
#LEVELS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE PROFESSIONAL#
Professional autonomy within a framework of accountability evidence based risk assessment and management tools.a research and development strategy for social work and.structured approaches to manage untoward incidents that enable learning from mistakes.a strengthening of the governance and leadership roles of the chief social work officer.a new approach to social work governance.


social workers to exercise professional autonomy within a clear framework of professional accountability.clear accountability frameworks which make explicit the accountabilities of the social worker.Social work services must develop a new organisational approach to managing risk, which ensures the delivery of safe, effective and innovative practice. We will need career structures which enable highly skilled practitioners to stay at the front line of work while also expanding their expertise, providing professional leadership and educating the next generation of workers. This will mean front line teams having the proper delegation of authority and the right mix of skills to enable professional expertise to be used effectively. New approaches to the governance of services will be needed, requiring practitioners to exercise greater professional autonomy within new accountability frameworks, able to make informed and complex decisions safely and effectively. For those with the most complex needs and problems it will mean using and developing the therapeutic relationship as a way of helping them regain control of their lives and finding acceptable solutions to their problems.įor leaders and managers, it will mean developing trust in their staff, making sure that they are enabled and empowered to practise professional autonomy in their day to day work, within a framework that promotes personal accountability and enables safe yet creative practice.įor everyone in social work services, it will mean far greater flexibility to develop new roles, new ways of working and taking opportunities to cross structural and organisational boundaries.Īchieving this will require workers with new skills, drawing out the innovation and creativity that we have found to be often heavily constrained.

#LEVELS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE FULL#
Achieving that goal will mean making full and effective use of the whole social service workforce, building capacity, developing confidence and trust at all levels and allowing a significant shift in the balance of power and control.įor front line workers, it will mean enabling some people and their families to take far greater control over how they are supported. Our approach to developing personalised services revitalises and refocuses services on the core values of social work. We have concluded that we are not making the most effective use of social work skills. Chapter 6: Building the capacity of the workforce
