Combining Asset and Strengths Based Innovations in adult social care (CASBI)

It is now increasingly being recognised that the future of social care requires a radical reorientation towards asset and strength based approaches to practice. 

This involves opening up new forms of interaction between services, citizens and communities.  This can include: 

  • New forms of conversations and relationships between citizens, communities and service agencies – ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing to’ or ‘doing for’
  • Facilitating new connections between individuals, families and communities in order to build or sustain forms of capital and related resources
  • Finding ‘smart’ and non-bureaucratic ways of deploying relatively small sums of money so as to enable people to find solutions to their difficulties and to build on their own capabilities to give and receive support and assistance in their daily living
  • Developing more local, ‘organic’ and relationally-based ways of providing care and support where this is needed. 

The research will explore the process and impact of implementing combinations of asset/strength-based approaches within adult social care, and to assess their effectiveness in bringing about changed ways of working that better enhance the wellbeing of beneficiaries and family members.  

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Key objectives

Within three local authority Case Studies, we will explore:

  • the feasibility of implementing a combination of asset / strength-based innovations alongside one another
  • whether this can be shown to be delivering synergies and broader system change, and
  • whether such combinations can deliver outcomes that enhance the quality of life of those who are in need of help and support, while also reducing overall need for social care and health services. 

The research will have 3 strands: 

A. Process evaluation

Analysis of documents and interviews / focus groups with key stakeholders, including managers, practitioners, citizens and family members,

to explore how change is being conceptualised and implemented. 

B. Changing practice

Using an analysis of case records, staff surveys and other data to evidence how attitudes and practices are (or are not changing) in the direction of asset or strengths based practice. 

C. Experience and outcomes – citizens and family members

Through a combination of surveys and individual interviews, exploration of how engagement with asset / strengths based services has impacted on people’s quality of life, opportunities and connectivity with others – and on their use of social care and health services.  

Dates

November 2019 - February 2022

Research Team

Professor Jerry Tew, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham (Principal Investigator)

Professor Robin Miller, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham (Co-investigator)

Dr Sandhya Duggal, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham (Co-investigator)

Dr Phil Kinghorn, Health Economics Unit, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham (Co-investigator)

Clenton Farquharson MBE, Chair of the Think Local Act Personal partnership board (PPI lead)