Queensland University of Technology Learning to appreciate and critically analyse the multi-faceted nature of the practice environment and our own positioning within it can be challenging. The Practice Domain Framework is an empirically-based conceptual aid designed to assist social work and other social care practitioners with this process. The framework provides a map of the potential complexity of the practice environment and organises the influences on practice into eight domains: Societal, Structural, Organisational, Practice Field, Professional Practice, Accountable Practice, Community of Place, and Personal. The framework is underpinned by a social constructivist approach to understanding the nature of influence. It assists the user to identify direct and indirect influences on practice and consider the various narratives that are held regarding what should influence practice, the power dynamics between these narratives, and how their personal perspectives are situated amongst these. This presentation will provide an overview of the Practice Domain Framework and its uses in fostering critical thinking. Particular attention will be paid to the framework’s application as a tool to assist Field Educators in supporting social work and human service students develop skills in critical analysis and reflection, drawing on recent work with Field Educators in Queensland. 55 | Developing Resilient Social Workers: Messages from the Field Author/s: Erica Russ University of New England A common discourse used when educating social work professionals is the need to understand and develop strategies for self-care. This is prompted to counter the potential risk to students and professionals who experience stress, vicarious trauma and burnout through practice experiences. Despite a significant body of research which goes to these risks, it nonetheless indicates the majority of social workers do not succumb to these impacts but instead experience high job satisfaction. Self-care is important as social workers are exposed to complex and difficult circumstances and human distress when working. Yet, there is value in moving the discourse from an individualised, deficit-oriented focus on self-care to reduce risk, to one of developing a broader concept of resilience that is embedded within the organisational culture and which allows students and professionals to work through and overcome the adversity faced in practice. A recent study of child protection workers provides some key messages to inform the development of resilience from the early stages of practice, including field education, through to advanced practice situations.
Queensland University of Technology Learning to appreciate and critically analyse the multi-faceted nature of the practice environment and our own positioning within it can be challenging. The Practice Domain Framework is an empirically-based conceptual aid designed to assist social work and other social care practitioners with this process. The framework provides a map of the potential complexity of the practice environment and organises the influences on practice into eight domains: Societal, Structural, Organisational, Practice Field, Professional Practice, Accountable Practice, Community of Place, and Personal. The framework is underpinned by a social constructivist approach to understanding the nature of influence. It assists the user to identify direct and indirect influences on practice and consider the various narratives that are held regarding what should influence practice, the power dynamics between these narratives, and how their personal perspectives are situated amongst these. This presentation will provide an overview of the Practice Domain Framework and its uses in fostering critical thinking. Particular attention will be paid to the framework’s application as a tool to assist Field Educators in supporting social work and human service students develop skills in critical analysis and reflection, drawing on recent work with Field Educators in Queensland. 55 | Developing Resilient Social Workers: Messages from the Field Author/s: Erica Russ University of New England A common discourse used when educating social work professionals is the need to understand and develop strategies for self-care. This is prompted to counter the potential risk to students and professionals who experience stress, vicarious trauma and burnout through practice experiences. Despite a significant body of research which goes to these risks, it nonetheless indicates the majority of social workers do not succumb to these impacts but instead experience high job satisfaction. Self-care is important as social workers are exposed to complex and difficult circumstances and human distress when working. Yet, there is value in moving the discourse from an individualised, deficit-oriented focus on self-care to reduce risk, to one of developing a broader concept of resilience that is embedded within the organisational culture and which allows students and professionals to work through and overcome the adversity faced in practice. A recent study of child protection workers provides some key messages to inform the development of resilience from the early stages of practice, including field education, through to advanced practice situations.
ANZSWWER-Symposium-2017-Book-of-Abstracts.docx