Becoming a critical social work practitioner

3.5 Reactions and reflections

Activity 8

Read the Case Study ‘Sarah's story: Sarah and John?

Make notes on the reactions presented in the Case Study.

Discussion

You will have had your own reactions to the powerful scene between John and Sarah under the streetlight. Listening to the views of others, particularly those who actually participated in the scene, provides another set of perspectives that can enrich your understanding of what was going on. This can be described as a ‘multiple perspectives? approach to knowledge and learning and is a key aspect of constructive social work, as well as being of great importance to social work practice. The key point is that our first reactions and judgements are just a starting point, based, as they have to be, on our assumptions about what is going on. It is only through checking others' perspectives that we can go below the surface and achieve a deeper understanding of situations.

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