Knowledge for Social Work Practice

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This is an academic essay with credit given for coherence of analysis and use of a range of relevant sources.
MODULE SUMMARY
This module enables students to reflect critically on practice experience and to analyse their application and use of social work knowledge in work with individuals, families and communities in the light of their first placement experience. In this way, it allows them to develop and extend their knowledge in preparation for the second practice placement taken in the third year of study. Drawing on practice placement experience, students will explore approaches to leadership, inter-agency and inter-professional working and go on to evaluate the extent to which the expertise and voice of service users and carers is taken into account in shaping service delivery. The use of research to inform practice is developed in this module and understanding of research methods in order rigorously to question and evaluate the reliability and validity of information from different sources is fostered.

MAPPING OF LEARNING OUTCOMES TO ASSESSMENT STRATEGY (INDICATIVE)
Assignment:
I followed the agencies guidelines and tool of the Recovery Star
• Analyse the use of social work knowledge research, ethics and values in practice to inform assessments and interventions and promote anti-discriminatory practice.
• Assess the extent to which the expertise and voice of service users and carers is taken into account in shaping service delivery and if practice is informed by evidence.
• Analyse organisational structures and contexts for social work practice, including the inter-agency and inter-professional dimensions of practice, leadership and effective partnership working.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of research methods, evaluating the reliability and validity of information from different sources and considering how research can inform practice. Using The Recovery Model in Mental Health and Evidence Based Practices

THE SESSIONS
1 An introduction to organisations and Working in Organisations
• Social work takes place in the context of organisations and, as you will have learnt on placement, these influence your practice very strongly. In this session we will begin to look at some of the theory in this field and think back to the organisations you were placed in.
2 Inter-professional Practice (2 sessions)
• Social workers do not operate in professional isolation and learning to work with a range of other professions and agencies is an important element of good practice. This session will look at some of the research, theory and practice concerning inter-professional working, as well as the challenges and dilemmas this brings.
3 Research Methods and Research-minded Practice – Evidence or Research based practice or Methods
We want to introduce you to a number of research ideas and issues, so that you can start to incorporate a critical review of relevant research studies into your academic assignments, and also start thinking about how research findings might influence your practice.

In the course of these sessions we will consider:

• Epistemology/ methodology/ methodologies
• Qualitative, quantitative and emancipatory research: what are they? Why would one be used rather than another? Strengths and weaknesses of positivistic and interpretative approaches.
• Case studies, surveys, ethnography, experiments – randomised control trials, action research. As above, what are they? Advantages and disadvantages? Why would one be used rather than another?
• Validity, reliability, triangulation, generalisation, transferability, forms of bias
• Advantages and disadvantages of different research methods – why use one rather than another?
• Research ethics.

4 Good Practice with Service Users and Carers – Influence of Service Users and Carers on practice
• The vital role service users and carers play in achieving social work goals. Building on this awareness, we will consider legislation guiding practice with service users and carers, carers needs assessments and good practice in ‘co-production.’ Anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice, Service User Involvement, Equality Act 2010 -Equal Opportunity & Diversity, Values and Ethics – Partnership working, diversity. Use recovery model as a tool for assessment and support service users.

5 Leadership Styles
• We discuss your experience both of being led and of leading in practice settings. Theory regarding leadership will help us to think through what leadership is, the different ways in which it can be expressed and the development of our own leadership skills.
GUIDANCE IN PREPARING THE WRITTEN ACCOUNT

In this assignment you should critically evaluate the extent to which practice in your placement setting was evidence-based, expressive of social work values and guided by service user and carer expertise.

It will be helpful to introduce the practice setting briefly.

A critical evaluation of the extent to which agency practices were evidence-based is an important part of the assignment. In considering agency practices, think about assessment and intervention practices Which theoretical understandings guided practice? It will be helpful to identify research studies which support or question the effectiveness of the practices identified – (Recovery Model). Making use of these studies will allow you to show an understanding of research methods.

Your assignment should also include a critical evaluation of the degree to which services were effective in expressive social work values. It will be acceptable to focus on particular services and values rather than attempting to address this issue globally.

Finally, you should analyse the ways in which service users and carers’ did or did not influence practice. Think about the existence or otherwise of service user groups or roles within the organization and the methods of capturing their views. Once captured, think about power and the ways in which their views did or did not shape practice.

The Particular Service:

The agency I had my placement was a voluntary organisation with a supported accommodation. The organisation’s primary aim is to provide support, care and recovery to adult service users who experience mental ill health, drugs, alcohol and substance dependency and rehabilitate them back into the community. In order to promote the well being of service users, the Agency in collaboration with the service users works alongside other multi agency team.
The Organisation Structure: Senior Management Team, Director of Operation, Group Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.Staff team comprising Manager, Team leader, 5 Recovery/Project Workers, 1 Support worker.
Reading:
• Morgan, G. (2006) Images of Organisation. 2nd ed. London: Sage
• Binney G , Wilke G, Williams, C. (2005) Living Leadership: A Practical Guide for Ordinary Heroes. Harlow. Prentice Hall

• Brown, K. Further Key Perspectives in Gray, I. Field, R. and Brown, K. (eds) (2010) Effective leadership and Supervision in Health and Social Care. Exeter. Learning Matters

• Barnes, V. Skills for Interprofessional Social Work Practice. In Davies, K. and Jones, R. (Eds.) (2015) Skills for Social Work Practice. London. Jessica Kingsley.

• Littlechild, B. and Smith, R. (2013) A Handbook for Interprofessional Practice in the Human Services: Learning to Work Together. Harlow. Pearson.

• McCray, J. (2013) Skills for Collaborative Working. In Mantell, A. (ed.), Skills for Social Work Practice, 2nd edition. London: Sage/Learning Matters.

• Quinney, A. and Hafford-Letchfield, T. (2012) Interprofessional Social Work. Exeter. Learning Matters.

• Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods 4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press

• Lloyd, M., Lefroy, L., Yorke, S. and Mottershead, R. (2011) Working with Carers in Educational Settings; Developing Innovations in Practice. The Journal of Mental Health Education, Training and Practice. 6:3 135-141
• Skilton, S. Working with the Experiences of Service Users and Carers. In Davies, K. and Jones, R. (Eds.) (2015) Skills for Social Work Practice. London. Jessica Kingsley.
• Brown, K. Further Key Perspectives in Gray, I. Field, R. and Brown, K. (eds) (2010) Effective leadership and Supervision in Health and Social Care. Exeter. Learning Matters.

• Davies, K. and Ross, J. Skills for Leadership In Davies, K. and Jones, R. (eds) (2016) Skills for Social Work Practice. London. Palgrave.
• Northouse, P. (2013) Leadership: Theory and Practice. (6th ed.) London.
Sage.

• Other Research Articles on Mental Healthcare Recover Model