My current understanding about how research informs the development of an evidence base for social work practice
Firstly, I now clearly understand that social work entails efforts and initiatives to solve or address issues affecting the society. As a social worker, I can be posted to a particular community or I can be consulted to use my knowledge to work in collaboration with other government and community agencies to address the plight of members of different communities. However, in the pursuit of these solutions, a social worker cannot solve problems using personal knowledge or opinions. I believe that this discovery provides the opportunity to understand why research is important in social work-that to develop solutions in social work or to create those impressive proposals, research is inevitable.
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I reckon that research is important in social work because every project or assignment presents unique demands and needs. That means that I cannot replicate solutions developed elsewhere in another project. For instance, problems experienced by the African Americans may not be similar to those experienced by the Hispanics. Therefore, research in this case provides me as a social worker, the opportunity to develop novel solutions, which are specific to diverse groups.
The development of solutions or proposals to help address various social problems is an evidence-based process in itself. Conducting research means that I will focus on the real issues, explore suggestions provided by other scholars and researchers, and engage the communities to provide specific solutions that address the uniqueness of every situation. Therefore, according to my understanding, research dissipates generalizations, and encourages an individualized approach to problems. Before solutions or proposals are made, they must have been proven to be effective, or have the potential to solve the specific problems. I believe this is what evidence-based solutions mean in research, and subsequently, in social work practice.
Whether my current perspective differs from the one I had when the course started
Before the start of the course, I held a different perspective towards research and evidence-based practice in social work. I thought it was just easy to spot and address social issues. For instance, I thought the issue of low incomes in inner cities in the U.S is simply about people lacking particular skills that could propel them to high earning positions. I also thought such issues of poverty could simply be addressed through government aids such as food programs. Generally, I used to see things on the face-value. Also, I thought solving such problems is as easy as asking the members what needs to be done to them to be satisfied. I did not understand the role of research in solving such problems since they can be “seen”. If anything, I thought research is a complex process that should only be used in science to discover the world or a life-changing aspect.
Nevertheless, I am now aware that research and evidence-based practice is as important in social work practice as it is anywhere else. Social work practice is also a discovery process. For instance, through research I was able to connect the relationship between single motherhood and children’s moral development. I established that children need both parents for better moral development because the lack of either can affect how they perceive things, and that can even affect their performance in school. Research in this case made me not to just see things on their face-value; rather, it is important to dig things deeper in order to have a better understanding and to consequently, develop effective solutions. Social work practice is also just like a science, where social workers study the society, connect various social issues, and seek solutions.
Skills I have gained through the course and how I might apply them in my own practice
The first skill I have learnt concerns how to conduct a good research. I have learnt that in order to conduct a good research, I need to use authentic and verifiable sources. Since social work practice requires the use of evidence-based approaches to solve social issues, it is also vital to use evidence-based sources. For example, in one of the research papers, I analyzed the issue of domestic violence among families and discovered that the use of evidence-based sources gives one to provide great insights to the issue. The sources used all steps of conducting research, and were verifiable. Some of the articles were written by professionals in their respective fields, and therefore, provided valuable information to the discussion.
I have also learnt critical thinking and analysis skills. Typically, all research papers have sections of analyzing results and giving conclusions based on these results. The research process is not just collecting data and presenting it. To develop solutions and proposals, I have learnt to evaluate the information collected, present it in a practical form, and develop solutions from it. In this process, I have learnt to think critically through the results, and evaluate them into practical solutions.
In my practice, I look forward to being part of teams charged with the responsibility of crafting solutions to solve various social issues. Through great research skills, critical analysis, and thinking, I will always ensure that I use evidence-based approaches to solve these issues. Therefore, I will use these skills to research the various problems in the community, as well as use knowledge from credible published sources to ensure that problems are solved using the most effective approaches. I will read widely, and invest in research to see to it that social work practice is defined by accuracy and informed solutions.
How the Code of Ethics impacts the way I think about my responsibility to incorporate research in my future practice
The NASW Code of Ethics has six main elements which include service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence ( Social Work: Core Values and Ethics , 2018). Firstly, the code of ethics demonstrates that I have a responsibility to take part in social justice causes, not like an activist per se, but as a professional who understands what it takes to discover the underlying causes of various challenges. I need to take part in efforts of addressing equality, improving human relationships, and as well to demonstrate competence and integrity. In order to do this, I need to be a good researcher. For instance, in a research paper about the consequences of single motherhood to the moral development of children, my desire was to seek for effects so that I propose solutions (based on research), to improve the cohesiveness among families. Most of the solutions proposed by my research do not have to benefit me; rather, I have a responsibility to work selflessly.
In my future practice, I will not just look at myself or my interests in order to help solve social issues. I will use research in a professional capacity to take part in social causes to give honest answers and address the plight of various groups. Through the lessons and exercises completed in this course, I believe I have developed significant competence to use research skills to discover, understand, propose, and implement solutions. I will collaborate with various agencies and bodies to ensure that social work practice uses evidence-based solutions derived from extensive and accurate research.
Reference
Social Work: Core Values and Ethics . (2018, March 10). Tulane University. Retrieved August 12, 2020, from https://socialwork.tulane.edu/blog/social-work-values
