What is a strengths-based approach?

Part of Strengths-based approaches

The Care Act 2014 puts a strengths-based approach at the centre of someone’s assessment, care and support

Self-neglect at a glance

Part of Self-neglect

Self-neglect is an extreme lack of self-care, sometimes associated with hoarding and may be a result of issues such as addictions. This briefing is for frontline housing officers, social workers, police and health professionals.

Therapeutic interventions after abuse and neglect: a quick guide for practitioners and managers supporting children, young people and families

This quick guide gives an overview of evidence-based interventions that may be effective when working with children and young people who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Tackling loneliness and social isolation: the role of commissioners

Part of Prevention and wellbeing

With one million people aged 65 and over in the UK reporting they are often or always lonely, few would refute the need to tackle this issue. However, loneliness and social isolation are conditions that are difficult to identify, complex to address and hard to resolve. The evidence base for interventions to address the problems of loneliness and social isolation is emerging but inconclusive at this stage.

Recognising and preventing delirium

This quick guide from NICE and SCIE will help care home managers and their staff to recognise the symptoms of delirium and to understand what they can do to prevent it.

Self-neglect policy and practice: research messages for practitioners

Part of Self-neglect

This briefing highlights key findings for practitioners from research which looked policies and practices that have produced positive outcomes in self-neglect work. The original research drew on a survey 53 local authorities and a series of in-depth interviews with 20 managers, 42 practitioners in adult social care and in safeguarding, and 29 people who use services. Findings from the interviews found that that there was no clear lifestyle patters which led to self-neglect. Factors that were seen as instrumental in supporting good outcomes in self-neglect work included: the importance of relationships; 'finding’ the person through understanding their life history; understanding of legal duties and powers; making use of creative interventions; and effective multi-agency working. The final section looks at the organisational infrastructure for self-neglect work. Key themes were: strong inter-agency strategic ownership; clear referral pathways; reliable data; a range of coherent mechanisms for turning strategic commitments into operational reality.

Self-neglect policy and practice: research messages for managers

Part of Self-neglect

This briefing highlights key findings for managers from research which looked policies and practices that have produced positive outcomes in self-neglect work. The original research drew on a survey 53 local authorities and a series of in-depth interviews with 20 managers, 42 practitioners in adult social care and in safeguarding, and 29 people who use services. It begins by defining self-neglect and then looks at specific aspects of strategy and governance, including the location of self-neglect within adult safeguarding, the commissioning of reviews, and the development of policies for self neglect. It then looks at operational aspects, focusing on building multi-agency cooperation, configuring effective referral pathways and supporting frontline practice through training and guidance. Four questions for managers to consider when reviewing their organisation's self-neglect policy and practice are also included. Self-neglect practice was found to be more successful where practitioners built good relationships; worked at the individuals pace; were honest about risks and options; made use of creative and flexible interventions; and engaged in effective multi-agency working. Organisational arrangements that best supported self-neglect work included: a clear location for strategic responsibility for self-neglect; a shared understanding between agencies; clear referral routes; training and development for staff working with adults who self-neglect.

Self-neglect policy and practice: key research messages

Part of Self-neglect

This briefing highlights key findings from research which looked at learning from policies and practices that have produced positive outcomes in self-neglect work. The original research drew on a survey 53 local authorities and a series of in-depth interviews with 20 managers, 42 practitioners in adult social care and in safeguarding, and 29 people who use services. The findings identify factors that make self-neglect services more effective and organisational arrangements that could best help self-neglect work. Interviews of people who use services, practitioners and managers looked at: causes of self-neglect, accepting help, the experience and impact of self-neglect. Five areas which were most frequently identified as making a positive difference to self-neglect in practice were: the importance of relationships, 'finding' the person, legal literacy, creative interventions and effective multi-agency working. It concludes that the heart of self-neglect practice is a balance of knowing the person; being, in showing personal and professional qualities of respect; and doing, in the sense of balancing hands-on and hands-off approaches. The briefing is intended for people who use services, carers, non-specialist workers and the general public.

Preventing loneliness and social isolation among older people

This briefing for health and care staff explains the importance of tackling social isolation and loneliness among older people. It highlights the adverse effects of isolation and describes services helping to reduce the problem.

Introduction to adult mental health services

This briefing gives an overview of the adult mental health system, and the legislation and guidance that covers the structure and delivery of services. It is aimed at people who have little or no experience in this area.