Effective assessment: a key knowledge and skill for a sustainable profession

ABSTRACT

Assessment is an essential element of social work practice. However, by trying to realize the so-called triple-mandate of social work, professionals and students on qualifying training sometimes struggle to consider simultaneously client and organizational aspects, and to embrace both outcome-orientation and process-orientation. Societal requirements focus on outcomes and standardized procedures whereas client’s needs require individualized and situationally appropriate consideration. The tensions are more acute with demands for rigorous professional decision making based on evidence, with increased attention to risks. Multiprofessional working has many benefits for clients, but places new demands on social work assessment. Current models are limited in embracing these tensions, and more integrated models are required. Established frameworks together with practice and teaching experience are applied in this paper to extend the traditional Taylor and Devine model to address these contemporary challenges. Elements of a new model (ALOHA) have been trialled on professionals as well as students on qualifying social work training. Such robust assessment models synthesized from theory, research, and best practice are essential to meet contemporary practice challenges, maintain public credibility, and sustain social work internationally.

KEYWORDS:

• Assessment
• curriculum development
• decision making
• practice methods
• practice theory
• person-centred
• risk
• skills teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Janne Fengler

Janne Fengler is Professor of Educational Psychology and Childhood Education at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences in Germany. Her fields of research and teaching include methods of social work, victimology and professionalisation.

Brian J. Taylor

Brian Taylor is Professor of Social Work at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, where he leads the Decisions, Assessment, Risk and Evidence Research Cluster. Ever since his days in practice, Brian has had a passion for effective assessment tools and processes.