StudentSocialWork:Whatmakesagoodobservation?
AsaPracticeEducatorworkingcurrentlywithtwolocaluniversitiesinsupportingandassessing
StudentSocialWorkers,itissafetosaythatIhavecompletedmyfairshareofobservationson
buddingprofessionals.
Assuch,aquestionIgetaskedalotis“whatmakesagoodobservation?”
WhilstthereisnooneformulatherearecertainfocuspointsorkeythemesthatStudentSocial
Workersshouldincorporateifobservationsaretobeassessedas“good”.
WhataretheyIhearyousay?WellbelowIhavelistedanumberofkeyelementsthatIlookout
forasaPracticeEducator,whichshouldbeincludedinallobservations.
UsetheProfessionalCapabilitiesFramework(PCF)todecidewhatyoushouldbeobserved
doing!
SocialWorkoffersusthechancetoengagewithServiceUsersinlotsofdifferentways.Assuch,
Studentscansometimesfinditoverwhelmingwhendecidingwhichareaoftheirpracticethey
shouldbeobserveddoing.
AgoodguidetouseindecidingistocrossreferencethePCF,whetherfirstorfinalplacement,
againsttheproposedobservation.ThemorePCF’syouarelikelytoachieve,thestrongerthe
observation.
Themostcommonobservationsare:
• OnetoOneinterventionsessions
• GroupSessions
• Multi-AgencyMeetings
• AssessmentMeetings
• TrainingDelivery
PCF’sachieved:
• Professionalism
• ProfessionalLeadership
• Knowledge
Preparationandplanning
AllSocialWorkpractice,whetherarrangingacontactsession,undertakinganassessmentor
writingacareplaninvolvesdetailedandholisticpreparationandplanning.
Therefore,itisessentialthatstudentsmustdemonstratewhatplanningtheyhaveundertaken
priortotheobservedsessioncommencing.Indoingsoitwilldemonstratehowyouhaveshown
professionalcommitmentbytakingresponsibilityforthesessionandhowyouhaveadapted
yourpracticetotheneedsoftheServiceUser.Toreallydemonstratethis,youcanuseasession
timeplanner.Completingthispriortothesessionwillreallystrengthenthequalityofthe
observation.
PCF’sachieved:
• Professionalism
• ProfessionalLeadership
TailorthesessiontotheneedsoftheServiceUser.
Aspractitioners,wearetaughttopromoteempowerment(wherepossible)whenworkingwith
ServiceUsers.Assuch,itisimportantthatanysession(observedornot)shouldbetailoredto
theneedsoftheServiceUsers.
Hereyouneedtodemonstratehowyouhavetakentheirlearningneeds,religion,culture,age,
gender,raceandethnicityintoconsiderationandhowthishasbeenadaptedtomeettheir
requirements.Forexample,thereisnopointcompletingaworksheetonangercontrolwitha
youngpersonwithlimitedreadingandwritingskillsifthelanguageandcontentisdirected
towardsadults.
PCF’sachieved:
• Professionalism
• Values&Ethics
• Diversity
• Rights,JusticeandEconomicWellbeing
• CriticalReflectionandAnalysis
Linkinterventiondeliverytoassessment
HighlighthowthesessionhasbeenplannedwithsightoftheServiceUsersassessment.
Considerquestionssuchas:
• Whyareyoucompletingthispieceofwork?
• Whatareas(linkedtoassessment)willyoufocuson?
• Whatdoyouhopetoachievefromthesession?
Bydoingso,youaredemonstratingtheimportanceoflinkingassessment,planning,
interventiondeliveryandreview-AllofwhichareessentialingredientsforSocialWork
practice.
PCF’sachieved:
• InterventionandSkills
• Knowledge
• CriticalReflectionandAnalysis
Demonstrateyourlistening,communicationskillsandpersoncentredapproach.
The‘buzzwords’ofSocialWorkPracticebutimportantnonetheless.
Duringtheobservation,demonstrateactivelisteningandcommunicationskills.Thebestwayto
dothisisbyusingthetechniqueofparaphrasing-repeatingwhattheServiceUserhassaidfor
clarityandconfirmationofunderstanding.Indoingso,youareachievingandadoptingaperson
centredapproachtoworking,whichpromotestheuseofempathyandunconditionalpositive
regards.
PCF’sachieved:
• Rights,JusticeandEconomicWellbeing
• Knowledge
Itwon’tgo100%asplanned
Yes,itisessentialinanyobservationthatyoumustprepareinadvance,asIhavehighlighted
above.However,wemustnotlosesighttothefactthatwedealwithreallifesituations,which
canoftenbefraught,challengingandcomplex.Wedealwithpeopleintimesofcrisisorneed.
Assuch,itisrarethatanysession(nomatterhowlongyou’vebeenqualifiedfor)willgo100%
ashowyouhadplanned.
However,donotworryaboutthis.SomeofthebestobservationsIhaveconductedoverthe
yearshaveoftenbeenthosewhereithasn’tgoneasplanned.Therefore,Studenthavehadto
thingontheirfeet-demonstratingprofessionaljudgementandautonomousthinking.Thisis
trueSocialWork,asoftenwearepresentedor‘thrown’intocrisissituationswherebyweare
requiredto(somehow)makesense,assessandde-escalateasituationallatonce.
PFC’sachieved:
• Knowledge
• InterventionandSkills
• Contextsandorganisations
Don'tlie-It’soknottoknoweverything
SometimesStudentsanxietycanberelatedtothefactthattheyfeelfearfulifaskedquestions
theydonotyetknowtheanswerto.Again,don’tworryaboutthis.
Thebestresponsetousehereissimply:“I’msorry,Idon’tknowtheanswertothatquestion.
ButIshallmakeanoteofitandwillfindoutforyou”.
ThistransparentapproachwillassistyouindevelopingabetterClient-Workerrelationship.It
willalsodemonstratetotheobserverthatyouarenottryingto'wingit'andthatyouhave
conductedyourselfinaprofessionalmanner.
PFC’sachieved:
• Knowledge
• Professionalism
• ProfessionalLeadership
• InterventionandSkills
• Contextsandorganisations
Observationsareforlearning
Finally,observationsareforlearning.Weareallhumanandmistakeswillbemade.Froman
observerspointofviewtherewillalwaysbelearningfollowingobservations.Thekeyhereisto
thinkcriticallyandreflectwiththeobserver-useitastwowayprocess.Thiswillagain
demonstrateyourpracticeasabuddingSocialWorker.