This page provides easy access to the references and resources cited in the Social Work Good Practice Pocket Guide: Enabling Positive Conversations when Working with Adults. These materials offer further reading, guidance, and practical tools to support your practice. For full context on how these resources relate to key topics, please refer back to the pocket guide.

Strength-Based Approaches to Conversations:

• Hardy, R. (2018) Strengths-based conversations: quick tips for practice: How to take a strengths-based approach to assessment questions and difficult conversations. Available at: https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2018/05/30/strengths-based-conversations-quick-tips-practice/
• Department of Health and Social Care (2019) Strengths-based approach: Practice Framework and Practice Handbook. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c62ae87ed915d04446a5739/stengths-based-approach-practice-framework-and-handbook.pdf
• SCIE (2015) Care Act Guidance on Strength-Based Approaches. Available at: https://www.scie.org.uk/strengths-based-approaches/guidance/
• Find out if someone has an attorney, deputy or guardian acting for them – GOV.UK: Available at: https://www.gov.uk/find-someones-attorney-deputy-or-guardian
• Department of Health and Social care (2025) Care and Support Statutory Guidance. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance#using-the-care-act-guidance
• For Social Workers with access to Community Care Inform:
  https://adults.ccinform.co.uk/practice-guidance/quick-guide-to-strengths-based-questions/

Mental capacity

• Mental Capacity Act 2005. Available at:
  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/1
• SCIE: Mental Capacity Act 2005 at a glance – SCIE. Available at: https://www.scie.org.uk/mca/introduction/mental-capacity-act-2005-at-a-glance 
• SCIE: Mental Capacity Act: Assessing capacity. Available at: https://www.scie.org.uk/mca/practice/assessing-capacity/
• Balmford, G. (2023) Executive functioning and the Mental Capacity Act 2005: points for practice: Walk the Talk. Available at:
  https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/12/19/executive-functioning-and-the-mental-capacity-act-2005-points-for-practice/
• Aspinwall-Roberts E, Fleming V, Khatri R, Jones PA (2022)  ‘They don’t want them to have capacity’: Multi-agency operationalisation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in England with adults who self-neglect. Health Soc Care Community. Nov;30(6). Available at:
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10083994/
• 39 Essex Chambers: Mental Capacity Guidance Note: Relevant information for different categories of decisions. Available at:
  https://www.39essex.com/information-hub/insight/mental-capacity-guidance-note-relevant-information-different-categories
• House of Lords Select Committee in its post-legislative scrutiny of the MCA 2005 in 2014: “When not to presume upon a presumption”. Available at: https://www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/when-not-to-presume-upon-a-presumption/

Safeguarding:

• Department of Health and Social Care(2025) Care and Support Statutory guidance- Chapter 14. Available at:
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance#safeguarding-1
• Research in Practice (2016) Coercive control. Available at:
  https://coercivecontrol.ripfa.org.uk/
• SCIE (2018) Gaining access to an adult suspected to be at risk of neglect or abuse -A guide for social workers and their managers in England. Available at:
  https://www.scie.org.uk/safeguarding/adults/practice/gaining-access
• Macfarlane, G. (2023) A trauma-informed approach to social work: practice tips. Available at:
  https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/09/12/a-trauma-informed-approach-to-social-work-practice-tips/
• Further resources: LONDON MULTIAGENCY ADULT SAFEGUARDING POLICY & PROCEDURES Final version (as agreed by the London Safeguarding Adults Board 2019): Available at: https://www.camden.gov.uk/documents/20142/0/London+Multi-Agency+Adult+Safeguarding+Policy+%26+Procedures.pdf/9a4727af-aa29-7842-b0e5-c706dec3d394?t=1619620436296

Additional relevant legislation:

• Mental Health Act 2007 (amended 1989). Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/12/contents
• Human Rights Act 1998: Available at:
  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/contents
• Equality Act 2010: Available at:
  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents

Additional resources can be found on the Resources section of this website.