Action Learning Sessions check tenses
Theoretical Knowledge
Today’s session on theoretical knowledge covers the knowledge-based skills of social work. It the session also covered the different ways in which knowledge can be interpreted and how it influences the way social workers approach their work with service users. In social work practice, there is both subjective and objective knowledge. This was further tested with an exercise which we were given. We were given a picture of a family; man, woman and a little girl all holding hands. When I looked at the picture I applied my subjective knowledge and described what I see as a happy family. I drew that conclusion based on my personal experiences of a typical happy family. But no, this is
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It explored the importance of factual knowledge and how the five sub-headings overlap and interconnect. It also looked at the flaws of factual knowledge. The session ended with a class exercise.
I learnt that factual knowledge is very important in social work especially in relation to policy formulation, etc. Factual knowledge can be flawed and, therefore, questionable as seen in the BBC panorama programme ‘Winterbourne case’. The information held on the record for the organisation was excellent however this was not the case. In my work as a social care I have always worked with information believing it was all factual knowledge. I learnt today that in social work practice all factual knowledge should be scrutinized and never seen as absolute. Today after school I was listening to the radio and there was a discussion on the housing crisis; statistics was given on the number of people on the housing list and those facing eviction, etc. As I was listening to the figure, I reflected on today’s session and wondered if the data was accurate? Previously I would just accept the information without any
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It focused on the how to draw on abstract theories and factual knowledge to direct and inform social work practice. The importance of learning by experience was looked at through the Kolb’s reflective learning cycle. Whilst I sat there listening to Kolb’s cycle being explained, I began to reflect on my experience some time ago volunteering with a mother and toddler group. This toddler who was very clingy and extremely distressed upon separation. We needed to get her engage with other children and to give her mother a break. I tried to use my experience as a mother but that did not work. In the end, I had a meeting with my coordinator and we did connect her behaviour to attachment theory and put a plan together which we adopted the next time they attended. I can relate this experience to Kolb’s reflective learning cycle and how it is significant in social work. Reflecting on our own experiences very important in social work working because this can put you in a better position to empathise with people
This class, Social Work Theory & Practice was made to be able to introduce me to social work theories, ideas, and skills needed to work in the social work profession. This class main tool used was a book called A Brief Introduction of Social Work Theory by David Howe which discusses social work theories in a compressive and explainable way. This class is important to my higher learning because it break down the theories that I will need to use during my practice and a...
Social workers should have a strong knowledge base comprising of information gathered from variety of empirically tested theories which allows them to effectively appreciate the nature of people’s problems. Theory is a vital component in social work practice that guides the way in which social workers view and approach their clients, at micro, mezzo and macro level. Theory helps predict, explain and assess situations and
As a social worker, I have never interrogated my theoretical orientation, in part because I considered that common sense, agency´s directions, and social policies guided social work interventions. In fact, Mullaly (2010) discusses that social workers do not see the relation between theory and practice, and social work is perceived as a performance of practical duties. This was my perception until now, in particular, because I have been analyzing anti-oppressive principles and I realized that my experience has many nuances of those principles. Therefore, my past interventions have some commonalities with the anti-oppressive perspective, and then some strengths and limitations compared to the Canadian social work. (1) One of these strengths is empowerment. Power is an important element of
Parker, J. and Bradley, G. (2003). Social Work Practice: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd.
Open University (2011) K(ZW) 315 Critical Practice in Social Work, CDA1, Panel Discussion on Critical Practice (Tracks 1-5), Milton Keynes, The Open University.
Sheafor, B. W., & Horejsi, C. R. (2012). Techniques and guidelines for social work practice (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2011)
Trevithick, P (2005). Social Work Skills a practice handout. (2nd ed). Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Working with others and improving own learning and performance are highly essential skills in social work. In this essay I will reflect on how well I have developed these two skills and what I need to do to improve them.
Chenoweth, L & McAuliffe, D 2012, The road to social work and human service practice, 3rd edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne.
Social work is a multifaceted, ever adapting profession, which has had many purposes and identities through the years. It is imperative for the vocation to constantly evolve alongside the social climate and the new ways in which we identify and treat those who are in need of support. Social workers can be required to take on the role of counsellor, advocate, case-worker, partner, assessor of risk and need, and at times (as the government seeks to push social work further and further towards the health and education sectors) a servant of the state. The profession is dramatically subject to affection by societal change, thus demanding social workers have a duty to be up to date with the latest developments in understanding how and why people get to the point of requiring social work intervention, and how best to prevent and cater for it.
Bell and Bain Ltd, Glasgow.. Tompson, N., 2009. Understanding Social Work - a new approach. 3rd ed. of the year. London: Palgrave Macmillan, c. 1895.
Today’s skills session on social work interviewing skills covered the uniqueness of social work interviewing in comparison to interviews conducted in professions such as the police, doctors, employers, etc. It covered also different types of questioning and how to paraphrase. Another area covered was, what to avoid when interviewing a service user and the use of silence. I leant that interview skills are fundamental in social work and social work interviewing is unique. Social workers empathize with clients because of their knowledge of the client group and the need of help to alleviate their problems. Empathy however does not equate accepting that the client is right in what they have done or that the social worker is condoning their actions. Empathy relates to the issue of ‘trusting’ and ‘believing’ the client. In as much as a social worker should seek to establish trust in the relationship, this does not necessarily mean they should believe
Therefore, professional knowledge is not common sense. Social workers need to use professional knowledge in practice allowing them to clarify, reflected upon, justified and their work with a client. Professional knowledge allows social workers to make professional judgements for which actions and decisions are based on. An example of this is when a child protection worker required to prioritise the presenting issues, tasks and risks to establish the appropriate outcome of action regarding an at-risk child. (Avby, Nilsen, & Ellström, 2015 pp.
Over the course of the semester, I have learned a variety of many things regarding social work. These things vary from learning how to help oneself to understanding how to help others. Not only were the textbooks very useful, but also the materials that furthered this textbook learning. The in class presentation, activities, and guest speakers gave us insight and a different perspective on the material we were learning. I feel like this course has given me a good foundation and prepared me as a future social worker (1).
The work of a social worker is complex and all encompassing. Social workers work in many capacities seeking justice, liberation, and equality. There work is global, as they work to put policies in place to govern practices. To keep up with societal shifts and generational changes there learning is continuous. As new questions rise so does the need for the continuation of research, not only to answer these questions but to implement into