Social Care Values are the Guiding Light of our Practice!
Jim Cantwell’s reflection piece on human nature and the power of our social care values in practice.
‘When we fail to use social care values and principles with each other we struggle to contain the destructive nature of humanness’
It has been on my mind of late that there are so many examples of the destructive and self-serving side of human nature in the world, in particular, for the last year and a half. Having to observe large sections of the world operating in such a way, I began to notice a sense of dis-illusion within myself and my thinking. It is very disconcerting to me when so many people stop using social care values and principles. I realise that using and living through the principles, attitudes, tendencies and dispositions of social care are what allow the full range of our human potential to be managed, understood and hopefully brought to authentic states of being.
Eric Berne (2018) has a wonderful turn of phrase to describe the manner in which we humans interact. He talks about us ‘happening’ to each other. I happen to you, and you happen to me. I like this description. If we ever needed to remind ourselves of what social care values and principles bring to the moments, we are all happening to each other, I think it is now. If there was ever a time to remember the following - that people need to be able to see beyond how so much of the world is behaving and seek resolution and repair (CORU, 2017); to be able to remember the value in treating people with respect and dignity (CORU, 2019); to be able to include cultural sensitivity in how we happen to each other (CORU, 2017); to remain empathic to each other’s pain, fears and hurts (Rodgers, 1995); to help each other take responsibility for our parts in any discord (Schon, 1992); to focus on how to work together again in collaboration through Human Rights and Social Justice frameworks (CORU, 2017).
When we fail to use social care values and principles with each other we struggle to contain the destructive nature of humanness. Tara Brach (2004) describes an element of this side of our nature when she refers to the following – the problem with the world today is that everyone needs to be right. Happening to each other is made so challenging when we operate through such thinking. Many of the strains in the current world environment are at a very macro level at the moment and can seem very far away from our individual daily lives & experiences. However, we need to build capacity by sheer number again, to remind the stakeholders and participants in our world of the need for social care values to be part of how we happen to each other. During these difficult times I am able to remember what the values and principles of social care can offer if enough of us practice and live them. I am grateful to have been trained to use these in my work and in my life. I would like to remind all our social care workers and trainees to stay true to these values, to trust in them when you practice, and to keep hope that our own use of them will make a difference on both the micro and eventually, the macro world level.
References:
Berne, E. (2018) What Do You Say After You Say Hello? The Psychology of Human Destiny. London: Penguin Books.
Brach, T. (2004) Radical Acceptance. London: Rider Publications.
CORU, (2019). Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Social Care Workers. Dublin: Health and Social Care Professionals Council.
CORU, (2017). Standards of Proficiency for Social Care Workers. Dublin: Health and Social Care professionals Council.
Rogers, C. R. (1995) On Becoming a Person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Schön, D. A. (1992) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. London: Routledge.