Strong and Clear Social Work Framework
The following strategies are based in appreciative inquiry (AI). AI takes a positive and strengths-based approach to leadership development and organisational change.
AI facilitates positive systemic change from a position of respect and collaboration. This enables individuals and organisations to co-create a shared vision of their future, unlike approaches that concentrate on identifying problems and areas for improvement. See a video on how appreciative inquiry can be used to enhance excellence in practice.
Appreciative inquiry emphasises acknowledging strengths and developing possibilities for growth. It is effective in creating a sense of belonging and motivation for change within organisations. Its flexibility enhances other factors supporting organisational resilience.
The appreciative inquiry model follows a 4-stage process, known as the 4D model.
Using appreciative inquiry to implement change
This approach to planning change involves engaging with people to consider how to build on good work. It may seem a simple exercise, but AI can be a powerful tool to help people move from being ‘stuck in a rut’ to a position where a new future can be imagined and realised.
This approach begins with pairs working together to identify strengths, which are then shared within small groups to collectively imagine and plan for the organisation’s future. Four important steps to using AI are outlined below using working in social care as an example:
Discovery
What has been your best experience of social care work? Think of a time when you felt:
- most engaged, alive and enthused by your work
- that it worked well for people who access services
Now think:
- what made this possible?
- what did ‘good’ look like?
- what was important to its success?
Dream for the future
Imagine it is a year from now, and your team or service is working very well. It may have achieved formal recognition for its work – for example best teamwork, partnerships with families, or enablement-based practice with adults.
Now consider:
- what are you doing differently that enabled this change?
- what is it like to work in this team?
- what does ‘good’ look like?
Strategising
To move from dreaming about the future to a more concrete strategy and plan, you should now consider the steps you need to take to achieve this goal. These need to be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).
- what is going to make this possible?
- what will you have to do differently to make this work?
- who do you need to help you to get there?
- what else might you need to pay attention to?
- what might be the signs that you are moving in the right direction?
Implementation
How are you going to implement these plans? How are you going to communicate your plans to others? How will you know if you are continuing to move in the right direction – how will you measure success?
Knowing what good looks like
Research has explored the relationship between important social work skills and outcomes in child and family work. Social workers were asked how they recognise what good practice looks like. Responses highlighted the importance of effective authority and relationship-building skills, along with the need for self-reflection on skill improvement.
Adult social work is increasingly adopting a strengths-based approach, emphasising relationship-building and co-production. Practitioners prioritise a person-centred approach, supporting individuals to inform the way care is accessed.
Effective practice promotes collaboration and encourages the independence of people receiving care and support.
Using a PACT approach to achieve a strong and clear social work framework
PACT stands for Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous and Trackable. Identifying PACT goals helps us to reflect on the meaning or motivation for change at a deeper level.
PACT goals are designed to encourage the process of continuous development, prioritising the process of change rather than solely encouraging long-term outcomes that may feel distant or unattainable.
As such, PACT goals can be particularly beneficial in identifying the steps needed to develop, implement and evaluate a strong and clear social work framework.
We have identified 4 PACT goals covering the following areas:
- creating a foundation stage
- use of planning tools
- how to assign roles
- how to evaluate progress
It is crucial to delegate responsibility for developing PACT goals and the accompanying action plan. To achieve genuine and sustainable change requires involving individuals to clarify the problem and co-designing solutions.
This inclusive approach ensures that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process, creating a sense of ownership and commitment to the desired goals.
The 4 stages of achieving PACT goals
Stage 1: Create the foundation stage
This initial stage lays the foundations by establishing a group to lead the process. The group should identify specific issues to improve within your practice framework or model. The group should set objectives and corresponding actions or planned practice-based approaches. Important actions will be to:
- inspire colleagues with a shared commitment at all levels to improve existing practice models and frameworks or to develop new ones
- cultivate support by establishing a steering group comprising diverse representatives who contribute varied knowledge, skills, and perspectives
- conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of practice supported by the current practice model, identifying areas in need of attention and specific tasks relevant to the goals that require practice
- communicate the specific areas of concern and outline the steps you will take to address them
- define PACT goals to encourage on continuous growth and improvement to the practice model
Stage 2: Use of planning tools
The planning stage should encourage immediate achievable actions. Use tools like World Cafe or the Tree of Life. At this stage, important steps are to identify PACT goals, revisiting the motivation and passion for changing the existing framework.
Be purposeful in action planning by identifying the small changes that can be made immediately to improve practice. You could consider the diverse needs of employees and available resources.
Focus on tracking progress by planning the evaluation strategy for current and future phases. This will help demonstrate change over time and whether desired outcomes are being met.
Think about how you could:
- assign specific tasks within the steering group
- develop an ongoing communication strategy for sustained engagement
- assess the risk to the wellbeing of employees during the implementation of change and the factors that might impact on their physical, mental, and emotional health
- identify any vulnerable groups within the organisation that may be disproportionately affected by the change
- assess the reliability of resources and support systems
- decide on who will implement training or support, using either ‘in-house’ personnel or external providers
Stage 3: Assigning roles
This stage involves:
- assigning roles to individuals to lead the implementation of the practice model
- exploring opportunities for experimentation
- learning from experience through evaluation to enable adaptation and continuous improvement
The important action at this stage is to assign clear organisational roles within the steering group.
You could role model good social work practice and provide training while continuously tracking progress toward the long-term goal of improving the model or framework of social work practice.
Stage 4: Evaluating progress
The evaluation stage is crucial to track progress and ensure that the framework you have in place supports effective practice. Without it, determining the impact or value of the actions or specific approaches will be challenging.
Gathering baseline data is essential for identifying any change. Agreeing the purpose, or shared mission and vision, of the practice model will help determine the goals of the evaluation.
Important actions at this stage are to determine the objective of the evaluation which may include assessing the framework’s effectiveness in influencing practice. It is important to measure practitioners’ perceptions of the organisational culture to see if it has shifted towards a more psychologically safe environment.
Formulate important questions for the evaluation, such as:
- are practitioners receiving practice-shaping supervision?
- do they have the necessary learning and development that promotes effective practice in line with the practice model or framework?
- what factors have helped or hindered progress?
Develop methods to track progress, identifying opportunities for learning as well as measuring impact.
Regularly consult with practitioners to check that changes are positive and not impacting negatively on workload or wellbeing.
Acknowledge that the organisational context may change; this could include important people moving on or unforeseen events like the pandemic, which may impact PACT goals.
It is essential to revisit the action stage regularly to ensure continuous progress toward an improved practice framework. You could reflect on practice to identify lessons learned to inform and enhance the future approach.
References
Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Appreciative inquiry handbook for leaders of change (2nd ed.). Berrett-Koehler.
Ludema, J., Manning, M., & Johnson, A. (n.d.). Six questions that can lift your leadership, shape your strategy, and transform your organization. Benedictine University.
Next page: Co-designing techniques for your practice framework
The resources have been developed by
Research in Practice
in collaboration with
DfE.
Published: 27 February 2025
Last updated: 27 February 2025
Published: 27 February 2025
Last updated: 27 February 2025