social work reflection examples

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). Munro, E., 2011. The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding. (2010) Effective Practice Learning in Social Work, Exeter: Learning Matters. 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. 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). 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). 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). S$QFOH5{H_>\*_PCM i{xRO+ba.u_ ? endstream endobj 148 0 obj <>stream This essay was written by Adrian Bloxham and was the winning social work entry in this years Critical Writing Prize 2019. Risk assessments are an integral aspect of work with vulnerable people (Parry, 2013). His four complementary lenses can suggest a number of questions as social work students reflect on a challenging situation in field placement. Ixer, G., 2016. jK(H&adMl fo@Q~rpjI~~HjEI@ (+ endstream endobj 149 0 obj <>stream 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? We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. Schizophrenia, Socio-Economic Status and the Case for Primary Prevention. Source: Reflective Writing. Three themes are identified: (1) No time for reflection, (2) Fear of reflection, and (3) Too much reflection. A degree of scepticism about existing knowledge, beliefs and values. 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. Champney-Smith, J. Norrie, C. et al., 2017. 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. The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions. 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. (2005) Social Perspectives in Mental Health London: Kingsley. Many of us hide behind our shadows in fear that our input will be rejected or outright incorrect. y~u <=ZVYIY8[Sr7RtK If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! K.4/=aT!Ji7bQJn2B `pIs3o+& &;`KAarYP/B%,{gZQ"_nt~u\X]Jet{=s(hglWN_. There are critics of the way reflection is promoted in current practice environments, with some bemoaning the cult following that has developed around reflection in the social work sphere (Ixer, 1999: 513). 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). In virtually all cases the people that live at the project either have an underlying mental health condition or experience drug or alcohol misuse, often there are a combination of these factors. Jessica Parry, I., 2013. The Case for Keeping COVID Modifications: Community Care: A Field Education-Based Model For Police Social Work in Rural Communities, Gatekeeping in Social Work Field Education, The Conversation: The ASWB Licensing Exam Pass Rates and Bias. 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). 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. Educating The Reflective Practitioner. Healing Eucharist Mass | Teleradyo (30 April 2023) - Facebook I discussed how I engaged with different models of reflection, experienced power dynamics, and explored different interpretations of mental distress. 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. I recognised that where unequal power dynamics exist in a relationship, it is usually the partner with the most power that benefits most from the interaction (Milner and OByrne, 2002). Values and Ethics The way in which students articulated their perceptions of values and ethics in the field indicated that this Trevithick, P. (2012) Social Work Skills: A Practice Handbook, Maidenhead: Open University Press. Poetics in Schizophrenic Language: Speech, Gesture and Biosemiotics. I know what I need to do, but doing it regularly is tough. Maintenance of the Effect of Training in Communication Skills: A Controlled Follow-Up Study of Level of Communicated Empathy. Language, Bureaucracy & Social Control. I continued to learn more about Alices life over the following weeks. 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). 885-902. 705-722. This is an example of a reflective log to help you think about your own reflective writing. Social Work I will also attempt to view Alices life, and my professional relationship with her, from a broader social work perspective. Supporting Lifelong Learning: Perspectives on Learning. Looking for a flexible role? 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). 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. The Development of Reflective Practice in American Education. Hudson, A., 2015. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle Tangenburg, K. M. & Kemp, S., 2002. I observed the patience and empathy that Alices social worker demonstrated during the interview process. Firstly, I now believe that I saw and understood the situation in simplistic, binary terms. Genes Spell Danger: Mental health service users/ survivors, bioethics and control. Constructive Social Work. Throughout my social work education, the difference between the medical model and the social model of experiencing mental illness has been stressed to me, and I clearly saw this when working with JK. Peer reflection Mental Health, Resilience and Inequalities, Copenhagen: World Health Organisation. 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 Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Reflective Thinking in Social Work: Learning from Student Narratives. Dewey, J. Once I began doing more, I became more confident to speak up. (2010) Effective Practice in Social Work, Exeter: Learning Matters. 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). 1st ed. However, these power dynamics cannot be ignored, and underline all social work practice.I acknowledged the inherent power dynamics from the inception of my interactions with JK. Self-reflection is a vital part of evaluation of services and abilities. Oppression and discrimination also takes place at a wider level. 1st ed. 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 My work with Alice has taught me many things, most notably the impact of personal and structural processes of oppression and discrimination. 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) 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. Handbook for Practice Learning in Social Work and Social Care: Knowledge and Theory. This week I met with a social worker at Cherry Health which is located a few blocks from Heart of the City. 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). 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). Laird, S., 2011. Revisiting the assumptions that I outlined above has helped me to explore how I experienced the initial incident. Two subjects outlined in the undergraduate social work curriculum could help to increase confidence and the ability to advocate on behalf of clients and ones own capabilities: the strengths perspective and self-reflection. This is especially concerning when one considers that housing staff may be the only service that residents have contact with (Cass, 2015). The Munro Review of Child Protection, Final Report, A child-centerd system, London: The Stationary Office. Excellent article, Tarrell! Unequal power dynamics, concerns around oppression and issues with stigma are all societal problems that social workers need to engage with not just on a micro-level, but also a macro-level. Moss, B., 2017. 1st ed. Critical reflection: how to develop London: HMSO. The Journal of Adult Protection, 15(1), pp. 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). Reflection What am I most proud of? & Gardner, F., 2007. 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. Beresford, P. & Wilson, A., 2002. Role of risk assessment in reducing homicides by people with mental illness. Reflective tool Social workers need to be prepared to critically reflect on the theory that they are bringing to practice. 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. 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. Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. I have printed out your article to reread so I can remind myself to self reflect. Thompson, N. (2009) Practicing Social Work: Meeting the Professional Challenge, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Examples Client Participation in Managing Social Work Service-An Unfinished Quest. I have a career, not in social work, but I have an opportunity, at 47, to get free schooling. Ixer (1999) recognises that focusing too much on assessing reflection can lead to a prescriptive approach to reflection that is uncompromising. 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). Instead, there should be an acceptance that uncertainty and complexity are inherent in human interaction and therefore consideration should be given not only to negative risk but also to the benefits of positive risk (Macdonald & Macdonald, 2010). An effective way to protect clients and practitioners alike is to avoid any suggestion that the ethical issue is Maidenhead: SAGE. Reflection on Group Activities Reflection is equally important in group tasks as in individual tasks. Reflections Piat, M., Sabetti, J. 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. Am I going to be any good at this? The assessment stage typically involves: Collecting, organizing, and interpreting data. Parker, J. 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). I think that is [an] important [value]. Reflective Thanks for writing this article. Schn (1999) introduced the concepts of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action in his book The Reflective Practitioner. I want to be able to help people who need the help. An example could be recognizing that an individual facing housing troubles has a strong support system of family and friends who can help. Fook, J. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. 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. 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). (1999) Critical reflectivity in education and practice in B. Pears and J. Fook (eds) Transforming Social Work Practice: Postmodern Critical Perspectives, St Leonards: Allen and Unwin, 195-208. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct, An Introduction to Applying Social Work Theories and Methods, Practicing Social Work: Meeting the Professional Challenge. i9-i26. Yip, K. (2006)Self-reflection in reflective practice: A note of caution British Journal of Social Work, 36(5), 777-788. more than 1 year ago, The fear of being rejected and incorrect has been with me as long as I can remember. Graham, M. J., 2017. I found this to be the case, as I did not move through stages of refection one after the other, but moved between them, often returning to my conceptual starting point multiple times before settling on a holistic understanding of an event or situation that incorporates all systems influencing that scenario. 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. Social Work Reflective Essay Finally, as reflective practice encourages students to stay in touch with their own responses and personal needs, it is a vital component of self-care and professional development. Referrals to the agency could come from social services, GP surgeries, and other not-for-profit organisations. Leung, T., 2011. 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). Nolan, D. & Quinn, N., 2012. Specific guidelines are useful for field educators in encouraging student reflection. 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). Holmes, G. and Saleeby, D. (1993) Empowerment, the Medical Model and the Politics of Clienthood, Journal of Progressive Human Services, 4(1), 61-78. Critically reflective practice. & Burke, B., 2006. 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. This gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment. 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. Placement essay 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. WebStudents reflected on each of these as being a part of their growth from social work studentto professional social worker. Banks, S. (2006) Ethics and Values in Social Work, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Trevithick, P., 2012. Goss, J., 2011. 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). Group work assignment. We identify, evaluate and integrate multiple sources of knowledge and evidence. Knowledge and skills for child and family practitioners, London: HMSO. 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). Example - Medium reflection Today I spent time with James (client) and his family on the ward. This involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. This aspect of partnership practice was and is very pertinent in the relationship between Alice and her social worker. Data analysis indicated that critical reflection is not a priority for direct practice social workers in the context of privilege. Professional Categorization, Risk Management and InterAgency Communication in Public Inquiries into Disastrous Outcomes. 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. Reflection also allows social workers to link theory to practice. 1st ed. Teater, B., 2014. All rights reserved. Find targeted resources for research and referencing, Professional Experience and the Investigative Imagination: The Art of Reflective Writing, Reflective Writing. 809-824. Lightening: What came as a surprise? Alices deteriorating mental health led me to conclude that her social worker needed to be informed of the situation. Please contact the publisher for permission to reproduce or reprint any materials on this site. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 39(2), pp. White, S. & Featherstone, B., 2005. Healy, K., 2012. Karban, K., 2017. fTTF*nw^ulVK`493t75AL1[YMTc!A2{2ILk'MX@M~?6K^aFd%YBA k%;VD)\!Rm/WL}(ajSVCisO(?2GX#9jVF_Yh. Theorizing Social Work Practice. It allows me to access different points of view, positive feedback, and constructive challenge.. Ruch, G. (2002) From triangle to spiral: reflective practice in social work education, practice and research, Social Work Education, 21(2), 199-216. Although I noted some areas I could have improved on in my interactions with JK, what was most apparent in my work with him was that my willingness to explore his paradigm and perspectives opened him up to engaging with me on a range of issues, that otherwise may have remained hidden. 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. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. 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. The Student Work Reflection is a set of simple repeating questions to consider how they approach each task in school. WebIt provides a simple but effective model for reflective practice by inviting you to reflect on an event or experience using the following stages: Sunshine: what went well with the event/experience? The Context of Risk Management in Mental Health Social Work. British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43, pp. 280-298. (LogOut/ Did I view her mood swings and depression as simply emanating from her diagnosis of schizophrenia? 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). In your role, youll engage with stakeholders and organizations to manage strategy, advocate for positive change and maintain relationships. WebSocial workers often need their own psychiatrist first, in order to be the most efficient in their practice. 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).
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