Demonstrate professional competence in social work practice Practice Foci A18 Research, analyse, evaluate and use current knowledge of best social work practice
Practice Foci A19 Work within agreed standards of social work practice and ensure own professional development
Practice Foci A20 Manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts
Practice Foci A21 Contribute to the promotion of best social work practice
Positive Indicators of Progression To Competence
Negative Indicators of Progression to Competence
Demonstrates the ability to review and update own knowledge with regards to legislation, policy and procedures including recommendations from inquiries
Engages in on-going professional development with regards to evidence based practice, underpinning knowledge base and appropriate models and methods of intervention
Seeks out and uses the expertise of colleagues and other professionals
Upholds professional social work practice values and works within NISCC Code of Practice
Maintains appropriate professional and personal boundaries
Can exercise and justify professional judgements
Can use supervision and support to take action to meet continuing professional development needs
Can bear to be unpopular – e.g. When this is an unavoidable consequence when acting with professional integrity
Critically reflects on own practice and performance
Is aware of his/her own beliefs and prejudices and is willing and able to consider how these might impact on his/her practice
Identifies ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts, devises effective strategies to deal with them and is able to critically reflect on and learn from the outcomes
Recognises various levels of oppression and discrimination and can challenge as appropriate
Uses supervision together with other organisational and professional systems, to inform courses of action including where practice falls below required standards
Understands best practice and demonstrates commitment to working towards achieving this
Works with colleagues, other professionals and service users to contribute to team and service development
Can offer a critical analysis of the agency’s functioning and effectiveness to contribute to policy review and development
Is unable to utilise best practice and messages from inquiries within own practice. Is unwilling or unable to update own knowledge base with regards to legislation, policy and procedures
Shows limited understanding of the importance of evidence based practice and is not engaging in on-going professional development
Does not identify, develop and apply appropriate methods / models of intervention to own social work practice. Does not undertake reading to update and develop own knowledge base
Does not utilise the expertise of staff within the team to inform / develop own practice
Work is consistently below standard
Work does not follow agency policy, legislation and guidance and is unsafe
Fails to see the need for or work as an accountable member of the organisation
Has limited knowledge and understanding of the importance of the NISCC Code of Practice and has demonstrated inappropriate value judgements
Confuses the personal and the professional and is unable to maintain appropriate professional boundaries
Is unable to make sound appropriate professional judgements based on evidence and underpinned by theory
Views supervision as day to day case work management and is unwilling to discuss or engage in the process of professional development
Is unable to undertake the professional role effectively when dealing with conflict or difficult statutory tasks which may be unpopular with other professionals or service users
Cannot use statutory powers where this is needed or fails to take account of service users’ rights within this
Is unable to critically reflect on own practice and performance.
Demonstrates an unwillingness or inability to listen to and learn from developmental feedback
Has poor insight or understanding into own beliefs and prejudices and is unwilling to discuss personal value base and its potential impact on social work practice
Is unable or unwilling to challenge discriminatory or oppressive practices where this is a realistic and appropriate possibility given student status
Cannot tune into ethical issues or dilemmas within own social work practice or is unable to deal with ethical dilemmas effectively and appropriately
Does not use supervision, other organisational and professional systems to address when practice falls below the required standard
Is unwilling or unable to acknowledge that work is below standard and does not take responsibility for own practice failings
Shows limited understanding of best practice and does not aspire to achieving / enhancing best practice within own practice and within the agency context
Does not engage in opportunities for team and service developments. Is unwilling or unable to engage with the team to enhance service delivery
Has limited understanding of the agency role and function and is unable to critically reflect on the effectiveness of policy review and development
Appendix 9: Direct Observation of Practice
N.B It is desirable that all direct observations are live but a minimum of two MUST be.
DATE OF
OBSERVATION
TIME
LIVE
SCREEN
VIDEO
STUDENT: ____________________________________
PRACTICE TEACHER: ____________________________________
SETTING AND CONTEXT (Practice setting, stage of practice learning opportunity and nature of practice observation/service-user circumstances).
GENERAL SUMMARY OF OBSERVATION AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE:
Is the Student identifying and addressing issues presented by the Service User/Family/Carer(s)/group? Is the Student responding to the dynamics occurring within the interaction?
SKILLS –demonstrated that are of a competent standard and/or that need to be developed. * (See Question 8 also)
KNOWLEDGE BASE – use of knowledge and theory informing practice and/or aspects that need to be developed? (Legislation; policy and procedures; role and responsibilities; Service User issues; social work methods and process).
ETHICAL PRACTICE – demonstration of the value base in practice, including acknowledgement of NISCC Code of Practice and anti-oppressive perspectives.
FEEDBACK FROM SERVICE USER/or relevant others present
