Benefits of achieving the strong and clear social work framework

Standard 1: Strong and clear social work framework

Strong and Clear Social Work Framework

Develop a clear practice statement

Social care leaders should clearly communicate their goals and vision. It is important to make your goals clear, as this will create a sense of purpose and earn community trust.

 The statement should explain your social work tasks and purpose. This will help employees understand their role better as they will be able to see how their job fits into the organisation’s objectives. Social care leaders need to think carefully about how they produce practice statements with input from stakeholders. 

Your statement should explain the organisation's immediate and long-term goals. It should explain how the framework will affect those accessing services.

It's important to set clear social work and organisational goals to help:

promote community-based safeguarding and wellbeing
staff engagement
collaboration
emotionally intelligent management

Use a holistic approach for your framework

Defining what you mean by ‘good’ practice is complex. A whole systems approach can be beneficial if it values input from different sources. You should include input from people who access services as this can improve practice models. A balanced approach enhances staff morale. It will also solidify your organisation’s reputation for quality of care and help ensure your goals make a societal impact.

A workplace culture should equally value support and challenge. This leads to better practices and outcomes. Your culture should promote:

reflective practice
continuous development 
learning supported by supervision

Research and evidence from social work and related fields supports the importance of working together for employers. A workplace that values collaboration leads to better outcomes.

A shared understanding of good practice improves teamwork

Share your understanding of good practice. A clear model will encourage:

clear expectations 
a learning culture
professional development
culture and behaviour change

Research shows that a clear practice model improves teamwork.  Work with different agencies with a consistent approach and shared goals. Multi-disciplinary practice models lead to integrated care and improved communication.

Working closely with strategic partners is important for sustained success. Use a whole-systems approach to care. For more on working with strategic partners, see Employer standard 8: Strategic partnerships.

Improve multi-agency working

Evidence shows that a well-written model of practice leads to a more consistent approach. This enhances collaboration with other stakeholders. The research also found that multi-disciplinary practice models encourage co-operation within the local practice system.

Use a strategic plan for recruitment to lower costs

Local authorities should use strategic recruitment and retention. Ofsted has noted this may reduce staff turnover. Strategic recruitment will in turn save on the cost of hiring and training. This approach promotes continuity of service delivery and reduces pressure on existing staff. 

How to create a sense of belonging for your staff

Aligning work with social workers’ personal values helps prevent burnout. A strong connection to their work is invaluable as it increases their sense of belonging to the organisation.

For strategies on values-based recruitment, see Employer standard 2: Effective workplace planning systems. For support in managing work pressures see Employer standard 4: Wellbeing.

A safe environment improves job satisfaction

Balancing support with the right amount of challenge leads to greater job satisfaction. It also leads to fewer people leaving. To create this supportive atmosphere see Employer standard 5: Supervision. 

The work environment should promote ‘emotional containment’. Staff should be both supported and challenged. Balance support with readiness to work on difficult issues. A culture of high support and high challenge also enhances employee health. It boosts job satisfaction and resilience and will help keep turnover low. 

Team members should feel confident and enabled to learn from their experiences. A culture that encourages learning from mistakes is one with ‘psychological safety’. This means team members can raise concerns without negative consequences. Psychological safety acts as a cornerstone e for a healthy and productive organisational culture. This enables your organisation to learn from mistakes. See Employer standard 5: Supervision as this standard includes more about psychological safety.

A strong practice model can improve staff retention and lower costs

Evidence indicates that well-implemented practice models will reduce staff turnover which can: 

lower costs
increase efficiency and effectiveness
create a stable work environment

Supportive leadership has a positive impact

Senior leaders should provide social workers with high support and high challenge This approach will increase workers’ confidence and competence. 

A high support and high challenge culture contributes towards improved outcomes for children and families. Ofsted research backs this. They reported that confident workers encourage children to feel safer and more open to learning. 

In situations where this supportive and challenging approach exists social workers reported:

higher satisfaction
increased perspective
clearer perspectives
reduced anxiety

How strong practice models improve confidence

Implementing a practice model also has the potential to directly enhance practice. It will also have a positive impact on practitioners’ confidence and wellbeing.

Ofsted suggests a strong practice model will help practitioners concentrate their written assessments on critical issues. However, further evidence is needed to confirm this benefit.

Supporting you to implement statutory guidance

A strong and clear practice Framework sets out expectations and standards for social workers. This can help you meet the National framework and Working together requirements by encouraging consistency and high quality practice.

References

This is the list of research and evidence sources used to produce this section. Publicly available links are included.

Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Euwema, M. C. (2005). Job Resources Buffer the Impact of Job Demands on Burnout. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 10(2), 170–180.

Edmondson, A.C. and Lei, Z., 2014. Psychological safety: The history, renaissance, and future of an interpersonal construct. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior 1(1), pp.23-43.

Edmondson, A. (1999) Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 44(2), (Jun., 1999), pp. 350-383.

Grant, L. & Kinman, G. (2022). The Social Work Organisational Resilience Diagnostic. Research in Practice.

Hannibal, C. & Martikke, S. (2019). Critical Success Factors for co-production in VCSE organisations Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation.

Isokuortti, N., Aaltio, E., Laajasalo, T., & Barlow, J. (2020). Effectiveness of child protection practice models: a systematic review. In Child Abuse and Neglect (Vol. 108).

McNeish, D. (2017). What have we learned about good social work systems and practice? Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme Thematic Report 1 Department for Education.

Ofsted (2012). High expectations, High support and high challenge.

Ofsted (2015). Children in need and child protection: quality of early help and social work assessments.

Research in Practice (2015).Structure and culture in children's social care - identifying options for changing the model of social work

Social Care Institute for Excellence (2007). Whole Systems Approach: The participation of adult service users, including older people, in developing social care.

Skills for Care (no date). Retaining your workforce.

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