Navigating Evidence is a tool that aims to equip newly qualified social workers with the skills and confidence to use evidence in practice. It is also useful to anyone working in social services, students and practice educators who would like to reflect on using evidence.
Using evidence in practice is considered a critical professional social work skill (Bingham et al, 2016). Skills associated with the evidence-informed practice process, such as information retrieval, evaluation and synthesis, have been found to support problem-solving and decision-making (Wheeler and Goodman, 2007). The ability to interrogate evidence for its complexity is also essential, as evidence 'is often contested, and at times ambiguous' (Diaz and Drewery, 2016).
This tool will take you on a journey that explores what evidence is and what is required to make good evidence-informed decisions. By the end, you will feel more confident about using evidence to make changes in your practice, and understand the important role your organisation plays in making this happen.
