Developing social work professional judgement skills: enhancing learning in practice by researching learning in practice

The aims of this article are twofold: to discuss the value of practice-based research as a basis for enhancing learning and teaching in social work and, as an illustration of this, to present the findings of a preliminary qualitative research study into social work students’ development of professional judgment skills. The research was conducted with UK social work students at the point of qualification (graduation) to explore how they had developed skills of professional judgement during their field work placements. Practice-based research was used to gain insight into the authentic professional learning that takes place for students as they develop into qualified social workers required to formulate and exercise their own professional judgment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a critical incident approach, within an appreciative inquiry framework. The findings indicate that the participants’ conceptualization of professional judgment was formulated around an interplay of social work values and knowledge and that their skills of professional judgement were developed through supported autonomy and a sense of their personal agency in learning and professional development.