This article presents a few key pieces of advice from Community Care Inform Children’s guide to critical reflection. The full guide explores what critical reflection entails and outlines three models of critical reflection that practitioners can apply to their practice. The full guide also provides an example critical reflection based on a fictionalised child and family assessment and aims to increase practitioners’ confidence in using critical reflection. Community Care Inform Children subscribers can access the full guide here.
The guide was written by David Wilkins, a reader and programme director for the MA social work programme at Cardiff University.
What is critical reflection?
Critical reflection is a key way that social workers continue to learn and develop throughout their careers. Reflection means reviewing our experiences and thinking about how we could make changes in the future. Critical reflection involves a more in-depth process of thinking about the conditions that shape our actions and how we feel about our actions.
In other words, it means reflecting on our reflections. To help explore how this works, it is worth first considering two key issues: frames of reference and the influence of emotions.
Frames of reference
We all have ‘frames of reference’ that we practise within, and which inform, and constrain, how we think about our practise (and our thinking about our thinking about our practice).
A frame of reference consists of all our internalised “cultural codes, social norms, ideologies and language games” (Mezirow, 1998, page 70). It includes our assumptions and expectations about the social world, about the people we work with and about ourselves.
A key aspect of critical reflection is to identify our own taken-for-granted frames of reference and think about the “sources, nature, and consequences of this received wisdom” (Mezirow, 1998, page 70). By so doing, we can understand, scrutinise and challenge how these beliefs affect our actions.
The influence of emotions
Especially in social work settings, our ability to be critically reflective can be inhibited by our emotional reactions. We all prefer to feel comfortable rather than uncomfortable, and reflecting on difficult and traumatic experiences often means reliving the emotions involved.
Questioning our assumptions and those of others is also liable to trigger an emotional response.
For these reasons, meaningful critical reflection via supervision and/or peer support from colleagues, or through self-guided reflective writing, is vital.
Habits of mind for critical reflection
There are two distinct outcomes from any process of learning. The more obvious is that we increase our knowledge or level of understanding. For example, children learning multiplication will start to remember the answer to questions such as 9 x 8 and 5 x 7.
However, there is a more fundamental component to learning than this – referred to as ‘habits of mind’. This means how you develop as a learner, rather than how you increase your knowledge and understanding of the world.
For example, when children are presented with a difficult mathematical problem, they are not learning the answer to the specific problem. Rather, they are learning habits of mind, such as perseverance, focus and confidence in their ability (Murray, 2016).
The foundational habits of mind for critical reflection include:
- Embracing not-knowing: Certainty is the opposite of critical reflection; if you know already, then you do not need to be curious. Sit with uncertainty and seek out doubt.
- Asking ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about your beliefs: If – or especially when – we feel certain in our beliefs, critical reflection invites us to ask ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions, for example, ‘how do I know and why do I feel certain?’.
- Avoiding premature problem-solving: The aim of critical reflection is not to solve a specific problem; the aim is to think (and rethink) more broadly about practice. While there is a place for action planning, this happens at the end – or after – the process of critical reflection.
- Being prepared to try new things: Not all critical reflections need to result in changes to practice, as the overall aim is to learn and develop. This means being open to new ideas and ways of doing things, and it means testing existing ways of thinking and doing – and being open-minded enough to accept when they do not work as intended or expected.
- Considering point-of-view primacy: Everyone has a point of view, but some are taken more seriously than others. Critical reflection challenges us to think about whose point of view is being taken seriously and whose point of view is being overlooked, and why this is.
- Imagining alternatives: When reflecting on any experience, it is always possible to say you could have done things differently. Critical reflection involves imagining plausible alternatives, not simply in the sense of asking what you could have done differently, but also probing why and how you could have done things differently, and with what possible consequences.
You will probably have several of these ‘habits of mind’ already, if not all of them. The point is that they can be practised and developed – and that one of the key outcomes of critical reflection is to hone exactly these ways of thinking and learning.
MacLean’s Weather Model
The weather model was developed by Maclean (2016), in collaboration with social work students. It uses a series of weather metaphors to invite and structure reflection. These include:
- Sunshine – What went well about the event or experience? What was successful?
- Rain – What did not go well? What was challenging?
- Lightening – What surprised you?
- Fog – What did you not understand? What are you not feeling sure of?
- Wind – Did anything happen to throw you off course during the event or experience?
- Storm – Was there any conflict during the event or experience? If so, what caused it and how did you respond?
- Thunder – How did other people’s views impact on your practice?
Practice point
The weather model offers a helpful starting point. As a quick exercise, think of a recent experience you had at work – something you found particularly satisfying (perhaps because of a good outcome for someone you were working with). Use the elements of the weather model to reflect on it.
The full guide explores two other models of critical reflection: Driscoll’s ‘so what?’ model and Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and offers guidance on writing critical reflections. The guide also provides an example of an assessment and a critical reflection. If you have a Community Care Inform Children licence, log on to read the full guide.
What to read next
References
Maclean, S (2016)
A new model for social work reflection: whatever the weather
Mezirow, J (1998)
Transformative learning and social action: A response to Inglis
Murray, J (2016)
Skills development, habits of mind, and the spiral curriculum: A dialectical approach to undergraduate general education curriculum mapping
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The problem is that we are so pre-occupied with completing forms and feeding an ever greedy electronic recording system that we are not allowed time for reflective practice
Reflective practice is more myth than reality? No?
This was the view of Schon in 1986 and the forms of words used or ‘thought-forms’ (Laske) to describe what’s written more accurately are missing in the references cited; is the desire to fill the emptiness or void a proof that social work has a formulation of what reflection, is, and that such-a-thing-in-itself exists, and can be actually taught is wrong, right?
We all know more than we can ever tell, (Polyani) and in reality use rule of thumb generalities to get by.
I mean what does transformative learning and social action actually mean without consideration of a requirement of submission to a higher authority? What ever happened to Seddon’s challenge to Command and Control in Public Services?
Similarly, the rehashing of Ashbridge’s works on Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviour approaches are hardly going to push the evolution of the ideas. Is this merely product placement and shelf positioning, perhaps it is?
I wonder too about how Grave’s notion of ‘Spiral Dynamics’ is compatible with dialectics; argumentation and dialogics, maybe, but dialectical hermeneutics or synthesis between opposites ~ really?
And, what has curriculum mapping and the weather got to do with anything, precisely? The dependency on such idea’s covered in Beyond Metaphor and Model in International Relations by Bosanquet ~ and let’s face it the critical incidents in Leeds as elsewhere have a Post Brexit and international trade aspect.
I deliberately provoke because all of the above, beit reflective learning, mapping and spiralling and habits of mind are hardly critical in their very essence and impact; neo-liberal functionalism and the utilitarianism of health and welfare economics has outpaced us, no?
Social Work is in the shadows of itself ~ may reflective mirror exercises would work better ? Afterall, the current systemic narcissism is inherently and structurally determined, right?
Thoughts….
Alec, I have read your comments.In my opinion reflective practice plays an integral and critical part of social work pratice.(H Ferguson 2018 )describes it has a core concept in social work.Reflective practice should not only take place during a serious case review,is this then not to late to start indept reflecting ?
Worryingly this pratice in my opinion,based on experince and observations is eroded along with many other social work skills .Does it take place in supervision no,does it take place in team meeting no, does it take place on a one to one bases no,can you approach your team manager/advanced practitioner to have any meaning discussions no.Even during Stratgey discussions which are meant to gather, share information and reflect on the information. The police can ignore the social workers opinions even though it may be relevant.
A social worker may throughout the day experince both physical and emotional abuse from service users, negative communications from follow colleagues/professionals then expected to make decisions which will be life changing, for service users and children this can bring with it assumptions ( the stereotype bias),decisions which only focus on the negative,( the confirmation bias) (the halo bias) (the supporting evidence bias) all of which impacts our decision making and how we treat service users and colleagues.
For social workers the role brings with it under lying trauma. A social worker may attend work to hear that a serious incident has taken place on thier case load and or to a parent.The social worker is expected to continue to work inorder to be avaliable for questioning and in most cases continue to manage thier cases.
Social work is crisis lead now there appears no room for reflective practice until it is to late,decisions are made on knee jerk reactions to prevent criticism and blame.Social workers are not given the support to fully reflect and analyse decisions.Reflection and analysis makes for clearer decision making.If a social worker is able to demonstrate why, having taken into account the above and how a decision was made, does this pratice not support the social worker and manager better when in court.
Why are the majority of social workers blamed for a system which does little to support them and deliver a professional service? ,it is not all down to the social workers.A motor car can not function if it does not have the necessary engine.
“We expect you to hit the ground running” is often used.To me this is unhelpful and implies we do not have the time to provide adequate support by way of adequate admin assistance,IT support,legal support, supervision,consultation working long hours and more.
To request support does not mean you can not do the job.Is it not senior management who should ensure social workers are equipped.Pretending all is well and social workers are to blame does not address the issues faced by social workers who have to deal with much more than the public and senior managers care to admit.
All my comments I can further explain and demonstrate why i have come to the conclusion I have, however will not do so.
Ask why recruitment is difficult.Ask why experienced and skilled social workers are leaving the profession.Ask whether those who have experienced fitness to pratice have been fairly referred or is it due to a lack of resources,support to enable safe and professional services.
The profession is in need,for some it mask bad pratice.
So many questions none of which have been given answer’s by those who have the power to make changes.
Having been (interesting that I say ‘been’ and not worked) a social worker since 1988, for 35 years, I have had experiences of changing methodologies and ‘branding’ of interventions repeatedly. I see new social work celebrities re-brand existing theories and ideas, market them as the next best thing … and watched as they fizzle out to the next ‘best’ practice model. The best social workers I have encountered and trained, are those that know that they themselves are the best resource they have. They know they get ‘caught’ up in case work and organically reflect on their personal thinking ….. and, hopefully, with good supervision, work it out, and provide the best service for the children and families they work with. Interestingly, I still do auditing for local authorities, and nothing seems to have changed. I see repeat referrals for neglect, domestic abuse and parental mental health (drugs and alcohol). Children and young people on repeated CP plans – and in the last ten years an increase in child criminal exploitation who are mainly the children we have ‘let down’ along the way. We don’t need more interpretations of methods, models and theories. We need to support social workers and their managers by reducing the onerous paperwork. stop using blame cultures and provide quality supervision.
In effect, Social Workers are not supported by managers in reflecting on their practice because of high caseloads and consequent paperwork demands
All I know is I think about my work and the day ahead as I commute into my increasingly sparsely attended team space, juggle my ‘tasks’, try to ignore the ever desperate inane “motivating” e-mails from managers I’ve never met, try to actually think of my “cases” as people, acknowledge my insecurities, try to celebrate my strengths, commit to doing something that means something to someone whose life I’ve entered, check my anger at some of the fatuousness of the ‘innovations’ foisted on social workers, laugh at the grand gestures from Leaders and self elected representatives but always never lose what it means to be a social worker. It’s never forms, it’s never data, it’s never self-interest, it’s never “departmental policies”, it’s never trundling along in isolation, it’s never succumbing to cynicism because of lack of autonomy. It’s solidarity, it’s thoughtfulness, it’s never accepting injustice, never careerism. It’s love, it’s acceptance, it’s being judgemental when witnessing abuse of vulnerability, it’s knowing that what some see as boundaries is often assertion of power, status, petty score settling. That’s my reflection