What is Evidence Based Practice?
Evidence Based Practice is about using the best available evidence on the effectiveness of social and healthcare interventions as a basis for professional decision-making, along with the practitioner's expertise and the client's expectations and values. The Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) says that social workers should “make use of research to inform practice”.
There are a number of databases which provide access to up-to-date research in Social Work which you can use to ensure you are finding the best information possible. When undertaking research, you should understand that you are looking at different ideas and practices to inform your own practice, rather than finding a single solution for a problem.
The following databases can be used to find this information.
Discover Searches across lots of databases and journals
From January 2023 Social Care Online will no longer be updated. The site will continue to be available until December 2023.
Social Care Online is the UK's largest online database of information on all aspects of social work and social care. It is excellent for finding research carried out by organisations or charities. Create an account to access the full-text of articles and reports.
Research in Practice brings together evidence-based resources for health and social care, including briefings, practice tools and customer guides. The resource includes audio and video, case law and a range of articles. Topics include child abuse, mental health, domestic abuse and safeguarding.
Please note: students can only access the free resources on RiP. Please ask your lecturers or the Librarian to access resources that are locked.