Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 2) | Page 117

Practice Issues
change are able to diagnose and address interpersonal problems, both at
the workplace and when working across structures and systems. A good
leader would seek to strengthen both of these. Being results focused and
socially skilled requires a constant balancing effort. Enabling professionals
to devote time on clinical practice and service will translate to better service
to clients.
Lesson 3: Translating evidence into policy. It is useful to draw findings from
research, and apply it to shape the content and curriculum of programmes,
services, and models in order to bring about positive changes. By being
deliberate in shifting towards recognising outcomes that are linked to research
findings, we can shape interventions which in turn shape the behaviour and
wellbeing of clients. This requires consistency in implementation and a
refreshed evaluation of programmes and services that draw on what works
in practice within resource constraints.
Lesson 4: Continuously monitor for innovations. We need to know what
goes on in communities – what is current, what is new, and how those things
are being documented and evaluated. That is part of our practitioners’
expertise. The challenge posed to social service sector leaders is usually
that of innovation and scaling, and the time appropriateness of doing so
when the evidence of impact is clear. This is to ensure that what is to be
scaled has evidential impact on end clients and is not used for promotional
reasons.
Lesson 5: Participation of users and clients in the policy making process.
Current policy making is largely driven by legislators, experts and
professionals, including a few practitioners acting as intermediaries. We
need to have constant consultations with users and clients and to help them
articulate their experiences as clearly as possible. This will help policy makers
to have a better understanding of their experiences and how the policies
may affect them. When we are trying to relay the importance of an issue to
people who have no experience with it, we have to find authentic ways to
make that happen. We should be working to ensure that our families are
heard, and that they are participating in a timely manner in the collection of
data around their experiences. This helps to ensure that there is an authentic
client voice in the process of policy making and evaluation. In addition,
designing participation does require thoughtful planning and implementing.
(For more insights into this topic, please see earlier letter on “Designing
Participation” found here: http://tinyurl.com/designingparticipation)
Lesson 6: Systems perspective in understanding issues. In working with
individuals, social workers use the systems perspective to understand how
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