About this resource
Reports can shape important decisions. This guide covers clarifying purpose and audience, consent, a logical structure, separating facts, observations and opinion, including the client's voice, specific recommendations and review before sending.
Purpose
To support clear, ethical and persuasive social work reports.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Social workers. Also relevant for community services and case workers, allied health and multidisciplinary teams.
Client or participant group: Social workers.
Practice setting: Any context requiring formal reports.
Suggested uses
- Court and tribunal reports
- Funding reports
- Housing and income support letters
- Supervision
Instructions for practitioners
- Clarify the purpose and audience.
- Separate facts, observations and professional opinion.
- Include the client's views.
- Stay within your expertise and have the report reviewed.
Accessibility considerations
Provide a plain-language summary for the client.
Scope and limitations
A practice guide. Follow legal and organisational requirements for reports.
Research basis
Clear, plain-language information and checking understanding (teach-back) improve understanding, safety and quality of care. Case management practice standards describe assessment, planning, coordination, review and planned exits with the person at the centre.
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2014). Health literacy: Taking action to improve safety and quality. ACSQHC. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/health-literacy-taking-action-improve-safety-and-quality
- Australian Government. Style Manual: Plain language and word choice. https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/writing-and-designing-content/clear-language-and-writing-style/plain-language-and-word-choice
- Case Management Society of Australia and New Zealand. (2013). National standards of practice for case management (3rd ed.). https://www.cmsa.org.au/
- Talevski, J., Wong Shee, A., Rasmussen, B., Kemp, G., & Beauchamp, A. (2020). Teach-back: A systematic review of implementation and impacts. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0231350. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231350
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
