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- Baker, N. (2019) Social Care Workers Face 'culture of violence', Irish Examiner. Available at: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30955381.html#:~:text=Some%2085%25%20described%20staff%20burnout,impacted%20staff%20retention%20and%20recruitment. (Accessed: November 22, 2022).

-Kinman, G. (2021) Managing stress, Burnout and fatigue , The society of occupational medicine. Available at: https://www.som.org.uk/Managing_stress_burnout_and_fatigue_in_health_and_social_care.pdf (Accessed: November 22, 2022).

-Lowry, L. (n.d.)  3 Things You Should Know About Echolalia, The Hanen Centre. Available at: http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/3-Things-You-Should-Know-About-Echolalia.aspx#:~:text=Many%20children%20on%20the%20autism,it%27s%20known%20as%20immediate%20echolalia. (Accessed: November 22, 2022).

-Mcleod, S. (2014) Bobo doll experiment, Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment on Social Learning. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html (Accessed: November 22, 2022).

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A challenge I faced throughout my social care journey..

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A challenge I faced throughout my social care journey..

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I will be using the Gibbs reflective cycle to reflect upon a challenge I faced. During my placement I was presented with service users displaying challenging behaviour. One service user in particular who struggled to communicate was frustrated and tried to hit staff. During this I was very unsettled and nervous as I did not know how to handle the situation appropriately. The positive I took from the situation was I could observe how the other staff interacted with the service user and the staff members being hit would be the negative. The service user began to display challenging behaviour as he was frustrated that he could not communicate appropriately with a member of staff. During this time I could have ensure that the service users enviornment was as safe as possible. If the situation arose again I would understand how to de-escalate the situation by getting Pecs for the service user to be able to express himself correctly or distracting the service user to an activity of their preference.

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Burnout can lead to physical and mental health issues, job dissatisfaction, lower quality of care, and professional errors in the field of social care (Kinman, 2021). Burnout is common in social care; according to one study, 85% of social care workers reported experiencing burnout (Baker,2019). This quote appeals to me because it emphasizes the importance of taking care of ourselves as well as others, as we frequently focus on others while neglecting ourselves in the social care sector. Taking care of ourselves allows us to better manage stress and thus perform better at work.

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The most interesting fact I learned throughout my social care journey..

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The most interesting fact I learned throughout my social care journey..

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I learned that some service users who had autism tend to repeat sentences or words said by others and this can be known as echolia. Echolalia in children with autism can be used in multiple of different ways but an example of echolalia is when a child with autism hears another child ask for a biscuit the child will repeat this as he has heard others say it before and now associates the sentence with getting a biscuit (Lowry,2016). I seen this in multiple of service users throughout my placement and could easily relate it back to echolalia. The social learning theory can also refers to my practice in social care, as I began to imitate the skills of other staff members throughout my placement as I shadowed and observed their work. I adapted to certain staff members routine within the service and noticed when I was on shift with other staff who did it differently.

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What theory was most prevalent through my social care journey..

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What theory was most prevalent through my social care journey..

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According to social learning theory (McLeod, 2016), I learned about social behavior, which is learned by observing and imitating the behavior of others, and which must be considered when caring for children. Working with young children has taught me how much children mimic actions, so I had to be careful what I did or said while on placement. The bobo doll experiment is an example of social learning theory in action, in which one group of children was exposed to aggressive behaviour directed at the doll while the rest of the children were not. According to the findings of this study, children who are exposed to aggressive behaviour tend to imitate it (McLeod, 2014). When working in social care, it is critical to be aware of this theory because it can help one understand how one's environment can influence their behavior. The social learning theory can also be applied to my practice in social care, as I began to imitate the skills of other staff members as I shadowed and observed their work throughout my placement. I became accustomed to certain staff members' routines within the service and became aware when I was on shift with other employees who did things differently.

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The most interesting person i've met throughout my journey..

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The most interesting person i've met throughout my journey..

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I completed my placement at a children's respite centre, where I met an exceptional service user. This service user was an 8-year-old boy with Down syndrome who was also deaf. This young boy's only means of communication were a limited number of lamh signs and pecs. The young boy was always smiling and laughing during his time in the service. A typical day in the service for this service user was always eventful and hectic. Despite the obstacles and struggles that this service user faced on a daily basis, he had such a positive and happy outlook on life that was truly inspirational. Despite his inability to communicate both verbally and nonverbally, he always expressed his gratitude to the staff for looking after him with hugs and smiles. He was a true little superhero.

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The best piece of advice i've received..

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The best piece of advice i've received..

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The best advice I've ever received was to treat others as you would like to be treated. In my family, we were taught to respect everyone and to treat others the way we would like to be treated because we never know what others are going through. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and kindness, regardless of their circumstances, culture, or values. My father used to always tell me that if you don't treat others with respect, they won't treat you with respect. As I observe this behavior in my home environment, the social learning theory can be linked back to how I choose to treat others with respect. I will follow this advice for the rest of my life and throughout my journey in social care.

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Through the influence of my family, I decided at a young age that I wanted to work in a field that helps others. When my grandfather moved to Ireland, he founded a non-profit community youth club in order to provide other children with the support and community that he lacked. The youth club kept young teenagers off the streets and kept them from becoming involved in drug use in the community. My grandfather always wanted to start a community group after being abandoned on a doorstep as a baby, which led to him being placed in an orphanage. He had never felt a sense of community or a part of a family until he started his own. I was raised in a very caring and altruistic environment, so I've always wanted to work in a field that helps others in need, and I'd love to continue helping others as my grandfather did.