social work supervision

I participated in Social Work Supervision on Saturday morning. I came away knowing that I'd had the opportunity to learn, increase my "Narrative" knowledge and skill-base and that this would assist me immensely in both of my work settings. I always look forward to and enjoy supervision: do you?

Apart from being a requirement for AASW accreditation if you're a member, I take the position that Supervision is an ethical responsibility and sits within the concept of ... professional integrity. 

What happens for non AASW members I wonder?

I imagine membership of the AASW or SPSW does not in itself mean that social workers will have supervision.

It's very likely that non members have regular supervision.

It scares me to think that there could be social workers who may not have regular supervision.

Much literature and research identifies social work supervision as the interconnected practice elements of administration, education & support, meeting the needs of the:

Employing agency (accountability for standard of services);

Social work profession (upholding and advancement of professional ethics and standards of practice);

Social work practitioner (ongoing professional development); developing and enriching direct practice knowledge and skills.

AASW Practice Standards for Social Workers: Supervision 2000 & AASW Practice Standards for Social Workers: Achieving Outcomes 2003

Importance of Supervision

The AASW Practice Standards  for Social Workers: Achieving Outcomes 2003, page 26 says ...

"Standard 6.2 - The social worker includes supervision as an important part of their continuing professional education.

Indicators

The social worker participates in and contributes to regular supervision.

The social worker uses supervision to develop their skills and knowledge.

The social worker uses supervision to help identify their professional education requirements.

The social worker uses supervision to develop a greater understanding of the organisational, social, economic and political contexts in which they work.

• The social worker uses supervision to reflect on interventions made in their practice to assess their appropriateness and effectiveness."

reflecting upon a week as a country social worker

This past week was not unusual; indeed, it was similar to many other weeks for me, as a social worker in the country in my work with two agencies.

My writing is an amalgamation of various interactions and reflections.

With one workplace, I travelled a round trip of 100+ kms, to meet with someone. The drive back through beautiful country, facilitated reflection ... the good place I'm at in my own life, at the age of sixty years, with so much more to participate in and contribute to: to give. How might I respond if I was told that my life expectancy was limited? More importantly in this scenario, that I was given some space in the likely limited precious time this person has left of their life. Mostly people continue to invite me in, when they are not compelled to, even in the times when time-is-precious.  Why is this I wonder? I continue to marvel at this and consider that I'm exceptionally honoured and proud to be in this profession of social work which allows me to be part of unique, rich, diverse, remarkable and often complex life journeys and experiences: both rewarding & challenging alongside people with whom my path nudges against, crosses or travels alongside for a while. 

And so, a rich and broad conversation about life and death occurred this past week in the context of one person's life and approaching death (months?) and all that might encompass: past, present and post-dying. We agreed that our conversation could be described as having included practical, philosophical and spiritual dimensions; and that we'd meet up again soon for more conversation.

I wondered why this person chose to meet with me after an initial brief referral conversation which I happened to respond to / follow up. Is this simply the random-ness of life; of coincidence, that connects two people and a relationship that then unfolds from that? How I can continue to be alongside someone in ways that positively contribute to and/or add any value or depth to their here-and-now and/or here-after. 

I have resolved that a) I will ask this "curiously,"  of the person when we next have contact, b) I wonder how the person would like to be re-membered: is this important for them (I guess I am already creating a process of re-membering), are there particular people that the person would  like to be re-membered by? c) I will take this to Supervision this week, I know my Supervisor has great knowledge and experience in loss & grief + some excellent Narrative resources on dying, death and re-membering, and d) Where do my  own experiences of loved family members dying and death feature in and influence my practice.

Another person I met with has acquired various labels. Before meeting, I considered what my contribution could be here, given the presence of such a strong dominant story written by stakeholders within "a system."

First, I created a space to reflect upon what had been written and told and therefore potentially had become this person's one-and-only "reality" according to "the system."

Reflection led me to consider:

How can I provide an other, an alternative story alongside the dominant story being told and re told? An other alternative story is there, smothered, overwhelmed by a dominant story. This is not to dismiss this dominant story, rather, to add some perspective, layers and context to / for this person's life with all its complexities ie what are the exceptions to the dominant story, what are person's strengths ... I see this as a role for social work in such "systems."

How can "a system / systems" best-assist someone who is in and out of it (why?): where the system squarely places "blame" on / with the person.

How could "a system / systems" that are ... time limited, under resourced, often where other key stakeholder alliance agencies are outreached and stretched: best assist this person and others.

What accountability does "a system/ systems" have to change; to contribute to stop or ebb the flow of people who "systems" often disparagingly refer to as "frequent flyers:" a term that places "blame" entirely with the "dysfunctional" client.

What is it about "the system" and its key stakeholder alliance agencies that isn't working that sees people return again-and-again without much changing for "them." What could "they" (the system/systems) do differently?

Alongside this work, in this workplace, my other work took me from the town where I live to a regional town: a round trip of 100+ kms on on couple of days where I worked alongside people who came with problems impacting upon their lives that included: Family & Domestic Violence, mental distress, relationships, past abuse and so on.

When I drive back "home" from my work in the regional town, it always facilitates reflection.  It's such a lovely drive. Driving in the country has always been good "thinking time" for me, whether it's been the longer Kimberley and Pilbara drives or the shorter south west journey's. I'm more patient and less inclined to rush now. I wonder out loud, does that reflect that being so in my life in general these days: could be I reckon.

Alongside this I have to remain alert to kangaroos and the rare emu as it's early evening with limited light, when I head for home.

In the Kimberley it was cattle that I needed to look out for. Hit one, one time in the Government car, just outside Kununurra at sunset heading back to Wyndham: crikey! And I recall a couple of emus doing sudden right turn and running into the passengers side of the 4 wheel drive coming back from Tom Price to Karratha one time with a colleague. 

I look forward to Supervision this coming week.

Over and out for now, from one of many country social workers.

What's your story?

lanie

Institute for Creative Health

The following is directly quoted from the Institute's website.

The Institute for Creative Health

The Institute for Creative Health is an independent non-profit Australian organisation with the mission to prove that the arts, in all its guises, are essential to the health and well being of individuals and communities.

We want to inspire people to put our ideas into practice.

Governments urged to support National Framework 7th April 2013

Federal and State Governments today were urged to support and adopt a national arts and health policy by giving priority to advancing a draft framework through the political process.

The challenge was issued by Mr Michael Brogan, Chairman of The Institute for Creative Health – the national body leading the arts and health policy agenda and which until today has been known as the Arts and Health Foundation (AHF).

The Institute for Creative Health continues the vital work commenced in 2006 by AHF. It will act as an advocate for the arts and health sector on important arts and health issues. It will also facilitate research, sponsor arts health projects and share information within the arts and health community so that there is an informed and unified presence. The Institute’s new brand identity was launched today at the National Rural Health Alliance’s conference in Adelaide.

The rapid adoption of a national policy framework would enable arts and health practice and research in Australian hospitals and clinics to flourish for the benefit of many thousands of patients.

Mr Brogan said: “Considerable progress has been made at national and state level during the past year to develop a draft policy framework for arts and health. There is an imperative now, however, to maintain that momentum in the face of shifting government policy initiatives and the upcoming Federal Election.

“We are not asking governments for money to fund this very important work, even though we know that health budgets will significantly benefit by introducing evidence-based arts projects throughout the health sector. We simply want formal recognition that the arts in its many forms stimulate a broad range of positive health outcomes – for the young, the old and for the not so young and old. Until now, we have been greatly encouraged by government responses, but we need to ensure that this opportunity does not slip away.

“Once official recognition is given to a national policy framework, practitioners would be better placed to receive the support they desperately need from private funding bodies. The Institute is here to stimulate that process and to prove the value of new arts-based treatments.”

Considerable progress towards adopting a national policy framework has already been made. AHF convened a national arts and health policy forum in June 2012 at Parliament House in Canberra, and won support from the Federal Minister for Health, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP. Backing also came from the former Federal Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Simon Crean MP.

A draft framework was released last year, and AHF subsequently co-ordinated feedback to governments. Last month, the National Cultural Policy was released and included a commitment for the Federal Government to work with their state and territory counterparts to recognise the health benefits of arts and culture and to provide an agenda for activity.

The Institute in recent weeks has held a number of direct meetings with Federal and State parliamentarians to win their support for the policy agenda. This advocacy will continue in coming months.

http://instituteforcreativehealth.org.au/

GetUp! Making a difference ...

"Last month, Laws' extremely insensitive comments to a listener who suffered sexual abuse as a child prompted a fierce outcry among the community, with nearly 40,000 Australians signing the combined GetUp and Destroy the Joint petition. Last week we surprised John Laws and 2SM by delivering the petition in person and requested that Laws speak, on the air, with Dr Cathy Kezelman, President of Adults Surviving Child Abuse. "

"Yesterday, Laws accepted your request and had Dr Kezelman on his show. She let him know why comments such as his are so detrimental to survivors of abuse and explained that by 'just making the suggestion that someone's provocative or talking about their appearance is suggesting that the victim has, in some part, a responsibility for what happened to them and that's never the case.' "

"To his credit, Laws admitted that "the size of the problem is greater than a lot of people would think" and conceded that as a result of the interview he is now 'better informed and better educated.'" 

"A huge thank you to Dr Cathy Kezelman for having the courage to speak out and educate John Laws on just how damaging shaming and blaming survivors of sexual abuse can be. "

"It's always important to recognise when someone does the right thing, so we'd like to commend 2SM and John Laws for honouring your request and endeavouring to learn more about how to avoid victim blaming in the future. "

"This is proof that together, our actions can and DO make a difference.  Keep up the fight to put the blame back on the perpetrators of sexual abuse. "

"Thanks for all you do! "

"The GetUp! team. "

PS. To hear the full 2SM interview click here: Dr Cathy Kezelman on 2SM, 10 April 2013

Head2Head magazine

"Head2Head provides an avenue for WA mental health information to all sectors of the community."

"The Mental Health Commission produces 10,000 copies per edition, available free of charge to community mental health services, government agencies, non-government organisations, public and private hospitals, public libraries, schools and universities. The magazine is available to community members and organisations upon request."

"Head2Head’s readership includes consumers, carers, mental health service providers, health professionals, and the general public."

Go to the Mental Health Commission link below for current Autumn 2013 edition + previous editions.

http://www.mentalhealth.wa.gov.au/media_resources/head2head.aspx

National Youth Week

beyondblue  @beyondblue Today marks the start of National Youth Week, April 5 to 14. We’re supporting around 90 events to raise awareness about good mental health.   09:20 AM - 05 Apr 13    Reply  Retweet  Favorite

Members of Truth Justice and Healing Council (Catholic Church) announced

Press release: Members of Truth Justice and Healing Council announced

For full media release:

http://catholicreligiousaustralia.org/index.php/85-website/content/news-a-views/media-releases/993-members-of-truth-justice-and-healing-council-announced

Francis Sullivan, CEO of the Council, stated that ... "the 13 member Council is made up of men and women with professional and other expertise, especially across child sexual abuse, paedophilia, trauma, mental illness, suicide and public policy."

One of the 13 Council members is ...

"Professor Maria Harries: Senior Research Fellow in the Social Work and Social Policy School at the University of Western Australia; extensive experience in child abuse and has numerous publications in the child protection/public policy; worked with the Christian Brothers for many years and was the inaugural Chair of the Mercy Care juridical body covering the health, aged care and welfare services previously conducted by the Mercy Sisters in Perth."

This Council will oversee the Catholic Church's engagement with the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.

Faith & Love - QandA - ABC Easter Monday

What a joy to watch the ABC's Q and A last night.

Watch it if you can.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

No politicians! Simply a diverse array of panellists who identified as: atheist, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, gay, Muslim.

The two stand-out people for me were the Venerable Robina Courtin & Islamic Cleric Dr Mohamad Abdalla. 

Deborah Conway & Josh Thomas & the Archbishop Mark Coleridge contributed well.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge was going well.  I thought here's a priest who with contemporary views ... until he stumbled and fell when a question from the floor asked ...

"Archbishop, you touched briefly about marriage, we are talking about a socio-legal thing here, I’m not asking for you to ordain over my marriage, for example, but why should your beliefs impact on my ability to be taken in front of a justice and for them to preside over my marriage?"

Archbishop Coleridge's response disappointed, but did not surprise me.

See the link to article by Robina Courtin.

Becoming our own therapist: Buddhist perspectives on attachment and delusion

http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2013/04/01/3727423