My OpenLearn Profile
- Personalise your OpenLearn profile
- Save your favourite content
- Get recognition for your learning
- Subjects
- Health, Sports & Psychology
- All content
- Critical social work practice
This page was published over five years ago. Please be aware that due to the passage of time, the information provided on this page may be out of date or otherwise inaccurate, and any views or opinions expressed may no longer be relevant. Some technical elements such as audio-visual and interactive media may no longer work. For more detail, see our Archive and Deletion Policy.
This series of tracks looks at social work practice around the world and compares attitudes and management techniques within the social work field. Material is taken from The Open University Course K315 Critical social work practice.
By: The OpenLearn team (The Open University,)
- Duration 3 hours
- Updated Tuesday 13th April 2010
- Posted under Social Care & Social Work
Track 1: Critical social work practice
A short introduction to this album.
© The Open University 2008
- Read a transcript of this track - you'll need a PDF viewer, such as Adobe's free Adobe Reader
- Download this track from iTunes U - you'll need Apple's free iTunes software
- See details of the Open University course this album comes from
- Discover more from The Open University and iTunesU at open.edu/itunes
Tracks in this podcast:
Track | Title | Description |
---|---|---|
1 | Critical social work practice | A short introduction to this album. Play now Critical social work practice |
2 | What is critical practice? | A look at the meaning of critical practice, the views of service users, and the professional power of social workers. Play now What is critical practice? |
3 | How useful is critical practice? | An example of critical practice. Play now How useful is critical practice? |
4 | Making decisions about people | A discussion about who should make the decisions in regard to service users and the success of family led methods in Scotland. Play now Making decisions about people |
5 | What powers do social workers hold? | A look at the nature of the power that the social worker holds. Play now What powers do social workers hold? |
6 | Relative power in decision making | Where is the power in social work? Who does it lie with? What negotiation is required? Play now Relative power in decision making |
7 | Regulation in social work | A look at the growth of regulation and how that feeds into the ability of individual practitioners to use their discretion. Play now Regulation in social work |
8 | How effective are standards? | A look at how effective standards and regulation are in social work. Play now How effective are standards? |
9 | How have regulations and standards changed the job? | A look at how the advent of the setting of standards in the education of social workers, and the regulatory framework that has been imposed from outside, has changed the job of the social worker. Play now How have regulations and standards changed the job? |
10 | The impact of standards on service users | A look at how the business of setting of standards feeds through to the service users. Play now The impact of standards on service users |
11 | Social work in a US school | A school social worker talks about her work and how it is managed at the school that she works at and the issues that are covered by the team. Play now Social work in a US school |
12 | Dealing with emotions and crises | A look at some of the services and workshops provided by Amanda and her team at the school. Play now Dealing with emotions and crises |
13 | Working in a school context | Amanda Mihaly talks about differences and tensions between social workers and school staff, and the problems of being grant funded. Play now Working in a school context |
14 | Working in a Lithuanian polyclinic | Social workers at a Mental Health centre in Lithuania talk about their qualifications and why they became social workers and what their work involves at the centre. Play now Working in a Lithuanian polyclinic |
15 | Social work skills in a polyclinic setting | A look at the various methods of assessment and consultation that two social workers in a mental health centre use and the skills they believe are needed in the role. Play now Social work skills in a polyclinic setting |
16 | Working in a South African psychiatric ward | A social Worker at a psychiatric hospital talks about why she became a social worker. Play now Working in a South African psychiatric ward |
17 | Working with mental health patients | The holistic solution to mental health as explained by Estelle. Play now Working with mental health patients |
18 | Working in the field of mental health | Estelle discusses issues within the field of mental health. Play now Working in the field of mental health |
19 | Changing Lives: Social work in Scotland in the 21st century | The chair of the social work review discusses the findings. Play now Changing Lives: Social work in Scotland in the 21st century |
20 | The impact on organisational structures | How do you see org strict change due to the review. 21st century social work review. Play now The impact on organisational structures |
21 | Implementing change through leadership | A look at managing change and what is required of the leader and their staff. Play now Implementing change through leadership |
22 | The impact of change on young people's residential units | Jean Clark talks about her reaction when encountering change within the workplace. Play now The impact of change on young people's residential units |
23 | The impact of change on mental health provision | A look at a social worker, who works with adults with severe mental health problems, and her views on the changes that occurred with the introduction of the Care Commission. Play now The impact of change on mental health provision |
24 | Evaluating the Changing Lives report | A look at social worker views of the Changing Lives report. Play now Evaluating the Changing Lives report |
25 | Involving service users | The involvement of service users in the Changing Lives report. Play now Involving service users |
26 | Continuing involvement in Changing Lives | A look at Changing Lives and how it will best benefit service users. Play now Continuing involvement in Changing Lives |
About the author
Author
Publication details
-
Originally published: Tuesday, 13th April 2010
Copyright information
- Body text - Content : Copyright The Open University
- Audio/Video tracks: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The Open University 2008
- Image 'Critical social work practice' - Copyright: The Open University 2008
- Image 'A collection of family members' - Copyright: Solarseven | Dreamstime.com
- Image 'British nurse taking older man's blood pressure in nurse's office' - Copyright: Monkey Business Images | Dreamstime.com
- Image 'Cutout paper chain family with the protection of cupped hands, concept for security and care' - Copyright: Flynt | Dreamstime.com
- Image 'A mother is bent down, hugging her son and smiling. ' - Copyright: Becky Potts - Lambent Productions
- Image 'Social care, social work and the law - England and Wales' - Copyright: Used with permission
- Image 'Becoming a critical social work practitioner' - Copyright: Used with permission
Tags, Ratings and Social Bookmarking
Ratings
Related content
Feeds
If you enjoyed this, why not follow a feed to find out when we have new things like it? Choose an RSS feed from the list below. (Don't know what to do with RSS feeds?)
Remember, you can also make your own, personal feed by combining tags from around OpenLearn.
- Latest OpenLearn pages
- Latest pages by The OpenLearn team
- Latest pages tagged - critical
- Latest pages tagged - work
- Latest pages tagged - attitudes
- Latest pages tagged - critical
- Latest pages tagged - field
- Latest pages tagged - Management
- Latest pages tagged - open
- Latest pages tagged - tracks
- Latest pages tagged - work
- Latest pages tagged - world
- Latest comments on this page
Share this audio
Related content
Other content you may like

MA in Social Work
This course will enhance your knowledge of social work theory and legislation, apply your learning to practice, and develop your critical and analytical skills as a qualified practitioner. The subject matter is interdisciplinary, derived from psychology, sociology, social policy, law and social work studies. It includes an embedded, professionally qualifying Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work, which has been approved as a qualifying award for social workers in England by Social Work England (SWE) and in Scotland by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

BA (Honours) Health and Social Care
This degree provides you with a sound and critical understanding of the health and social care policy, theory and practice, essential in today's fast-changing care sector. Professionals at all levels need to be proactive and flexible to succeed, and through your studies you'll gain the skills needed for effective practice in a diverse, multidisciplinary environment. You'll learn how ethical, legal, social, economic and political factors influence the provision and development of services. You will also develop the critical and analytical skills that underpin evidence-based practice.

Developing social work practice
This is an interdisciplinary module with subject matter derived from psychology, sociology, social policy, law and social work studies. The study materials will enable you to contextualise the experiences of service users and carers and approaches to social work practice, as well as providing opportunities to examine the nature of the organisations that supply social work services.

Advancing social work practice
This is an interdisciplinary module with subject matter derived from psychology, sociology, social policy, law and social work studies. It builds on the pre-requisite module (K832) and will support you as a student social worker in becoming a confident, analytical and reflective practitioner. You'll extend your research skills and explore social work practice with different service user groups.
Foundations for social work practice
Are you interested in social work or social care? Whatever your starting point, this key introductory OU level 1 module will develop your knowledge of the key roles of social work, and introduce the social work standards and codes of practice relevant to each UK nation. You will also build key skills in information and communication technologies, information literacy and reflective writing.
Foundations for social work practice
Are you interested in social work or social care? Whatever your starting point, this key introductory OU level 1 module will develop your knowledge of the key roles of social care/social work, and introduce the standards and codes of practice relevant to each UK nation. You will also build key skills in information and communication technologies (ICT), information literacy and reflective writing. This module includes completion of a practice portfolio based on your current experience (within six months of module start) of paid or voluntary work in an appropriate social care setting. The module also includes participation in three online practice skills workshops, and four online tutorials.
Health, Sports & Psychology
Perspectives on social work: Individual stories
In this series of four interviews you will watch a service user, a carer, a social worker and a social work manager talking about their different experiences. The interviews will illustrate the importance of listening to people’s stories, the importance of relationship in social work practice, and the importance of the context in which social work practice takes place. You will consider questions about the interviews, and will reflect on the implications for practice of what the individuals have to say.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Social care, social work and the law - England and Wales
This free course is made up of four extracts related to social care, social work and the law in England and Wales. The extracts are stand-alone sections but follow on from each other to make up this course. You will be introduced to five main themes that shape practice in the field of social care and social work. The aim of this course is to enhance your understanding of the relationship between social work practice and the law.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Becoming a critical social work practitioner
What does it take to become a critical practitioner in social work? This free course, Becoming a critical social work practitioner, will guide you through some important concepts. An understanding of 'critical perspectives' will help you take a positive and constructive approach to problems that ----- in social work practice.
Publication details
-
Originally published: Tuesday, 13th April 2010
Copyright information
- Body text - Content: Copyright The Open University
- Audio/Video tracks: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The Open University 2008
- Image 'Critical social work practice' - Copyright: The Open University 2008
- Image 'A collection of family members' - Copyright: Solarseven | Dreamstime.com
- Image 'British nurse taking older man's blood pressure in nurse's office' - Copyright: Monkey Business Images | Dreamstime.com
- Image 'Cutout paper chain family with the protection of cupped hands, concept for security and care' - Copyright: Flynt | Dreamstime.com
- Image 'A mother is bent down, hugging her son and smiling. ' - Copyright: Becky Potts - Lambent Productions
- Image 'Social care, social work and the law - England and Wales' - Copyright: Used with permission
- Image 'Becoming a critical social work practitioner' - Copyright: Used with permission
Other content you may like

MA in Social Work
This course will enhance your knowledge of social work theory and legislation, apply your learning to practice, and develop your critical and analytical skills as a qualified practitioner. The subject matter is interdisciplinary, derived from psychology, sociology, social policy, law and social work studies. It includes an embedded, professionally qualifying Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work, which has been approved as a qualifying award for social workers in England by Social Work England (SWE) and in Scotland by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

BA (Honours) Health and Social Care
This degree provides you with a sound and critical understanding of the health and social care policy, theory and practice, essential in today's fast-changing care sector. Professionals at all levels need to be proactive and flexible to succeed, and through your studies you'll gain the skills needed for effective practice in a diverse, multidisciplinary environment. You'll learn how ethical, legal, social, economic and political factors influence the provision and development of services. You will also develop the critical and analytical skills that underpin evidence-based practice.

Developing social work practice
This is an interdisciplinary module with subject matter derived from psychology, sociology, social policy, law and social work studies. The study materials will enable you to contextualise the experiences of service users and carers and approaches to social work practice, as well as providing opportunities to examine the nature of the organisations that supply social work services.

Advancing social work practice
This is an interdisciplinary module with subject matter derived from psychology, sociology, social policy, law and social work studies. It builds on the pre-requisite module (K832) and will support you as a student social worker in becoming a confident, analytical and reflective practitioner. You'll extend your research skills and explore social work practice with different service user groups.
Foundations for social work practice
Are you interested in social work or social care? Whatever your starting point, this key introductory OU level 1 module will develop your knowledge of the key roles of social work, and introduce the social work standards and codes of practice relevant to each UK nation. You will also build key skills in information and communication technologies, information literacy and reflective writing.
Foundations for social work practice
Are you interested in social work or social care? Whatever your starting point, this key introductory OU level 1 module will develop your knowledge of the key roles of social care/social work, and introduce the standards and codes of practice relevant to each UK nation. You will also build key skills in information and communication technologies (ICT), information literacy and reflective writing. This module includes completion of a practice portfolio based on your current experience (within six months of module start) of paid or voluntary work in an appropriate social care setting. The module also includes participation in three online practice skills workshops, and four online tutorials.
Health, Sports & Psychology
Perspectives on social work: Individual stories
In this series of four interviews you will watch a service user, a carer, a social worker and a social work manager talking about their different experiences. The interviews will illustrate the importance of listening to people’s stories, the importance of relationship in social work practice, and the importance of the context in which social work practice takes place. You will consider questions about the interviews, and will reflect on the implications for practice of what the individuals have to say.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Social care, social work and the law - England and Wales
This free course is made up of four extracts related to social care, social work and the law in England and Wales. The extracts are stand-alone sections but follow on from each other to make up this course. You will be introduced to five main themes that shape practice in the field of social care and social work. The aim of this course is to enhance your understanding of the relationship between social work practice and the law.

Health, Sports & Psychology
Becoming a critical social work practitioner
What does it take to become a critical practitioner in social work? This free course, Becoming a critical social work practitioner, will guide you through some important concepts. An understanding of 'critical perspectives' will help you take a positive and constructive approach to problems that ----- in social work practice.
OpenLearn Search website
OpenLearn Links
Footer Menu
Our partners
OpenLearn works with other organisations by providing free courses and resources that support our mission of opening up educational opportunities to more people in more places.


©1999-2020. All rights reserved. The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
Be the first to post a comment
We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum.
Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others. We may delete posts that are rude or aggressive, or edit posts containing contact details or links to other websites.