Bromley Relationship Model

Back in 2017, Bromley Children's Social Care reviewed its use of the Signs of Safety practice model. An evidence review was conducted and it showed that systemic practice models which emphasise both the quality of relationships between social workers and clients and the use of interprofessional teams produced tangible results including improved outcomes for children. A new model was developed. The model has been named the Bromley Relationship Model; acknowledging the importance of the evidenced relationship focus of the model, the local development and ownership of the model and its implementation and embedding within practice.

The Bromley Relationship Model emphasises the importance of practitioners’ relationships with the children and parents/carers as the vehicle through which the local LBB CSC’s intervention is delivered. Authoritarian relationships, characterised by telling people what to do, will be discouraged in favour of motivating people to behave more appropriately.

Leaders, managers and practitioners will be enabled to work with each other and with children and families; with an emphasis on listening, self-reflection, enabling, motivating and creating the contexts for excellent practice to thrive.

The Bromley Relationship Model aims to:

  • Engage in purposeful, open and compassionate work with whole family systems, where children and their families benefit from consistent relationships with workers who understand what must change and who strive for inclusive involvement
  • Enable the use of reflective, critical thinking and analysis to evaluate and integrate multiple sources of knowledge and support options
  • Enable the gathering of evidence to create meaningful assessments and plans with families, to build self-efficacy, promote significant and sustained change that is proportionate to the risks of harm identified
  • Ensure that every conversation with a family member will be an opportunity for change and reflection
  • Ensure that work will be timely, meeting appropriate timescales consistently ; with families’ non-engagement robustly challenged with persistence, tenacity and respect
  • Ensure that every child, parent and carer’s wishes and feelings will always be consistently sought, heard and considered.

Bromley Relationship Model overview