Our experience is that numerous students on the social operate degree can be intimidated by the phrase ‘theory’. This instantly inhibits productive finding out about idea. Idea in social get the job done is about how we relate to others and how we make absolutely sure that we are providing efficient expert services. It is vital that concept is not witnessed as the protect of teachers or senior social employees. By means of being familiar with and applying theory to social operate observe our perform with services buyers can develop into considerably much more successful and person centred.
Loads of individuals consider that concept is something purely tutorial, with no website link to “real life”. A lot of social do the job college students address principle at university, but begin their practice understanding expertise intimidated by the thought of how to utilize theory to their follow and primarily anxious about how to show the links they have designed in their assignments and reflective accounts..
Exercise learning is about relating the strategies realized in University to the follow environment. Nonetheless, in order to link theoretical expertise to exercise, pupils will need a company grasp of the truth that idea is some thing everybody makes use of each individual working day in social work and that idea has a crystal clear connection to prevalent feeling/what operates/serious lifetime or whatever the phrase of alternative is. Without having this, idea can come to be some thing which appears to be abstract and this develops the plan that idea is something you study at University and then forget about when you enter the “genuine globe” of get the job done.
The Specifications for Social Function Coaching point out that all social work programmes ought to:
“Assure that the teaching of theoretical know-how, competencies and values is dependent on their application to follow.” (Division of Wellbeing 2002)
While the essential aspects of social function principle will be taught in the University environment, follow discovering is about you transferring your information and applying idea to your exercise, and you will want to exhibit that you can make the one-way links in your written operate.
What is principle?
It is our check out that social personnel in the discipline and social perform pupils on placement are applying concept every day. Nevertheless, they may possibly not realise it, and they may possibly not be equipped to explain the concept or identify it.
Theories in social work are practically nothing much more than an attempt to describe conditions and social associations. Theories have been designed since it grew to become distinct that there had been comparable patterns or repeating cycles of behaviour each in an individual’s everyday living and in the lives of plenty of unique persons. Due to the fact theories have been expressed by academics and social experts, they frequently use an academic language. Really don’t enable that place you off. Theories are life dressed up! Lots of theories in fact have a pretty uncomplicated, accessible concept even if you sometimes have to seem over and above the jargon.
There has been some debate about what actually constitutes a principle. Normally, a idea aids to clarify a problem and perhaps how it arrived about. In science, a theory is noticed as supporting to:
** describe (eg: what is going on?)
** clarify (eg: why is it going on?)
** predict (eg: what is possible to happen future?)
At times theories are also viewed as assisting to control a condition and provide about alterations.
Social Work Theory and Exercise Finding out
In supervision discussion, placement assignments, portfolios etc you want to be equipped to describe the circumstance you are working with, reveal why you feel this arrived about, what you can do to convey about transform and many others. In undertaking so, you will be drawing upon some sort of idea. You may, nonetheless, not generally be knowledgeable of this.
Every time you are contemplating idea, we would urge you to:
1. Recognise that no one idea can reveal anything: When a man or woman engages in an action (or inaction) the rationale for their conduct can be rooted in a variety of causes or motives.
2. Associated to the to start with issue, recognise that some theoretical strategies just you should not do the job with some people today. Making use of Temporary Alternative Targeted Remedy can be truly successful with some folks. For other individuals, it leaves them chilly.
3. Get a important technique to principle. If it isn’t going to “get the job done”, why not? Can you adapt areas this sort of that it is practical?
4. Usually utilize the value base to concept – considerably of the theory made use of in social treatment observe and social operate is drawn from outside the house of the job. Principle may perhaps have its roots in education and learning, psychology or administration. As these, it may not integrate social perform values and you ought to acquire duty for making use of these
5. And eventually, never be intimidated by idea. You use it every single day.
Why do we require to implement social work principle to apply?
While person social do the job theories have distinctive purposes, working with all sorts of principle in our work gives us, as social personnel, some essential points.
** Theories can assistance us to make sense of a predicament. Employing theory, we can crank out tips about what is going on, why issues are as they are and many others. For illustration the facts received as portion of an assessment can appear to be like a jumble of info – applying concept can aid “make sense” of the facts.
** Utilizing concept can help to justify actions and make clear observe to assistance users, carers and culture in general. The purpose is that this will lead to social work turning into more broadly accountable and in the long run much more respected.
** In perform with men and women, generating use of the theories which might relate to their particular scenario will give us additional path in our do the job with them.
** Making use of idea can give an clarification about why an motion resulted in a specific consequence. This can enable us evaluation and perhaps change our apply in an endeavor to make the penalties far more helpful.
It is apparent then, that concept is essential in practice – each for perform with services customers and for social get the job done to be more valued in society.