Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Strengths Based Approaches to Social Work
Lyn Romeo, Chief Social Worker for Adults
Mark Trewin, Mental Health Social Work Lead
@LynRomeo_CSW @Markybt
Chief Social Worker for Adults (England) Annual Report 2018/19
- Social work leadership in changing timeshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-of-health-and-social-care
Why is Asset/Strengths Based work important?
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Supports people, carers and communities to find
the solutions that are right for them
Getting alongside people – power analysis and
social justice principles
What matters rather than what's wrong
What's possible and who cares – reflecting and
improving
Best use of what we have – community
resources and enterprises
Strengths Based Approaches
Strengths Based
Approaches
ABCD
Systemic family work
Person Centred
Approaches
Narrative Approaches
Appreciative
Inquiry
Solution
Focused
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Local Area
Coordination
3
conversations
model
Family Group
Conferencing
Restorative
Practice
C.B.T
Signs Of
Safety
M I
Policy Framework
• MCA /LPS
• Care Act/Social Care Green Paper
• MHA review report
• Personalisation – social care and now health
• Prevention
• Loneliness
• Social prescribing
• New models of care
• SBA practice framework
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Principles • The focus of the helping process is on strengths, interests, knowledge and capabilities.
• The helping relationship is collaborative and mutual, a partnership of power with another person.
• Individuals have control of their care and support journey.
• All individuals have the capacity to learn, grow and change.
• Helping activities in naturally occurring settings
• The entire community is viewed as an oasis of potential resources. Community development approaches in parallel with strengths based conversations.
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Common ThemesCritique of the relationship between professionals/services and those they work with
Language matters
Invitation to change our lens or perspective
Recognition of people as more than and different from problems
Relationships are central
Start with strengths
Lead with questions rather than answers
Context matters
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Critiques• Puts responsibility back on people and
communities
• Excuse for cutting programs
• Tool for neo liberal agenda
• Can result in blaming individuals and communities for structural disadvantage
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Things to watch out for
• Using strengths approach without the power and political analysis.
• Framing it as blind optimism
• Using strengths based approaches to suppress or downplay the existence of problems.
• Formulas and prescriptive approaches.
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Systemic Family/ Narrative Approaches
1
People are experts in their own lives
2
Professionals are collaborators with people with whom they work
3
Stories are central to people’s lives creating and/or limiting
4
Opportunities for change
5
People can re frame and change the narrative in their life and professionals act as collaborators in this process
6
Problems are separate from people and the relationships between people and their problems can change
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Organisational learning and development implications
• Stop doing things to people – doesn’t work and costs a lotStop
• Listen to people and staff - start doing with and from Listen
• Reduce assessment and referral processes that promote dependency on state – invest in community building, citizen action Reduce
• Train staff to have different conversations with people – what matters not what's the matter Train
• Give permission to staff to work differently to connect people to their communities - helping rather than gatekeeping!Give
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
Organisational learning and
development implications
• Isolation and loneliness key determinates of mental and physical ill health
• Know and invest in communities – close things that don’t work
• Neighborhoods as essential building blocks of public services (GP surgeries; schools; libraries )
• Digital investment – connect staff and residents
• Engage all partners , community , public and private sector
• Leadership team that really believe in this different way of working - knowledge ; authenticity ; presence vs position; status; gravitas
Thank you and any questions?
Resources:
Strengths based social work practice with adults: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strengths-based-social-work-practice-with-adults
Strengths based social work - Practice framework and handbook: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strengths-based-social-work-practice-framework-and-handbook
Mark Trewin
Lyn Romeo
Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches
