Pointers for Practice: Strategy meeting or discussion?

The discussion may take place at a meeting or by other means such as telephone or video-conferencing.

There is no specific Welsh Government guidance as to when a strategy discussion via telephone or face to face should take place. However, consideration should be given to the following questions:

• How urgent is this discussion? If it is urgent it may not be possible to arrange for a face to face meeting
• How many agencies need to be involved? If the strategy meeting involves just one or two agencies a telephone conversation is feasible. Telephone discussions do not lend themselves to the active engagement of several agency representatives.
• Are the concerns of low or medium risk? The more complex and high risk the level of concerns the more valuable a face to face strategy meeting can be.

Throughout the process, it is important that practitioners remain open-minded and do not pre-judge either whether the adult has been abused and neglected or the part played by the family or carer. What is important is sufficient information is gathered to form an initial judgement. The way in which the social work practitioner/police presents the request for information from the adult, family and others and the decision made can set the scene for what follows.

However, this process is not always straight forward.

The Robinson et al analysis of Welsh reviews (2018) highlighted how subjective factors such as tunnel vision, superficial assessment focusing on process rather than task, marginalisation of issues can contribute to a faulty assessment and distort decision-making.

If group strategy meetings are held, additional subjective influences come into play.

These include:

Group think Whereby all participants at the meeting develop a fixed view about the situation so that they interpret everything through that lens.

Polarisation of views This can result in a split with opposing attitudes becoming ingrained. For example, those who work primarily with the carers and those who work with the adult may hold different views about what should happen next.

Power play Practitioners with the highest professional status may dismiss the views of those perceived to have less status or qualification. Consequently, those who may know the adult best, such as a care worker, may have their views marginalised.