Making sure that strengths-based approaches apply to everyone who may draw on services including family, friends, and unpaid carers. As with leadership, equity in outcomes and experience should be seen in all of the High Impact changes.
Sometimes being asked about your strengths feels like you’re being tested, like they’re trying to find reasons not to help you.
(Survey respondent – person with lived experience
How can systems do this:
Using the I,” “we” and “together” statements
I statement: I want to be supported as I am, with my culture, identity, and life experiences respected.
We statement: We recognise and value diversity, seeing it as a strength, not a challenge.
Together statement: Together we work to remove barriers, ensure fair access, and include all voices equally in care and support decisions.
Embed both strengths-based approaches and strengths-based approaches into every contact with people to improve equity in outcomes and experience.
Recognise and value people’s diversity as a strength not a challenge.
Remember that equity does not mean treating everyone the same.
Include prompts for staff to reflect on hidden barriers and systemic inequities.
Consider how someone’s identity and protected characteristics might have impacted on their past and previous experiences - particularly when considering issues such as capacity, safeguarding and risks.
Highlighted pages
A High Impact Change Model to support a strengths-based approach in adult social care
Partners in Care and Health (PCH) asked the Social Care and Health Collaborative to help to develop a tool for councils to help people who work in adult social care to focus on strengths-based approaches. This resource sets out the High Impact Change Model to support strengths-based approaches.
Making it work – putting the model into practice: seven "making it work" action cards
References and resources
This page contains a list of references and resources that informed this model; as well as a list of organisations and individuals who contributed to the discussions, drafting and re-drafting and shared best practice examples to support this tool.