risks there is also a balance to be struck. Department of Health, 2015. hP0Pw/+Q0L)4 Of particular importance when working with service users who have a dual diagnosis was systems theory, and I found this theory to be particularly important when reflecting on Session A. Healy (2005) has recognised that systems theory have been highly influential on the knowledge base of social work. The case study will explore core social work tenets including relevant knowledge and skills, critical reflection, processes of oppression and discrimination, communication and partnership working. My placement was based at a not for profit mental health agency, where we provided psycho-social support for people who have experienced mental health difficulties. London: SAGE. Communication in Social Work. Did my upbringing, that instilled and encouraged a deference to authority and professional figures, blunt my critical faculties in relation to the care and support offered by individual staff members? Reprinting & reuse, The Field Educator is published by the Simmons University School of Social Work. WebReflection involves thinking about what needs to be changed to improve future outcomes. 409-418. Macdonald, G. & Macdonald, K., 2010. 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). Am I going to be any good at this? Holmes, G. and Saleeby, D. (1993) Empowerment, the Medical Model and the Politics of Clienthood, Journal of Progressive Human Services, 4(1), 61-78. Communication can be seen as a process whereby information passes from one person to another and is understood by them. (White & Featherstone, 2005, p. 214). Banks, S. (2006) Ethics and Values in Social Work, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. I exceeded the expectations of my supervisor, and she began assigning me more tasks. October 2011 New York:Basic Books. Thank you! I want to be able to help people who need the help. The figure below shows that the reflective thinking process starts with you. Firstly, I now believe that I saw and understood the situation in simplistic, binary terms. Read, J., 2010. (Brookfield, 1998, p. 197). There are several aspects of my being that I can affectively contribute to the social work profession. Before you can begin to assess the words and ideas of others, you need to pause and identify and examine your own thoughts. Jessica Eslinger, MSW 1st ed. The Development of Reflective Practice in American Education. Trevithick, P. (2012) Social Work Skills: A Practice Handbook, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Social workers are provided with some guidance in practice to support this process. As noted above, people experiencing problems with addiction tend to have other issues in other areas of their lives (Tober and Raistrick, 2004).I was able incorporate specific applications of systems theory for the service user group I was working throughout my placement, and in particular with JK. Towards a Biopsychosociopolitical Frame for Recovery in the Context of Mental Illness. I now recognise the ensuing conversation as a critical incident that changed my learning and the way that I thought about the staff and my placement setting. Savaya, R., Gardner, F. & Stange, D., 2011. This is especially concerning when one considers that housing staff may be the only service that residents have contact with (Cass, 2015). For this example reflective log, I will use Gibbs reflective piece to unpick the learning gained. The very nature of this type of accommodation means that the population is transient. Beresford, P. & Wilson, A., 2002. Joe Farrell Doctoral Student We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.io. 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). This is an example of a reflective log to help you think about your own reflective writing. Goss, J., 2011. Example of 'Feelings'. Collingwood, P., Emond, R. and Woodward, R. (2008) The theory circle: A tool for learning and for practice Social Work Education, 27(1), 70-83. Bywaters, P., 2015. Tew, J. (LogOut/ I have printed out your article to reread so I can remind myself to self reflect. London: SAGE. WebSocial workers critically reflect on their practice, use analysis, apply professional judgement and reasoned discernment. 63-72. Miles, A. Alice showed me a scar on her right wrist and stated that she had tried to commit suicide in the past and was now experiencing suicidal ideation once again. An effective way to protect clients and practitioners alike is to avoid any suggestion that the ethical issue is Dedicated to your worth and value as a human being! Alice has been exploited by fellow residents who target her on the days when she receives benefits, this form of oppression takes place at a personal level and is often experienced by adults with serious mental illnesses in the forced intimacy of supportive housing. (Forenza & Bermea, 2017). Tew (2005) believes if mental health services were more receptive to the social model of looking at mental distress, then significant amounts of this stigma and the resultant oppression would be removed. Genes Spell Danger: Mental health service users/ survivors, bioethics and control. I would meet JK in a location of his choosing. 1205-1223. h27U0Pw/ 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. This does not apply to images, third party material (seek permission from the original owner) or any logos or insignia belonging to JCU or other bodies, which remain All Rights Reserved. 9-18. Atkins, S. and Murphy, K. (1994) Reflective Practice, Nursing Standard8(39) 49-56. Furthermore, a social worker uses self-reflection to analyze personal and emotional feelings about a case or situation. Although these moments appeared to be traumatic for Alice she said on many occasions that she wanted to speak about her past. Typical triggers include poverty, adverse childhood experiences, rape and physical or psychological violence (Read, 2010; Burns, et al., 2014). Values and ethics are central to this framework, and comprise domain 2. 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. British Journal of Social Work, 47(1), pp. An awareness of the social context, for us and for people who use services. Adult safeguarding and the role of housing. This article aims to demonstrate being reflexive and doing reflexivity through reflection where, within the research, for example, the first author addressed the difference between meanings of research participants perceptions of their experiences and her own interpretations of the meanings. Throughout field education, Brookfields guidelines can encourage the reflective process. As I began to work with Alice it became increasingly clear to me that she had experienced discrimination and oppression throughout her life. Brookfields areas of reflection can be adapted for social workers and implemented in several areas of field education. What qualifies as a critical incident is not rigidly defined but the event should be important or significant in some way to the practitioner and should offer the opportunity for professional learning (Fook & Gardner, 2007, p. 77). This type of critical reflection should be ongoing for social workers in practice, and to some extent it would be difficult to work in a complex setting like I was without being reflective. To some extent, this was the fault of the other professionals, who did not consult me on the work they were doing with JK, and literature has noted that collaboration is particularly difficult when working with dual diagnosis service users, as mental health and addiction services can disagree over the correct course, or who should take the lead (Clement et al, 1993; Champney-Smith, 2004).