Strengths-Based Reviews: Measuring Progress Without Creating Dependency
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Strengths-based practice is most visible during formal reviews. Reviews provide commissioners and inspectors with direct evidence of whether a service is building independence or unintentionally reinforcing dependency. This article explores how strengths-based reviews are structured operationally, how progress is evidenced, and how review processes align with wider expectations around support planning and reviews and quality assurance.
The purpose of strengths-based reviews
A strengths-based review focuses on what has changed, what has improved and what support can be reshaped. It moves beyond static reassessment toward dynamic evaluation of progress, capability and confidence.
Reviews should test assumptions made at the point of assessment and adjust support accordingly.
Operational example: reducing staff prompts
During a six-month review, staff may evidence that a person now completes personal care tasks with verbal prompts only. A strengths-based review records:
• the reduction in physical assistance
• the individual’s confidence and consistency
• agreed next steps to further reduce prompts
This demonstrates active progression rather than maintenance of the status quo.
Operational example: employment or volunteering pathways
Strengths-based reviews often identify opportunities for employment or volunteering where none were previously considered. For example:
• recognising reliability and routine adherence
• trialling short, supported placements
• reviewing impact on wellbeing and independence
Commissioners view this positively where outcomes align with agreed goals.
Operational example: reassessing risk enablement
Reviews are also used to revisit risk decisions. A strengths-based review might identify that:
• a previously high-risk activity is now managed safely
• controls can be reduced or adapted
• decision-making responsibility can shift to the individual
This demonstrates positive risk-taking in action.
Commissioner expectations of review quality
Commissioners expect reviews to:
• evidence progress against agreed outcomes
• show active challenge to unnecessary support
• demonstrate alignment with Care Act wellbeing principles
Reviews that simply restate existing support arrangements without analysis are often challenged.
Regulatory perspective
Inspectors assess whether reviews are meaningful by examining:
• frequency and timeliness
• involvement of the individual and advocates
• evidence of changed practice following review
Failure to act on review findings is commonly identified as a governance weakness.
Governance and oversight
Strong providers quality-assure reviews by:
• sampling review quality
• tracking progression trends across services
• linking review outcomes to training and supervision
This ensures consistency and defensibility.
Outcomes and long-term impact
Well-structured strengths-based reviews support sustained independence, improved wellbeing and better use of resources. They provide commissioners with confidence that services are outcome-led rather than task-driven.
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