Está en la página 1de 2

500 words- power, diversity and ethics. The unconscious ;processes in supervision. Use references.

Reflection and Analysis Integration of theory and practice Skills development

I do not currently have a student therefore I have chosen to discuss the process of supervision in theoretical terms and based around my own understanding of the supervision I have with my manager. Diversity, power and ethics. Maidment and Cooper discuss the importance of Understanding oppressive structures and it suggests that supervision can help the student do this if they are given the opportunity to explore (Maidment and Cooper, 2002: p401). But this research also suggests that the student needs to understand diversity and difference in their clients to be able to unlock all of the issues that may be going on for their client (2002:p401). My understanding of this in my own supervision has been when I have been given the opportunity to reflect on my own practice when working with a particular client who has been seen as different. It was important for me to look at the different layers of that client and not only at the most obvious differences. Maidment and Cooper use the example of a student working with an older client recognising their age as a diversity however overlooking the issues of bereavement and loss. Self-awareness, values and the ability to reflect are essential in understanding oppression and supervision is the way in which we are able to being to identify the real issues for the service users in order to address things. David Howe (2008) describes supervision as a key tool to keep the social worker sharp and sensitive. Supervision aids me in being able to see the different dimensions of a services user but it also allows me to reflect on the lays of myself and how I respond to a service user. Howe acknowledges the real need to reflect with others, not just on your own. This allows the social worker to build and develop their own practice. Howe agrees with Maidment and Cooper in suggestion that supervision can help the student to deepen their understanding of their own and their service users psychological condition and mental state (Howe, 2008: p.187). In terms of power in my own experience supervision can be an empowering process for the social worker if they are given the opportunity to reflect and discuss what is really going on for them. Howe agrees that supervision allows the social worker to think about how they affect the client and how the client affects you (Howe, 2008: p186). I have experienced this myself when thinking about a client who I particularly struggled with. In supervision I was able to dissect my feelings about that client in discussion with my manager and in doing that I was able to being to see things from the service users point of view. This I believe was the start of beginning to understand oppressive structures to look at why the service user may react to me in a particular way. Supervision also allowed me to identify when the process of transference may be taking place. Brayne

and Preston- Shoot (1995) suggest that social workers need to have the ability to explore and understand the root of their own power in order to then understand where there service users we are working with are coming from. Maidment and Cooper suggest that whilst there is evidence of awareness of differences in clients often the link between that and aspects of power... [and] oppression are missed. I have found in my own supervision with my manager that it is essential to examine my own practice to ensure that my response to clients is consistent and client centred in order to promote the wellbeing of the child. Rather than to respond emotionally or out of my own life experience or power issues

Braye, S. and Preston-Shoot, M. (1995) Empowering Practice in Social Care, Buckingham, Open University Press. Howe, D. (2008) The Emotionally Intelligent Social worker.UK,Palgrave Macmillan. Maidment, J. and Cooper, L. Acknowledgement of client diversity and oppression in social work student supervision. SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION, VOL. 21, NO. 4, 2002. P400-407

También podría gustarte