Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2)

Fundamentals of Social Work Dear Social Work Practice Teachers and Leaders, Addressing Collaborative Practice in Social Work in Singapore Recently, I asked Mrs Ann Wee what question she might set for an exam question for Social Work today if we were to have a chance to answer it. She did not reply with a question but her response reminded me of the importance of understanding the roles of each profession that interfaces in the helping relationship with clients. Clients often need the help of a few professionals, be it the social worker, the psychologist, the doctor, the nurse, the counsellor or the special needs teacher, just to mention a few. As the emerging theme of collaborative practice becomes more recurrent, it i s good to revisit the role of each profession in helping the client. After all, most literature on collaborative practice use inter-professional work, working together, joint working, working in partnership and inter-agency working and multi-disciplinary working sometimes almost interchangeably and so we must consider its important role in collaborative practice. One might be tempted to run ahead and try to determine the knowledge and skills needed for good collaborative practice and how to help social workers to be competent in these. But it may be useful to take a moment to think about the context in which collaborative practice started to emerge as a theme. We can then explore how to better prepare students for interprofessional collaborative practice. We may arrive at a point where we realise that the role of the practice teacher is pivotal in facilitating inter-professional practice learning. And the question that follows then is how practice teachers can be prepared for the role and how they can be supported to facilitate inter-professional practice learning. Context of Social Work Practice Social workers here practice within a constantly changing environment. It is one with challenging social problems and a developing framework of policies and legislation for families in distress, social care, health and early intervention not unlike elsewhere. Recent developments for us include the Mental Capacity Act, the introduction of legislation to better protect vulnerable adults, the increase in step-down and home and community based care for older persons and the mandating of pre-divorce filing advisory for marital dissolution with young children. These areas add to the existing ones that call for collaborative practice. 25

Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 26