Reflection and Supervision

The content of this text so far has focused on the nature and process of social work intervention and the role of the worker therein. This chapter begins to explore the means by which workers develop their abilities to reflect upon their intervention within a structured environment. It is important for workers to be able to take a step back from their practice and begin to identify any patterns that may emerge, lessons that can be learned, adjustments that need to be made. In this way, past experiences, formal knowledge and learning, including policies and procedure, are critically built upon to develop present and future practice. This learning from experience is the aim of reflective practice, as workers openly and honestly re-evaluate their work. As has been examined elsewhere in this text, the workers’ approach to practice will inform and shape their understanding of the situation, which in turn will shape their reflection in relation to how they name and frame the problem (Schön 1987).