6 Evaluating and improving your critical reflection

Questioning your practice as a social worker is not about focusing just on what you need to do better. It also requires reflecting on what went well and how you can learn from different interventions.

The next activity looks at critical reflection in more depth.

Ways of developing your practice

In Activity 6, you will listen to two audios. Janet Howard (a social work manager) and Sophie Terrill (a newly qualified social worker) talk about the importance of setting aside time for reflection.

Activity 6 Critical reflection: enhancing your practice

Allow about 45 minutes

Listen to Audios 2 and 3, making a note of any advice you find helpful as well as listening out for Janet and Sophie’s perspectives on supervision.

Audio 2 Janet Howard on reflection in practice

Transcript

Audio 3 Sophie Terrill on frameworks

Transcript

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Thinking specifically about what Sophie says, how do you think the kind of group supervision she describes helps to develop critical practice?

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Discussion

Sophie talks about a kind of group supervision where she presents a scenario and colleagues ask different questions to promote shared reflection. She then feeds back to her colleagues. Sophie describes how she is expected to talk about how her feelings and past experiences impact on her approach to the work discussed and, as such, develops her critical reflexivity and Janet refers to reflective frameworks and critical reflection.

This activity presented some examples from practice, adding to your knowledge and understanding of the importance of effective supervision.