SWO 5561 Baylor University Professional Practice with Individuals and Families Report

1. Identifying Information Student’s name:Client’s initials or fictitious name: (Protect client confidentiality) Date of session:
   Date of written recording: (Always record within 48 hours)
2. Background Information
   At the beginning of this section, please provide a brief informative paragraph about the agency in which you work and your role there. This information can be copied and pasted into the future process recordings you create for this class’s assignments.This section should include any information necessary to understand the interaction described in the recording. This includes any information you know about the client such as• Gender, age, and race or ethnicity of the client
   • Life stage of development (i.e., cognitive, biological, spiritual, social development)
   • Family members and any other significant intergenerational relationships
   • Referral source and why referred
   • Number and types of other contacts you have had with the client(s), and a brief summary of

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SWO 5561 Practice With Individuals and Families

3. Tuning In and Preparatory Empathy
You should discuss in this section your tuning in and preparatory empathy for the session. This would normally include some discussion about the client’s personal circumstance, life stage, relevant family members and family circumstances, ethnicity, or other distinctive aspect(s) you observe.

Brief example: Before meeting with Mr. A, I read over the file. Noting that he is Native American, I researched his tribe to discover what type of rapport building would be respectful to him. I am sensitive to Mr. A’s need for respect, and since I am a female social work intern, I wonder if he will consider what I have to say as worthwhile. (Student is demonstrating preliminary skills of tuning in and preparatory empathy.)

Be sure to include tuning in intellectually and affectively to the client and tuning in to self, utilizing Shulman skill vocabulary.

1. Purpose of the Interaction
   Why is this interview (session) taking place? How does it relate to the individual and family case goals? What does the worker plan to accomplish in this interview or session?To say that the purpose of the interview is to “form a relationship with Paul” is not what we are looking for. According to Shulman, the relationship grows out of the work with the client and the family.Examples: “The purpose of the interview is to obtain information regarding Jane’s medical history, and to give support to her in relation to her apprehensions about her serious illness”; “The purpose of the interview is to develop a service plan for Mr. Grafton”; “The purpose of the interview is to help Becky make plans for her developmentally delayed daughter while she is caring for her terminally ill husband”; “The purpose of the interview is to develop a plan for helping the family find shelter.”
2. Summary of Interaction
   This section should include a detailed, narrative, chronological summary of your exchange with the client. You will label the skills you are using, use color coding to match skill with the interaction that illustrates your use of it, and provide commentary (process comments) on what is “going on” in the session beyond what is being said. It may include a description of the client’s affect, as well as the worker’s affective responses (i.e., mood, feelings, tone, attitude, and emotional responses of the client and the worker). Process comments are to be written in italics and include what you were observing and thinking at the time (an opportunity to demonstrate honest self-awareness as well as observation and assessment skills) as well as reflections as you look back, including what you notice now that you didn’t at the time, observations on what you think might have been going on with yourself, the client, and/or the client’s family, as well as thoughts about what you wish you had said or done (or would do differently the next time).A verbatim recording with skills identified is required (i.e., “Client said . . . ”; “Worker said . . . ”) The Faculty Comments column should be left blank. I, as the instructor, will use this column to provide feedback to you.Use the Tables function in Word, found under Insert on the tool bar. If you need help, ask.

Skill Identification, Time (If Verbatim of Session Faculty Comments

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SWO 5561 Practice With Individuals and Families

Possible), and Reflective Comments by Student

Clarifying purpose (1:26)

Noticed B’s affect was much flatter than the last time we had met.

Wonder if it had anything to do with her mother’s threats regarding the children.

General to specific (4:36)

W: Good morning, Mrs. B, come in and have a seat. We need to talk today to review your service plan and progress.

B: Well, I had a setback this week. It’s been a hard week.

W: Tell me more about that.

6. Evaluation
In this section, you evaluate use of social work skills and how effectively you applied these skills through the course of the interview or session. Use Shulman vocabulary to communicate your reflections on your practice. Evaluate whether or not the purpose of the interview was achieved. If you feel the purpose was achieved, you should indicate what makes you believe this. Likewise, if you feel the purpose was not achieved, you should analyze the reasons why you think this is the case. Clearly identify a Strengths section (what you did well in the interview) and a Growth Areas section (what you need to work on).

Whether or not the purpose was achieved should not be used as the sole judgment of the effectiveness of the interview. Unexpected factors may determine that the original purpose be amended. This change, however, should be recognized, and specific reasons for the change in purpose should be identified and commented on.

In addition, include a discussion of
a. How do you assess your relationship with the client, following the session?
b. What information would help you in your work with this client?
c. How is the family a resource or hindrance?
d. What were the barriers (personal, familial, systemic, and informational) to effectiveness in

this interaction?

7. Future Plans
What do you hear are the client’s presenting needs at this point? In light of your evaluation of effectiveness and use of skills, what are your plans for increasing your effectiveness with this client in the next session? Include the Shulman skills you will use, and issues that may need to be addressed next time. What reading will you do to gain information needed? For example, what theoretical frameworks and human behavior and social environment concepts should be included to help you better understand this client, the presenting problem, the systemic implications, the familial and/or intergenerational implications, and the interventions you should explore? How will your learning from this client interaction enhance your work with future clients? Demonstrate use of Shulman skills vocabulary in your response.