My concern was I was not sure if the family were aware of my lack of communication with them in the early stages of intervention, as I tended to engage with Alan and not acknowledge them when they were answering questions directed at Alan. I did feel general discomfort in the room and felt embarrassment for the nephew and I felt he was patronising his uncle, I was not sure if this was his normal behaviour or was taking his role as informal carer very earnestly and I did not have the full picture of the situation. I reflected my anxieties with my practice educator who thought I was over analysing the situation and that the nephew was taking his role very seriously maybe to give him a sense of responsibility and importance.
Being self-aware and conscious of my impact on others is a necessary element of reflective practice and is crucial to building relationships. Qualities such as ‘integrity, genuineness and self-awareness’ are central to developing empathy and an understanding of social work values. Although self-awareness is required it is also a necessary aspect of taking a professional responsibility for my own learning and