Leads: Professor Robin Miller, Ms Sharanya Nama Mahesh (Social Care), Dr Ila Bharatan (Organisational Science)
Dates: April 2020 – March 2023
Background:
Local authorities in the West Midlands have been working in collaboration with other partners to move from an assessment and care management model to a Care Act 2014 complaint approach that embed strengths-based practice within adult social care practice. Each local authority has taken its own approach as to how it interprets strength-based practice and the strategies that are being used to support implementation. There are though some common models that are being used by a number of local authorities, including ‘three conversations’, ‘family group conferencing’, and ‘local area co-ordination’. Through the Principal Social Worker network and West Midlands ADASS there has been sharing of experiences and learning. Reviewing strengths-based practice has also been a key component within the Peer Challenge programme.
Policy and Practice Partners:
This project was instigated following discussion with West Midlands ADASS and the Regional Principal Social Worker and Occupational Therapy networks. It is overseen by a stakeholder group comprising of Directors of Social Services, Principal Social Workers and Lead Occupational Therapists.
Co-Funding Partners:
West Midlands Directors of Adult Social Services.
Aims and Objectives:
There is a need within the region to learn from the different models and approaches taken by local authorities to embed strengths-based practice. This will enable local authorities to better understand how they can approach such transformation and increase the likelihood of sustainable implementation within their local context.
Methods:
This will be a mixed methods study involving a scoping evidence review, qualitative interviews of the multi-professional implementation leads within each local authority area, surveys of staff within local authorities, independent providers and the voluntary sector, and case studies of implementation examplars.
Main Results:
Social workers and occupational therapists viewed SBP as ‘morally the right thing to do’ was an additional driver for implementation
During the initial stages of implementation, there was an assumption that SBP was limited to social work practice, limiting collaboration with and involvement of other professional groups (example OTs)
Involvement of people with lived experience was limited during SBP design and implementation.
Conclusions:
SBP continues to benefit from widespread support from both, the sector and policymakers, suggesting its central role for fulfilling adult social care duties.
However, little is known about the implementation and effectiveness of SBP which is largely because SBP represents a set of principles that may be subject to varied interpretations within and between professions.
Implications for Implementation:
To increase the likelihood of sustainable implementation, organisations must deploy a whole system approach that meaningfully involves all partners and stakeholders in adult social care.
Outputs:
Mahesh S, Bharatan I, Miller R. Strengths-based practice in adult social care: Understanding implementation. NIHR Open Res. 2024; 4: 19.
Currie G, Bharatan I, Mahesh S, Miller R. Supporting New Ways of Working for Social Workers Through High Performance Work Practices: Sustaining Professional Identity. Human Resource Management. 2024.