Child observation in social work practice. Social work essay: Observation and assessment of a child 2022-12-14

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Child observation is an important tool in social work practice, as it allows social workers to understand and assess the needs and experiences of children in a more holistic and empathic manner. By observing children in their natural environments, social workers can gain insight into the child's developmental stage, social interactions, and overall well-being. This information can then be used to inform social work interventions and support the child's development.

There are several different approaches to child observation, each with their own unique benefits and limitations. One common method is structured observation, which involves using a predetermined set of criteria to systematically observe and record the child's behavior. This approach allows social workers to objectively measure and compare the child's behavior across different contexts and over time. However, it may also be less flexible and may not fully capture the child's subjective experiences or the complexity of their social interactions.

Another approach is naturalistic observation, which involves observing the child in their everyday environment without interrupting or influencing their behavior. This approach can provide a more realistic and authentic view of the child's experiences, but it may be more challenging to consistently observe and record the child's behavior.

In addition to these methods, social workers may also use participatory observation, in which the social worker actively engages with the child and becomes a part of their social group or community. This approach can provide a deeper understanding of the child's experiences and cultural context, but it also requires the social worker to be mindful of the potential impact of their presence on the child's behavior and well-being.

Regardless of the approach used, it is important for social workers to be aware of their own biases and assumptions when conducting child observations. This can involve actively reflecting on and challenging one's own cultural and personal beliefs, as well as seeking out diverse perspectives and seeking supervision to ensure that observations are conducted in an ethical and culturally sensitive manner.

Overall, child observation is a valuable tool in social work practice that can inform and support the development of children and families. By using a variety of observation methods and being mindful of their own biases, social workers can gain a deeper understanding of the child's needs and experiences and develop effective interventions to support their well-being.

Child Observation And Development

child observation in social work practice

It is essential to note that while there may be a few disadvantages as social workers the skill of observation is crucial to the day to day practice Tanner 1995 pg 50. You can configure your choices to accept cookies or not, or to oppose them when the legitimate interest is used. Child D falls to the pre-operational stage where children start to use mental symbols to understand and interact with the world. Observation is not a neutral activity Murphy and Dingwall, 2001 ; being the object of an observation causes anxiety and can impact on how a person behaves. Each individual is different and their needs must be tailored to individual requirements. The resulting intervention is then more likely to be appropriate in meeting a client's needs.

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Psychology for Social Work Practice

child observation in social work practice

This essay will also talk about the ethics and the anti-oppressive practices in relation to care of children. Initially, I wondered how much detail I could recollect after the observation but surprisingly I was able to vividly recollect all the essential aspects of the observation. You might have to take great care not to focus too much on one aspect of the environment, such as the lions, as you might not see the elephants coming or, equally, ignore or disregard the environment that you are in because it was familiar and, therefore, known. The feedback given to others made the subject area and what was expected clearer in the presentation. This lasted for around 2-3 minutes until the teacher rung the bell.

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[PDF] The place of child observation in social work training

child observation in social work practice

The nursery is open five days a week and the parent decides the days and times their child attends. As part of the process I had to present my findings to the group and use PowerPoint presentation on reflection I learnt a great deal. The class have been told when the bell rings, stop, put their hands up and look at the teacher. The other end is for the children sit together as a class. She was able to understand the different key concepts in mathematics additions and subtractions as her mother was trying to explain to her using soft toys to demonstrate the concepts, which showed that her cognitive development was probably quite advanced for her age. There are two computers each with educational games opened on them. Therefore, my goal in creating this paper is to make existing qualitative methods more visible and further the understanding of qualitative research and its importance in the software engineering community.

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Social work essay: Observation and assessment of a child

child observation in social work practice

The teacher was talking to another child about the hedgehogs they had previously made. I confronted the fear headlong by being one of the first in the class to do the informal presentation and got very encouraging feedback from the lecturer and from my class mates. Observation is such a central task to social work activity that it is often taken for granted, with little consideration being given to its complexities and demands. Sally demonstrates symbolic thought through her use of language and through her actions. She made a few sounds like she would begin to cry.

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Child Observation, A Reflective Report

child observation in social work practice

The study of human development is the progressive behavioural changes in an individual from birth. Introduction Fawcett 1996 defines observation as a kind of perceptive watching, an informed way of looking that raises awareness and sharpens understanding which helps to bring to notice what might otherwise be overlooked. It took a few weeks to contact the nursery manager because they were attending home visits. The PEDI assesses whether the child can or is not yet able to perform certain tasks in each category and the level of caregiver assistance and modifications necessary to do each task. The teacher told her she was worried she would fall off her chair and onto the floor and pulled her seat closer to the table. LAD identifies regularities in language, tests new words against these, either accepting or rejecting them Smith, Cowie and Blades 2005. A boy went up to Sally as she was dancing and she showed her a toy butterfly.

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The place of child observation in social work training: Journal of Social Work Practice: Vol 6, No 1

child observation in social work practice

This does show the different skills of the child and even how gross motor skills develop in them. My observers mother informed me she would discuss the issue with her husband and get back to me. Sally sat with her legs crossed and her arms between her legs, so she ended up sitting on her hands, and she was rocking back and forth. Conclusion In conclusion, I have learnt greatly through observation and reading. The teacher moved away to a different area of the classroom, Sally followed her. The aim of this report is to analyse my observation of a two years three month old girl. It will include an overview of perception and objectivity and a discussion of the impact of values and issues of interpretation.

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Infant and child observation as preparation for social work practice: Social Work Education: Vol 13, No 3

child observation in social work practice

Sally came and sat next to me at the table I was sitting at, where the teacher was also sitting. Then the mother gave S some food to eat. It helps to draw attention to what otherwise might have been overlooked. She looked at each one and then moved onto the next sheet. The teacher was then distracted by another child and left after reading the rhyme. Wineburg 2004 noted that it is natural to have nervous feelings prior to a presentation whether one is a veteran speaker or new in the act of public speaking. This went on for two to three minutes.

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Child Observation Reflection

child observation in social work practice

When she tried to do it again she did manage it finally. Furthermore I gained insight into other areas of child observation. Share this: Facebook Facebook logo Twitter Twitter logo Reddit Reddit logo LinkedIn LinkedIn logo WhatsApp WhatsApp logo Observation skills are one of the most important skills for social workers to have. After stacking the blocks, Jonathan points to each block individually and counts them. The teacher said everyone should be sitting on the carpet; Sally looked up and then looked down again to carry on what she was doing. Grace and her husband are both born in the United States with roots all over different parts of Europe.

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Social Work Child Observation Report

child observation in social work practice

As soon as the babysitter left she started to cry and I knew the attachment towards the babysitter was emotional but special so then she stayed for ten or fifteen minutes more, when she heard it she was happy. She was slightly able to pick up fruits and was able to eat them. This shows Sally struggling to understand shape remains unchanged even if its position on the paper is different. He also said that a child could have three types of personality that could be ID, EGO and SUPEREGO which could become integrated during the stages Berk, 2006. Sally got up and began to dance alongside the teacher to a train song. They can somewhat make decisions.

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The Importance Of Observation In Social Work

child observation in social work practice

Her homework consists mainly of pictures and symbols rather than letters. However, this behaviour could have negative consequences as well. However this observation process increased my understanding of Child A; as a very happy chid, to appreciate her skills and unique qualities and to come into her world and see things from her perspective Faulkner, 1995. Inexperience was a big deal because I continually observed the child as a mother I was unable to detach my role as a mother with my role as a student. Stage two; rules are followed when in their immediate interest. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs.


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