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Professional Practice Framework

Katie Johnston

POSITIONING

SELF

SOCIAL LOCATION

SOCIAL

LOCATION

  • White – 3rd generation Canadian with heritage from Norway, Scotland, Austria, England
  • Female – pronouns are she/her/hers
  • 22 years old
  • Bi-sexual
  • Able-bodied
  • Cis-gendered
  • Lower-middle class
  • Born and raised on traditional Kwakwaka'wakw territory (Campbell River, BC)

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS

SOCIAL

DETERMINANTS

It is my belief that social location is the main determinant of social problems. Almost exclusively, the problems that we will be addressing in practice will be based around oppression, marginalization and colonization.  Which ever struggles we are helping with stem from these things, and thus it is what must remain at the forefront of thought. I really have not experienced any of these things, and so I must consider how my social location and inherent privileges will help and hinder my work. My location in society and the power that comes with this will help my practice by allowing me to use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced by society. These things will also hinder my practice because the power I possess will come across differently to different people. Being in the 'social worker' position alone will deter many from wanting my help. This stems from the marginalization, oppression and colonization that social work as a profession has aided in. 

ONGOING INJUSTICE

  • Social work has historically aided in the colonization of Indigenous Peoples, and this trend continues as Indigenous children remain over-represented in child welfare
  • Federal and provincial laws and policies continue to marginalize and oppress Indigenous Peoples
  • The Indian Act continues to rule over many Indigenous Peoples and limit their human rights
  • Laws and policies made to "fit" to certain populations; excludes many marginalized and oppressed groups

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

INJUSTICE

Environmental injustice for Indigenous peoples started with colonization where rights to their land were taken and continues to this day. An example is the coastal gas link project and the Wet'suwet'en protests surrounding it. Yet again, after "allowing" Indigenous peoples to have rights to their land that was once stolen, we (governing systems and dominant ideology) ignore these rights and expect Indigenous communities to have their land uprooted once more for the "good" of Canada. I'm not sure where, but I read somewhere that since contact, Indigenous peoples have been expected to be Canadian citizens and to do what is best for Canadian rights, but "Canadian rights" have never been inclusive of Indigenous rights. Environmental and land injustices continue to occur across Canada; this is a huge part of Indigenous ways of living and we must be conscious of this as social workers as it can be easy to displace Indigenous people from their land when not living on reserve but it is an inherent piece of their history and present, and yet another factor that will influence how we are able to connect and work with them.

IMPACT OF COVID-19

COVID-19

  • As we all know, many practicums were canceled because of this ongoing crisis, which means many agencies have become less equipped which has in turn impacted the lives of many clients
  • Shelters have been overrun 
  • Food bank has been struggling to feed the many new families who are in need
  • Domestic violence rates have skyrocketed due to increased time in the home
  • Drug and alcohol use has increased in the general population 
  • People who use substances have had less access to safe intervention and programs
  • Low-income, marginalized and oppressed people and families struggling the most 

THEORETICAL

LENS

SYSTEMS & CONFLICT THEORY

SYSTEMS

&

CONFLICT

THEORY

Systems theory resonates with my view of social work practice because I feel like I am always articulating how it is not necessarily the person who has a problem but the systems that have created an environment in which the person has no choice but to engage in problematic behaviour. For example, my initial internal response to someone who is battling substance use issues is not that they chose to become addicted; my curiosity wants to discover what has happened within and around this person that has made them have to cope in this way. There is almost always an environmental or social reason as to why one engages in these behaviours, which is why I think systems theory is integral to any social work practice.

I feel like to truly practice using systems theory a social worker must practice utilizing conflict theory as well. Systems theory identifies the systems (social/environmental factors) affecting a person. Conflict theory then identifies where the power is located within these systems. The “conflict” refers to oppression, discrimination and other structural inequalities faced by people, and conflict theory addresses the power differentials present. Helping people to understand (and understanding myself) these power inequities and their direct effects are important to my socially just practice.

FEMINIST & INDIGENOUS THEORIES

FEMINIST

&

INDIGENOUS

THEORIES

Feminist theory resonates with my ideas of practice because it is a combination of theories that explore how gender intersects with other sites of identity including class, ability, gender identity, race, citizenship, and culture. It is so important that as a social worker I am cognizant of the intersections of service users and work to understand these intersections to ensure that I am not perpetuating any further injustice. Feminist theories also emphasize the dismantling of societal thought processes that privilege patriarchal dominance, which resonates with how I currently live my life. I grouped feminist and Indigenous theories together because I feel that a very important intersection that I will work with is Indigenous culture. I feel that Indigenous theories are aligned with feminist theories in that they locate the intersections of being an Indigenous person in Canada. It is very important to me that I remain conscious of the fact that social work has historically been a source of pain for Indigenous communities. As a non-Indigenous social worker I feel an ethical responsibility to work in solidarity with Indigenous communities in naming and addressing the significant social, educational, economic and health disparities that exist.

PRACTICE STRATEGIES

I think being client- and task-centred in my practice will be integral to begin practicing anti-oppressively. Having a clear focus on the needs of the client, viewing them as the expert, and encouraging them to define their own problems and determine their goals priorities are key components to effective practice. It is also necessary to be aware of what clients actually require and want to be an effective advocate for them.

CLIENT-

&

TASK-CENTRED PRACTICE

CLIENT-CENTRED & TASK-CENTRED PRACTICE

PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION

PARTNERSHIP

&

COLLABORATION

I have skills that the service user will not, so I will use these to encourage a partnership in which I share what knowledge I have and they share what information they have. Developing a partnership is empowering for the service user, as we can negotiate roles and responsibilities together. Further, having reciprocal commitment will create a more meaningful working relationship for all parties.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

It is crucial to my practice that I am able to reflect on my practice and experiences to ensure that I am providing the best possible service in the most ethical and effective way. Being self-reflective will increase my understanding of my practice approaches, and will allow me time to reflect on my emotional intelligence (empathy and sensitivity), which is important because we as social workers can become desensitized and this can negatively effect our service delivery.

REFLECTIVE

PRACTICE

SELF CARE

SELF

CARE

I must always remain conscious to the fact that taking care of myself not only benefits me but also my clients. For example, setting boundaries protects all parties, and if I am emotionally drained I cannot provide effective service. It is essential that I hold myself responsible and accountable for my self-care, because without it I will not be able to fulfill my purpose as a social worker.

PROFESSIONAL

ETHICS

CASW Value 1: Respect for the Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons

BCCSW Value 2: A social worker shall respect the intrinsic worth of the persons served in professional relationships with them.

I think that this value really represents the importance of viewing the service user as the expert of their own life. If we are truly respectful and cognizant of everyone's inherent dignity and worth then we will practice knowing that each individual deserves a say in the approaches, models and methods that social workers employ with them.

CASW Value 2: Pursuit of Social Justice and Value 3: Service to Humanity

BCCSW Value 11: A social worker shall advocate change in the best interest of the client and for the overall benefit of society.

VALUES

This value represents why I chose the social work field for myself. Upholding (to the best of our abilities) justice in a time and society that thrives on the unjust marginalization and oppression of its citizens is tricky which is why we are taught so many ways to jump through hoops and find loopholes. “Social workers. . . specifically challenge views and actions that stereotype particular persons or groups” (CASW, 2005, p. 5). This quote stood out to me because this is a personal responsibility I have taken on as I have gained enough knowledge and information to be able to teach others of the harms they are doing without even thinking about it.

An ethical challenge from my third year practicum was when I was attending a meeting regarding a youth's performance at high school. There were four professionals (not including myself) as well as the youth and their parent at this meeting. I quickly took notice of how the professionals and the parent were openly discussing the youth's school performance and overall enjoyment of school among each other, but failed to include the youth in this discussion. While this youth did demonstrate some tendencies related to mental health and development, they maintained (from my perspective) the ability to speak for themself. I found myself mildly uncomfortable in the situation, but did not feel that I was in a position at the time to communicate this to the group. I have gained a sense of comfort and responsibility from my education to now speak up when I see things like this occurring in a professional setting. As identified by the CASW and BCCSW, I as a social worker have the ethical obligation to respect the intrinsic dignity and worth of all persons I serve, and viewing them as the expert and including them in decisions related to their life are ways in which I will abide by this.

CHALLENGES

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