feedback

Feedback Summary Part B Professional Portfolio SOWK 14009

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:53:46 +0100

Feedback Summary Part B Professional Portfolio SOWK 14009

Throughout the placement I have received feedback about my practice and my reflection of my practice, from various sources, university lecturers, organisational workers, and other professionals with whom I collaborated with as part of my capstone project, peers, foster carers and clients.

Initially, at the beginning of my placement it was evident from feedback that I received about my journaling that I was not using critical reflection on my practice; I was reflecting upon what had taken place, observations, the use of self but was not reflecting on meanings, as was noted ‘where was I in this’, although I could ‘join the dots’ with the theoretical and legislative elements of practice, I was not communicating how I could of done things differently and the impacts that my practice could or did have upon the service users. The use of attachment theory and developing skills to facilitate attachment in parent child relationships is an area that I recognise I need to be far more knowledgeable in. This was also suggested by the course lecturer Shirley Ledger, when I discussed the practice of observing family interactions and having the child come to myself for attention, security and someone to ‘play’ with instead of their parents. During the placement I was given the opportunity to engage in professional development training in attachment which assisted in my knowledge, and I was also given literature on the circle of security programme which assists families in strengthening their attachments and developing appropriate relationships. However there is still a lot I have yet to learn about attachment and if I am able to practice as a social worker with children and families I will need to develop more knowledge in this area. I would also need to become more familiar with human development theory, when I first started this placement and was confronted by so many babies and toddlers, I had very limited knowledge of them, what their needs where and how they should be met, what developmental stages they were at or should of been at given their age etc, this may be something that most people know through their interactions with siblings, their own children etc. but not having had children or known people with young children I was very aware of my lack of knowledge. The first day I was asked was ‘I good with newborns’, I had a moment of panic, then used the resources that I had to find out what I needed, i.e. contact people in my professional network, that were very familiar with babies and could give me advice and literature on what I needed to know. I have attended training sessions about the effects of trauma on child brain development and subsequent implications on behaviours, this has assisted in my knowledge of developmental theory, I still have much to learn. As my time with this organisation has progressed so have the relationships I have been able to build with the clients and their families, utilising the core values of social work to enable me to practice in what is a confronting situation this is evident from my journaling and is commented on by course coordinator Shirley Ledger in feed back about my sixth journal entry;

Your journal reflects empathy, compassion, wisdom and the values of social justice and professional integrity. I am quite moved by your experience with this family and congratulate you on upholding your professional values in a situation that that presses many personal values buttons. The fact this family identified your presence as the only positive experience out of their time with the department - is significant. It is apparent you dignified them and considered a child centered, family focussed framework to meet the child's needs of belonging, relationships and identity. (Shirley Ledger, SOWK14009 2012)

Workers at the organisation have made a number of comments about my practice; they have commented that I have strength in my skills in writing case notes; being able to find positive aspects and interactions within family contacts, as well as documenting all that has occurred. From feedback about my capstone proposal it is evident that I did not fully articulate the theoretical influences that would be informing my project. Feedback received from other professionals that I collaborated with as part of the capstone project was that I am able to communicate effectively with young teenagers in a manner that does not add to the oppressive negativity that is currently impacting upon their lives. For my own professional development I will continue to learn more skills and actively seek out training opportunities, there are a number of course that I will be embarking upon in the near future, including continuing to develop assertive communication skills. My current social work supervisor has suggested that I seek out learning from Ken Warren at ‘Positive People Solutions’, as he hosts a number of training opportunities assisting workers in developing communication confidence, stress management, and ways of ‘producing better outcomes with difficult clients’. This is to assist in me gaining confidence in my communication skills, something that I have always struggled with and although greatly improved over the duration of this degree, I still have a long road to travel.

Summary

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:30:35 +0100

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3

Reflexive Practice Summary

As the course has unfolded I have been able to reflect upon my skills and abilities past and present to practice assertive communication.

An aspect of learning that I have taken away from the course is how assertive communication is about decision making having an extra ‘tool’ to work with when needed, sometimes it is appropriate to take a passive stance for instance when the situation would provoke an aggressive confrontation, if utilising an assertive technique. The use of assertive communication would allow me to be in control of how I react, rather than other people or situations. As Dallas (2011) argues inner confidence is what affects the way we feel about ourselves, our beliefs, values, core personality, experience and attitude. We need to recognise and reflect upon what prevents us from ‘being truly assertive’ what our own barriers are. It is also important that what we communicate is congruent with our personality and who we are, otherwise it will not feel, look or sound comfortable, and will lead others to doubt our ability as a professional and our honesty as an individual (Dallas, 2011).

From researching assertive communication and culture it was substantiated that different cultures place different meanings to aspects of communication they have their own rules about appropriate behaviour, if eye contact is held during communication, whether the information is communicated in a direct manner or around the issue; the level of personal space between people whilst in conversation, these are a few examples of differences in behaviour that differ between cultures (Ting-Toomey n.d. cited in Conflict Research Consortium 1998). Whilst on field placement it was explained to myself that the issues surrounding culture and communication diversity are so vast that the best approach was to be respectful and ask the other person what they were comfortable with and to notify you if they felt uncomfortable with how the communication skills were being displayed, admit that as a person you don’t always get it right but with knowledge you can get it wrong less often.

Assertiveness skills are also valuable in feminist social work practice in teaching female clients who have lost control and power over their lives and are being discriminated or oppressed by others, to stand up for their rights without violating the rights of others (Teater 2010). Whilst on field education placement, I assisted in facilitating a workshop teaching young people with challenging behaviours assertive communication skills, due to their level of comprehension and age, we undertook this challenge through the use of ‘drama’. Re-enacting the tale of Cinderella, teaching Cinderella to question her step mothers and sisters authority over the decisions made in her life, to make her voice heard by standing up for her rights and saying no when she wanted. This was an incredibly effective and enjoyable way of teaching these young people this skill. This reiterates the importance of when communicating with clients the necessity of using appropriate language, terminology and communication styles that are suited to their age, and developmental level as well as gender and culture.

References

Dallas, H 2011, ‘Assertiveness is the best form of communication’, Vital, March, pp36-37, online Ebschost Discovery.

Teater, B 2010, An introduction to applying social work theories and methods, Open University Press, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

Worklife Matters 2011, Assertive communication six tips for effective use, Worklife matters focus on occupational social work, viewed online 30^th March 2012,

http://www.worklife-matters.com/article/assertive-communication-6-tips-for-effective-use

Assertive Communication

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:27:21 +0100

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3

Reflexive Practice Week 10

Effective communication skills are an essential component of social work, it is required that social workers are capable of combining being both ‘sensitive and purposeful’ (Boswell 1997, cited in Trevithick 2000, p53) with the capacity to recognise the uncertainty that is inherent in looking into another person’s world. These skills involve being able to communicate with a range of diverse people with differing levels of comprehension, some of these people are professionals such as magistrates, doctors, solicitors, with others being placed at the lower end of the socio economic scale often struggling to survive. Similar to the social workers Trevithick (2000, p. 53) describes I too feel more comfortable talking to service users than people in senior positions. This is pointed out as a valuable reminder that some service users can feel intimidated in relation to us as professionals, and that we need to ensure that when using skills such as assertive communication we are empathetic towards others using language and terminology that is suited to their age and developmental status. By reflecting on my personal ability I understand that to advocate on behalf of clients to other professionals then I need to continue to practice and develop assertive communication skills.

Reference

Trevithick, P 2000, Social work skills a practice handbook, Open University Press, Buckingham

Assertive Communication

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:25:11 +0100

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3

Reflexive Practice Week 8

Assertive Communication

It is said that there are many differences in communication between genders with men processing information analytically while women tend to process things abstractly (Kirtley & Weaver 1999; Braedyn 2010). Each gender has a characteristic communication style and can incorrectly assume that the opposite gender reasons in the same way as they do this can lead to miscommunication, because each person considers they are communicating effectively based on their own communication styles (Braedyn 2010). Gender identity and how this is communicated is an important aspect of communication through every layer of society (Miller 2012, p. 12). As social workers we are frequently reminded through our values about the importance of being aware of gender identity and the subsequent societal and individual power being careful not to make assumptions that stereotype and oppress (Miller 2012).

From my own experience I currently work in a male dominated environment, I have in the past frequently accepted the way in which communication is perceived and actioned there, without realising that I have been contributing to the stereotypical viewpoints of communication between opposite genders. During this fortnight practiced assertive communication whilst being aware of my own gender stereotype and that of others, this proved very challenging although I managed to make my voice heard eventually.

References

Braedyn, A M 2010, the Impact gender has on effective communication, Gender communication, Professional Training, viewed online 23 April 2012

http://amanda-makenziebraedyn.suite101.com/gender-communication-a196747

Kirtley, M D & Weaver, J B 1999, ‘Exploring the impact of gender role self perception on communication style’, Women’s studies in communication, vol 22, online tandfonline.

Miller, l 2012, Counselling skills for social work, Sage Publications ltd, London

Assertive Communication

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:23:14 +0100

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3Reflexive Practice Week 6

Assertive Communication

Assertive communication relies upon the use of both verbal and nonverbal skills. With only 30-40% of what is communicated conversationally being verbal (Condon and Yousef, 1975 cited in Robinson 2012). Assertive communication requires the use of nonverbal communicators such as;

Eye contact: demonstrates interest, shows sincerity (Worklife Matters 2011)
Body posture: congruent body language will improve the significance of the message (Worklife Matters 2011)
Gestures: appropriate gestures help to add emphasis (Worklife Matters 2011)

As explained by Robinson (2012, p 5), meanings that are interpreted from nonverbal behaviours are culturally conditioned. With these cultural differences in nonverbal behaviour, contributing to possible failures in intercultural communication (Robinson 2012). Different cultures place different meanings to aspects of communication and has its own rules about proper behaviour, whether eye contact is maintained during communication, whether one says what one means or talks around the issue; how close people stand together whilst in conversation, all these are a few examples of differences in behaviour that differ between cultures (Ting-Toomey n.d. cited in Conflict Research Consortium 1998).

Whilst on field placement it was explained to myself that the issues surround culture and communication diversity are so vast that the best approach was to be respectful and ask the other person what they were comfortable with.

References

Conflict Research Consortium 1998, Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication, University of Colorado, viewed online 16^th March 2012, http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/problem/cultrbar.htm

Robinson, L 2012, Culture and communication an introduction, CQUniversity e-courses (SOWK14005) Residential year 4 February 2012.

Worklife Matters 2011, Assertive communication six tips for effective use, Worklife matters focus on occupational social work, viewed online 14^th March 2012,

http://www.worklife-matters.com/article/assertive-communication-6-tips-for-effective-use

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 10:40:01 +0100

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3

Reflexive Practice week 4

Assertive Communication

The social work values are based upon the practitioner acting as an advocate and in the best interests of their client by promoting; human rights, social justice, respecting their clients and their clients values, beliefs, culture, spirituality and identity.

Social workers are required to collaborate with other professionals, to engage in the community they have responsibilities to society which include; ‘engaging in action to promote societal and environmental wellbeing, advocate for equitable distribution of resources and effect positive social change in the interests of social justice’ (Australian Association of Social Workers 2010, p.20). As a responsibility to themselves, their clients and the profession social workers are required to have regular supervision, this requires the practitioner to be self aware and confident in their communicatiSocion skills. This communication confidence is also necessary to engage with clients, build a professional worker / client relationship and to promote positive change for their clients.

If the practitioner found themselves in a situation of conflict; with a client, client’s family member, other professional or group situation, it would be necessary to utilise assertive communication skills to ‘constructively confront and discover a mutually satisfying solution’, (Worklife Matters 2011).

References

Australian Association of Social Workers 2010, The code of ethics, Canberra

Worklife Matters 2011, Assertive communication six tips for effective use, Worklife matters focus on occupational social work, viewed online 14^th March 2012,

http://www.worklife-matters.com/article/assertive-communication-6-tips-for-effective-use

Assertive Communication

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 10:27:00 +0100

Professional Portfolio SOWK14005 Assessment 3

Reflexive Practice week 2

Assertive Communication

There are a number of skills associated with assertive communication; ones that I believe I have strength in are,

Non-verbal behaviours such as;

maintaining a relaxed posture (Hepworth, Rooney & Larsen 1997, p. 428)
appropriately varied facial expressions (Hepworth, Rooney & Larsen 1997, p. 428)
moderately expressive gestures (Hepworth, Rooney & Larsen 1997, p. 428)

Verbal behaviours such as;

Dealing with emotion, through reflecting feelings (Conflict Resolution Network (CRN) n.d.)
Use of ‘I’ statements to clarify what it is I am communicating, taking ownership of my actions/feelings (Conflict Resolution Network (CRN) n.d.)
Being empathetic to others.

Skills I need to develop are;

Fluent Speech pattern(Hepworth, Rooney & Larsen 1997, p. 428)
including appropriate timing of speech, eye contact (If appropriate) (Hepworth, Rooney & Larsen 1997, p. 428)
Firm and moderate tone of voice (Hepworth, Rooney & Larsen 1997, p. 428)
Confidence, Being specific about the action required by others. (Australian Government n.d.)
Enhanced listening and attending skills

To practice effectively assertive communication skills are required; to promote and build appropriate client/partitioner relationships to assert and represent the needs and rights of others and also our own views and perspectives, personal and professional needs (Trevithick 2000).

References

Australian Government, nd. ‘Communication skills — conflict management and assertive communication’, Australian sports commission, viewed online 6 March 2012,

http://www.tis.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/16924/ACE_Communication_Skills.pdf

Conflict resolution network (CRN), n.d. Crkit, viewed online 6 March 2012

http://www.crnhq.org/pages.php?pID=12#skill_4

Hepworth, D H Rooney, R H & Larsen, J A 1997, Direct social work practice: theory and skills, 5^th edn. Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, Pacific Grove, USA.

Trevithick, P 2000, Social work skills a practice handbook, Open university Press, Buckingham.

SOWK13011 Community Practice

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 09:29:11 +0100

A summary of feedback received during my learning journey

I have undertaken numerous assessment pieces, written, verbal, media presentations, client worker counselling scenarios, and group assessments during this program, from these I have received numerous critiques regarding my capabilities. It is evident from these that there are many areas in which I need to progress, I have received positive feedback relating to my written expression, although grammar, lack of structure and inflated wordage is often noted as a weakness that I need to address. Particularly as client reports etc need to be precise and concise. Also lacks in analysis and/or evidence to demonstrate and justify my arguments are also noted as an area where I need to improve. This was also relevant in the community practice SOWK13011 assessment 2 Comparative analysis, where the assessor stated that ‘what is missing however is an in-depth analysis’, (JB 2011). To assist in addressing this flaw as part of my personal development plan I have decided to engage in essay/ report writing workshops organised by Central Queensland University’s Communications Learning Centre.

I also intend to research human development theories, gain a more thorough insight into systems theories, Australian legislation, and Australian Association of Social Workers ethical guidance and practice standards, which will assist in my comprehension of child and family practice, community development and support my developing professional practice framework and aid in supporting analysis and evidence components in assessment.

From assessment into my ‘skills’ in family/ group work counselling, I received very thorough critique of my ability, there were many flaws in my practice, my introduction was almost ‘parrot fashion’, I rambled off a statement without giving the clients an opportunity to react/ answer, and also should of discussed with the clients what they were hoping to achieve from the session, the introduction came across as though I was quoting from a book instead of having a conversation to introduce myself and set boundaries about my role and client/worker relationship. For the actual content of the ‘session I failed to acknowledge areas, which should of been a ‘red flag’ for a social worker or as stated by the assessor (de Warren, 2010), ‘It is these little glimpses of people grappling with change that the social worker in family practice needs to have blood hound qualities for’. Another major oversight that I made during this session was to repeatedly ask the client if she wanted me to contact housing on her behalf. At the time I thought by asking her I was promoting change in her life and demonstrating that I could advocate for her in dealing with a bureaucratic organisation. Upon reflection I can see that not only was I displaying confusion about my role but that this could be construed as being oppressive towards the client, disempowering her and taking away her autonomy. In relation to this a huge ‘light bulb’ moment occurred during my experience in the Fieldwork 1 practice setting I witnessed workers who did work like this, not intentionally oppressive but undertook the clients administrative roles, i.e. contacting their GP if the client was unwell to make an appointment, phoning Centrelink to enquire about their benefits. From this perspective I was able to see that the worker assumed that the clients would not contact these agencies, this made the workers role invaluable to them, and there seemed to be a ‘roller coaster effect’ of the client worker relationship. Some crisis would happen in the clients’ life they would visit the worker who would take on the ‘fixer role’, solving the clients problem, the client would be stable for a few weeks then something else would happen and they would return to the worker because they had not developed either coping or problem solving skills of their own. This in turn put extra pressure upon the worker and resulted in the neglect of her own self care. From being able to reflect upon feedback from an assignment I completed twelve months ago, and relate it to a practical experience I can visualise how easy it is as a social worker to assume you are doing the best for your client but in reality you are disempowering them. So from this I can see that when working at a practical level I need to ‘step out’ of the ‘helping role’ to ensure that my actions/statements really do assist the client to reach their own potential through promoting change and not being the change. At a practical level to improve my basic skills I need to practice the micro skills on a daily basis through utilising elements of active listening, paraphrasing, and open ended questioning, this I intend to do in my current work environment.

Group presentations have always been an area that I have found difficult to engage in, because of a lack of confidence in my ability when speaking to an audience. Each residential has allowed me to gain a little more confidence, although at the time it hasn’t felt like it. During the fieldwork placement, I was involved in a number of workshops, helping to develop the activities and assisting the facilitator. From this I was able to take away the belief that I had something useful to offer and that people actually wanted to hear what I had to say. Although at the time group presentations were ‘huge stress inducing events’ the experience of being able to ‘practice’ in a safe environment was and is invaluable to my development. From a critique of a group presentation that was assessed in 2010, I am able to see that what we as a group perceived to be an expression of multiculturalism could be perceived as tokenistic and insensitive, instead of demonstrating cultural competence. Our intention was to highlight and acknowledge different cultures through the use of their individual flags, what we failed to do was discuss the reasoning behind this, and to a person who had no knowledge of the assessment criteria this could have been perceived as tokenistic. The learning that I have taken away from this is before participating in any community, group, or individual social work context ‘start were the person is’ it is a phrase coined by many, but relates to so much. In this instance if we had thought through how an individual would/could feel watching this presentation we may have had a better understanding of how our actions could be interpreted. In community development it is vital that the worker starts were the community is, discovers what they abilities they have, what they need and what the members want. When working with a client/ family the worker needs to begin her/his focus on where they are mentally, physically, socially and environmentally at the same time being respectful to their culture and traditions.

At this term residential we had a question and answer forum with a professional panel. This term the panel came from a varied background of community development. At the time I had very limited knowledge about community development and from this forum I took away the understanding that community development was to support communities in their development through focusing on their strengths and weakness, empowering the community to utilise their strengths to bring about change that is sustainable and driven by the community. Supporting them, to support themselves.

After completing the first practicum I received feedback from both my internal and external supervisor. The external supervisor noted that throughout the placement I had demonstrated, resiliency, adaptability, initiative and core social work skills, she was unable to identify any significant weaknesses, however she stated that the placement had ‘grown’ me in areas that I may be more ‘vulnerable in’. The internal supervisor comments noted from discussing my performance with her team that;

‘Feedback from staff included that Lindsey was engaging, didn’t hesitate to help staff or assist with networking activities and she spent some time with’ a social work from another agency ‘again the feedback was that Lindsey was great, didn’t hesitate to ask questions as needed and had a sound understanding of the work that was occurring with’ this social worker. (SJ 2011)

I believe that statement assists in demonstrating that I have a sound ability to engage and build appropriate relationships.

Reflection upon learning from SOWK13011

Throughout this course there has been much information and knowledge that I have gained that will impact upon my professional practice framework. I was very much confused prior to the course about the differing terminology i.e. ‘community work, community development, community organisation, community action, community practice and community change’ (Tesoriero 2010). A descriptive that assisted in my understanding of this was Cavaye’s (n.d.) definition ‘community development means that a community itself engages in a process aimed at improving the social, economic and environmental situation of the community’. The community is the focus of community development, through undertaking action collaboratively; the community becomes more viable, not just economically but as a strong functioning community (Cavaye’s (n.d.). A feature that stood out to me was the impact of community development in Indigenous communities, as discussed by Tesoriero (2010), for it to be successful it needs to be undertaken in collaboration with Indigenous customs, traditions and with respect. Any activity done without incorporating Indigenous cultural customs adds to the oppression of Indigenous peoples and reinforces formation and discourses of domination (Tesoriero, 2010, p.217). As stated by Tesoriero (2010, p. 216) Indigenous people have a critical need for community development in one meaning of the expression, however they have been victims of community development in another sense. This reinforces to me just how vital it is to engage in the community when working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, to seek their opinions regarding what they want, what they need and what strengths they have. This knowledge relates to my ongoing learning and development of cultural competence and in attaining a more practical understanding of theoretical approaches such as anti-oppressive theory, and the strengths theory. Before undertaking this course my perspective of community development was mostly one of huge bureaucratic organisations, manipulating communities for economic gain for example by building large shopping centres in community areas where there would be public outcry because of the increased traffic, lowering of house prices, and the detrimental effect on small local shop keepers. From the moment the course began I could see that this was a very narrow minded perspective with community development being exactly what it says development for the community.

References

Cavaye, J (n.d.), Understanding Community Development, Viewed 19 September 2011, http://www.communitydevelopment.com.au/Documents/Understanding%20Community%20Development.pdf

Tesoriero, F 2010, Community development, community-based alternatives in an age of globalisation, Pearson Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW.

SOWK13013 Assessment 3

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 09:30:42 +0100

Journal Portfolio

Practice with Children, Youth and Families is an area where I began my journey into social work many years ago and where I wish to undertake my second Field work placement in 2012.

An element of this course was the written submission of two assessment pieces. On this page it is my intention to critically review my performance in these two assessments from my own evaluation and from feedback provided by the course tutor. Then to provide a plan for ongoing development of practice knowledge, including methods of evaluation.

Assessment 1

This item required the completion of a statutory child protection report regarding the Sampson family, highlighting my interpretation of the family in terms of its structure and dynamics, issues of concern and to provide a genogram of the family, utilising literature to evidence the points of interest. This was an assessment that I enjoyed completing, other than a brief workshop presented during term two residential (2010) at Central Queensland University Rockhampton I had limited experience at creating a genogram. The creation of one for this assessment required me not only to critically analyse the family’s case study to gather significant information, but also to learn how to construct a genogram and the utilisation of an unfamiliar computer program. This aspect I believe, after numerous attempts, I completed effectively enabling the visualisation of the family construction and its relationships. Regarding the portrayal of family my interpretation was adequate, however as highlighted by the course assessor I failed to raise the issue of social exclusion/ isolation regarding the mother and how this impacts upon ‘the family’s vulnerability for future child protection issues’ (SH, 2011), there were a number of issues of concern relating to this case study, many I discovered and many I did not, however my descriptive of these concerns was limited and a more thorough analysis, with evidenced research would of been appropriate particularly in a real case scenario. From this assessment and the feedback provided by the course assessor (SL) It has become evident that there are a number of areas in which I need to become more knowledgeable particularly when identifying an issue of concern and how this issue can impact on other areas of the family’s wellbeing and ability to function for example, The impact of domestic violence and its relationship to mental health, parental capacity, etc.

Assessment 2

The second assessment piece required the evaluation of issues and dilemma’s encountered to maintain the best interests of the child when working in a practice context. The practice context that was chosen was child protection in out of home care. The two issues identified were the removal of children from out of home care and breaching client confidentiality, too discuss these issues, discover what theoretical frameworks underpinned them and how, research was undertaken into legislation, including mandatory reporting and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, building appropriate relationships with clients, strengths perspective, anti- oppressive approach and cultural competence. There were many social work theories I found that were relevant to this context, but I failed to mention the importance of child development theories, social learning theories, system theories and in particular Attachment Theory. Especially as a great deal of research based upon attachment theory intends to promote knowledge of the characteristics that contribute to complications in parent-child relationships (Daniel, Wassell & Gilligan 1999), and that children in out of home care are most likely living away from the individual to whom they have their primary attachment relationship (Daniel, Wassell & Gilligan 1999). This would support the significance of regular contact, which is another issue that upon reflection I could have discussed further. As noted by the assessor I did concentrate far too much upon the ethical components of child protection and the workers practice, when more focus was required on evidence based theoretical aspects. I did report the underlying principles of child protection in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and attempted to relate the importance of cultural competency when working with any client in this context, however further research would of enhanced the significance, importance and implication of cultural competence.

References

Daniel, B Wassell, S & Gilligan, R 1999, Child development for child care and protection workers, Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd, London, England.

Reflections on my learning

Overall on both assessments my grammar and structure of sentences needed more focus, my written expression was I believe too elaborate, a more concise report would of allowed for more wordage to be utilised in a the theoretical critique and demonstration of knowledge. I need to gain more knowledge about;

1. The legislation of Australian child protection,

2. Theoretical discourses that underpin child protection,

3. The practice context in which child protection takes place, i.e. government agencies, non-government agencies,

4. Family structures and the importance of dynamics,

5. Human development

6. Cultural awareness and competence,

Goal

Action

Time Frame

Evaluation

Develop knowledge about legislation underpinning Child protection

Research CP legislation QLD and Commonwealth, revisit family law text.

February 2012

Journaling, competence in assessment writing

Enhance knowledge of theories of child protection and human development.

Research, social work journals, texts on child development, child protection.

Initially end 2011, although this will be an ongoing process

Application of a child development theory into my personal practice framework.

Develop knowledge about the practice contexts of child protection.

Research into local community, networking, attendance at community workshops.

Again ongoing, however by June 2012 I want to have made numerous

network connections, and be able describe services relating to CP that are available in the community

Possible attendance certificates, increased contacts, reflective journaling.

Knowledge about family structure, dynamics, and relationships

Research into social work, behavioural, and physiological journals

January 2012

Self reflective Journaling and peer group discussion.

Cultural awareness and competence,

Research into culture, respect sensitivity and competence through literature and engaging at a practical level at the local Indigenous wellbeing centre.

Ongoing process, April 2012

Self reflective journaling

Improve my literacy skills.

Engage in workshops that promote report and assessment writing. Contact the Communications learning centre at Central Queensland University for advice.

February 2012

Enhanced confidence and competence in assessment writing, report writing and in employment application, etc.

Strengths Limitations, learning goals and objectives prior to Fieldwork Third year

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 10:07:05 +0100

What I can do, and what I need to learn

Prior to starting the field education placement, I assessed my capabilities, strengths and limitations to gain a more thorough understanding of what skills I needed to learn, or information I am required to know, that will further my development and future practice as a Social Worker. Then after starting this fieldwork placement I was able to turn these requirements into learning goals and objectives, relevant to the environment that I have found myself in.

Strengths

o Effective assertive listening communication skills

o Ability to be self -directed

o Ability to work proficiently as part of a team

o Ability to be reflective on my own and others practice.

o Empathetic and approachable

o Knowledge and experience of previously utilised individual self-care strategies.

Weaknesses

o Lack of confidence in my own personal verbal communication skills and at articulating my opinions in large groups or formal meetings.

o Limited experience in applying theory in practical situations and lack of confidence in my abilities to recognise theory being utilised in professional practice.

o Lack of confidence in my counselling skills and knowledge and the ability to apply what knowledge I have in a practical situation

o Lack of confidence in my knowledge of cultural awareness within the local community.

o Limited experience in being able to recognise and assess a client’s needs.

Learning Needs and Professional Development Goals upon Entry to Field Education Placement

The development of practical skills, including:

o Client assessment and community referral.

o Communication skills and counselling skills.

o Effective use of self care skills.

o Learning how to integrate theoretical knowledge into practice, developing skills in applying specific theories that I have articulated into my professional framework into the practical setting.

o Developing an understanding of how human service organisations function and interact with the community and the role of the social worker/human service worker within this context.

o Developing a greater understanding of cultural awareness and sensitivity, and knowledge of how organisations achieve this goal.

o Knowledge of Implementation the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics 2010 and the AASW Practice Standards 2003 into organisational practice.

Goals

1. Develop an understanding of the client assessment and referral to/within the community.

2. Development of Communication skills, and counselling skills.

3. Develop effective self care skills.

4. Learning how to integrate theoretical knowledge into practice,

5. Developing an understanding of how human service organisations function and interact with the community and the role of the social worker/human service worker within this context

6 Developing a greater understanding of cultural awareness and sensitivity, and knowledge of how organisations achieve this goal.

Objectives

1. Gain knowledge about the client assessment and referral procedure within the agency. Gain an understanding of community services made available to clients.

Develop knowledge of criteria requirements of clients for various services offered by the agency. Gain awareness about the correct recording procedure of assessment and referral within the agency Develop an understanding of how human service workers respond to a clients right to self determination, when it is in conflict with the human service workers duty to care, and detrimental to the clients wellbeing.

2. Gain knowledge and skills when interacting with clients and other professionals.

Develop effective listening skills.Develop confidence in verbal communication.

Develop constructive counseling skills. Actively develop skills in rapport building with clients and other professionals to promote my practice.

3. Maintain a plan of self care that promotes my learning along with my wellbeing

Recognising the theoretical frameworks used by the agency.

4 Development of skills, in applying specific theories that I have articulated into my professional framework into the practical setting.

5. Identify how the organisation functions, including its organisational structure, its role within the community, system of hierarchy, and the roles of workers within the organisation.

6. To develop knowledge about the different cultures in the environmental area, that the organisation provide (or don’t provide) services for. Develop cultural sensitivity surrounding direct practice with clients of Indigenous ethnicity.

Tasks

1. Communicate with team members regarding services offered by the organisation. Read, study organisational and legislative policies and procedures, articulating the referral and assessment procedure. Research agency and government policies, for assessing service user’s eligibility for specific services. Gain knowledge of other services that may be available to clients in the local community, which the agency does not offer. Observe agency workers in practice within the organisation Actively and appropriately engage with human service workers and their clients’ whist they are completing assessments/ referrals. Debrief discussions with human service workers after observing/ engaging in assessment process. Engaging with and observing social workers from other agencies in practice Connecting with Social workers from other agencies to gain the opportunity to follow the referral process, from initial client assessment at the agency through to the ongoing case management at the referred agency.

2. Engage in student social work peer group meetings and activities. Attend formal/informal meetings with other professionals Observe counsellors working with clients. Engage in professional discussions with human service workers. Regularly practice attentive listening skills such as paraphrasing, etc, when communicating. Actively engage in discussions with social workers from other agencies. Observe social workers from other organisations in direct practice with clients.

3. Take time out each day for leisure activities such as; walking, physical exercise.

Spending set time each week either with or talking to family and friends. Engaging in student social work peer group meetings and activities. Engage productively with supervision sessions. Ensure any health issues are addressed promptly. Allow sufficient time for completion of tasks. Monitor stress levels.

4. Observation of workers performing their tasks. Discussions with workers surrounding the theory underpinning their practice. Reading of literature relevant to the theoretical framework utilised by the agency and its workers, and the theoretical ideologies underpinning my ‘professional framework’ to further my knowledge. Discussion with social workers from other organisations around the social work theories they utilise in their practice.

5. Research into agency policies and procedures. Develop knowledge regarding the organisational framework. Gain an understanding of how organisational systems, and levels of bureaucracy impact on the role of the human service worker, through discussions with human service workers Gain knowledge of what community services are provided by the organisation, who is responsible for providing these services and for funding them, by accessing literature and communicating with administration workers. Attend community meetings with workers to develop an understanding of the role that the agency has within the community. Visits to other agencies in the local area to assess what services they provide to the community

6. Observation of workers in direct practice with clients that identify as Indigenous. Observation of workers in direct practice with clients from varied cultures that are evident within the local environment. Discussions with Indigenous community workers about best practice for being respectful to all clients. Actively engaging in Indigenous aged care community workshops, to gain a greater understanding of local culture. Discussions with human service workers about the cultural diversity within the local community. Discussions with Social workers from other agencies, regarding best practice for working with clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.