Social care - self-directed support: framework of standards - May 2024

Standard 8: Worker autonomy

Standard descriptor: Social work practitioners can exercise their professional judgement, and use their own knowledge, skills and abilities to the benefit of those they are working with and supporting.

Practice statement: Social work practitioners feel trusted, confident and resilient, and are enabled to exercise professional autonomy in assessment and planning and, where appropriate, to set personal budgets within agreed delegated parameters.

Core Components and practice guidance

8.1 Leaders create the conditions for social work practitioners to be able to exercise their autonomy with confidence and to develop the skills needed for relationship-based practice.

How to:

• Social work practitioners are supported to feel trusted, confident and resilient, and are made aware of how and where they can access support if required.
• Social work practitioners work in environments where they can feel safe, confident and supported when they take managed risks.
• Social work practitioners have protected time for learning and continuous professional development.

8.2 All social work practitioners are skilled in practising Self-directed Support.

How to:

• All social work practitioners are fully informed and knowledgeable about Self-directed Support.
• All social work practitioners receive skills-based training in Self-directed Support and integrate this into their working practice.
• Managers offer opportunities for ongoing skills-based training, learning and development.

8.3 Social work practitioners are supported to work in a relationship-based way with children, young people, families, supported people and carers.

How to:

• Social work practitioners have clear and accessible local policy in place to support them in exercising professional judgement.
• Caseloads are manageable and allow for the development of relationships between social work practitioners and people.
• Social work practitioners have regular and high-quality supervision which encourages relationship- based practice, focused on people’s rights and outcomes, which goes beyond care management.
• Managers offer safe and supportive opportunities to discuss managed risks.

8.4 Social work practitioners have the confidence to use their knowledge, skills and abilities to empower children, young people, families, supported people and carers to have choice, creativity and flexibility in achieving their outcomes.

How to:

• Social work practitioners understand their duties and remit in relation to Self-directed Support and the different populations they are working with.
• Social work practitioners are creative in their use of flexible commissioning approaches, and are not limited to matching people with existing commissioned services on framework.
• Social work practitioners and managers have the authority to plan support and to set personal budgets within locally agreed parameters.