Critical reflection enables social workers to engage in transformative learning by engaging both reason and emotion, to situate ourselves within a broader social context, to understand our beliefs, biases, and values, and to assess our learning so that our learning informs our practice (Taylor, 2001). Critical reflection is key and lies within domain six of the Professional Capabilities Framework (Capabilities within the PCF, 2016).The purpose of this assignment is to provide a critical reflection of a piece of work that I have undertaken with a service user, where I have promoted the rights and needs of the individual by promoting their participation in accessing services to enhance their welfare ,and in decision making forums. I will begin by briefly describing the background and context to this particular piece of work. With reference to relevant theory, this being task centred  practice a probing solving, and reference to communication theory. I will discuss the ways in which I elicited the needs and views of my service user, whist promoting their autonomy and self-determination, alongside highlighting the ways in which I manage the impact of the power invested in my role, and how I embed and demonstrate personal and professional boundaries. The professional framework that I must adhere to during this session as a social work student is the HCPC’S Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for students (REF maybe put in analysis). Although I engaged with, and explored multiple models of reflection during this session, the model I found most useful to reflect back on this experience was that by Graham Gibbs’ (1988). The model is a functional framework for reflective study, it assumes repetitive experimental contexts, and broken down into six stages. However, I will utilising five of the stages all but conclusion. Gibbs’ model incorporates all the core skills of reflection. Arguably it is focused on reflection on action, but with practice it could be used to focus on reflection in and before action (Phillip, 2012)My placement is a not for profitorganisation offering supported accommodation for young women aged sixteen totwenty five who are either pregnant or have a child / children. The purpose ofthe scheme is to equip these young people with the skills they require to liveindependently. In order to become more competent when assisting my serviceusers , especially surrounding the area of benefits I have been reading up ongovernmental websites to clarify exactly what the service users are able toclaim. I feel by doing so, it has enabled me to gain a better understanding ofentitlements and eligibility, equally, what would prevent an individual frommaking a claim.  From a social justice value position it isimperative that as social workers we understand social policies in order toensure that service users gain access to their entitlements under government andorganisational policies (Healy, 2011). This in turn can help myself as a practitionershape the welfare of those that I work with. For safeguardingand data protection purposes the individuals and the organisation referred towithin this assignment have been anonymised.Description Xpresented herself at the organisation as she was homeless, and had been sofasurfing at a friends for a number of weeks. Luckily, there was a vacantproperty at the scheme and X was able to move in immediately. Part of my roleas student social worker is to assist the service users to who need help bothemotionally and practically so they can live an independent life. X has beenallocated onto my caseload, I conducted a support session with her to establishwhat – if any benefits was she in receipt of, and was she registered with anylocal NHS (National Health Service), health care providers for example thelocal doctors surgery and dentist. Both of which would enhance the welfare ofherself, and her unborn child.FeelingsPriorto the support session with X I read over the notes that are documented on heraccount, and familiarised myself with her chronology something that I do withall the service users at thescheme as it enables me to paint a picture of the service user and see whatthey are in receipt of in terms of benefits.Asthis was the second benefit assessment that I had conducted during my time onplacement I had mixed emotions including those of worry and uncertainty , butat the same time quite confident that I would be able to help. At times duringthe session I felt challenged around some of the information that x disclosedto me. She advised me she had become homeless due to being disowned by herfamily as she became pregnant to a man who was not her husband. X is of aMuslim background and this does not conform to their cultural norms andexpectations. Therefore, she had brought shame on the family. I remained openminded and non-judgemental to what x was disclosing allowing for anti- discriminationand oppressive practice to take place. Although this was a very sensitiveperiod of the support session I remained and conducted myself professionally. Eventhough I felt the above it was essential that I took into consideration thefeelings of X. X is a very vulnerable seventeen year old , who may of felt thatI possessed a lot of power during our interaction as I had a file with me whichcontained all of her personal details, yet all x new about me was my name. Inorder to reduce the potential imbalance I advised X she was more than welcometo request to see any of her personal records we hold at any time, as I didnotice she kept looking at the file, possibly leading to her feeling uncomfortable.Evaluation  Asthis is a critically reflective piece and I am to analyse myself and my ownpractice I would say that my strengths during the session were I kept x centralthroughout. Recognising that x came from a low socio economic background I wantedto ensure that she receives all of her entitlements. We went through the benefitwebsite together, using the online calculator to check what she could claim,the outcome being income support, child tax credits and child benefit once thebaby is here, and full housing benefit (Gov UK, 2016) At the same time I was constantlychecking that she understood what I was advising her, how she felt aboutclaiming, and was she happy to go ahead as not everyone feels comfortable whenclaiming for financial assistance.Moreover, I feel I further enhanced thewelfare of x and her unborn child  by makingher aware of other agencies and community services such as sure start centres,  groups ,and additional benefits for example the sure start grant which is a one offpayment of £500 to help with the costs of having a child (Sure start maternitygrant, 2016), and healthy start vouchers which provides you with freevouchers every week to spend on milk, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables,and infant formula milk, individuals can also get free vitamins (NHS, 2010).Another positive element of my practice during the session was that Idemonstrated a genuine interest towards x, alongside warmth. Likewise, Iensured I used positive body language such as eye contact, and verbal nods,  alongside appropriate proximity. Similarly, Iam able to recognise what I need to improve on and for me this is I speak tofast, this is something that I have highlighted in the past papers, however, Iendeavor to work on this.AnalysisUponreflection I feel the support session went well overall.  I ensured that X was kept central had claimedfor all her entitlements, as by not doing so could of lead to her living inpotential poverty, and becoming socially excluded as x has no money, no job,and not in any form of higher education. Research presented by the Joseph RowntreeFoundation evidences how demographic studies have highlighted that familiesheaded by teenage parents are likely to be poor in comparison to affluentparents (La Placa and Corlyon, 2015).  Here I was working hard with X and supportingher to eradicate poverty and reduce the risk of further financial hardship(Miller, 2017). In terms of what else could I make of the situation I wouldalso say that I had my professional boundaries in place during throughout. Atone point during the session X did try and push the boundaries as towards theend of the session her mobile phone rang and she said “I have to go , can youfinish the form for me?”   advised X Icould not do this as the form requires an online signature, and this would behighly unprofessional of myself to go ahead and action that as it could bringmyself and the profession into disrepute. I advised What I could do is savethis for a later date for to action. Boundaries are key within social work asthey set limits for safe, acceptable and effective behaviours, and helps theclient to uphold the standards of the social work profession (Cooper and Coe,2012). Throughoutthe session I was aware I was utilising many well respected theories. However,the session mainly fostered task centred practice, problem solving, andcommunication.Problemsolving assists individuals with the problem solving process.Rather than tell service users what to do, social workers teach clients how toapply a problem solving method so they can develop their own solutions (Staff, 2014). Task centered practice on the otherhand is a short term treatment where the service user establishes specificmeasurable goals. The social worker and the service user work closely with oneanother to create strategies and make steps to reaching these goals.(Trevithick, 2012) states that task centered practice is a technology foralleviating problems that the client recognizes, understands, acknowledges, andwants to attend to. Making direct links to the supportsession I was working closely with x to ensure she was out of financial crisis,by supporting her to make a claim for governmental entitlements and explainingeach stage as clearly as possible to her, by doing so it would reduce a lot ofstress for x and alleviate a majority of underlying pressure and anxiety.Communicationalso played a huge part in the session. (Lefevre, 2010) suggests how goodcommunication is central to working with children, and young people it involveslistening , questioning, understanding and responding to what is beingcommunicating all of which was evident and displayed during my session with x, andby doing so it allowed for me to build a rapport and good working relationshipwith x which enabled x to feel she could open up and engage.Althougheach theory is well supported by research , and supports service users to takecontrol of their own lifes, they are also praised for increasing the clientscoping skills to deal with such issues in the future. On the other hand, it maynot be effective where the service user does not accept the right of the agencyto be involved, and may over simplify the issues that some people face. REFActionplanInfuture, I aim to maybe scatter such sessions over a number of days whilst Iunderstand the importance of ensuring the service users are in receipt of alltheir entitlements, it is a lot to take in and absorb, even for myself I feltit was a little overwhelming.Conclusion Upon reflectionof the session there are certain elements I was really pleased with an wouldnot make any amendments to should the situation arise in the future. An area Iwould do differently would be to make the session not feel as formal as it mayof. Seemed This could have possibly been down to the surrounding nature of thesession and with benefits there is quite a lot of information to go through andcover and some of the terminology used may come across as daunting to someonewho may not be very familiar with this so maybe I could of explained and usedmore simplistic terms and wordingModel helps youto understand and practice your reflective skills.  Use the template to reflect on a recent eventin which you demonstrated a reflected ability to improve or demonstrate theneed for further learning or developmentRef Page Capabilities within the PCF (2016b) Available at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/capeabilities/?level=2&domain=6 (Accessed: 17January 2017)https://www. gov. uk/child-tax-credit/eligibility (2016) Tax credits calculator. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/tax-credits-calculator (Accessed: 25 January 2017).HCPC. (2012). Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students. [Online] [Accessed: 24 January 2017]. Available from: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10002D1BGuidanceonconductandethicsforstudents.pdfHealy, K. and Karen (2011) Social work methods and skills: The essential foundations of practice. New York, NY: Palgrave MacmillanLa Placa, V. and Corlyon, J. (2015) ‘Unpacking the relationship between parenting and poverty: Theory, evidence and policy’, Social Policy and Society, 15(01), pp. 11–28. doi: Lefevre, M. and Lefevre, L. (2010) Communicating with children and young people: Making a difference. Portland, OR: c/o International Specialized Books Services.10.1017/s1474746415000111.Maternal and Nutrition, I. (no date) What is healthy start? Available at: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/ (Accessed: 24 January 2017).Miller, A. (2017) Social workers’ roles in helping the poor. Available at: http://work.chron.com/social-workers-roles-helping-poor-24938.html (Accessed: 25 January 2017).Open, T. (2016) Learning to teach: Becoming a reflective practitioner. Available at: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education/learning-teach-becoming-reflective-practitioner/content-section-6.2 (Accessed: 29 December 2016).Phillip (2012) ‘ An exploration of the challenges of maintaining basic human rights in practice ’. Available at: https://www2.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/481500/Philip_White_-_Reflective_Practice_-_AB_2012_FINAL_for_net.pdf (Accessed: 25 January 2017).Staff, S. (2014) Theories used in social work practice & practice models – Blog. Available at: https://socialwork.simmons.edu/theories-used-social-work-practice/ (Accessed: 25 January 2017).Sure start maternity grant (2016) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/sure-start-maternity-grant/overview (Accessed: 24 January 2017).Taylor, E. (2001). Transformative learning theory: A neurobiological perspective of the role of emotions and unconscious ways of knowing. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 20(3), 218-236Trevithick, P. (2012) Social work skills and knowledge: A practice handbook. 3rd edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.Get Help With Your AssignmentIf you need assistance with writing your assignment, our professional assignment writing service is here to help!Find out more