Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Knowledge
Social workers are constantly required to give feedback, both to colleagues and to service users, and to receive it themselves. One way of approaching this is to reflect on your own experiences of getting feedback, and what makes it possible to hear or not. The ability to give feedback that others can hear, accept and make use of is enhanced if it is: specific: describing actual behaviour in some detail (e.g. when Jill brought you her paintings you smiled and leaned forward, which seemed to make her relax, rather than you were friendly to Jill); constructive: relating to matters within the control of the other (e.g. when you walked into the room it wasnt clear to the group members if you were the leader or not, rather than you crept into the room like a mouse). In addition, there is a general rule about feedback, which is that it is helpful if any negative comment on behaviour and its impact can be accompanied by a suggested alternative. For example, when you tried to stop Danny hitting Mike with his toy tractor, he wasnt aware at first that you were talking to him.You could try saying his name first, or calling his name and holding his arm at the same time, so that you are sure you have his attention. The skill of receiving feedback is equally important and involves: listening carefully avoiding a defensive response seeking clarification if you are unclear being prepared to try any alternatives with an open mind. Feedback is likely to be more successful if it is as close in time as possible to the occurrence of the behaviour to which it refers. Of course, tact is required and we should avoid criticising others in front of peers. In a sense, giving this type of feedback is about being assertive, particularly if
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we are giving feedback on the impact the other person has on us. For example, when working with children who have been sexually abused, we need to be aware that they may be used to touching adults on intimate parts of their body and it is important to give feedback to them about this, and to assert our own rights not to be touched in ways we do not want. Instead of saying dont touch me there! we could say,George, I dont want to be touched there; if you want a cuddle, come and hold my hand first. Of course, we convey as much in the way we say such things as in the words themselves.The example above could be said in a punishing way, or in a firm but clear way. Such skills apply when we are negotiating with our managers. Being able to assert our own wishes, and being clear about what we mean is essential if we are to avoid being overloaded with work. Many social workers find it difficult to say no because they believe that they should always be obliging and helpful. There are of course times when we need to confront and challenge the behaviour of others.Wherever possible, the purpose of confronting and challenging should be to enable others to realise the effect they are having and to give them the opportunity to change with as much dignity as possible. It is important to uphold agency policies by challenging racist, sexist or disablist remarks or behaviour, but this should be done in a way that enables people to grow rather than pushing them into corners or labelling them. Some people continually deny aspects of their behaviour; substance abusers often do this, and child abusers frequently deny or play down the impact their behaviour has on children. In some situations, social workers have to challenge such behaviour and hold on to strong beliefs, or uphold the law.We have to be careful that in our efforts to be tactful and kind we do not collude with intolerable discriminatory or seriously illegal behaviour.
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Knowledge
Inter-professional working
Definition
Inter-professional working, also known as partnership working, takes many forms. It may involve working across agencies or with different specialist teams in the same agency or work with other professionals in multidisciplinary teams or joint projects. Partnership working also includes the involvement of service users and carers and links with the local community.
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should be clear about their understanding of the service users social circumstances and the importance of their own contribution to multidisciplinary assessment. Care plans are constructed through interprofessional collaboration and the contribution of each agency needs to be spelled out.A detailed work plan can be devised for joint work with targets and time scales, so that each worker is clear about mutual accountability and also knows what resources the agency will commit. This then makes it possible to monitor and evaluate the work and learn for the future. There is a clear imperative to work in partnership but in practice this can be difficult to implement. Some of the difficulties arise from differences in power and status between agencies and different professional language and ideology. Shared training and informal contact can help to build trust and cut down on assumptions and negative stereotyping. Everyone can then seek clarification on the meaning of terms and find ways of cutting down on the use of jargon. Service users and community groups often feel belittled in meetings by ranks of professionals talking a strange language. So organisations should consider whether improved inter-professional working is setting up new barriers between professionals and users and take steps to counteract this. Each agency has its own hierarchy and ways of reporting and allocating resources. In order to work effectively an inter-professional meeting or project needs to clarify the organisational roles and structure of all participants and understand what power the members have to commit resources including staff time.The same understanding of organisational roles is essential in joint teams set up to implement particular programmes. Such initiatives are often funded by targeted government finance or by joint funding between health and social care and have defined objectives and a short time scale. Unless a clear focus on the desired outcomes is maintained, the project risks becoming bogged down in divergent agendas and unfulfilled expectations.
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Knowledge
Interviewing
Definition
Often described as a conversation with a purpose, this is a verbal exchange between two people (or within a group) in which one person usually has a role in directing the process towards specific outcomes.
Good interviews involve the ability to listen and to talk, to observe and empathise, and to analyse.The interviewer must be skilled in the use of time and be aware of a sense of process in the interview (a beginning, middle and end). Preparation for an interview can involve several stages: 1 Who arranged the interview, for what purpose, and who will be there? 2 Where will it take place and what facilities are required? What are the aims, and are they achievable? 3 What type of interview (or combination) will it be? 4 What issues might arise relating to confidentiality, recording and storing the information?
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Knowledge
Leading
Definition
Leadership is closely associated with authority.Authority can come through something like an election, i.e. being given authority to act by others, or because a particular role is regarded as having authority because of the knowledge or skill that we believe such people hold, such as doctors, lawyers, teachers and social workers.Authority may also be associated with power, the power to do or not do something. For example, police officers have the power of arrest. Leaders often have such power. However, the power to coerce others is contrasted with the kind of authority that combines the role with the personal qualities of the leader. The quality of leadership that comes because we choose to trust anothers judgement is qualitatively different from the leadership that relies on force, or the threats of force. Leadership can be formal, as in the examples above, or informal, for example when a group of people are stuck in a lift and leadership qualities emerge as the group strives to decide what to do.
Like so much of social work, using the skills of leadership is about judgement and learning from experience. Often to be an effective leader we have to put being respected above being liked!
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Knowledge
Negotiating
Definition
Purposeful efforts to reach agreement about conflicting views. It requires a clear view of the legitimacy and authority of the negotiators and the extent to which they can concede ground, bargain and seek compromise. Negotiation often requires patience, persistence and stamina.
Skills Combining thinking & senses
Many other skills are relevant to negotiating, and much will depend on the ability to use them well, for example, listening and talking, observing, reflecting and analysing.
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Negotiation often results in the need for a written agreement on what has been negotiated, and who will do what, when, where and how. It should also involve review of the agreement. Finding an acceptable form of words often focuses negotiation away from argument and on to solutions.
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Knowledge
Supporting
Definition
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each other.This can be difficult in professional helping relationships. However small the contribution, even if it is only offering the helper a cup of tea, we must respect the desire to offer something back.
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Knowledge
Skills Combining thinking & senses
Practical things to do
Check that the interpreter and client speak the same language or dialect. Allow time for a pre-interview discussion with the interpreter in order to talk about the content of the interview and the way in which you will work together. Encourage the interpreter to interrupt and intervene during the interview when necessary. Use straightforward language. Actively listen to the interpreter and the client. Allow enough time for the interview. At the end of the interview check whether the client has understood everything and wants to know or ask anything else. Have a post-interview with the interpreter. the pressures on the interpreter the responsibility for the interview is yours your power as perceived by the interpreter and the client to be patient and show compassion in a demanding situation to be aware of your own racial attitudes.
Things to remember
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Are you creating as good a relationship as possible with your client? Is the interpreter translating exactly what you and your client are saying, or is she putting forward her own views and opinions? Does the interpreter understand the purpose of the interview and what her role is within it? Have you given the interpreter time to get to know your client and explain what is going on? Does the interpreter feel free to interrupt you when necessary to point out problems or ask for clarification? Are you using simple jargon-free English? Is the interpreter ashamed of or embarrassed by your client? Are you asking too much of the interpreter? Are you allowing the interpreter enough time? Are you maintaining as good a relationship with the interpreter as you can?
Shackman et al., 1995
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