The importance of legal literacy in adult social care: a legally literate decision-making model
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Legal literacy involves connecting relevant legal rules with professional priorities and the objectives of ethical practice. In this short video, Professor Michael Preston-Shoot explores defensible decision-making and offers a legally literate decision-making model for adult social care practice.
Legal literacy in adult social care involves connecting relevant legal rules with professional priorities and the objectives of ethical practice. Michael Preston-Shoot is an independent consultant in adult social care and safeguarding. Michael is Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of Bedfordshire. In this short video, Michael discusses the importance of making defensible decisions in adult social care practice and offers a model for making legally-literate decisions.
Talking Points
This video looks at:
- Why legal literacy matters: making defensible decisions.
- A legally literate decision-making model.
- Substantive law, principles, rights, standards from administrative law, case law.
Reflective questions
Here are reflective questions to stimulate conversation and support practice.
- How confident do you feel in making defensible decisions in your practice?
- How might you apply a legally literate decision-making model to support an adult accessing your service?
- How confident do you feel with each of the five elements of the legally-literate decision-making model? Which might you need to develop?
Resources that are mentioned in this video
- Care and Support Statutory Guidance - Issued under the Care Act (2014)
- Mental Capacity Act (2005) Code of Practice
- Mental Health Act (1983) Code of Practice
- Mental Health Act (2007)
- Making Safeguarding Personal
- Code of Ethics (BASW)
Related resources
Professional Standards
PQS:KSS - The role of social workers | Effective assessments and outcome based support planning | Supervision, critical analysis and reflection | Professional ethics and leadership | Values and ethics | Developing confident and capable social workers | Promoting and supporting critical analysis and decision-making | Effective use of power and authority as a practice supervisor | Assuring good social work practice and development
CQC - Safe | Effective | Well-led
PCF - Professionalism | Values and ethics | Rights, justice and economic wellbeing | Knowledge | Critical reflection and analysis
RCOT - Demonstrate quality | Support development