Abstract
Reflectivity has become a key characteristic of life under conditions of modernity and marks the ability, but also the obligation, of free citizens to take responsibility for themselves. Citizens can develop this ability fully only with the support of social policy arrangements that provide the means and the security for personal autonomy and security.
The policy “framing” of different forms in which reflectivity developed manifests itself in different approaches to welfare. This chapter examines different “welfare regimes” in recent European history from this perspective and relates the importance and forms reflectivity shows to have in training and practice of social and health professionals to those social policy conditions.
It concludes that by taking critical position to social policy contexts, reflectivity in professional practice strengthens the trustworthiness of professionals and becomes also a model for service users who can thereby enhance their own autonomy.