What is Strength Based Practice?

Strengths-based practice is a collaborative process between a person supported by services and those supporting them, allowing them to work together to determine an outcome that draws on the person’s strengths and assets.

Darlington Safeguarding Partnership has recently concluded a discretionary Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR)  ‘Philip and Loraine’. One of the findings of good practice was the use by Darlington Borough Council, Adult Social Care practitioners of the strength based and asset-based approach in encouraging and influencing positive change within the household. The review highlighted it would be useful for all agencies to understand more around the strengths-based and asset-based approach used by Adult Social Care so that a consistent approach can be used when multiple-agencies are supporting adults with care and support needs. 

Darlington Borough Council believes that by working WITH adults and families we can help and support them to make positive change when needed.  This approach should be used by practitioners throughout the wider partnership to ensure consistency and emphasise the use of professional curiosity by frontline practitioners to understand what is important to the adult and how this may be used to try and influence positive changes in their lifestyle. 

Strength Based Practice is holistic and multi-disciplinary and works with the individual to promote their wellbeing.  It is outcomes led, not services led and works with a variety of interventions and settings.  It follows a relational and restorative approach and is about doing with others rather than doing to them or for them.

Strengths Based Practice brings together the people involved and gives them the opportunity to make situations better. The approach focuses on what a person can do, rather than what they may not be able to do. It is about supporting the individual or family to stay as independent as possible, for as long as possible. 

For more information about Darlington Borough Council’s Strength Based Practice in Darlington see Strength Based Practice in Darlington - Adults Social Care Services [PDF Document].

See also guidance on Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) – Strengths-based approaches – Care Act Guidance [external link]