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Social workers

Knowledge

Apply knowledge of social sciences, law and social work practice theory.

Social workers understand psychological, social, cultural, spiritual and physical influences on people; human development throughout the life span; and the legal framework for practice. They apply this knowledge in their work with individuals, families and communities. They know and use theories and methods of social work practice.

Practitioners at this level should:

  • Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and use of knowledge related to your area of practice, including critical awareness of current issues and new evidence based practice research.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and application of appropriate legal and policy frameworks and guidance that inform and mandate social work practice. Apply legal reasoning, using professional legal expertise and advice appropriately, recognising where scope for professional judgement exists.
  • Demonstrate and apply to practice a working knowledge of human growth and development throughout the life course.
  • Recognise the short and long term impact of psychological, socio-economic, environmental and physiological factors on people's lives, taking into account age and development, and how this informs practice.
  • Recognise how systemic approaches can be used to understand the person-in-the-environment and inform your practice.
  • Acknowledge the centrality of relationships for people and the key concepts of attachment, separation, loss, change and resilience.
  • Understand forms of harm and their impact on people, and the implications for practice, drawing on concepts of strength, resilience, vulnerability, risk and resistance, and apply to practice.
  • Demonstrate a critical knowledge of the range of theories and models for social work intervention with individuals, families, groups and communities, and the methods derived from them.
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of social welfare policy, its evolution, implementation and impact on people, social work, other professions, and inter-agency working.
  • Recognise the contribution, and begin to make use, of research to inform practice.
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of research methods.
  • Value and take account of the expertise of service users, carers and professionals.

Evidencing your capabilities:

To evidence this domain, you need to show that you understand and can apply social work theory to aid your understanding of service users in their context, and to help you to guide what you do by way of methods for intervention. You will need to use an understanding of human growth and development in this process and have a grasp of the major areas of research which provide evidence for your practice. The capability statements above frequently make reference to 'critical' use of evidence. This means that you should be able to recognise and discuss the benefits and shortcomings of the theories, methods and research in reaching your own conclusions. References to publications are also useful.

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