The Role of Reflection in Family Support Social Work and Its Possible Promotion by a Research-Supported Model

Abstract

ABSTRACTPurpose: There is a prevailing controversy over the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) within human-service organizations. Since it is argued that it is a threat to reflection, proven experience, and tacit knowledge, we wanted to investigate the impact of the research-supported, family-centered model Family Check-Up (FCU) on practitioners’ use of, and opportunities for, reflection.Method: Focus group interviews with family support social workers trained in FCU (n = 19) were conducted.Results: The significance of reflection for social work practice is clearly indicated. It is crucial for providing quality care: for making progress, processing cases, and effecting change in client-related work. Described as a coping-mechanism, it is also crucial for practitioners. Since various elements of FCU require practitioners’ reflective ability, it was argued that it promotes both reflection and professional learning.Discussion: Rather than constituting a threat to reflection, FCU was seen as promoting it, indicating an inaccuracy in prevailing assumptions about research-supported models. This implies the need for revising the definition of such models to promote their potential use and benefits. Working with FCU, however, demands sufficient resources.Conclusion: With an increased focus on “production” leading to changes in priorities, it is argued that resources and opportunities for reflection decrease. As FCU and similar models seem to allow for the incorporation of reflection into ordinary tasks, we propose that they be used to prevent reflection from becoming even more difficult. However, to gain from the benefits of both reflection and research-supported models, various external factors need to be considered.