Social work practice relies fundamentally on the application of the best knowledge and understanding available to all aspects of intervention, in the interests of people who use services. It therefore requires qualified practitioners who are both aware of available research, and have the skills to assess, interpret and apply its insights effectively; that is, who are ‘research-minded’. Research-mindedness is a term which is intended to
capture a range of attributes comprising ‘a critical understanding of the application to social work of research’, demonstrated through awareness of the value of research, the ability to identify appropriate sources of evidence, an appreciation of the methods used to obtain research evidence, the ability to make sense of and interpret potentially complex and sometimes conflicting findings, and the capacity to apply research messages
appropriately in specific practice settings.