Balancing Risk and Innovation to Improve Social Work Practice

Brown, Louise

doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcq013

Cited by 75 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…In the macro-context, James, Unwin and Guille (2013, 246) 12 highlight the importance of knowledge, innovation and creativity for survival in the current competitive reality. Brown (2010) concurs and adds that many countries worldwide seem to be turning to innovation as a strategy for growth. The challenge posed for education researchers is to engage in the problem of how to enable learning for innovation (Editorial 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

A collaborative higher education initiative for leadership development: Lessons for knowledge sharing

Albertyn

Frick

2016

SAJHE

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The higher education sector needs to prepare youth for the fast changing innovative focused economy. Visionary leadership is needed to facilitate this knowledge transfer for novelty creation.A collaborative initiative could facilitate leadership development and foster knowledge sharing in this context. The initiative with three stakeholder groups started with an Interactive Qualitative Analysis exercise to identify needs and formulate a collaboration charter to ensure reciprocal benefits. A programme evaluation research design was applied three years after implementation using a logic-model framework. Process evaluation entailed collecting data from 103 questionnaires and 11 semi-structured interviews. Based on interpretation of data according to an integrated framework for sharing knowledge across boundaries, we identified three areas for further development: contextual knowledge, collaborative partnerships and common vision.Working collaboratively across institutional and knowledge boundaries towards a common vision could enhance leadership development and contribute to longer-term transformation and sustainable change in complex environments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

A collaborative higher education initiative for leadership development: Lessons for knowledge sharing

Albertyn

Frick

2016

SAJHE

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“…Innovations have the potential to improve quality and delivery of social services, though risk taking is inherent in their implementation (Brown, 2010). Innovation in the social sphere means accomplishing more with less, working together, leveraging resources, sharing data and creating models for change that are sustainable.…”

Section: Social Innovationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Brown (2010) and Cohen (1999) identified challenges to innovation: resistance to change and managers feeling threatened by change ideas, high turnover of staff, challenges in implementation with high staff turnover, lack of incentives and regulatory frameworks that inhibit socially innovative ideas, belief that all change can originate at the top only, and finally the risk and vulnerability of the service users may make it difficult for service providers to try new ideas. Nonetheless, involving employees in designing and implementing socially innovative ideas not only improves practice but also can be motivating and empowering for employees (Cohen, 1999).…”

Section: Social Innovationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Workers as Social Change Agents: Social Innovation, Social Intrapreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship

Nandan

London

Bent‐Goodley

2015

Human Service Organizations Management, Leadership & Govern

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This article explores and describes social innovation, social intrapreneurship and social entrepreneurship practiced by social workers within human service organizations. Each year, the nature and complexity of clients' problems and challenges experienced by communities continuously evolves and grows. These challenges call for social workers to lead and facilitate social change that can have lasting impact on communities and people. The authors report finding from an exploratory, descriptive study conducted with ten social workers on these practices. The findings point to the need to develop and integrate these contents within social work education, and further promote dual degree graduate programs.

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“…Clients do not want to be over protected and, within limits, want to be involved in judging and taking risks for themselves (Bornat and Bytheway, 2010;DoH, 2007;Taylor and Donnelly, 2006a). In seeking proper regulation, we must avoid stifling innovation in service development and creativity in supporting clients (Brown, 2010). The service is built upon trusting IJLPS 7,4 relationship between clients and professionals, and frameworks for risk management need to take cognisance of this (Scrivens, 2005).…”

Section: Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality, risk and governance: social workers' perspectives

Taylor

Campbell²

2011

International Journal of Leadership in Public Services

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Purpose -Governance is an emerging aspect of social care organisations embodying professionally-led risk management, quality assurance and service improvement. The purpose of this paper is to put forward a broad conceptualisation of the main dimensions of quality and risk in social care. Design/methodology/approach -A survey was undertaken to seek the perspectives on social care governance (SCG) of social workers in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland where clinical and SCG is formalised in the integrated health and social care service. Findings -The 123 respondents were from a wide range of grades, aspects of work (practice, management and training) and both children's and adult services. Approximately, 60 per cent of social workers thought themselves knowledgeable on SCG, but this self-reported knowledge was considerably higher amongst managers and trainers than practitioners. The risk register was familiar to 61 per cent of respondents. Social workers thought that useful ways to learn about SCG were team meetings, local workshops and engagement in developmental projects rather than training events. Research limitations/implications -The 41 per cent response rate is typical of surveys of busy professionals. Practical implications -Social workers were generally not very aware of the systems being developed to implement accountability and support through SCG, presenting challenges to the tasks of managing risk and improving the safety and quality of services. Originality/value -The paper shows that Northern Ireland is pioneering the development of SCG in parallel with clinical governance in health care. Valuable lessons are being learned about the application of concepts of risk and quality in the complexity of social work.

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Balancing Risk and Innovation to Improve Social Work Practice

Cited by 75 publications

References 14 publications

A collaborative higher education initiative for leadership development: Lessons for knowledge sharing

A collaborative higher education initiative for leadership development: Lessons for knowledge sharing

Social Workers as Social Change Agents: Social Innovation, Social Intrapreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship

Quality, risk and governance: social workers' perspectives

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