Dialogical Participatory Action Research in social work using delta-reflecting teams

In a study where coaching actions and research actions became intertwined processes, reflexively co-created dialogical joint actions, the 55 participating Swedish social workers became inspired to invite children and other clients into dialogical collaboration in social investigational work. The processes of the conducted action research became metaphorically talked about as going on a cycling voyage tour riding in a peloton. In the dynamic flow of dialogical interplay the participants found the directions how to go on (with whom, when, where, how, with what and why) exploring and learning. Not only was the research characterised of being Participatory Action Research (PAR) but also mutually involving Dialogical PAR (DPAR). The systemic methods in use were reflexively influenced and adapted in the interplay, becoming living tools in both the social workers’ practice and the practice of coaching and researching.  One of the living tools was the use of ‘reflecting teams’, here emerging into ‘delta-reflecting teams’­ where the participants were encourage to participate (delta in Swedish) not only by reflecting on what they had heard and seen (as in ‘reflecting teams’) but also co-creating new narratives (cf new channels in the river delta) to be heard and reflected on.