Strengths based practice is a social work practice theory that emphasises people's self determination and strengths. Strengths based practice is client led, with a focus on future outcomes and strengths that the people bring to a problem or crisis. A proto-theorist for this practice was social worker Bertha Reynolds, who criticised the American social work tendency to adopt a psychoanalytic approach to clients. It was formally developed by a team from the University of Kansas, including Dennis Saleebey, Charles Rapp & Anne Weick.

References

Healy, Karen (2005). Social Work Theories in Context. Hampshire: Palgrave McMillan.