Guidance for Completion of Notepad
This version of the notepad has been devised to help support the NQSW
practitioner’s development of critically reflective practice. This
encourages a critically reflective review of the learning activities
undertaken during the NQSW year, and will help develop the skills of
reflective writing and critical analysis of practice. These skills are
important at this early stage of professional development as they will
significantly enhance not just professional training experiences but also
day to day professional practice.
The Consolidation programme requires practitioners to provide a written
reflective account of their practice to
 Critically evaluate the effectiveness of their practice
 Critically review knowledge and theoretical frameworks
 Use reflection and analysis to think critically about your practice
The following guide suggests ways and means of achieving these.
Reflective Writing
Writing about practice and for practice are not unfamiliar skills for social
work practitioners, but ‘reflective’ writing introduces another skill level.
Reflective writing refers to the processes involved in writing that can be
utilised as means in themselves to help us learn from our experiences.
(Rolfe et al 2001 cited in Keen et al 2009)
Reflective writing is an exercise that enables the student to literally take
another look at practice, using the processes involved in transferring
thoughts to paper to clarify, decipher and gain a deeper understanding.
(Moon, 2005 cited in Keen et al 2009). It is therefore a process that
enhances the learning potential of practice and it also supports the
development of skills in critical reflection, to which it is closely linked.
Critical reflection
Critical reflection is a process that requires time and space, and should
be encouraged initially within the supervision process for NQSWs so that
it becomes a normal and integral part of practice at this early career
stage. There are many interpretation of critical reflection and many
authors who provide definitions and models to support critical reflection,
(See reading list). However, students are encouraged to initially adapt
one model or method that works for them, or to continue to use methods
adopted during qualifying training.
Analysis
Using a simple questioning technique will draw out the important elements
of the practice for analysis- one simple technique (adapted from M.
Forsyth Smith in Keen et al 2009) asks:
What did you do? (description- introduces practice scenario with brief
relevant background information)
Why did you do it? (explanation- critical review of understanding and
decision making -role, responsibility, professional ethics and code of
practice, knowledge relevant to situation, )
How did you do it ? (explanation- critical review of activity- models,
methods, skills, anti-oppressive practice applied)
How did it go? –(It went well or it went wrong?) ( critical evaluation of
effectiveness of practice, relating to desired or expected outcomes)
Why did it go? (well or wrong?) (critical review of effectiveness of
initial decisions and understanding, relevance of methods used, and
critical review of own application of knowledge and skills)
What did you learn from this experience? (conclusion- how future
practice will be changed/strengthened by this experience)
(What, Why, How x 2 , MFS 2010)
These questions will enable the level of analysis that is required for a full
critical evaluation of the practice. The descriptive element is the
smallest portion of the writing, with the analysis being driven by the
explanation and evaluation of the practice.
This model can be applied to small and succinct practice scenarios to
enable identification of learning relevant to the Evidence Statements for
the Record of Achievement for NQSW, and it can also guide the level of
analysis required for the fuller evaluation of practice that is expected
for the Practice Analysis for the CPSP, particularly when used to evaluate
the specialist practice expectations that are outlined within the CPSP
handbook.
Reading List
Trevithick P. (2005) Social Work Skills: A Practice Handbook- (reflection, analysis of
skills base, methods and models of practice)
Brown and Rutter (2009) Critical Thinking for Social Work (reflective writing, analysis,
critical thinking skills )
Thompson N (2009) The Critically Reflective Practitioner (critical reflection,
evaluation, professional values, developing relevant skills)
Keen et al (2009) Newly Qualified Social Workers: A Handbook for Practice (advice and
guidance for practice within different areas of specialism, preparation for Post
Qualifying training)