Transcript Miriam Locke Royal Children’s Hospital

INTEGRATING THEORY
TO PRACTICE
Royal Children’s Hospital Social
Work Department Response
Integrating Theory to Practice
The Royal Children’s Hospital Response
Presented by Miriam Locke
on behalf of
Janine Kemp, Renay Green and Erica Summers.
AASW State Conference
November 2009
Development of the Theory to Practice Integrated
Program
2005 – Internal Departmental Review identified 3
target areas:
•Theory to Practice
•Supervision Standards
•Psychosocial Assessment and Documentation
Standards
Theory to Practice
Aims:
To strengthen and expand the professional knowledge
and skills of social work staff so that they can effectively
carry out their social work practice.
To maintain the highest possible standards of social
work practice to ensure strong outcomes for children
and families.
To ensure staff have access to theoretical
understandings that will advance their core skills and
knowledge.
Theory to Practice
Objective:
All social workers consciously practice using Social
Work values and knowledge to enhance effective
professional practice with infants, children and their
families.
Core components:
• Development of Personal Practice
frameworks
• Development of Existential Practice
frameworks
Personal Practice Frameworks
Grand sociological theories
Mid range Theories
Practice Wisdom
Existential Frameworks
Philosophy
Non/Spiritual beliefs systems
Personal reflections on life and death
Core theoretical reviews
Emile Durkheim -Functionalism
Karl Marx –Marxism
Max Weber – Symbolic Interactionism
Rogers and Perls – Humanism and Phenomenology
Feminist Theory, Psychoanalytic Theory, Self Psychology,
Developmental Theory
Core theoretical reviews
Therapeutic approaches :
Non-discriminative practice, Narrative
therapy, Family centred practice,
expressive therapies, strengths based
practice, problem solving, crisis
intervention, grief and loss etc
Practice wisdom:
Domestic Violence, Child Protection, child
death support.
Strategies to Integrate Theory to
Practice
Didactic and discussion - social work theories, philosophy,
non/spiritual belief systems, practice wisdom.
Professional development program – applied mid range
theories and approaches, non-spiritual belief systems, self
care.
Peer consultation program – applied personal practice
frameworks, personal reflection, practice wisdom, applied
existential frameworks, self care.
Sand play
Case reviews, personal reflection, teaching
creative practice in complex cases,
psycho-educational non and therapeutic
applications, self care.
In/Formal Supervision
Individual and group, Personal practice
and existential frameworks, personal
reflection. Practice wisdom, self care.
Evaluation Tool
Pre RCH employment confidence in applying theory to practice
July 09 Confidence in applying theory to practice
Social worker views on departmental commitment to
integrating theory to practice
Social worker views on departmental compliance with AASW
documentation standards
Evaluation of Theory to Practice
program July 2009
Total no of social workers
27
Staff on leave
3
Management
4
No response
6
Total number of
respondents
14
Pre-RCH employment and
confidence
1 year and less ( Fairly Confident)
= 6
1-3 years ( Not very confident)
= 5
3-4 years ( Not at all confident)
=3
Confidence as of July 2009
All lengths of service (Fairly Confident) = 14
Evaluation support statements
“more disciplined use of myself. It is easier to be more
genuine, honest, empathetic and to manage my own desire
to disclose personal stuff and I often now bring transference
issues to supervision and can talk about this. Practice
frameworks have really helped this”
“I can use a number of different theories and
approaches to suit the problems the child or family are
having with greater confidence now. This gives me a
more “professional feel” when I am with people as I
am now more aware of the theoretical underpinnings
of social work and when these shift in my work and
why this has happened”
“ I am more confident as now I am more mindful of how my
values impact on my practice, particularly when building
relationships/ It has brought me back to basics and this
has meant that I have become more accountable in my
work. It helps me evaluate if my practice is authentic”
Social Workers perceptions of
departmental support for integrated
theory to practice
Very high commitment = 8
High Commitment = 6
Support Statements
“ a very committed department who want to impart skills
and knowledge to us all, encourage ongoing learning and
thoughtful reflection. Forums are good as they are varied
and include professional development, theory to practice,
team meetings, individual and group supervision”
“This department provides more theory to practice than
any other I have ever worked in. It makes you consciously
think of the application of social work studies to what you
are saying and doing, remaining child focussed, therefore
getting better outcomes”
Evaluation of compliance with
AASW Documentation standards
No chart audit experience
= 6
One chart audit experience
=2
More than 2 chart audit experiences = 6
Support comments
“ Individual clinicians have improved documentation over the
last 12 months. We are much more focussed now. I attribute
this to the working party and the emphasis on documentation
that emerged from this”
“ This is a high standard as I have audited others and been
audited myself by others in the team”
“This is the highest standard I have ever seen in a hospital. It
works with best practice, medico legal requirements and
AASW. I am now proud to practice social work here”.
“ I feel more professional and “experienced”, more confident
in child centred practice and I want more training. The more
I learn the more I realise I don’t know and it is good that we
are all here to learn”.