Engaging in Social Work with a Focus on“Ability to Observe”
Haruna DOKI
Tadashi SEKIGUCHI
Isao UEMURA(4th year student, Dept. of Clinical Social Work, Faculty of Social Welfare, Japan
College of Social Work)(Deputy Director, Tachikawa Welfare Workshop, Tokyoto Doho Engokai)(Associate Professor, Certified Social Worker Field Education Center, Faculty ofSocial Welfare, Japan College of Social Work)

Outline of presentation• Implementation of practical training at a facility for people withrelatively severe intellectual disabilities (a daycare facility).
• Lack of student experience ⇒ Concerns/confusion and pressure• In the limited timeframe of 180 hours (23 days), what abilities is it
best to develop and enhance?
• Discussion based on practical training instruction emphasizing the“ability to observe,” actual practical training, and evaluation fromthe viewpoint of the proprietor of the training location.

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Overview of training location• 14 users, who have only intellectual disabilities (includingautism). Of these, 10 people have difficulty with verbalcommunication.
• 26 users (in wheelchairs) with both intellectual and physicaldisabilities. Of these, 18 people have difficulty with verbal
communication. The combined total is 40 people who attend
the facility.
• Users are aged from 18 to 51 with an average age of 35.
• All users live at home with their families. The facility provides
a bus for travel to and from home.
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Details of activities at the training facility• During the pandemic activities like eating out and going
shopping were all cancelled.
• Activities were mostly outdoors, including walks anddrives.
• Efforts to maintain physical condition, such as stretching
and training using other motor exercises and walkers.
• Creative activities such as pottery and weaving.
• Seasonal events like a Tanabata event, and Christmas
party.
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Impressions of trainees• Cheerful and lively greetings.
• Active communication with users and with facility staff.
• Notice even the smallest of things.
• Able to ask the staff about the things they notice.
• When asking questions they are also able to talk about
what they think themselves.

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Points to be learned at this training location• Competencies required of social workers in assisted living facilities＝Points for trainees to learn– Non-verbal communication– Understanding users, including their families and background to daily life
– Assessment, planning and intervention for future living and assistance– Community relations and support for clients’ participation in society• The most important points that need to be learned are “difficult tospot” for students.
• In addition, it’s necessary to learning through practical experience,
not on the basis of one-way teaching alone.
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What “observe” means• “Observe”＝ “Inferring, judging, andconstructing ideas fromsituations”

IntakeAssessment

Planning

Implementation

Monitoring

Conclusion

Observation

7目に見えない
Important thoughts, background, intentions, values8Practical training: Day 1 (“Observation” by trainees ⇒ Examples of learning)
Theme

Impact of environmental changes for users

EpisodeDrinking time. Drinking tea while blindfolded.

QuestionWhy obscure your vision?

Hypothesis

Won’t it make you uneasy?

VerifyNoticeValue / Code ofconduct /Knowledge

Memo【Question to staff 】 Hiding visual information helps users to concentrate. Plus, I foundout that some people’s muscles tense up at the slightest change, meaning that thedrink could get into their windpipe, instead of being drunk.
A slight change in environment or their daily physical condition could put some people
in danger. This is why the content of support varies greatly. We will continue to pay
attention to how users are doing.
Orthodox learning typical of trainees.
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Practical training: Day 19 (“Observation” by trainees ⇒ Examples of learning)
EpisodeImportance of creating opportunities for community exchange
Plan to go outdoors. Users are also excited.

Question

What is the significance of going outdoors?

Hypothesis

It will lead to enjoyment and experience for users.
【Staff members’ comments】It provides an opportunity for people in thecommunity to get to know about the facility. If something happens to auser, it’s reassuring to know that the community know about the facilityin advance.

Theme

VerifyNoticeValue / Code ofconduct /Knowledge

MemoUsers live in the community. That is why it is necessary for people in thecommunity to know about the users, and to have a connection where
we can ask each other for help when something happens.
We were able to gain a perspective on community involvement as well as a perspective on theusers.
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Practical training: Day 21 (“Observation” by trainees ⇒ Examples of learning)
Theme

Importance of trial and error-based efforts

EpisodeImplementation of individual support plans

Person A has difficulty closing their mouth. What can you do to help them
practice closing their mouth?
It could help them to practice by having them decorate a bag and breathe
Hypothesis
into it with a straw.
【Test the hypothesis】 The person seemed to have fun doing theVerify
breathing exercises. I honestly don't know how effective it is, but I had asense of having gained something just by trying it out.
Even small things can turn into a process ofNoticepractice⇒correction⇒continuation＝support.
Value / Code of It’s important to share the experience with the user and work on it
conduct / Knowledge
together.
Question

Memo

Practical verification

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Practical training: Day 22 (“Observation” by trainees ⇒ Examples of learning)
Theme
EpisodeQuestion
Hypothesis

VerifyNoticeValue / Code of
conduct /Knowledge

Memo

Importance of continuing involvement with users
Person A has no speech. They communicate by making “ooh” noisesand moving their body.
Today Person A is moving their body differently to normal. Why is this?
They’re trying to get us to notice something, although I don’t know whatit is.
【Confirm with the user and staff】 I asked Person A, “You want to tell us
something, don’t you?” but Person A only responds with an “Ooh.”When I ask the staff to respond, it turns out that Person A was not
feeling well.
I was able to notice on this occasion because we have talked and spenttime together every day, even though it was only for 22 days. It is
important to stay involved, even in a small way, on a daily basis.
Learning made possible thanks to knowledge gained over time.

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【Experiences and episodes】
Person A has no speech. Usually they communicate bymaking “ooh” noises and moving their body.

。
① FeelToday Person A is moving
their body differently tonormal. Why is this?

④ Notice / gain insights
I was able to notice on thisoccasion because we have talked
and spent time together every day,even though it was only for 22 days.

⑤ Value / Code of conduct /knowledge
It is important to stay involved,
even in a small way, on a dailybasis.

② Hypothesis
They’re trying to get us tonotice something, although I
don’t know what it is.

③ Verify【Confirm with the user and staff】 I asked Person A, “You want to tell
us something, don’t you?” but Person A only responds with an “Ooh.”When I ask the staff to respond, it turns out that Person A was notfeeling well.

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What trainees have learned• Through this practical training, they realized how difficult it is tocommunicate and build relationships with users.
• Trainees learned that there are many things that can be noticed
through continuous involvement with users. They also felt forthemselves that support is for the benefit of the users and that it issomething that is created together with users.
• Trainees learned that supporters work and interact with users on adaily basis by cherishing the thoughts that come from diverse
perspectives and seeing and appreciating those perspectives.
• Further leveraging the experiences they gained on this training,trainees want to deepen learning about social work in the future.
14Evaluation provided by the training location【Evaluation of trainees】• People capable of questioning even small events or happenings.
• People capable of thinking for themselves and then seeking to confirm
those thoughts.
• People who can find new insights through accumulating experience.
【Training that focuses on ability to observe】• Many trainees even come up with their own questions. Trainees who
approach staff with their own hypotheses are also a great stimulus tostaff.
• Trainees can consciously verbalize values that are important forwelfare. It is easy for instructors to understand the depth of student
learning.
15Conclusion• Keeping the “4K + 1K” framework in mind, trainees
experience and think about things for themselves, andthrough discussions with training supervisors andteachers, they confirm the validity of their “observations.”
This then becomes a learning experience.
• “Ability to observe” is a basic skill that is also required ofprofessionals. It is a key competency for all social workers.
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