Reflection Specific guidelines are useful for field educators in encouraging student reflection. My work with Alice has taught me many things, most notably the impact of personal and structural processes of oppression and discrimination. Throughout field education, Brookfields guidelines can encourage the reflective process. 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). The power dynamics are slightly different in a non-statutory setting like I was working in. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. 191-198. Professional Categorization, Risk Management and InterAgency Communication in Public Inquiries into Disastrous Outcomes. WebEssay Writing Service. 291-307. My inexperience, the fact that Alice has a diagnosis of schizophrenia and the gravity of what she was saying all contributed to a feeling of unease. Social Work, 57(2), pp. I observed the patience and empathy that Alices social worker demonstrated during the interview process. (LogOut/ 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. Please try again. Firstly, I now believe that I saw and understood the situation in simplistic, binary terms. 241-259. 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. Your subscription could not be saved. 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. WebIn this webinar we explore reflective writing in social work, providing hints and tips. Foucault M. (1967) Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason, London: Tavistock. 1st ed. fTTF*nw^ulVK`493t75AL1[YMTc!A2{2ILk'MX@M~?6K^aFd%YBA k%;VD)\!Rm/WL}(ajSVCisO(?2GX#9jVF_Yh. London: SAGE. Jessica 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). This is an example of a reflective log to help you think about your own reflective writing. Example - Medium reflection Today I spent time with James (client) and his family on the ward. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. When we realised we couldnt hand in the assignment like it was, I got quite frustrated. Social Work Leadership. Being from Nigeria originally, and coming from a different cultural background than myself, meant that I had to be particularly careful in applying theory to the work that I did with JK.However, it is also clear that practice cannot just be based on routine or habit, with no basis in evidence (Thompson, 2009). Peer reflection encourages me to develop my reflection skills. The new legislation was adopted into Company policy, statutory guidance makes it clear that there is an onus on employers to ensure that staff working in a housing environment are adequately trained in recognising signs of abuse or neglect, which includes self-neglect under the terms of The Care Act 2014 (Department of Health, 2014). Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Disability & Society, 17(5), pp. How can professionals support children and young peoples mentalhealth? Dalrymple, J. 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. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 1(23), pp. London: SAGE. It asks the student to consider: How could I improve? 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) Alice wishes to live independently and this is the preferred option for the social worker. & Gardner, F., 2007. The assessment stage typically involves: Collecting, organizing, and interpreting data. I was able to be more honest with my supervisor about what I thought of my work. Risk assessments are an integral aspect of work with vulnerable people (Parry, 2013). jK(H&adMl fo@Q~rpjI~~HjEI@ (+ endstream endobj 149 0 obj <>stream Community Mental Health , Volume 53, pp. %PDF-1.6 % Self-reflection is a vital part of evaluation of services and abilities. Social Work: A Critical Approach to Practice, Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook. 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). Why knowing your "subject" is so important. Yip, K. (2006)Self-reflection in reflective practice: A note of caution British Journal of Social Work, 36(5), 777-788. McCarthy, T. and Galvani, S. (2004) SCARS: A new model for social work with substance misusePractice, 16(2), 85-97. An example could be recognizing that an individual facing housing troubles has a strong support system of family and friends who can help. 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). White, S. & Featherstone, B., 2005. Educating The Reflective Practitioner. Social workers use of critical reflection Thank you for sharing! This assignment is based on my work with one particular resident who I will refer to using the pseudonym Alice. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/doc/194419/0052192.pdf, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/411957/KSS.pdf, www.parliament.uk/documents/fair-society-healthy-lives-full-report. 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. The Six Cornered Addictions Rescue System (SCARS) was useful in that it took into account a person who was dealing with an addictions situation holistically, rather than just focusing on the addiction in isolation (McCarthy and Galvani, 2004). This week I met with a social worker at Cherry Health which is located a few blocks from Heart of the City. Healy, K., 2012. Furthermore, a social worker uses self-reflection to analyze personal and emotional feelings about a case or situation. All material published on this website Copyright 1994-2023 White Hat Communications. 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. 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. Ameican Educational History Journal, 40(2), pp. British Journal of Social Work, 28(1), pp. Whilst the idea of partnership suggests equality and collaboration, practitioners should still manage power relations with service users carefully, especially where a lack of confidence inhibits the service user from taking on the responsibility of partnership (Dalrymple & Burke, 2006). If you are not used to being reflective it can be hard to know where to start the process. Both of her parents committed suicide, she was raped and endured physically abusive relationships with two consecutive partners. In relation to Session A, one area that I reflected on was that I may have focused too much on theory when working with JK. 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. I then realized that I was being challenged to do things outside of my comfort zone, and when underperformed, I would lose confidence. I have a career, not in social work, but I have an opportunity, at 47, to get free schooling. Ixer, G., 2016. Marmot, M., 2010. Teater, B. Role of risk assessment in reducing homicides by people with mental illness. 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. Thank you! Peer group reflective models including action learning principles also meet the restorative needs of a demanding profession and consequently learning and mutual support to address the emotional demands of social work, reflection and mutual learning are preferred over managerialist models of supervision (Boahen et al, 2021). A closer critical analysis of the factors and experiences that have shaped Alices life expose the fundamental flaws and prejudices in my misplaced assumptions. 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). This aspect of partnership practice was and is very pertinent in the relationship between Alice and her social worker. Social workers in England, London: HCPC. (1993) How we Think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the education process, Boston: Health Publishing. Reducing the gender pay gap: Could more women in STEM be theanswer? I introduced the placement setting and the case study, and then looked at my experience of reflection within this setting. An Unfinished Reflexive Journey: Social Work Students Reflection on their Placement Experiences. 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). Munro, E. & Rumgay, J., 2000. An awareness of the social context, for us and for people who use services. Support from colleagues and supervisors was also invaluable in this process (Ruch, 2002). [Online] Available at: www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/doc/194419/0052192.pdf. Beresford, P. & Wilson, A., 2002. 1st ed. & Bermea, A. M., 2017. Bywaters, P., 2015. Study for free with our range of university lectures! Health Soc Care Community, Volume 26, pp. Postmodernism rejects overarching general theories, instead adopting an approach that acknowledges individual narratives, social context and recognises multiple identities that may intersect (Graham, 2017; Fook, 2012). (LogOut/ During Session A, the fact that I chose to explore JKs mental distress alongside the other issues that were going on in his life allowed me to identify that his physical health, including intense back pain that he has been experiencing, was having a substantial effect on his mental health, and I encouraged him to seek help and support with this. 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. (1987) The Mentally Ill in Contemporary Society, Oxford: Blackwell. The Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 5(1), pp. Reflection also allows social workers to link theory to practice. 63-72. Yet risks remain, in essence, unpredictable phenomena that defy reliably accurate outcomes (Munro & Rumgay, 2000). 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. Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. These questions can also be incorporated into the supervisory conversation, including the process recording, in field placement. (1985). Values and Ethics The way in which students articulated their perceptions of values and ethics in the field indicated that this Reflections Like this article? This can come from both internal sources (personal reconsideration) and external sources (professional support or research), and this new information can completely re-construct the way that an incident or event is considered, and change the narrative that we are engaged in. Stephanie also advises young people to improve their situations and gives her professional consultations. Opinions expressed on this site are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. I continued to learn more about Alices life over the following weeks. Schwartz, S., 1982. Wilson, A. British Journal of Social Work, 39(1), pp. Biosemiotics, 4(3), pp. [Online] Available at: www.skillsforcare.org.uk. Parrish, M., 2014. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. Fook J. and Gardner F. (2007) Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook, Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. Many interns and student workers across various disciplines find themselves struggling to be heard in their field placements. Critical reflection is also part of this framework, making up the entirety of domain 6. This case study has demonstrated the complexity and breadth of contemporary social work. Savaya, R. & Gardner, F., 2012. Social Work Registered office: Creative Tower, Fujairah, PO Box 4422, UAE. reflection 1st ed. Social Work Education, 35(7), pp. 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. Department of Education, 2018. Abingdon: Routledge. )Is L@LL X.V? U? 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. 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. 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). Cameron, A., Lart, R., Bostock, L. and Coomber, C. (2012) Factors that promote and hinder joint and integrated working between health and social care services, London: SCIE. Alices deteriorating mental health led me to conclude that her social worker needed to be informed of the situation. Social workers are provided with some guidance in practice to support this process. Findings. His four complementary lenses can suggest a number of questions as social work students reflect on a challenging situation in field placement. Department of Health, 2014. 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). 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. 3rd ed. Communicating misunderstandings: Multi agency work as social practice. In 2021-22, Social Work England changed their requirements for social workers CPD (Continuing Professional Development) following a public consultation. WebSocial workers often need their own psychiatrist first, in order to be the most efficient in their practice. 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. Reflection on Development of Professionalism for Social Work British Journal of Psychiatry, 176(2), pp. In this essay I will explore my experience of reflection during my practice placement, and in particular in relation to a specific case study. Clement, J., Williams, E. and Waters, C. (1993) The client with substance abuse/mental illness: Mandate for Collaboration Achieves of Psychiatric Nursing, 7(4), 189-196. I would volunteer less and make myself appear less capable and unable to perform the task at hand. Am I wasting my time? 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). This is significant because reflection is particularly important when a critical incident like this has been experienced, and a less reflective approach could lead to a less holistic or even inadvertently oppressive account of what had transpired (Ruch, 2002). 96-103. Transforming Social Work Practice: Postmodern Critical Perspectives. Thanks for writing this article. `pIs3o+& &;`KAarYP/B%,{gZQ"_nt~u\X]Jet{=s(hglWN_. The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding. Our agency worked with some of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society, and engaging in uninformed work with these types of service users is a dangerous undertaking (Collingwood et al, 2008). 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. East Brunswick, NJ: Nichols Press. 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! 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. Social Work: A Critical Approach to Practice. WebAccountable: [the] social worker shouldnt be scared to ask for guidance and support. Reflection is a process of people exploring their understanding of what they are doing, why they are doing it, and the impact it has on themselves and others (Boud, 1999, p. 123). Reflective tool 2nd ed. 1st ed. Challenging perspectives: Reflexivity as a critical approach to No plagiarism, guaranteed! 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). 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. (Eds.) The very nature of this type of accommodation means that the population is transient. If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated. 679-687. 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). 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. 1st ed. Anti-Oppressive Practice: Emancipation or Appropriation. My vague sense of unease and concern about Alice and her general well-being crystalized early one morning as I arrived at work to find Alice upset and in tears in the communal lounge. Genes Spell Danger: Mental health service users/ survivors, bioethics and control. British Journal of Social Work, 1(37), pp. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice. After identifying these strengths, the social worker will then work with the client to utilize these strengths to help them in their current situations. It would be interesting to see if student performance could increase if the combination of these two subjects were integrated into student assessments and self-assessments during their experiences. 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. Three themes are identified: (1) No time for reflection, (2) Fear of reflection, and (3) Too much reflection.