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.
References and resources
Aspinwall-Roberts, E., Fleming, V., Khatri, R. and Jones, P. 2022. ‘They don’t want them to have capacity’: Multi-agency operationalisation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in England with adults who self-neglect. Health Soc Care Community. 30(6), pp. 4395–4404.
Baron, S., Stanley, T., Colomina, C. and Pereira, T. 2019. Strengths-based approach: Practice framework and practice handbook. Department of Health & Social Care, p. 105.
Bown, H., Carrier, J., Hayden, C., Harflett, N., Mitchell, F., Clifford, C. and Girling, F. 2020. CLS Evidence and Learning Briefings 2020 Paper 1: Programme findings and lessons about what makes Community Led Support work well for people and places across the UK. National Development Team for Inclusion.
Briand, C. et al. 2022. Implementation of strengths model case management in seven mental health agencies in Canada: Direct‐service practitioners’ implementation experience. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 28(6), pp. 1127–1137.
Brongers, K.A., Cornelius, B., van Der Klink, J.J. and Brouwer, S. 2020. Development and evaluation of a strength-based method to promote employment of work-disability benefit recipients with multiple problems: a feasibility study. BMC Public Health 20(1), p. 71.
Brun, C. and Rapp, R.C. 2001. Strengths-based case management: Individuals’ perspectives on strengths and the case manager relationship. Social work 46(3), pp. 278–288.
Burrows, D. 2022. Social Work for ‘Liquid Old Age’: Some Insights from an Ethnographic Study of a Hospital Social Work Team. Ethics and Social Welfare, 16(3), pp. 258–273. doi:
Butler, L. and Manthorpe, J. 2016. Putting people at the centre: facilitating Making Safeguarding Personal approaches in the context of the Care Act 2014. The Journal of Adult Protection 18, pp. 204–213.
Caiels, J., Silarova, B., Milne, A.J. and Beadle-Brown, J. 2024. Strengths-based Approaches—Perspectives from Practitioners. The British Journal of Social Work 54(1), pp. 168–188.
Carrier, J. 2020. CLS Evidence & Learning Briefings 2020 Paper 3: Understanding the nature of change in delivering Community Led Support. NDTI
Chen, Y.-M., Chen, K.-M., Chang, C.-C., Chen, M.-C. and Yang, L.-Y. 2021. The individualized supervision strategy and effectiveness under the strength perspective: a pilot study for the case management model of the high-care elderly in communities. BMC Health Services Research 21(1), p. 546.
Cooper, A., Cocker, C. and Briggs, M. 2018. Making Safeguarding Personal and Social Work Practice with Older Adults: Findings from Local-Authority Survey Data in England. The British Journal of Social Work.
Duggal, S., Miller, R. and Tanner, D. 2021. Implementing Asset-Based Integrated Care: A Tale of Two Localities. International Journal of Integrated Care.
Fawcett, B., Johnson, M., Mould, F. and Ubhi, J. 2021. Birmingham taking the initiative: Changes and challenges in working differently with adults. The British Journal of Social Work 51(7), pp. 2554–2570.
Farragher, S. 2026 (forthcoming). Exploring complex strengths-based practice in adult social work. A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Social Work, Cardiff University
Hopkinson, P.J., Killick, M., Batish, A. and Simmons, L. 2015. ‘Why didn’t we do this before?’ the development of Making Safeguarding Personal in the London borough of Sutton. Professor Michael Preston-Shoot and Dr Adi Cooper Editor: Bridget Penhale ed. The Journal of Adult Protection 17(3), pp. 181–194.
James, E., Mitchell, R. and Morgan, H. 2019. Social work, cats, and rocket science: Stories of making a difference in social work with adults. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Jessop, B., Cook, J. and Thierry, H. 2025. Bridging the Gaps In Evidencing Prevention: Key Findings from a Multi-site Study of Local Area Coordination. National Institute for Health and Social Care Research.
Kemshall, H. 1998. Defensible decisions for risk: Or’It’s the doers wot get the blame.’ Prob. J. 45, p. 67.
Kemshall, Hazel. 2002. Risk, Social Policy, and Welfare. Buckinghamshire: Open University Press.
Lawson, J., Lewis, S. and Williams, C. 2014. Making safeguarding personal 2013/14: report of findings. England: Local Government Association, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.
Lelkes, J., Bouch, A. and Holmstrom, C. 2021. Well-Being: From Concept to Practice? Practice 33(4), pp. 289–307.
Lonbay, S.P. 2015. Bridges and barriers: Exploring the involvement of older people in adult safeguarding. University of Northumbria at Newcastle (United Kingdom).
Lunt, N., Bainbridge, L. and Rippon, S. 2021. Strengths, assets, and place–The emergence of Local Area Coordination initiatives in England and Wales. Journal of Social Work 21(5), pp. 1041–1064.
Manthorpe, J., & Moriarty, J. 2010. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained: Risk Guidance for People with Dementia.
Matarese, M.T. and Caswell, D. 2018. ‘I’m gonna ask you about yourself, so I can put it on paper’: Analysing Street-Level Bureaucracy through form-related talk in social work. British Journal of Social Work 48(3), pp. 714–733.
McDonald, A. 2010. The Impact of the 2005 Mental Capacity Act on Social Workers’ Decision Making and Approaches to the Assessment of Risk. The British Journal of Social Work 40(4), pp. 1229–1246.
McGovern, J. 2015. Living better with dementia: Strengths-based social work practice and dementia care. Social Work in Health Care 54(5), pp. 408–421.
Miller, R. et al. 2024. Changing culture not just process: Community led support in action. University of Birmingham. .
Petrakis, M., Wilson, M. and Hamilton, B. 2013. Implementing the strengths model of case management: Group supervision fidelity outcomes. Community Mental Health Journal 49(3), pp. 331–337.
Price, A. et al. 2020. Research evidence on different strengths-based approaches within adult social work: A systematic review.
Prunty, J., Zhang, J., Toma, M., Miller, R., Forder, J., and Prunty, J.E. 2024. Effect of strengths-based care: Community Led Support. Center for Open Science.
Rapp, C.A., Saleebey, D. and Sullivan, W.P. 2006. The future of strengths-based social work. Advances in social work: Special issue on the futures of social work 6(1), pp. 79–90.
Robb, M. and Mccarthy, M. 2023. Managing risk: social workers’ intervention strategies in cases of domestic abuse against people with learning disabilities. Health, Risk & Society 25(1–2), pp. 45–60.
Saleebey, D. 1996. The strengths perspective in social work practice: Extensions and cautions. Social work 41(3), pp. 296–305.
Saleebey, D. 2000. Power in the people: Strengths and hope. Advances in social work 1(2), pp. 127–136.
Saleebey, D. 2001. The diagnostic strengths manual? Social work 46(2), pp. 183–187.
Saleebey, D. 2004. Response to “Ending Social Work’s Grudge Match.” Families in Society 85(4), pp. 588–590.
Saleebey, D. 2006. The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. 4th edn. London: Pearson Education, Inc.
Saleebey, D. 2008. The strengths perspective: Putting possibility and hope to work in our practice. Comprehensive handbook of social work and social welfare: The profession of social work 1, pp. 123–142.
Saleebey, D. 2013. Power in the people. In: Social work. Routledge, pp. 184–193.
Shannon, B. 2025. Rewriting Social Care: Challenging and Changing Language and Practice for a Better, Brighter Future. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Silarova, B., Caiels, J., Milne, A.J. and Beadle-Brown, J. 2025. Reaching consensus on outcomes for evaluating strengths-based approaches in adult social care and social work: A Delphi study conducted in England. Journal of Social Work 25(4), pp. 470–499.
Stevens, M., Clark, M., Carlisle, J., Brimblecombe, N. and MacGill, M. 2024. Supporting Meaningful Implementation and Evaluation of Strengths-Based Approaches in Adult Social Care: A Theory of Change for The Three Conversations. The British Journal of Social Work 54(6), pp. 2583–2602.
Toros, K. 2019a. Miracle question promotes open communication and positive interaction between clients and practitioners. International Social Work 62(2), pp. 483–486.
Toros, K. 2019b. Social work graduate students’ understanding of strength-eliciting questions in the context of social work assessment. European Journal of Social Work 22(3), pp. 412–422.
Tse, S. et al. 2021. Process research: Compare and contrast the recovery-orientated strengths model of case management and usual community mental health care. BMC psychiatry 21(1), p. 534.
Weick, A., Rapp, C., Sullivan, W.P. and Kisthardt, W. 1989. A strengths perspective for social work practice. Social work 34(4), pp. 350–354.
List of contributors
Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey anonymously and to the organisations and individuals who contributed to the discussions, drafting and re-drafting and shared best practice examples to support this tool.
- The Social Care and Health Collaborative: Dr. Sarah Farragher, Abbie Murr, Issac Samuels, OBE
- Partners in Care and Health: Dr. Adi Cooper, OBE, Hilary Paxton, Amber Soni
- Every-One (Lincolnshire): Jon Mansfield
- Independent consultant: Sarah Mitchell
- The councils
- Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole: Eliza Atyeo
- Calderdale: Cath Gormally, Harriet Sykes
- Gloucestershire: Yasmin Purchase, Jo Sutherland
- Leicester: Ruth Lake
- North Northamptonshire: Michelle McCracken
- Nottinghamshire: Linzi Adams, Lisa Smith
- Sheffield: Dawn Bassinder
- Sunderland Eirini Zochiou
- Swindon: Soraia Sabchev, Jade Ingram
- Wiltshire: Denise Keyse, Moyra Fleming-Scott