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Exploring critical social work practice
Exploring critical social work practice

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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.

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Ways of developing your practice
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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

Timing: 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.

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Transcript: Audio 2 Janet Howard on reflection in practice

JANET HOWARD:
It’s really important to use reflective frameworks in practice. One of my favourites is KOLB, the experiential learning cycle, where you think about what has happened, you reflect on it, you think through new ideas, and then you put those ideas into action, and obviously that then builds up professional knowledge and wisdom, and goes full cycle. Reflective logs are critical to practice. It’s really important you take time to think about your experiences and to build on those, and also a strong commitment to reflective supervision both by yourself and your manager.
End transcript: Audio 2 Janet Howard on reflection in practice
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Audio 2 Janet Howard on reflection in practice
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Transcript: Audio 3 Sophie Terrill on frameworks

SOPHIE TERRILL:
The frameworks that I probably use more often than not as a newly qualified social worker to help me reflect on my practice, have been something I’ve learnt within the last year actually, within my assessed and supported year of practice and they draw on an approach called ‘Action Learning Sets’. It’s a type of group supervision, so it’s drawing on the people around you, but the one I particularly like is the sharing of a problem. It could be a case problem, it could be a balance – of a work–life balance – or something outside of your work and it prompts others to ask the what, when, how questions. You then have a period to reflect upon the things posed to you and you have to provide feedback, back.
So, the Action Learning Sets have been really helpful for me over the last year, especially as I’ve been faced by new experiences and challenges of moving from one service group to another. I also really like incorporating aspects of cognitive behavioural therapy into the approaches that I use in reflection. I find it really helpful in drawing on past experiences and considering how that will impact future decisions or how I might be reacting to a situation right now.
End transcript: Audio 3 Sophie Terrill on frameworks
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Audio 3 Sophie Terrill on frameworks
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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.