SOWK915: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families Assessment 2 Overview
Dr Katarzyna Olcoń
School of Health & Society
Master of Social Work Qualifying
Description
This assessment aims to evaluate students’ ability to demonstrate social work engagement and assessment skills in a given real situation. For this, students will participate in a role-play (15 minutes each) that will be video recorded and analysed to determine student’s ability to understand, reflect, and utilise social work skills covered in the subject. Students will be expected to watch their role- plays afterward and reflect in a written form on their strengths, mistakes made, any subjectivity they might have brought to the role-play (including their own history, values, and biases), and areas of growth.
2
Role Play Skills Assessment and Reflection
Part I: Skills demonstration in a 15 min role-play (recorded on campus in SimCapture) – 50% of the mark
Part II: Self-reflection paper – 50% of the mark
Instructions
Select a case from the “Case Studies for Role Plays” posted on Moodle
Find a role-play partner
Read “Assessment 2 Grading Form”
Schedule your role-play recording
Read the documents posted under Additional Resources including “Improving Your Writing Skills”
Submit the Self-Reflection Paper via Assessment 2 Turnitin
Tutors will access your video recording directly through SimCapture
4
During the Role-Play
Remember it is the first time you meet the client
Introduce yourself and ask the client for his/her name and how he/she would like to be referred to
Build rapport (check the videos and readings on how to build rapport)
Explain your role and ask for a permission to talk (e.g. in a hospital setting)
Explain confidentiality and its limits (practice this ahead of time)
Invite the client to discuss his/her situation (e.g. “Can you tell me a bit about what brings you here today?”)
Learn about the client – conduct an initial assessment
You are not expected to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the client, because it normally takes 1-2 hours. You only have 15 min.
There does not have to be a formal ending of the session; stop the video when the 15 min are up.
5
Notes for Students who Play the Client
All role-play exercises are designed to provide reciprocal learning opportunities to practise communication and counselling skills. Whilst it is vital that we get into the client’s story and play the role as best as we can, it is equally important that we don’t ‘over-act’ such as displaying extreme behaviours or emotions that are challenging for your peer to manage.
Whilst you think the client should appear withdrawn or even angry in the interview, please keep these ‘acts’ to the minimum (e.g. displaying difficult emotions or behaviours at the start but becoming more engaged as the interview progresses). This will ensure that everyone, including you, when playing the social worker role, has sufficient opportunities to practise the skills taught in this subject.
6
General Suggestions
DO NOT:
GIVE ADVICES TO THE CLIENT
JUMP TO SOLUTIONS
SET GOALS WITH THE CLIENT
PLAN AN INTERVENTION FOR THE CLIENT
THIS ROLE-PLAY IS ONLY ABOUT BUILDING RAPPORT WITH THE CLIENT, ESTABLISHING CONFIDENTIALITY AND LEARNING ABOUT HIM/HER (ASSESSMENT)
7
General Suggestions cont.
Do not script the role-play. The role-play should illustrate a first-session with this client as if it happened in real workplace (we will be able to tell if the interview was scripted ).
I advise against taking notes during the role-play. Taking notes during the interview sometimes serves as a way to “hide” from the client. Try to stay present with the client instead. You will be able to watch the video later and get all the needed information for your self-reflection report.
It is absolutely normal to feel nervous and it is okay for there to be a moment of silence and reflection in between questions
8
Self-Reflection Paper
Use the following subtitles to organize your paper:
Introduction
Summary of the Case and the Social Worker’s Role
Reflection on the Process
Areas of Growth
Conclusion
Based on Assessment 2 Grading Form
Check your paper for correct grammar, spelling, structure and formatting (2 points).
9
Use the Subject Discussion Forum, “Assessment 2” to ask any questions you may have about the assessment
Use Subject Discussion Forum, “Finding a Role Play Partner” if you need to locate a partner to complete the role play with
Check the Moodle site for information about scheduling your recording in SimCapture.
10