Connected Practice – NQSW
Connected Practice
Connected Practice is underpinned by the elements below:
- Motivational interviewing
- Attachment and trauma informed practice
- Assessment and risk analysis
- Life story work
Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative conversation style for addressing the common problem of ambivalence about change and strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change.
PCF: Professionalism, Values and Ethics, Diversity, Knowledge, Intervention Skills, Critical Reflection
KSS/PQS: 1, 2, 6, 7
- Action Learning Sets
- 1:1 supervision
- Motivational Interviewing – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day MI practice.
- Motivational interviewing Community of Practice – supports the
development of practitioners and the organisation.
Social Worker’s should have a good understanding of attachment theory and its practical application in building resilience and promoting mental health and wellbeing. Attachment has been defined in various ways:
- A close and continuous bond with the mother (Bowlby, 1951);
- Affect regulation theory and personality development in the context of close relationships (Howe, 2010);
- A theory about protection from danger (Crittenden).
In ESCC we have adopted Pat Crittenden’s Dynamic Maturational Model of understanding attachment. Attachment behaviour in infants is designed to help them survive, stay safe and feel secure. It helps infants make sense, model, cope and explore – especially the self and others. In order to achieve these states the vulnerable human infant needs a relationship with a caregiver who is stronger (safety and protection) and wiser (in the ways of the mind and the world). (Howe, 2005)
Trauma informed practice aims to understand service-users in the context of their life experiences and history, and acknowledges how these factors affect people throughout their lives. The key principle of this practice is based on building a trusting, collaborative and empowering relationship – the focus being “what’s happened to you?” rather than “what’s wrong with you?” and trying to make sense for parents and caregivers on how this impacts on their parenting capacity. Also how this impacts on children and young people’s current functioning.
PCF: Values and Ethics, Diversity, Knowledge, Critical Reflection, Intervention and Skills
KSS/PQS: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
Foundation
- Introduction to trauma-informed practice (eLearning module)
- Trauma-informed approaches to working with families in a multi-professional context – (ESCC Learning Portal)
- Case work
- 1:1 supervision
- Case consultation with Practice Leads and specialist services
Attachment
- Attachment – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
Trauma
- Trauma-informed practice – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
- Trauma-informed Community of Practice – ESCC Intranet – supports the development of practitioners and the organisation.
In-depth and ongoing family assessment of social need and risk to children is at the core of excellent social work with children and families. Effective assessment and recording needs the active participation of the child and family in the process and ongoing engagement with other professionals who contribute to social work assessments. To be confident in assessment and recording we need to feel comfortable with the use of multiple hypotheses and understand the role of intuition and logic in decision-making. It’s important to understand the difference between opinion and fact, the role of evidence, how to address common bias in situations of uncertainty and the reasoning that informs any conclusions reached and recommendations made. As a social worker your assessment and analysis skills will be further developed drawing on a range of research and theoretical models to inform your thinking. This will then be evidenced in more sophisticated planning and interventions that are evidence informed.
PCF: Professionalism, Knowledge, Intervention and Skills.
KSS/PQS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
- Case work
- Action Learning Sets
- 1:1 supervision
- Self directed learning
- Assessment and planning – ESCC Intranet – we developed this section on Single Source to help social work practitioners in their day-to-day practice.
- Assessing parental capacity to change – Single Source.
- Holding difficult conversations with families: practice principles – Single Source.
- Neglect Toolkit – ESSCP – multi-agency toolkit.
- Assessment Handbook – Research in Practice.
As a social work professional you must be aware of the vital role Life Story work plays helping children understand their past, build a sense of identity and process complex emotions, creating a narrative to foster a sense of belonging and wellbeing. The approach taken in
East Sussex is to use the principles of life story work across the whole journey of the child, to make sure the child’s life story is being held in mind through all work. You will need to be able to work with children and families, clearly and creatively, through a life story lens, so children can build a coherent narrative now and, if they chose to access their records, as an adult. There is no one right way to carry out life story work – the approach chosen needs to suit the needs of the individual child. The work needed for an adopted child removed at birth will be very different to that for a child having family support from Early Help, or a recently fostered eight-year-old. Life story work should be a thread through assessment, planning, intervention and review at all stages of the child’s journey.
PCF: TBC
KSS/PQS: TBC
- Case work
- Action Learning Sets
- 1:1 supervision
- Self directed learning
- Life story work – practice tools (ESCC Intranet)
- Supporting life story work (Research in Practice)
- Life story work – practice tool (Research in Practice)