Professionalism

1. Professionalism Chapter 2

2. Chapter Purpose • Discuss the purposes and functions of professionalism in social work • Discuss the significance of professionalism for effective social work practice • Complete a preliminary assessment of proficiency in the social work skills and identify those skills that require additional practice • Discuss the relevance of professional knowledge and self-efficacy, critical thinking and lifelong learning, self-understanding, self-control, cultural competence and acceptance of others, and social support for ethical and effective social work practice • Prepare a family genogram • Prepare an eco-map • Prepare a critical events time line • Complete a personality assessment and discuss its implications • Complete an initial assessment of readiness for the social work profession

3. Social Work …As a Professional Career in Ontario

5. http://www.ontariojobfutures.ca/profile4152.html

6. What is professionalism? • Mirriam-Webster • exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace • Social Work Dictionary • the degree to which an individual possess and uses the knowledge, skills, and qualifications of the profession and adheres to its values and ethics when serving the client

7. Why care about professionalism? • Network • Grievances often center around professionalism • Employee • Swore to a Code of Ethics; builds confidence • Employer • Prevents social worker burnout and promotes mutual respect • Client • Client is satisfied

8. What is professional integrity? • Morally good/right conduct • according to accepted professional guidelines/codes of ethics • ‘Standing for something’ • Practitioners are committed to sets of professional ideals/principles, which may go beyond extant professional norms. • A capacity/moral competence • This can be described as a process of ‘continuous reflexive sense-making’, which may even involve re-evaluating and giving up previously held ideals and principles.

9. 1. a. Professional conduct (codes of ethics) • Integrity comprises honesty, truthfulness, and sincerity, and is an essential value in the practice of social work. (BASW 2002) • Social workers are continually aware of the profession's mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. • Social workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are affiliated. (NASW 1996)

10. 1.b. Professional conduct (hearings ) • GSCC conduct committee suspended social worker from register for advertising herself as an escort. • This event ‘Brought the profession into disrepute and damaged public confidence in social care services’. • ‘Social workers have a duty to act appropriately and professionally both inside and outside work’ ‘… essential that service users can trust them’ (GSCC June 2006)

11. Key elements of integrity in professional life • A commitment to a set of values. • An awareness that the values are inter-related and form a coherent whole. • A capacity to make sense of professional values and their relationship to our own personally-held values. • The ability to give a coherent account of beliefs and actions. • Strength of purpose and ability to act on the values.

12. Student Activity The following scenario deals with professional integrity as it relates to protection of client identity Did the student intern act in the right way? What might you have done?

13. Student-Intern: Professionalism • Student E writes, • “My new neighbor started talking to me about his ex-wife who just happens to be a client of mine at the community health centre I am interning at. • I didn’t really know what to say and so I just listened to him and didn’t let on that I knew her. I also didn’t tell him my name, nor that I was a social work student interning at the health centre. • I am wondering if my actions were professional and justified. • I would like to think that I have my profession backing me up and that I am protecting my client”

14. Professional Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession.

15. Professional Knowledge • Many different kinds of knowledge in social work • Psycho-social knowledge: • Explanatory knowledge, model, or theory for understanding affective, cognitive, and behavioural observations of clients and groups. • Interactive knowledge: • Explanatory knowledge, model, or theory for understanding transactions. • Contextual knowledge: • Explanatory knowledge, model, or theory for understanding structural and environmental factors. • Organizational knowledge: • Explanatory knowledge, model, or theory for understanding organizational behaviour and how to influence change.

16. Class Activity Read the following case scenario What kind of psycho-social knowledge would allow you to better understand the client and her situation?

17. Psycho-social Knowledge • A social worker is employed in a shelter for battered women. The client, a woman, aged thirty-four years, has three children, ages six, eight, and ten years, and is physically abused repeatedly by her husband. • Although the police have been involved, no charges have been laid. • The woman has sought refuge in the shelter times in the past, but has always made a decision to return to her husband. She has never held a paying job and has a grade 10 education.

18. Psycho-social Knowledge • Psycho-social knowledge may involve recognizing the impact of the client’s cultural expectations about traditional female behaviour in a marriage on her self-identity, self-esteem, and her fears about permanently leaving the relationship. • Knowledge of family dynamics is also relevant, such as the emotional impact on the children and the reactivation of the woman’s experience of violence in her family of origin. • Formal support networks might include financial maintenance, subsidized housing, vocational training and education, and provisions for day care.

19. Social Work Students: Required Curriculum • Values and ethics • Diversity • Populations-at-risk and social and economic Justice • Human behavior and the social environment • Social welfare policy and services • Social work practice • Research • Field practicum

20. Class Activity Assess selected aspects of critical thinking and learning as they apply to you Rate the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements 1=Strongly Agree 2=Agree 3=Disagree 4=Strongly Disagree

21. Evidence-Based Social Work Questionnaire • I rarely make judgments based solely upon intuition or emotion • I almost always think before I speak or act • I almost never express opinions as if they were facts • I always identify the assumptions underlying an argument • I carefully consider the source of information in determining validity • I rarely reach conclusions without considering the evidence • I regularly think in terms of probabilities • I rarely think in terms of absolutes • I always question the validity of arguments and conclusions • I rarely assume that something is valid or true • I regularly identify my own biases and preferences • I regularly think about issues of reliability • I routinely identify my own logical fallacies • I rarely say that something is true unless I have supporting evidence • I regularly use a thinking process routine to reach decisions

22. I regularly read professional journals in my field I genuinely enjoy learning I always do more than the minimum requirements in courses, seminars or workshops I regularly pursue opportunities to advance my knowledge and expertise I never become defensive when someone offers feedback that could improve skill I like to study I know my personal learning style I am actively involved in learning experiences I take personal responsibility for my own learning I view examinations as a way to learn I know how to conduct a professional literature review I sometimes contact national and international experts in my learning efforts I have a list of learning goals I have specific plans to advance my learning I enjoy teaching others Evidence-Based Social Work Questionnaire

23. Professional Knowledge: Content Areas • Human development and behavior in the environment (14%) • Issues of diversity (7%) • Assessment in social work practice (20%) • Direct and indirect practice (21%) • Communication (10%) • Professional relationships (5%) • Professional values and ethics (13%) • Supervision in social work (2%) • Practice evaluation and the utilization of research (2%) • Service delivery (5%) • Social work administration (1%)

24. Critical Thinking… • “The propensity and skill to use reflective skepticism when engaged in some specific activity” (McPeck, 1990) • Involves the careful examination and evaluation of beliefs and actions” (Gibbs & Gambrill, 1996)

25. UP TO HERE FOR THURS. SEPT 20TH/07

26. Good Critical Thinkers… • Distinguishing between verifiable facts and value statements • Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant observations or reasons • Determining the factual accuracy of a statement • Determining the credibility of a source • Identifying ambiguous statements • Identifying unstated assumptions • Detecting bias • Identifying logical fallacies • Recognizing logical inconsistencies in a line of reasoning • Determining the overall strength of an argument or conclusion

27. Stages of Critical Thinking Development (Paul & Elder, 2002; Elder & Paul, 1996)

28. Perry’s Model of Critical Thinking Development • Perry studied Harvard and Radcliffe students in the 1950s and 1960s. • He studied the nature of late adolescent and adult development and the role of higher education in fostering intellectual and ethical development in students. • Suggested that as students move from adolescence into adulthood, they advance from a simplistic, categorical view of knowledge to a more complex, contextual view of the world and themselves.

29. Dualism • The world is viewed in absolute, right-and-wrong terms. Individuals believe that right answers exist to all questions and that authorities have these answers. It is the instructor’s job to provide these answers and the students’ job to learn them.

30. Examples of Dualistic Thought • Dualistic Thoughts of College Students: • I’m lost in this class; the professor lacks a clue. • Every lecture course, no matter how bad, has taught me more than any seminar, no matter how good. In a lecture, you get taught by an expert, which means the information is credible. • When I came here, I didn’t think any question could have more than one answer. • These quotes illustrate that: • Students expect the instructor to provide the answer to every question. In their minds, good teachers know the answers; bad ones don’t.

31. Multiplicity • In some areas, knowledge is certain. In most areas, nobody knows anything for sure. In those areas where the authorities have yet to find the answers, uncertainty is viewed as temporary. In the meantime, everyone’s opinions are just as valid as everyone else’s.

32. Examples of Multiplistic Thought • What it looks like: • You know, it seems to me that there are two different kinds of things we study—things where there are answers and things where there aren’t any! • I like that there are many ways to solve or code a program. Since the material tends to be subjective, it helps to see the reasoning of another person sometimes. • If there are no right answers, I think my ideas are as good as anyone’s and I do not see why I got a “C” on my midterm. • What this illustrates: • Students begin to realize that the instructor will not provide all the answers to their questions. As they seek to discover the solution on their own, they struggle with the realization that there is generally more than one solution to a complex problem. Since there are many ways to look at an issue, they conclude that their view is as good as anybody else’s.

33. Relativism • Students come to view knowledge as contextual and relative in nature. Right and wrong answers exist within a specific context and are judged by how well one is able to construct a well-reasoned point of view.

34. Examples of Relativistic Thought • What it looks like: • I love our class discussions because they help me figure out what I think about things. • I always thought I knew what I thought about social work, but after hearing others and thinking more, I realize that there are so many ways of looking at the same thing! • What this illustrates: • Students realize that there is more than one solution to a dilemma and that the solutions must be examined based on evidence and sound thought processes. Students also become aware of the strengths and weaknesses in their lines of reasoning. They expect instructors to help them see alternatives more clearly. When exploring multiple theories or answers to a problem, they begin thinking, “What principles underlie each of them? Which is the most efficient?”

35. Commitment • Students are able to test out and evaluate various alternatives and commit to the most well-reasoned theory, solution, or interpretation. The commitment leads to the development of a personalized set of values, lifestyle, and identity.

36. Examples of Commitment Thought • What it looks like: • • As the president of the student social work committee I have chosen to embrace and promote the value of diversity. I have the opportunity and responsibility to maintain a climate that affirms diversity of persons and diversity of views. • • For purposes of my thesis I have chosen to pursue the topic of violence in inter-cultural relationships and the use of dialogue as a means to promote peace. I believe that the creation of a peaceful environment in which to function is vital to survival. • What this illustrates: • Students are capable of integrating personal experience with the complex set of skills and knowledge they have mastered. Students commit to a choice or viewpoint and become aware of the consequences of that commitment. They also realize that commitment is an ongoing, unfolding, evolving activity.

37. Argument • An attempt to establish the truth or validity of an idea through a series of statements and involves two parts

38. Arguments that are usually psychologically persuasive but logically weak (Pine, 1996) Types: Ad Hominem Anecdotal Evidence Appeal to Pity Begging the Question Biased Sample Burden of Proof False Dilemma Personal Experience Popular Belief Red Herring Same Cause Slippery Slope Straw Person Wishful Thinking Logical Fallacies

39. Why study logical fallacies? • It is important to develop logical fallacy detection skills in your own writing, as well as others’. Think of this as “intellectual kung-fu: the art of intellectual self defense.” (Logical Fallacies Handlist)

40. Ad Hominem • Attempts to discredit an argument or position by drawing attention to characteristics of the person who is making the argument or who holds the position. • Example: "People who are psychotic act in a bizarre manner. This person acts in a bizarre manner. Therefore: This person is psychotic." • Alternate example: "If this client is competent to stand trial, she will certainly know the answers to at least 80% of the questions on this standardized test. She knows the answers to 87% of the test questions. Therefore she is competent to stand trial."

41. Begging the Question • This fallacy, one of the fallacies of circularity, takes the form of arguments or other statements that simply assume or re-state their own truth rather than providing relevant evidence and logical arguments. • Examples: • "Has your social work department stopped teaching that ineffective approach to therapy yet?" (The question assumes--and a "yes" or "no" response to the question affirms--that the approach is ineffective.) • "It must be acknowledged that [whatever psychological test battery I use] is the only legitimate test battery."

42. Red Herring • Drawing attention away from the issue at hand by focusing on an irrelevant issue as a substitute for making a case.Example: You can’t trust Jim to do a good job as student body president; he doesn’t dress with an up-to-date sense of style.Example: I don’t support the President’s foreign policy; look at the disastrous way he has taken care of our domestic economy.

43. Straw Person • The straw person, or straw man, or straw woman fallacy takes the form mischaracterizing someone else's position in a way that makes it weaker, false, or ridiculous. • Example: "Those who believe in behavior modification obviously want to try to control everyone by subjecting them to rewards and punishments."

44. Slippery Slope • To greatly exaggerate the supposedly inevitable future consequences of an action by suggesting one small step will initiate a process that will necessarily lead the way to a much bigger result. • Example: If you restrict my right to say whatever I want anywhere I want however I want this is the beginning of totalitarianism in America.Example: If we let one homosexual couple live on our street before you know it our neighborhood will start to become like Greenwich Village in New York or the Castro District in San Francisco.

45. Self-Understanding and Self-Control At a minimum, social workers must understand how their personal beliefs, attitudes, and ideologies might influence or interfere with their professional social work activities

46. Rescuing Pattern • May be evident when a social worker tends to view clients as victims in need of rescue or salvation • i.e. …there was a tendency for the caseworker to 'rescue' victims from abusive situations rather than assist them to disclose their concerns in their own way and to make their own choices. • Stay away from "going overboard" in your role. You must not go beyond what is professionally appropriate while trying to help clients. • Rescuing may give a temporary relief from your own feelings of helplessness and anger, but it does not lead to positive outcomes for the clients. • Clients will best be served by facilitating the development of empowerment. • This may mean that you allow clients to flounder at times.

47. The Family: Context for Development of Self • Genogram • A graphic representation of one’s family tree or pedigree, providing a picture of the parties involved and a chronology of significant events or themes • Contain basic data found in family trees such as the name, gender, date of birth, and date of death of each individual. • Additional data may include education, occupation, major life events, chronic illnesses, social behaviors, nature of family relationships, emotional relationships, and social relationships. • Some genograms also include information on disorders running in the family such as alcoholism, depression, diseases, alliances, and living situations. • Genograms can vary significantly because there is no limitation as to what type of data can be included.

50. Family relationships may be used to describe the emotional bond between people involved in a union, but the emotional relationship component is used to describe the emotional bond between any two individuals in the genogram (family tree).