SWK489 TMA (Tutor Marked Assignment) SUSS : July 2024 -Social Work Field Seminars – Placement II, Singapore

Question 1

Assume you are a social work student, and you are currently at a Family Service Centre (FSC) for your second placement. With your prior experience in your first placement, you have been assigned several cases supporting women who have experienced spousal violence. You have a strong sense of empathy towards these clients and go above and beyond to help them. However, over time, your colleagues have noticed changes in your behaviour. You have been arriving late to work and leaving early.

Additionally, you seem more irritable and shorttempered with both colleagues and clients. You have expressed feelings of hopelessness and helplessness about your clients’ progress to the extent that you have started to feel less empathy towards their situations and challenges. Moreover, you have also started to avoid clients’ phone calls and text messages. You have occasionally appeared emotionally detached and disinterested during team meetings. You have seen the comments made about the decline in the quality of your work in your mid-placement performance evaluation form.

Your placement supervisor, Lisa, is concerned about you and has scheduled a supervision session to discuss your recent struggles. Lisa wants to provide support and help you develop strategies to manage your workload and prevent further deterioration of your well-being.

(a) Explain what “compassion fatigue” is in social work context and analyse your situation in the case scenario to identify three (3) signs/symptoms indicating you may be experiencing compassion fatigue. Support your answer with literature on “compassion fatigue.”

(b) Based on the signs/symptoms identified, evaluate three (3) strategies that you could use to manage compassion fatigue.

(c) With reference to the National Social Work Competency Framework (NSWCF), discuss and propose three (3) supervision goals that you can establish with your supervisor to address work related challenges.

(d) Refer to the six core values outlined in the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) Code of Professional Ethics and examine how maintaining personal wellbeing through self-care is essential for upholding these social work values.

Question 2

Compare and critically discuss the similarities and differences in social work practices between your first and second placement. Areas for consideration could include clients’ profiles, intervention approaches, challenges, and opportunities.

Overall

Overall coherence, organisation, citations, and references following APA guidelines. (10 marks) —- END OF

ASSIGNMENT —- 1st Placement: MSF Enabling Division (indirect social work practise, focusing on policy planning for those with special needs refer to Enabling Masterplan 2nd Placement: Allkin Youth Centre, focuses on direct social work practise with youth at risk