Reflections from CoramBAAF's community of practice on AI in fostering, adoption and kinship care
The use of AI in fostering, adoption and kinship care has seen changes to practice happen rapidly as new tools and ways of working have been rolled out across children's services. Many practitioners and organisations have been unsure about what this meant for them and about the impact on children and families. CoramBAAF felt that practitioners needed a shared space to make sense of the changes, share knowledge and views and for us to understand what we could do to support them. This is why we set up a community of practice on AI in fostering, adoption and kinship care in July. These are some of the reflections from the first two sessions.
A recent survey of local authorities showed that four in five were using AI in children's services. However, it also showed that the governance and guidance that needed to support the adoption of this technology was lagging behind. Feedback I have heard is that the training and guidance available for practitioners about the use of AI often doesn't go into enough detail about the various uses. We know that social workers are using AI tools (with transcription tools the most frequently used) in a number of different ways. Against the backdrop the need for a reflective space for practitioners felt vital.
We have held two sessions so far and these have been well attended by practitioners from around the UK. The first session considered the different types of AI in use and explored some of the dilemmas. The second session went into more detail about the specific uses of AI in practice in fostering, adoption and kinship care. The practitioners in attendance shared a range of feelings about the new tools and impact on practice. Many commented that they were nervous and at the same time excited about the changes that these might bring.
Practitioners highlighted how AI can help accuracy of recording and transparency around visits. However, some also felt that new ways of practising were potentially changing the relationship- based practice that is so fundamental to social work by recording visits which previously weren't recorded. Many shared concerns about what the technology means for new practitioners and students joining the social work profession. Senior practitioners have honed core social work skills developed over many years working with children and families. These include skills such as knowledge of child development, anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice, relationship-based practice and critical thinking as well as knowledge of their specific area of social work. These can be applied alongside the use of AI. For new practitioners joining the profession there is a real need for these core social work skills to be developed and supported even more. A concern was that without a continued focus on this then there was a risk of deskilling a future social workforce.
There is also anxiety about data protection and privacy and what happens to the information that is recorded and where it goes. Practitioners need to feel confident that in recording a transcription of a visit they can be sure that the data is secure and only the people that need access to it can have it. There is also a concern about what this means for assessment practice and whether this will just be based on recordings of visits rather than a holistic assessment in which social workers gather information and observations and apply their own professional judgement. AI can have a role here, but it is really important that we do not lose the professional voice, observation and good assessment practice in the process. Understandably many are also worried about the unintended consequences of using AI, whether that is bias, the risk of hallucinations or the environmental impact. All of this points to a major training need and clear guidance and support from employers and organisations.
Some members of the community of practice had developed innovative ways of getting the best out of the AI tools available to them but others were sceptical about their use. Colleagues do have a right to be concerned. When AI is misused or misapplied there are very real consequences. A recent speech from the cyber, digital and technology adviser at the LGA highlighted that there were reports of social workers being unable to back up what was contained in AI generated reports or assessments. That is a situation that no social worker wants to be in and the potential negative impact on decisions affecting children and families is clear.
There are examples of children’s services using AI with clear governance arrangements, leadership and ongoing support in place for staff. We hear from colleagues about how they check and re-check their work. How they use AI to support the engagement with families and how they seek permission and consent clearly with the families they work with. Some agencies are further along this path than others, with training, reflective spaces and good governance in place. This enables practitioners to feel confident that they are using the tools available to them in an appropriate way.
When I listen to the wisdom of the community of practice a theme emerges. This is that core social work values must be at the forefront of this development. This includes sound professional judgement based on evidence, transparency with families, using and building on social work skills and knowledge of child development and relationships being at the heart of practice. When the new tools sit alongside and support these values then there may be real value. The question is whether agencies have the time to consider this and embed that into their rollout of these tools.
I am looking forward to future sessions for the insights that practitioners bring, the learning we are getting from practice and the opportunity to have a space for reflection from a diverse group of people grappling with a new technology that has the potential to drastically change social work. We hope they leave our sessions feeling better informed and less alone in considering how to use AI in practice safely. New technologies are being adopted at pace but the task of social work remains the same. This group can help to bring clarity at this important time and help shape the resources and guidance needed. Having this peer-to-peer reflective space can only help support the effective use of AI across fostering, adoption, and kinship care, helping practitioners recognise and realise its potential whilst ensuring it is used appropriately and proportionately for the tasks it is best suited. Join our next community of practice on 6 October at 10am
James Bury, Managing Director, Research and Development, CoramBAAF