social work reflection examples

Social Work 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. Excellent article, Tarrell! Field Placement Disruptions: The CIA Approach, Social Work Field Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review of the Literature, Closing the Mental Health Treatment Gap Through Field Education: A Call to Action, Understanding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Work Field Placements: A Students Perspective. McCarthy, T. and Galvani, S. (2004) SCARS: A new model for social work with substance misusePractice, 16(2), 85-97. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! Reflection In your role, youll engage with stakeholders and organizations to manage strategy, advocate for positive change and maintain relationships. This is helpful in reconsidering an event, and determining whether something could have been done differently or better. BASW, 2014. This often means that residents have little consistency and no control over who they live with, resulting in an enforced togetherness that can lead to feelings of insecurity, anxiety and fear (Bengtsson-Tops, et al., 2014). Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice. Although JK had a lead key-worker at my agency who was a permanent member of staff, I was responsible for the majority of the key working sessions with JK during my time on this placement. 291-307. I want to be able to help people who need the help. Due to the limits of the current medium, I will be focusing mostly on reflection-on-action. Reflective Practice in Social Work, Exeter: Learning Matters. Fook, J., 2012. Factors that promote and hinder joint and integrated working between health and social care services, Working with Substance Misusers: A Guide to Theory and Practice. Examples Tannebaum, R. P., Hall, A. H. & Deaton, C. M., 2013. 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). Moss, B., 2017. Fair Society, Healthy Lives: Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England post 2010. Taking a postmodern perspective that conceptualises the body as the site of power relations (Foucalt, 1977) leads to an understanding that the body is fundamentally implicated in mechanisms of domination and control. (Tangenburg & Kemp, 2002). Personal Reflection Of Social Work I understand everything you experience is a teaching moment, good or bad. Reflections This aspect is known as the psycho part of the Biospycho-social Spiritual perspective. In this example of a critical reflective log, I will focus on the social work PCF domain 2: Values and Ethics I will also draw on other domains such as values and ethics, rights, justice and economic well-being, critical reflection and analysis, diversity and knowledge. Adrian is studying for an MA at Anglia Ruskin University and he was nominated by his lecturer Dr Wendy Coxshall. 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. Example of Critical Reflective Log | Values and Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. Knott, C. and Spafford, J. Macdonald, G. & Macdonald, K., 2010. An important part of reflection in social work is the application and consideration of theories in practice (Trevethick, 2012). 207-216. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Many interns and student workers across various disciplines find themselves struggling to be heard in their field placements. Risk assessments are an integral aspect of work with vulnerable people (Parry, 2013). Basingstoke: MacMillan Press Ltd. Payne, M., 2014. Reflection leads students to be curious about the human condition, and to challenge their existing assumptions. Within the workplace, after receiving negative comments from a supervisor, the social worker should take the time to carefully consider these comments. Self-reflection is an important part of figuring it out. & Beresford, P., 2000. Tober, G. and Raistrick, D. (2004) Organisation of Services Putting it all Together in T. Peterson and A. McBride (Eds.) Social work has traditionally been constructed as the professional knowing best, and continues to be practised in a way where the practitioner holds most of the power (Holmes and Saleeby, 1993). Boud, D., Keogh, R. &Walker, D. Department of Education, 2018. 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). Gibbs' Reflective Cycle more than 2 years ago. Maidenhead: SAGE. 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). hWO8WUiU Change). Ingram, R., 2013. The intersection of Alices gender, her adverse experiences both as a child and as an adult, her diagnosis of schizophrenia and the fact that she has experienced poverty for the entirety of her life has led to oppression and discrimination at multiple levels. In social work, reflection has strongly encouraged students and practitioners to increase awareness of the self in working with clients in practice. WebThere is something called reflection and it has value, but it also has limits, which need to be understood if we are to achieve a deeper appreciation of the complex nature of social work practice, the demands the work makes on practitioners and the implications for service users. The theory base of social work is essential to all the work that we do in practice (Teater, 2010). In this reflective essay, I have explored my practice setting in relation to a particular case study. 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). Challenging perspectives: Reflexivity as a critical approach to Social workers in England, London: HCPC. The social worker talked through the steps that needed to be taken by Alice and the support that she would need in order to achieve this goal, a process referred to as the amplification of personal agency (Parton & OByrne, 2000, p.60). [Online] Available at: www.parliament.uk/documents/fair-society-healthy-lives-full-report. October 2011 Why knowing your "subject" is so important. Identifying assumptions and binary thinking, regardless of how uncomfortable this may be for the practitioner, is crucial and demonstrates reflexivity (Fook, 2012, p.107). Reflection also allows social workers to link theory to practice. Tangenburg, K. M. & Kemp, S., 2002. This culminated in Alice being admitted to various psychiatric institutions in order to treat her schizophrenia and personality disorder. Jessica Eslinger, MSW However, it is essential that social workers do not become complacent in their personal reflection, and they cannot fall back on these types of guidance and procedures as a shield against engaging in reflection on complex ethical subjects (Banks, 2006). It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. K.4/=aT!Ji7bQJn2B Whilst there is not universal agreement (Ixer, 2016), the central importance of critical reflection to the profession of social work is widely accepted (Thompson, 2010, p. 183). There are several aspects of my being that I can affectively contribute to the social work profession. Many of us hide behind our shadows in fear that our input will be rejected or outright incorrect. Thank you! Healing Eucharist Mass | Teleradyo (30 April 2023) - Facebook 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. Opinions expressed on this site are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. The opportunity to work with Alice has provided much to reflect on and learn from. (1987) The Mentally Ill in Contemporary Society, Oxford: Blackwell. There are several reflective models such as Rolfe et al. 579-626. Tarrell Clark, BSW, is a May 2020 graduate of Stockton University and works with adults with developmental disabilities. 1st ed. 1st ed. Nerdrum, P., 1997. 43-52. 1st ed. Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. 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. The Learning Centre - UNSW, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International License, Identify weaknesses in your understanding, Gain a deeper understanding of course content. Arriving at an understanding of the multiple levels of oppression and discrimination that have shaped and distorted Alices life has not only heightened my awareness in this particular case but it has also changed the way I will approach practice situations in the future. London: SAGE. Supported housing for adults with psychiatric disabilities: How tenants confront the problem of loneliness. Group work assignment. It can help students to analyze and integrate past and current knowledge into their practice. Although I met his CPN and his drug worker, at no stage was a multi-agency meeting held that I was invited to. Critical Reflection to Identify Gaps between Espoused Theory and Theory-in-Use. Oppression and discrimination also takes place at a wider level. 541-553. Parker, J. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. The two-stage reflective model developed by Fook & Gardner (2007) seeks to examine power relations and structures of domination, which in turn intrinsically challenges oppressive and discriminatory thought processes and practice (Graham, 2017, p.49; Fook, 2012, p.47). 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). 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. The Munro Review of Child Protection, Final Report, A child-centerd system, London: The Stationary Office. 885-902. University of Kentucky, Values and Ethics The way in which students articulated their perceptions of values and ethics in the field indicated that this In Session A this allowed me to see how JKs addiction and mental health problems were also linked to issues with accommodation, physical health, relationships and employment. I will seek to examine and reflect on my interactions with Alice, primarily by applying a reflective model to a critical incident. I then realized that I was being challenged to do things outside of my comfort zone, and when underperformed, I would lose confidence. Example - Medium reflection Today I spent time with James (client) and his family on the ward. 1st ed. After a heavy session with a client who has experienced trauma, social workers should take time to reflect on their own feelings about the situation to ensure that they are working effectively and objectively with the client. Three themes are identified: (1) No time for reflection, (2) Fear of reflection, and (3) Too much reflection. Social Work Skills and Knowledge ; A Practice Handbook. For example, she can help the young clients keep guardianship over their children, continue to help administrations, soften the punishment for young convicts, or free them from imprisonment (Rivera-Ayala, 2021). This aspect of partnership practice was and is very pertinent in the relationship between Alice and her social worker. Trevithick, P. (2012) Social Work Skills: A Practice Handbook, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Critical reflection is also part of this framework, making up the entirety of domain 6. London: SAGE. .HLNq 2Avv%%% w T-?(b`n1 An example could be recognizing that an individual facing housing troubles has a strong support system of family and friends who can help. If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. Bengtsson-Tops, A., Ericsson, U. This essay was written by Adrian Bloxham and was the winning social work entry in this years Critical Writing Prize 2019. 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). Engaging in reflective writing will develop your understanding in many ways, including helping you to: You may want to mutethe music for this video. Communication in Social Work. & Burke, B., 2006. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Disability & Society, 17(5), pp. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman Limited. Whatever approach one takes, being critically reflective involves a number of key things (Brookfield, 1998), including: An analysis of our assumptions. 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. (2004) Dual Diagnosis in T. Peterson and A. McBride (Eds.) & Padgett, D., 2017. 63-72. After having many struggles in my field setting, I began to reflect more and more on myself and my performance. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.io. 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). Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods, Oxford: Oxford University Press. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. I was able to be more honest with my supervisor about what I thought of my work. 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. Alices deteriorating mental health led me to conclude that her social worker needed to be informed of the situation. Piat, M., Sabetti, J. An awareness of the social context, for us and for people who use services. In the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) in adult services, Newly Qualified Social Workers are expected to work on a portfolio which includes reflecting on their practice.Critical Reflection Log Part 1: Beginning the ASYEThis example of a critical reflective log is the first of four reflective logs required for the ASYE portfolio.Consider 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. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Reflection Challenging perspectives: Reflexivity as a critical approach to Savaya, R., Gardner, F. & Stange, D., 2011. An Exploratory Analysis of Unhealthy and Abusive Relationships for Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses Living in Supportive Housing. An example could be recognizing that an individual facing housing troubles has a strong support system of family and friends who can help. 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. Knowledge and skills for child and family practitioners, London: HMSO. Social Work Our regional engagement leads (who are registered social workers), shared their views on peer reflection. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 1(23), pp. Role of risk assessment in reducing homicides by people with mental illness. She played a client WebSocial workers need to be prepared to critically reflect on the theory that they are bringing to practice. 1174-1191. Leadership. Many of the people that we worked with had been subject to section 2 or 3 orders under the Mental Health Act 1983/2007, and were now experiencing aftercare under section 117. Parker (2010) has noted that reflection is not something that can be assessed based on traditional reductionist techniques. 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). I have printed out your article to reread so I can remind myself to self reflect. WebAccountable: [the] social worker shouldnt be scared to ask for guidance and support. Skills for Care, 2015. 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. Teater, B. JK is a man in his 50s who was born in Nigeria but moved to the UK at a young age. How social workers reflect in action I introduced the placement setting and the case study, and then looked at my experience of reflection within this setting. Reflection forms a central part of social work practice and education, and it is particularly important for social workers in placement settings or newly qualified social workers (Dcruz et al, 2007; Parker, 2010). 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). New York:Basic Books. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Am I doing the right thing? Theorizing Social Work Practice. Finally take a critical look at my practice, and suggest things that I could have done differently. However, I believe the key lesson that I take from my professional relationship with Alice is to try and show the same level of astonishing resilience and generosity of spirit that Alice has demonstrated throughout her life to the present day. As the initial phase of my placement progressed I became increasingly aware of Alices persistent and chronic low self-esteem and her tendency to depressive episodes. 15-25. In 2021-22, Social Work England changed their requirements for social workers CPD (Continuing Professional Development) following a public consultation. I am currently on placement in a Supported Housing Hostel for adults in Cambridgeshire. However, I do not recall being instructed or advised to use the two collaboratively. i9-i26. 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. (Brookfield, 1998, p. 197). This assignment is based on my work with one particular resident who I will refer to using the pseudonym Alice. However, I could have made more of an effort to engage with them, or at least discuss with JK how much consultation he would like me to have with those other workers. 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. Values and ethics are central to this framework, and comprise domain 2. Reflections A reliance on members of staff who are experienced as oppressive reinforces feelings of hopelessness, stigma, discrimination and disempowerment (Williams, et al., 2015). PCF domain 7: Intervention and Skills. Both of her parents committed suicide, she was raped and endured physically abusive relationships with two consecutive partners. The Student Work Reflection is a set of simple repeating questions to consider how they approach each task in school. Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook. 1st ed. Working with Substance Misusers: A Guide to Theory and Practice, London: Routledge. WebUnderstanding peer reflection and CPD. Looking for a flexible role? 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). 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. Jessica White, S. & Featherstone, B., 2005. Goss, J., 2011. 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). Social workers use of critical reflection Stephanie also advises young people to improve their situations and gives her professional consultations. Once I began doing more, I became more confident to speak up. British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43, pp. 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). Did I view her mood swings and depression as simply emanating from her diagnosis of schizophrenia? (2010) Effective Practice in Social Work, Exeter: Learning Matters. Healy, K. (2005) Social Work Theories in Context: Creating Frameworks for Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. 5-27. Reflection 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. Parrish, M., 2014. The difficulties Alice experienced at the hostel which culminated in such a troubled state of mind calls into question the place of adult safeguarding both within the organisation and in the wider context. There is a stigma attached to having a mental illness, and even when contact with services has ceased, that stigma usually persists (Miles, 2005). This is especially concerning when one considers that housing staff may be the only service that residents have contact with (Cass, 2015). Fook J. and Gardner F. (2007) Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook, Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. WebIn this webinar we explore reflective writing in social work, providing hints and tips. 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). So I stay in the background. To some extent this is an area that I found reflection lacking in. Cass, E., 2015. British Journal of Social Work, 30(1), pp. Developing and building self-awareness is important so you can recognise areas for improvement and identify your learning needs to make positive changes. It has to be noted that reflection is not always recognised as a self-evidently positive mechanism. The Learning Centre - UNSW. y~u <=ZVYIY8[Sr7RtK Foucault M. (1967) Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason, London: Tavistock. Reflection, and in particular critical reflective practice, forms a key part of this, as social workers are called on to reconsider and reconstruct the dominant social discourse. I found this to be the case at times, when I was expected to write my reflections at a certain time, and have reflective supervision in a certain way. Ixer (1999) recognises that focusing too much on assessing reflection can lead to a prescriptive approach to reflection that is uncompromising. Health Soc Care Community, Volume 26, pp. I have a career, not in social work, but I have an opportunity, at 47, to get free schooling. Biosemiotics, 4(3), pp. Thompson, N. (2009) Practicing Social Work: Meeting the Professional Challenge, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. The reflector makes sense of what has been learnt from the experience and what future action might need to take place. Others time? 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. Lightening: What came as a surprise? 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). Critically reflective practice. As a social worker, I hope to have a profession that involves helping children; being a school guidance counselor, a therapist, or possibly even being a social worker in the pediatric ward of a hospital. Holmes, G. and Saleeby, D. (1993) Empowerment, the Medical Model and the Politics of Clienthood, Journal of Progressive Human Services, 4(1), 61-78.
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