Embedding Appreciative Inquiry in health and social care

Appreciative Inquiry focuses on learning from what works well, rather than things that have gone wrong. It offers a strengths-based approach to reviewing practice in health and social care. A new Practice Tool explores how this approach can be applied across services that support adults, children, young people and families. 

The Appreciative Inquiry process explores successes and opportunities to build upon people’s achievements and ideas. This can be built into reflective work in ways that align with celebrating achievements, enhancing team morale and generating change. 

The Practice Tool offers you a starting point for understanding Appreciative Inquiry in service delivery, evaluation and improvement. It explores how this approach can be employed by a range of collaborative partners, including people drawing on care and support, families, carers, practitioners, managers and leaders.  

Designed for practitioners, practice supervisors and managers, the tool discusses some of the roles and practicalities involved in the inquiry process. 

One of the main aims of Appreciative Inquiry is to focus on works well, rather than identifying problems. In a new blog, Lloyd Boone explores how this approach can be used to support organisations to improve their services.

To improve outcomes for adults, children, young people and families, it’s important to focus on what works well, and the visions and ideas for what could be better. Embedding an appreciative approach can provide an opportunity to explore otherwise unheard perspectives, promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement.