Social Work with Adults Strengths Based Approaches Lyn

Social Work with Adults – Strengths Based Approaches Lyn Romeo Chief Social Worker for Adults Twitter: @Lyn. Romeo_CSW chiefsocialworkerforadults@dh. gsi. gov. uk

Why is Asset/Strengths Based work important? Rights Based and Person Centred 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 2 Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches Care Act 2014 Strengths Based Approach to Assessments and Interventions Key

Key features of SBAs Positive attitude towards risk Identifying strengths and assets Identifying support networks Communicating and interacting Holistic approach 3 Personal capabilities, supportive capacity of family and community and resources of services and professionals Whole –person, whole -life approach, – balanced assessment Identifying: ‘soft’ strengths – personal qualities, skills and interests and ‘hard’ strengths – housing and finance People Individual can count on – friends, family, neighbours or professionals Listening and reflective conversation Willingness and permission to experiment and innovate – take risks The crucial variables contributing to resilience and wellbeing ‘Positive’ stories of what people have achieved Community groups, shared interest groups and social and online networks Build full picture of all resources available to individuals Strength-based skills: positive language, respectful, nonjudgmental, celebrate successes, induce hope Risks that matter to individuals and families, not practitioners and organisations Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches Engaging with Individual and family – vulnerable families Collaborative – make choices, coproduce solutions Goal and outcomes orientedvision of a good life Pragmatic and transparent approaches to manage risk and systems that are flexible enough to change

Strengths Based Approaches Local Area Coordination ABCD Shared Lives Appreciative Inquiry Strengths Based Approaches Person Centred Approaches Systemic Social Work 3 conversations model C. B. T 4 Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches Community Catalysts Family Group Conferencing Restorative Practice Signs Of Safety

Good Practice Principles in SBAs • • • Shared understanding of theory and practice SBAs based on theories, models and frameworks – shape social workers critical thinking and decision making Results in shared understanding of aims, outcomes, good practice, common language Clear expectations of all involved Multi-disciplinary teams including specialist support • To ensure that social workers have access to expertise they need • Different models require different team compositions • Co-located and working together on daily basis • • • 5 Intensive and consistent support for individual and families • Increase time spent improves experiences, engagement and outcomes for individual and families Effective supervision and support • E. g. , through training of supervisory managers; employing consultant social workers, clinicians to provide practitioner support • Management of heavy workloads, by freeing up from admin duties Building confidence and skills to work with individuals and families Focus on listening, empathy, story telling, reflection, facilitation, and collaboration – increases professional confidence Skills building as part of overall strategy including organisational culture, shared framework Training to be part of other practices – supervision, coaching, co-working, performance management, quality improvement Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches

Principles • • • 6 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 are responsible for their own recovery. 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. Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches

Common Themes • • 7 Critique 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 8 Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches

Things to watch out for 9 • 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 10 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

SBA and Mental Health Practice • • Service users have the capacity to decide on what is best for them, Service users are able to act in the best way & • Service users’ personal history and individuality are the outcomes of constant transaction between individual and social environment. Weick, Rapp, Sullivan and Kisthard, 1989 11 Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches

Social work with older people 12 − Maintaining & enhancing the quality of life & well being of older people , promoting independence, autonomy and dignity. − Recognition of their rich life experiences − Older people tend to have complex needs − Recognise social work with older people as a specialist area of practice − social work must be alert and responsive to the diversity and change that characterises ageing and old age. − social work operates in inter professional teams and clarity about its role and purpose in the context of integration is crucial. − Importance of relational work/conversations with the older person Strengths Based Social Work with Older People

Organisational learning and development implications 13 • Stop doing things to people – doesn’t work and costs a lot • Listen to people and staff - start doing with • Reduce assessment and referral processes that promote dependency on state – invest in community building, citizen action • Train staff to have different conversations with people – what matters not what's the matter • Give permission to staff to work differently to connect people to their communities - helping rather than gatekeeping! 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 ) Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches • Digital investment – connect staff and residents • Engage all partners , community , public and private sector Strengths Based Social Work • 14 Leadership team that really believe in this different way of working - knowledge ; authenticity ; presence vs position; status; gravitas Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches

Thank you and any questions? Lyn Romeo Chiefsocialworkerforadults@dh. gsi. gov. uk 15 Social Work with Adults - Strengths Based Approaches