Practice Matters Volume 1, 2022 - Issue 1

Article: Evidencing practice

How social workers should impress the court, Ofsted and employers with examples of their excellent work with service users i.e. children and families.

It is essential to evidence and shares some of the works you have been doing with service users, i.e. children and families in your report or presentation. For example, “highlight one case involving a service user,” your role in making sure you had the proper support and understood healthy relationships and how to safeguard your service users against abusive ones in the future. Your handling must evidence a sophisticated understanding of the dynamics of the issue, such as DV, drugs, and Alcohol. It should also show how the Signs of Safety framework was working well in practice.”

 Secondly, you can give an example of why risks to a service user i.e. a child had not escalated.

 I.e. you can explain why increased engagement with a child made you and your team feel that you could manage the risk at the level of a child in need or child protection plan. You need to take an inspector or court on the journey and help them understand how and why you are managing the case in a child in need or child protection plan.

Reflection Time

• Do you think an Ofsted /court /reading your case will highlight significant improvements in how you supported service users/children and families through a practical child in need and child protection plans?

• Would the court or Ofsted recognise your supportive, stable and accessible senior management team as prioritised manageable caseloads which enabled you to deliver meaningful direct work to children and their families?

• Are you benefiting from a learning and development offer that includes training and ongoing coaching on your local authority’s practice model?
  

• Is Personal and case supervision reflective and supportive, which may help you confidently apply the practice in a way that results in positive outcomes for children and their families?