Building better relationships: developing critically reflective practice when working preventively with domestic violence and abuse

Abstract

Background and context: This article presents reflections on critical participatory action research into the development of critically reflective practice, conducted by the first author alongside practitioners who work preventively in the field of domestic violence and abuse. It is part of a doctorate in health science undertaken in response to the need to question assumptions, presuppositions and meaning perspectives in what is a complex and harmful area of interprofessional practice. Aims: The research aims are to develop knowledge and professional/interprofessional practice in this ill-defined area of practice in two phases – phase 1: creating opportunities for interprofessional critical reflection; and phase 2: examining the impact this has on individual and collective practice. This article offers an emerging framework for critically reflective interprofessional practice, and critical reflections on phase 1 of the study, from the perspective of insider/practitioner/researcher, through the lenses of sincerity and significance in qualitative research. Implications for practice: The article concludes by proposing potentially important implications for practice development in the following areas: Interprofessional practice The conditions required for developing critically reflective practice How we reveal, understand and work with power dynamics when working with conflict, violence and abuse