Evaluating your practice

Learning Objectives

After considering this resource, you should be aware of the different ways practice can be evaluated.

Evaluating practice is a vital part of the social work process as Parker and Bradley (2010, p.120) stress: 'It is important...that all social workers are educated in ways of reviewing their work and reflecting on outcomes so practice can be continually improved, which enhances personal development and contributes to securing the best outcomes for people using social work services.'

In the following video, Victoria Hart, a mental health social worker, shares her on own methods of evaluating her practice and why it is so important to do so.

Download: Video transcript

Reflective Questions

  1. Why is it important to evaluate your practice?
  2. How do you currently evaluate your own practice?
  3. By what means do you reflect on your practice? Is it effective? Are there any other ways you might like to try reflecting?
  4. In what ways does your agency monitor how well they are meeting the needs of the service users? How can you contribute to this monitoring?

Reference:
J Parker and G Bradley (2010) Social Work Practice: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review, 3rd edition. Exeter: Learning Matters.

Preparation for practice