Link Officers play a key role in championing evidence-informed practice and ensuring their organisations get maximum benefit from the Research in Practice resources.
Senior Partner Engagement Officer for Research in Practice, Louise Johnstone caught up with Lisa Wallis, Professional Development Co-ordinator in Adult Social Care and Link Officer for Southampton City Council, to discuss her role as Link Officer for Southampton City Council.
In these short clips, Lisa, the joint winner of Link Officer of the Year at our Link Officers’ Annual Meeting, outlines some of the ways she and her colleagues use Research in Practice to embed evidence-informed practice across adult social services in Southampton.
Evidence-informed practice and CPD
In this clip, Lisa describes some of the ways she and her colleagues use Research in Practice resources across the organisation, including bulletins, events and publications. She also discusses promoting Research in Practice to record CPD.
In the last year, Lisa has worked tirelessly in building up the presence and usage of Research in Practice in our small local authority. Lisa works closely with Research in Practice to ensure that she is up to date on everything that is going on.
Kate Concannon, Principal Social Worker, Southampton City Council
Supporting NQSWs
Lisa shares how Research in Practice has impacted newly qualified social workers (NQSW) in their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) in Southampton.
Regarding our staff, Lisa is there right from the start. She has set up a session on Research in Practice for all our student placement inductions. Lisa also runs a fortnightly support drop-in for the NQSWs as part of the ASYE programme.
Kate Concannon, Principal Social Worker, Southampton City Council
Using ‘buddy systems’
Lisa discusses the buddy system in place at Southampton City Council to ensure that NQSWs are given the support they need.
Sharing Research in Practice across the wider organisation
Lisa describes how she is promoting Research in Practice across the wider organisation, outside of the teams she works with.
Lisa produces an adult social care practice newsletter each month sharing all of the up to date opportunities with Research in Practice, including links to research, events and other items of interest [...] She always promotes Research in Practice at every opportunity; reflective staff sessions, staff meetings and corridor conversations.
Kate Concannon, Principal Social Worker, Southampton City Council
For social care practitioners, it’s vital to continually update their knowledge and skills in order to provide relevant and effective services. Link Officers play an important role in supporting the embedding of evidence-informed practice across all levels of an organisation.
