The use of reflective skills as a cognitive tool in education to cultivate critical responsiveness to practice was investigated. The study aimed to determine students' ability to engage with practice in an insightful manner. Forty-two third-year students participated through reflective exercises on their community work projects. The study was qualitative in nature, using thematic content analysis. The findings indicated that critical reflection, as an educational tool, encourages constructive engagement in students. This paper argues that for social work to fulfil its social justice mandate, social work education is vital in honing the graduate attributes required for this purpose.