This resource will support council services supporting ASC to understand what a strengths-based approach is, what it means to their role and how to ensure their practice is strengths-based.
A strengths-based approach in Adult Social Care (ASC) is often perceived to be a model of practice that is only applicable to direct client-facing roles, such as social work or occupational therapy.
The Care Act 2014 general duties, which are underpinned by strengths-based approaches to connect with people who access care and support, apply to all people who work in the ASC sector including commissioning, brokerage, and business support.
Research undertaken by SCIE shows that strengths-based ways of working are only successful when a whole-place or whole-system approach is implemented. In partnership with East Midlands ADASS SCIE has created this online resource to support council services that support ASC, understanding the vital role they play and the legal responsibility they have in embedding strengths-based ways of working.
A council service supporting Adult Social Care (ASC) refers to employees in the department/wider local authority who work in non-social work / occupational therapy roles but do perform tasks that support or enable social work/occupational therapy interventions and therefore the provision of care and support to residents.
This resource specifically addresses what strengths-based practice means for the following council services supporting ASC:
- Commissioners
- Direct payment administrators
- Contracts and procurement roles
- System and business support roles
- Financial operations roles
- Performance management roles
Find out more: strengths-based practice for council services supporting ASC
Council services supporting ASC
Council services supporting ASC refers to employees in the department who work in non-social work / OT roles but are involved in the provision of care and support to residents.
Strengths-based practice
The Care Act 2014 provides local authorities with a legal framework and outlines its duties and functions. Each of these need to be achieved using strengths-based approaches to enable people to find the best solutions for themselves and to support them in making independent decisions about how they live.
Making It Real and SBP
Find the six ‘Making It Real’ themes and the ‘We’ statements related to strengths-based practice and how they apply to the enabling roles in Adult Social Care.
