Insider inquiry: developing a relationship based practice when teaching social work students

TLDR: In this article, the authors introduce a research inquiry to develop a relationship-based practice when teaching social work students, which is a new practice for me when I began in September 2013, a time when reforms were introduced into social work education in the UK.

Abstract: This paper aims to introduce my research inquiry; developing a relationship based practice when teaching social work students. As a Senior Lecturer in Social Work undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Systemic Practice, my choice of inquiry is situated in my everyday practice of teaching. This was a new practice for me when I began in September 2013, a time when reforms were introduced into social work education in the UK. The reforms emphasised the need for social workers to be able to develop effective relationships with service users and professionals. In response to this, I chose to inquire into how I would teach using a relationship based approach, modelling how relationships could be developed. This paper seeks to explain relationship based teaching and present this with alongside current teaching approaches. It then explores the methods intended to be used in the inquiry and considers issues such as power and ethics.