SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS Support individuals to represent their needs, views and circumstances Practice Foci A10 Advocate with, and on behalf of, with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities
Practice Foci A11 Prepare for, and participate in decision-making forums
Demonstrate the ability to promote and enable service users to achieve greater independence
Acknowledges and addresses own views re: paternalism, self-determination and choice
Inform service users, carers, groups, communities of their rights and demonstrate the ability to support people to avail of their rights
Prepare reports and documents for decision-making forums as appropriate to role and agency remit
Enable all relevant parties to be involved in decision making forums
Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of power and its impact on service users, carers etc.
Gives little or no thought to how she / he uses power or minimises the power inherent in relationships with others
Takes control, tending to be directive and prescriptive when this is inappropriate
Lacks knowledge and understanding of the empowerment process which leads to inaccurately assessing the need to support rather than do, or failing to step in when required
Fails to acknowledge the service user’s strengths and abilities to represent their own needs, views and circumstances
Misunderstands and then misrepresents the service user’s wishes and needs
Fails to inform service users of their rights and / or resources they can avail of
Shows an on-going lack of ability to prepare adequately for decision making forums
Fails to involve all relevant parties in decision making forums
Shows continual inability to participate productively in decision making forums
Key role 4
MANAGING RISK Manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and colleagues Practice Foci A12 Assess and manage risks to individuals, families, carers, groups and communities
Practice Foci A13 Assess, minimise and manage risk to self and colleagues
Positive Indicators of Progression To Competence
Negative Indicators of Progression to Competence
Can assess and analyse potential risk to self and/or others and can take appropriate action
Demonstrates ability to assess and manage risk as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Takes action to address, reduce or manage risks in conjunction with all relevant parties
Identifies and responds to the rights and needs of those who are at risk
Understands and is able to implement the agency’s risk assessment and management policies and procedures and communicates this effectively to service users
Can plan, monitor and review outcomes and actions to minimise risk, stress and harm
Demonstrates relevant risk assessment and management knowledge / theory including legislative and policy frameworks
Fails to recognise or acknowledge risks
Is unable to assess and analyse risk to self and/or others to inform appropriate action
Fails to manage risk as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Is unable to revise approach in light of new information
Fails to communicate effectively with service users and allied professionals
Is unable to plan, monitor and review intervention outcomes to minimise risk, stress and harm
Is unable to demonstrate risk assessment and management knowledge / theory
Fails to consider rights and balance these with needs and risks
Lacks knowledge and understanding of the legislative and policy frameworks in relation to risk assessment and management
Key role 5
MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Manage and be accountable, with supervision and support, for your own social work practice within your organisation Practice Foci A14 Manage and be accountable for your own work
Practice Foci A15 Contribute to the management of resources and services
Practice Foci A16 Manage, present and share records and reports
Practice Foci A17 Work within multidisciplinary and multi-organisational teams, networks and systems
Positive Indicators of Progression To Competence
Negative Indicators of Progression to Competence
Is able to utilise, engage and contribute to the supervision process, demonstrating they can use this effectively
Manage and prioritise their workload within organisational policies, standards and mandates
Can self-manage workload, prioritise, fulfil commitments and meet deadlines
Prepares for and participates in decision making forums and can make decisions as necessary and appropriate to their role within the agency
Demonstrates that their practice is informed by theory and evidence based practice
Uses critical reflection feedback to improve knowledge and practice whilst also recognising impact on others
Is professionally competent to represent the agency to members of the public, other professionals and public bodies etc.
Is able and willing to contribute to team / agency working on policy, resources, effectiveness etc.
Contribute to monitoring the outcomes, quality and cost effectiveness in meeting need, including acknowledgement of self as a resource
Is able to identify unmet need and take appropriate action as per agency requirements
Records and stores information in accordance with agency policies and procedures
Shares records with service users, carers, professionals and others as appropriate
Written communications are clear and appropriate
Is able to work within legal and agency mandates with regards to access to records, reports and the protection of data
Works co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals, networks and systems within a multi-disciplinary and multi-organisational context
Shows developing knowledge and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of those within the multi-disciplinary team
Develops and maintains effective working relationships
Is appropriately assertive with service users and fellow professionals
Deals constructively with disagreements and conflict within working relationships
Is unable to utilise, engage and contribute effectively to the supervision process
Is unable to manage and prioritise workload within organisational policies, processes, standards and mandates
Is unable to self-manage workload, prioritise and fulfill commitments and meet deadlines. Work does not get done on time and timekeeping is poor
Is unable to prepare for and participate in decision making forums as necessary and appropriate to their role
Cannot make decisions when appropriate or shows a tendency to make inappropriate decisions that are not within his/her role and level of competence
Is unable to demonstrate how their practice has been informed by theory and knowledge
Tends to be descriptive when critically reflecting and has limited insight into the impact that their practice has on others
Does not present as competent to represent the agency to members of the public or to other professionals
Is unwilling or shows limited evidence of contribution to team working on policy, resources and effectiveness
Is unable to understand the concept of monitoring outcomes and thus unable to contribute effectively to quality and cost effectiveness of services
Is unable to identify unmet need and follow agency procedures regarding unmet need
Shows little understanding of the use of self as a resource
Is careless with information storage and demonstrates little understanding of the importance of following agency policy and procedure
Is unable to follow agency policies with regards to the sharing of information with service users, carers and other professionals
Shows limited understanding of the boundaries of confidentiality
Does not follow agency policies with regards to access to records, reports and the protection of data
Written work within the agency is of a poor standard, lacking clarity, accuracy and / or is illegible and therefore does not meet the agency standard (even after developmental feedback)
Shows poor practice within a multi-disciplinary context, is unable to work co-operatively, has poor communication skills (written and/or verbal)
Lacks knowledge and understanding of different roles and associated responsibilities within the multi-disciplinary team
Is unable to develop and / or sustain positive working relationships with a range of professionals
Lacks confidence and competence in terms of own social work role and responsibilities in a multi-disciplinary context
Cannot or does not deal with conflict and shows little insight into conflict resolution within working relationships
Is unable to critically reflect on own practice and areas that need to be addressed regarding conflict resolution
