What Is the Relationship between Worker Skills and Outcomes for Families in Child and Family Social Work?

Donald Forrester,Vivi Antonopolou,Roma Thomas,David Westlake,Charlotte Waits,Mike Killian,Angela Thurnham,Douglas Hutchison,Michelle Mccann,Charlotte Whittaker

doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcy126

Abstract

AbstractCommunication skills are fundamental to social work, yet few studies have directly evaluated their impact. In this study, we explore the relationship between skills and outcomes in 127 families. An observation of practice was undertaken on the second or third meeting with a family. Practice quality was evaluated in relation to seven skills, which were grouped into three dimensions: relationship building, good authority and evocation of intrinsic motivation. Outcomes at approximately six months were parent-reported engagement (Working Alliance Inventory), Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), an eleven-point family life satisfaction rating, the Family Environment Scale and General Health Questionnaire and service outcomes from agency records including children entering care. Relationship-building skills predicted parent-reported engagement, although good authority and evocation had stronger relationships with outcome measures. Where workers visited families more often, relationships between skills and outcomes were stronger, in part because workers had more involvement and in part because these families were more likely to have significant problems. The relationship between skills and outcomes was complicated, although the findings provide encouraging evidence that key social work skills have an influence on outcomes for families.

Highlights

It is generally accepted that how social workers talk to people is important
This paper reports on data collected as part of a randomised–controlled trial (RCT) that evaluated the impact of training and supervision in motivational interviewing (MI) on the skills of social workers, their engagement of parents and other key outcome measures
It is encouraging for social work that we found some significant relationships between key skills and family-level outcomes

Summary

Introduction

It is generally accepted that how social workers talk to people is important. There are several social work textbooks devoted to communication and effective work with people, and all introductory guides to the profession have at least some focus on how to talk with those who use services (see Coulshed and Orme, 2006; Davies, 2007; Koprowska, 2014; Payne, 2015). There is relatively little research that focuses directly on practice, and we were unable to identify any that explores the relationship between practice skills and outcomes This is a gap the current study attempts to address. There has been widespread critique of attempts to reform services focused on policy and procedure, and many commentators have argued that social work should focus more on building effective helping relationships (Ferguson, 2011; Munro, 2011; Featherstone et al, 2014).

Results

Discussion

Conclusion