As you may have already gathered, strengths-based practice is a journey, one that you may never finish, but a journey that you need to continuously check that you are on.
The most important thing is that you don’t give up, that you keep on trying, learning and reflecting. Keep reading this resource and keep checking your practice against the key principles, on your own and with others.
Strengths-based practice is by nature always possible to improve. There isn’t a golden rule that applies to all cases or scenarios, but this resource identifies some of the key principles that must be followed and by following them will give you some examples of the principles in action.
While the examples and initiatives contained in this guide follow the principles of strengths-based practice, they are not necessarily right for circumstances other than the ones they have been applied to. They are, however, useful food for thought to help you reflect, jointly and alongside this entire resource, on how you can keep on improving your practice to be more strengths-based.
Further useful resources:
- Strengths-based approaches web resource (SCIE) These resources describe how strengths-based practice works in a variety of interventions and settings and provides information on how to enable and implement strengths-based practice.
- Unlocking the potential of adult social care critical review tool (SCIE, 2021) Critical review tool to help social care leaders move towards a strengths-based, whole-place approach.
- Asset-based places: a model for development (SCIE, 2017) This briefing suggests a framework for local areas to enable asset-based approaches to thrive. It is based on SCIE’s research for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
- The four essential elements of an asset-based community development process (Asset Based Community Development Institute, 2018) This paper provides an overview of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and discusses the four essential elements of the (ABCD) process that make it distinct from other approaches.
- Webinar: developing strengths-based places (SCIE, 2021) This webinar gives an overview of how local authorities are overcoming some of the barriers to a strengths-based approach and building a whole-place approach to strengths-based working. It also showcases the critical review tool, which helps social care leaders move towards a strengths-based, whole-place approach.
- Strengths-based approach: practice framework and practice handbook (Department of Health Social Care, 2019).A framework and handbook to support social worker and social care professionals in applying a strengths-based approach to their work with adults.
- Person-centred and community-based working – strengths-based approaches (Skills for Care, 2021)This resource contains information, ideas and bite-size learning for adult social care employers and their employees to learn about person-centred and community-based working. The practice guide covers the what, why and how of person-centred and community based working.
- Evidence for strengths and asset-based outcomes: quick guide (SCIE & NICE, 2019) A quick guide for practitioners, based on recommendations from a range of NICE guidelines and quality standards that focus on identifying and supporting an individual’s strengths and assets.
- Care Act guidance on strengths-based approaches guide (SCIE, 2015) This guide summarises the process and the key elements to consider in relation to using a strengths-based approach.
- Developing a wellbeing and strengths-based approach to social work practice: changing culture (TLAP, 2016) The report sets out the key knowledge and skills the social care workforce needs to apply strengths-based approaches in improving people’s lives and considers the business case for how a community-focused strengths-based approach can deliver efficiencies for the sector. Includes case studies: Shropshire, Essex County Council, Hertfordshire, and Calderdale.
- Innovations in community-centred support (TLAP, 2019) This directory of innovations is for commissioners and providers to find out about community-centred approaches that are having a positive impact on people’s lives.
- Reimagining social care: a study in three places (TLAP, 2019) The examples highlight approaches such as Local Area Coordination, micro-enterprises, Shared Lives, Wellbeing teams and Community Circles.
- Developing a wellbeing and strengths-based approach to social work practice: changing culture (TLAP, 2016) Includes case studies: Shropshire, Essex County Council, Hertfordshire, and Calderdale.
- Strengths based social care in Leeds City Council (Leeds City Council, 2017) Explains how Leeds City Council has developed a strengths-based and person-centred approach to social work and social care, and their plans for the future.
- A strengths-based approach to delivering the Disabled Facilities Grant: Thurrock Council (Beard, 2019);
- Person-centred and community-based working – strengths-based approaches (Skills for Care, 2021) Provides some brief practice examples.
- Developing strengths-based working: strategic briefing. Dartington: Research in Practice for Adults (Research in Practice, 2019) This briefing presents evidence that sits behind the concept of strengths-based working.
- Leadership in strengths-based social care Insights briefing (SCIE, 2019) This briefing provides practical advice about leading strengths-based approaches and practice that support adults with social care needs.
- Strengths, assets and place – the emergence of Local Area Coordination initiatives in England and Wales (Lunt, Bainbridge & Rippon, 2020) Review of how local area coordination is developing in England and Wales. This article points to the challenges and opportunities of implementing such strengths-, assets- and placed-based initiatives within local authority social service settings.
- Making safeguarding personal toolkit (Local Government Association, 2019)
- You are okay, strengths-based practice insights from adult services (NI Department of Health, 2019)
- Asset-based approaches and inequalities: briefing (Ambition for Ageing, 2018)
- The asset-based area 2.0. Social Care Innovation Network, Phase II (SCIE, 2020)
- Community building guide (Barnwood Trust, 2020)
- New developments in adult social care: further considerations for developing a Six Steps Approach (Bolton J., 2019)
- A glass half-full: 10 years on review (Local Government Association, 2020)
- The asset-based area: briefing document (TLAP, 2017)
- Asset-based community development for local authorities: how to rebuild relationships with communities through asset-based approaches (Nesta, 2020)
- Asset-based approaches in service settings: striking a balance (Glasgow Centre for Population Health, 2017)
- Community power: the evidence (New Local, 2021)
- ‘What works here doesn’t work there’: the significance of local context for a sustainable and replicable asset‐based community intervention aimed at promoting social interaction in later life (Wildman et al., Health and Social Care in the Community 27(4), 1102-1110, (2019) (Research))
- What a strengths-based approach means in practice (Carol Baxter, Strengths Based Coach, London Borough of Barnet)
- Mapping and working with marginalised communities: a workbook to guide you in identifying and supporting seldom heard communities in your neighbourhood (Ambition for Ageing, 2020)
- Owning the process: taking a ‘Thriving Places’ approach to asset mapping: a case study in the Thriving Places series (Mitchell A., 2017)
- The community mapping toolkit: a guide to community asset mapping for community groups and local organisations (Preston City Council, 2016)
- Place-based approaches to joint planning, resourcing and delivery: an overview of current practice in Scotland (Baczyk et al., 2016)
- CLS Evidence and Learning Briefings 2020. Paper 1: programme findings and lessons about what makes Community Led Support work well for people and places across the UK (NDTI, 2020)
- CLS Evidence and Learning Briefings 2020. Paper 2: the big themes and messages from Community Led Support (NDTI, 2020)
- Place-based working. Glasgow: Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS, 2015)
- Place, strengths, and assets: a case study of how local area coordination is supporting individuals and families under conditions of austerity (Bainbridge & Lunt British Journal of Social Work 51(4), 1354-1373, 2021)
- Local area coordination: catalyst for a system wide prevention approach (Billingham & McEleney, 2016)
- Local area coordination: from service users to citizens (Broad, 2012)
- Coordination in place (New Philanthropy Capital, 2021)
- Sustainability strategies for Local Area Coordinated Programmes: a proposed theory for change (Rippon & Gamsu, 2018)
- Video: Concept of a strengths-based approach under the Care Act 2014 (SCIE, 2015)
- Video: Using SBAs in social work (SCIE, 2018)
- Video: What is a strengths-based approach? (SCIE, 2018)
- Webinar recording: Innovation network (SCIE, June 2020)The webinar explores the three main thematic areas of Phase II, which includes developing the asset-based model in more depth.
- Webinar: Building back from COVID-19: tackling health inequality in partnership (SCIE, NHS England & NHS Improvement, 2020)Covers what is the role of asset-based working with communities as a way to tackle health inequalities.
- Commissioning for a better future: a starter for ten. Social Care Innovation Network, Phase II (SCIE, 2020)This document sets out a draft framework to guide changes to adult social care commissioning and help localities move towards the goal of becoming an asset-based area.
- Commissioning for a better future: useful resources (SCIE, 2020)One of the topics covered is asset-based approaches.
Read more
- Guide home: Strengths-based practice for adult social care enabling roles
- Council services supporting adult social care
- Strengths-based practice
- Making it Real – ‘I’ and ‘We’ statements (Previous page in this guide)
- Next steps and examples of good strengths-based practice (Current page)
- Webinar – Spring 2023