Supporting the Needs of Social Workers: An Evaluation of A Peer-Based Coaching Service in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Summary

This article describes and analyses an evaluation of a coaching service that was delivered to social workers in Northern Ireland. It begins with a review of the literature on coaching which reveals the complex, sometimes contradictory definitions and applications that are applied in these forms of professional support. The article then highlights the context for the evaluation and important factors about how Northern Ireland not only shares similarities but also differs in some aspects of social work policy, practice, and education, when compared to other countries of the United Kingdom.

Findings

The evaluation used a mixed method approach to ascertain the experiences of coachees (n = 20) who received the service and coaches (n = 2) who delivered the service. The results revealed a range of issues about coachees’ perceptions and experiences of job satisfaction, motivation, goals, and concerns about stress, and the limits of organizational supports. Participants were then asked about their views of the coaching service. Coachees were generally positive about the service, helping them renew their enthusiasm for practice and coaches appeared valued in the way that they delivered the service. These findings were broadly mirrored in responses by coaches.

Applications

The article concludes with a recommendation that employees should consider coaching approaches to supplement existing support services and that wider structural contexts are important factors in understanding such professional stressors.

Keywords

Social work practioner research supervision CPD management mentoring

Introduction

The following article describes an evaluation of a specialist coaching service delivered to members of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) in Northern Ireland (NI). The Professional Support Service (PSS) was established by BASW in 2020 in response to the perceived difficulties that social workers were experiencing during the pandemic. It was designed using the principles of: Listening to and exploring experiences, issues and emotions that have arisen during practice; Reflection to help explore behaviors and beliefs; and Resourcefulness in thinking about best practice guidance, career development and working with other organizations, agencies, and frameworks (BASW, 2025). The service has been delivered by volunteer, trained peer coaches in England, Scotland, and Wales. Between June 2021 and February 2022, there were around 2,000 registrations, over 200 participants and over 130 sessions delivered (BASW, Quarterly and Monthly Statistics breakdown). A series of group and individual interviews took place in England, Scotland, and Wales to establish initial feedback from participants about their experiences of the service. The findings were generally positive, with participants particularly appreciating the service at a time of stress in their professional lives. In addition, initial feedback suggested that the sessions created positive developmental spaces for coachees. Some were particularly critical of how they were being treated by employers, with little opportunities to discuss pressures of work and stress. They were, however, generally impressed by the knowledge and sensitivities of the coaches and felt that the service should be made permanent and delivered more regularly. Although the topic of coaching has been of increasing interest to many disciplines, in particular areas associated with business and management, there is relatively little literature in the field of social work coaching. When this approach is used, there appear to be positive outcomes for practitioners in terms of enhanced roles and opportunities for positive engagement with service users (Triggs, 2020, 2024).

Literature Review

Definitions

The concept of coaching is often compared to that of mentoring or supervision. Although there are overlaps in these terms, and their delivery in practice, differences remain (Ross-Sheriff & Orme, 2017). Coaching generally involves short-term observations of specific tasks (Megginson & Clutterbuck, 2010), whereas mentoring often takes place over a longer period where dyadic, one-to-one relationships are developed between the mentor and the protégé (Bozeman & Feeney, 2007). These approaches require high-level skills in developing relationships between the person imparting knowledge or advice, and those in receipt. They also involve direct or indirect techniques and constructive criticism and interventions that seek to improve professional and personal development. O'Donoghue and Tsui (2013) carried out a review on the supervision of practicing social workers over a 40-year period (1970–2010). The authors recommended that there should be greater focus on the development of empirically based supervision models, more evaluation of the impact of supervision on client outcomes, as well as comparative cross-national studies. The overreliance on traditional ideas of supervision to enhance services, professional development, and job satisfaction has been challenged in recent years. This implies the need for more integrative approaches which involve a variety of forms of coaching, mentorship, and consultation (Tsui et al., 2017). Similarly, Harlow's (2013) analysis of local authority social work practice in England, recognized the challenges to traditional forms of supervision, suggesting that coaching may offer opportunities to strengthen relation-based practice and support.

Peer-to-Peer Support

A related area of knowledge and practice is the concept of peer-to-peer processes which appear to have growing importance in health and social care systems, particularly in terms of impact and outcomes. Another area of interest in this field is where students find peer-to-peer engagement of benefit to their learning in social work and other university programs, or where teachers are supported in delivering the curriculum in classroom situations. There are, however, fewer studies of how peer-to-peer interventions can enable better forms of advice, supervision, and mentoring in social work services. Dempsey and Halton (2017) describe how two peer support groups were formed to explore aspects of Irish child protection services. They found that the organic development of peer support groups enabled reflexive practices and the development of the professional self. It was argued that these processes could positively impact on the delivery of child protection services. The advent of new forms of social media to support informal peer support for social workers was discussed by Gandy-Guedes et al. (2016). They suggest that the use of a Short Message Service, such as Facebook, for informal peer support could provide additional benefits to social workers. In doing so, they highlight how these methods can lead to constructive forms of informal consultation, emotional support, and personal social connection which could relieve stress and burnout. Bryska (2020) explored how social work staff made sense of peer relationships in a hospital setting. The three participants explained ways in which they actively sought out peer relationships and mobilized to support each other in the workplace; processes that could be enhanced by additional social work leadership in the hospitals. The importance of peer support for early career social workers was explored by Chenot et al. (2009), given concerns about problems of high turnover of staff. Their findings highlighted the importance that supervisors support plays in issues of retention in the face of what they describe as “passive defensive organisational cultures.” Lessons may also be learned from other disciplines. For example, Morford et al. (2021) identified key principles in peer-to-peer coaching in interprofessional education which are relevant to social work practice. The authors describe the program that they delivered to achieve four learning objectives including: the use of a collaborative communication style and motivational interviewing strategies; the direct observations of patient encounters by peer coaches; applying collaborative communication elements to the delivery of feedback; and determining if participants’ self-reflection and insight were enhanced by engaging in the curriculum. Another health-based study (Ladyshewsky, 2010) explored how peer coaching could enhance the professional development of novice practitioners. A structured and formal approach was found to be beneficial, particularly if processes were formalized and underlying communication skills made explicit.

Coaching, Social Wrk Practice, and Education

Some of these ideas have been tested in a range of practice contexts, focusing on coaching as an alternative to other forms of intervention. An extensive review of the literature on the application of coaching to social work practice was carried out by Hernandez and Douglas (2022). They provide an historical overview to explain how coaching has been and is currently used in several social work fields of practice, to support the transfer of learning, practice implementation efforts, leadership development, and organizational processes. As in other forms of social work, knowledge, ideas, and concepts are often borrowed from other disciplines. Some perspectives are derived from the corporate world and applied to service delivery settings, revealing commonalities and distinctions between coaching and social work practice. The authors argue that, if the profession can grasp the importance of these principles of coaching, then there are more opportunities to apply these to a range of social work settings and therefore improve client outcomes. The importance of coaching in other contexts is also informative. For example, Shafer et al. (2003) interviewed three addiction practitioners to explore their experiences of coaching. They identified strengths and weaknesses of the approach when compared to general principles of social work supervision and support. The respondents recognized advantages in using coaching approaches in their field but were cautious about applying it in some therapeutic settings. Using a mixed method design, Burroughs et al. (2017) sought to identify the extent to which social workers applied coaching strategies in their work with families. Online survey data were collected from 171 social workers and social work students who were delivering services to young people and their families. Although the respondents recognized that they were using coaching techniques, they did not consider themselves to be coaches. Jost (2013) interviewed 14 respondents to explore how they might integrate coaching roles in their practice. Where this happened, they were more able to apply strengths-based and client-centered approaches, suggesting the need to rethink traditional forms of education and training. Triggs (2020) used focus groups and semistructured interviews to explore whether coaching could equip social workers with greater confidence to positively affect the lives of clients using a child protection service. Coaching was used to enable service users to change agendas and self-determined goals. They concluded that such cocreational opportunities could enhance professional values and vocational drive. Perrault and Coleman (2004) explored how coaching principles could be applied in the social work education, given the similar processes of observation and feedback, leading to professional and personal development.

Materials and Methods

Evaluation Context

The service evaluation took place in NI, the smallest jurisdiction in the United Kingdom (1.9 m population). Although social work policy, education, and practice in the region is in many ways comparable to the rest of the United Kingdom, there are differences. A long-standing history of political conflict has inevitably impacted upon the experience of clients and social workers (Pinkerton & Campbell, 2002). It has been argued that the conflict has had important policy implications for the way that health and social care services are delivered, in particular, the introduction of an integrated service in 1973 established new forms of multidisciplinary working and professionals employed by the same type of health and social care bodies (Heenan & Birrell, 2006). In addition, social workers remain the sole designated professional in making applications for assessment under mental health law (Davidson et al., 2021) and are central in the delivery of probation services. Importantly, in the context of the evaluation described and analyzed below, there are also nuanced contrasts in Northern Irish social work education and training when compared to British systems (MacDermott, 2024).

The coaching service (BASW, 2025) is delivered in a confidential, time limited basis involving up to six free sessions. The process is guided and delivered using a comprehensive handbook which describes respective roles, boundaries and relationships, booking and engagement processes, as well as tools and models used in the process (BASW, 2021). A set of stated seek to ensure that interactions enable coachees to understand self-care, working collaboratively and encouraging professional empowerment and self-efficacy, supporting changes, and ensuring sustainability. The intention is that these arrangements offer space for personal well-being and development, where the coaches use skills in listening and reflection and encourage coachees to be resourceful in considering best practice guidance, career development, and the use of tools to support agreed goals. Importantly, the coaching interaction is designed to be broad based and can include both professional and personal issues that may impact on practice and well-being in the workplace. Opportunities for further support, for example, through referral to BASW and other services are made available. A range of approaches and tools are used as part of the coaching service, for example, the BRAIN acronym helps describe how participants can make better professional decisions in terms of Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Information, and Nothing (what would happen if there was choice taken).

Research Design and Questions

A mixed methods design was used in the evaluation, an approach which is recommended to investigate relationships or trends in quantitative data while also seeking to explain the mechanism behind those trends using qualitative methods (Ivankova et al., 2006).

The following research questions were used in the evaluation:

Does the PSS impact participant's health and well-being and job satisfaction?

What are the experiences of participants receiving the PSS (coachees)?

What are the experiences of participants delivering the PSS (coaches)?

The first phase of the evaluation employed a pre- and post-online survey administered to all participants receiving the PSS (n = 97). It aimed to measure the impact of the PSS on participant's health and well-being and job satisfaction. It comprised of four sections, including demographic questions, and three standardized scales including, job satisfaction, the WHO-5 Well-being Index, and Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQol, Version 5, 2009). There were some minor differences in the pre- and postsurvey, for example, the pre survey asked participants about motivations for taking part in service. In the postservice survey, there was also a final section that included open questions to enable participants to offer comments about their experiences of the service. Additionally semistructured interviews were carried out with both coaches and coachees. The aim of the interviews was to explore participant's experiences of the PSS and emerging themes from the online survey. Questions for coaches focused on motivation to be a coach, the perceived needs of coachees, access to sessions, strengthens, challenges, and improvements. For coachees, questions centered on motivations for attending sessions, experience of sessions, strengthens, challenges, and improvements for sessions.

Procedure

All coachees who registered for the PSS were informed via email, that the service was being evaluated. They were sent information on the evaluation, highlighting that taking part would be on a voluntary basis and that their involvement would not impact the service they received. Coachees who booked a PSS session via the online BASW system were sent the preservice survey and a consent form. Once sessions were completed, coachees were again sent the same survey via email. Additionally, those who had completed sessions were also invited to take part in a qualitative follow-up interview with a member of the research team. For those who consented, a time and date were agreed to conduct an online interview. Coaches were also invited to take part in the evaluation, via email, and then they were interviewed to explore their experiences of the PSS. Prior to the interviews, they were sent information on the evaluation, highlighting, again, that participation would not impact their role within the service. For those who consented, a time and date were agreed to conduct an online interview. It was not possible to match coaches with coachees in terms of perceived national identities (e.g., between nationalist and unionist), given the small numbers of coaches, and sensitive, ethical considerations associated with the conflict in NI (Campbell et al., 2021), an issue which is further discussed in “Conclusion” section.

Data Analysis

There were insufficient returns to carry out quantitative analysis of the sections of the survey that used validated instruments, so most of the findings explore qualitative responses. Open questions from both the pre- and postservice surveys were analyzed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006). In the preservice survey, the views of respondents about motivation for booking sessions and the postservice survey responses focused on other comments participants wanted to make in relation to the PSS. Follow-up qualitative interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim by the research team. Transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The research team was mindful of their personal and professional identities when conferring upon and analyzing the data. Three researchers were involved in the design and delivery of the evaluation. Two are professionally qualified social workers with broad experiences of practice and education; all three have extensive skills in carrying out service evaluations.

Ethical Considerations

The evaluation was approved by the principal investigator's university research ethics committee (HS-E-44-34). Evaluation information was shared with both coachees and coaches, prior to taking part and participants who agreed to take part were contacted by the research team. All participants were informed that involvement in the evaluation was on a voluntary basis and were free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason. Emphasis was placed on services not being impacted by their decision to participate or not. Survey data were anonymous; no identifiable data were collected. For interviews, these were conducted by the research team. Transcripts were anonymized, with only the research team having access to this data.

Results

Participant Demographics

During the evaluation period (February–May 2023), there were 97 people from NI who had registered for the PSS. Out of those 97 registrations, 30 completed sessions (31% uptake). Of the 30 people who completed session, 85% were women, with the majority being between 30 and 49 years (68%). In relation to years of service, 61% had 6+; with 50% working in adult services and 31% in children and families.

Preservice Survey Coachees Findings: Job Satisfaction, Motivations, and Goals

Ten coachees responded to the preservice survey, nine of whom were women, with the mean age of 49 years, ranging from 40 to 56 years of age. The mean length of time in service was 16 years, ranging from 2 to 23 years. Seven out of 10 respondents worked within Health and Social Care Trusts, and four out of 10 were full time. In relation to job satisfaction, there were mixed findings. Half of the coachees were dissatisfied in their current role, three felt neutral about their job, and two felt satisfied. In the preservice survey, coachees were asked about their motivations and aims for PSS sessions. Motivations tended to be centered around issues of workplace stress and career progression, as highlighted in the following response: [it helped] “To empower me in my role, encourage me to value my role and try out work outside ‘of my comfort zone’.” Other motivations included: thinking about future directions; challenging excessive workloads; improve coping skills and resilience; and dealing with bullying. In relation to what coachees expected from the sessions, most wanted to increase resilience, which they hoped would contribute to their personal development, as one put it, it enabled them “To be more resilient and able to complete my role without feeling the system is always fighting what I aim to achieve.” Coachees also wanted to feel more confident and empowered in this role, “To feel more empowered and confident in my role after a lengthy time in social work.”

Post PSS Participation Findings: Session Satisfaction and Impact

There were six respondents, all women with lengthy practice experiences. Two themes were identified from open questions in the postservice survey: coachees’ satisfaction with sessions and the impact of sessions on their careers. All were very satisfied with their PSS sessions and found coaches to be thoughtful and engaging, with the sessions being described as very rewarding. Coachees highlighted the way in which coaches were independent, this allowed them to be more honest, and a safe environment. Overall, coachees were very enthusiastic about the service and strongly suggested it should be continued for other social workers who were seeking guidance and support: “This service is so beneficial. I hope it continues to help others the way it helped me.”

The second theme from the postservice survey focused on the perceived the impact of the service on the lives of coachees. Respondents often talked about the various life and work changes that had following sessions, which had transformed their attitude to work, confidence, job satisfaction, and well-being. The sessions also appeared to allow them to consider future options and potentially changing roles: “It actually enabled me to go for a new more challenging role. I have no regrets that I went for it and am thankful to my coach for helping me move on from a role that I felt was not right for me.”

Generally, the sessions enable participants to reconnect with their social work values, passion for their career and dealing with stress and burnout, which allowed them the space to rediscover their passion and enthusiasm for social work. As one coachee put it: “I had been feeling stressed and burnt out and had been considering leaving the profession. I'm now actively making contacts re future employment in social work.”

Interviews with Coachees

Four interviews, all women, were conducted with coaches and the findings from these tended to support those from the postservice survey. Not only motivations for registering for the PSS was often related stressful work environments but also hopes that sessions could help them reflect on their future career and reignite a passion for social work: “I know of so many social workers …who are leaving or have left or are counting the months to retirement and I want to reignite that enthusiasm, that passion for the work.”

Overall coachees had very positive experiences of the PSS, it appeared to provide a safe environment to talk honestly, and important space to discuss their practice and the difficult environments they were faced with. As one responded reflected: “Having some to talk through your practice with, and what you are doing. To know that I was working in the best way that I could work in very difficult circumstances.”

These conversations also appeared to enable coachees to realize important skills set they had developed over their careers and the value they brought to their work, despite the difficulties of the role: “I felt very de-skilled. The things in my work that I thought were important weren’t being valued. So it [PSS sessions] was very affirming, in how I approach my work, my value base and my skills, when we were talking through those areas, it really felt like yeh I actually do have a lot to offer.”

In addition to providing a safe environment, coachees valued having a professionally qualified social worker with a wealth of experience, support them. They discussed the contrast and advantages of the PSS and other, traditional approaches (e.g., counseling): “I just mean I couldn’t really go to a counsellor who doesn't know anything about social work or very little about social work… I'm not sure how helpful they really could have been.” Although respondents continued to have doubts about their future in the profession, it seemed that their experience of the PSS had in some ways addressed these concerns: But no it definitely helped me, cause I really honestly think that I was starting to think like I can't, I can't be a social worker anymore.” For some coachees, participation in the PSS resulted in a decision to remain in the profession, despite pressures of retention: The impact [of the PSS] on retention is massive, there's 9 social workers who are staying in social work…….That's maybe 100 families who won’t need a new social worker.

Interviews with Coaches

Interviews were conducted with two PSS coaches. Both were women with extensive practice experience. The findings tended to echo those that emerged from interviews with coachees. They felt that the PSS was important in offering social workers a safe space to discuss their identity, career, and concerns, in a service which was independent from their employer: This service is essential and I don't know where else people can go if you know, if they don't have it and they're feeling, you know, stressed within work. The coaches discussed some of the main motivations for coachees booking sessions. These included feelings of low self-esteem, being undervalued and overwhelmed, a sense of a loss of identity and concerns about bullying. The coaches also felt that the sessions helped coachees to regain confidence and confirmed their skills and value within the profession. Coachees were: Feeling just overwhelmed by the systems and underwhelmed and undervalued. And they just needed the space to explore their identity and what they commended for and what they hoped from it and where they were and their stage in life.

In response, coaches tended to focus on using empowering approaches to build coachees sense of resilience, consider their next steps, and reaffirm their value base and identity as a social worker. But these opportunities must be set against sometimes difficult employment circumstances, particularly where organizations and managers where either unaware or unwilling to promote, the PSS and other forms of support: And nobody ever hears about it. It's quite interesting to know. So it's never discussed, it's never highlighted by HR departments as a support. It was argued that there was a need for organizational investment in support services such as the PSS: I think the biggest thing is marketing and encouraging organizations to actively promote it or proactively promote it with their staff, because I think we have enough evidence of the value.

There were also concerns about the relatively low uptake of the PSS, perhaps because social workers were unsure about the role of BASW in delivering the service, particularly if they were not members of the Association: I think it is a barrier because what they're doing is thinking I'm not involved really with that [BASW]. I think you know it seems to be in England it's [BASW] recognised straight away but not for us [NI]. The coaches also discussed some improvements they would like to see to the PSS. They acknowledged that offering their services on a vocational, voluntary basis involved a substantial commitment in terms of time and effort and that. “Expectations with regards supervision, attendance and all is very high.” A preferred option was to have supervision on an “as and when” basis rather than the current expectation of a prescriptive process. In addition, coaches felt that if they had more control of the booking system, for example, by arranging sessions themselves, this would help lessen the time commitment, overall. However, it was apparent that the coaches very much appreciated the value of the PSS and how it could provide a vital and essential support service for social in developing and protecting the social work role in NI.

Discussion

This evaluation aimed to explore the experiences of those who received the PSS in NI, which followed a service that had already been delivered elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Some caution is needed when carrying out comparisons. The evaluation used a different design to others, for example, by applying validated instruments as well as collecting some, but not all, the demographic data carried out elsewhere. By April 2025, sometime after the NI evaluation, across the United Kingdom, there were 1,187 responses and interviews carried with 21 coaches and 22 coachees, respectively (these included additional data collected after the Northern Irish evaluation). As in the rest of the United Kingdom, in NI, the great majority of coachees were women and relatively high levels of professional experience. However, of the 147 social workers who accessed the service, half identified as Northern Irish, 31% as Irish. In contrast to the English evaluation, there were no members of black and ethnic minority communities in the Northern Irish study.

Although the literature highlighted how coaching approaches have been mainstreamed in various organizations and professional settings, it is somewhat surprising to find that these ideas and interventions are only recently being applied to the social work profession (Triggs, 2020). It is also important to note the various, sometimes, competing definitions and supporting knowledge bases that inform coaching approaches (Ross-Sheriff & Orme, 2017). The literature suggests, however, that when applied in thoughtfully and systematically, coaching services can offer important spaces and support mechanisms for professionals which are sometimes absent from their organizations. The types of secure, nonjudgmental experiences that coaching can provide, has the potential to renew participants’ interest and enthusiasm for the profession and enhance coping skills necessary in difficult practice environments (Burroughs et al., 2017).

These themes from the literature helped inform the analysis of the results from the Northern Irish evaluation of the service. It was evident that those coachees who sought the opportunity to engage with the service were concerned about workplace stress and the need for space to consider issues of personal and professional development. Both coaches and coachees valued the independence and anonymity of the service which appeared to provide a sense of safety and confidentiality in sessions. Through engagement in the service, in many cases, coachees, rediscovered their passion for social work, and were reminded of the reasons why they became social workers, in contrast to negative experiences of structural and organizational stressors (Beer et al., 2021). However, coachees and coaches identified that many social workers are still not aware of the service. The main difficulty was centered on limited knowledge of the service which was attributed to a deficit in promotion from managers and a perceived lack of understanding of the role of BASW in NI.

The NI evaluation largely mirrored the findings about the service as it has been delivered in the rest of the United Kingdom (BASW, 2021), although some caution about comparison is necessary.

As in the other country evaluations, the service was generally viewed to be of benefit to participants. The evaluation can be set in the context of the wider knowledge base about the purpose and value of peer-to-peer coaching in social work (Triggs, 2020). The results of the evaluation, although exploratory in nature, demonstrated some consistency with the literature on peer-to-peer coaching (Chenot et al., 2009; Harlow, 2013; Jost, 2013; Megginson & Clutterbuck, 2010). A range of studies describe how social workers sought forms of support, including coaching and peer-to-peer opportunities, particularly to deal with a range of stressors in the workplace, often associated with failures of processes of supervision and managerial changes (Harlow, 2013). The limited research on coaching in this field suggests that, where peer-based approaches are used (Chenot et al., 2009), then confidence in the service often emerges. It appeared that the Northern Irish PSS approach to coaching followed the literature on this topic where the focus of the service is time limited and focused on specific tasks, designed to encourage the coachee to explore strategies that can enhance well-being and the management of stressors (Megginson & Clutterbuck, 2010). Where coaches can be involved in processes of observation and feedback about the coachees’ views and aspirations, then this can lead to professional and personal development. The findings of the evaluations suggest that the NI coachees generally valued the role and skills of the coach and appeared to benefit from the service, for example, in “rescuing” their commitment to the social work role in their engagement with clients (Jost, 2013).

The evaluation took place toward the end of recent COVID pandemic. Previous research has suggested that social work working conditions are a strong predictor of staff well-being (Ravalier et al., 2023). There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the existing workplace stressors that exist within social work (Kingstone et al., 2022; McFadden, 2015; Ravalier et al., 2023). The pandemic has increased workloads due to staff shortages, working hours, and reliance on agency staff (McFadden et al., 2023), all of which have led to ongoing issues with recruitment and retention. Peer-to-peer coaching offers a responsive opportunity to support social workers who face these ongoing challenges, and as found in this current evaluation, can support the retention of vital staff. As supported by existing research peer-based coaching can improve professional competence and individual performance (Elnardy et al., 2025; Garvey et al., 2014). However, coaching should not be viewed as the sole solution to these ongoing issues. Wider systemic issues need to be recognized and addressed as organizational and structural challenges evidently hinder the retention of social workers and evidence suggests that this is a contributor to poor morale, increased stress and healthcare quality (Elnardy et al., 2025; Garvey et al., 2014). The findings from the evaluation echoes those of other studies of coaching services that, where there is organizational engagement and commitment to such approaches, then staff well-being and support can be enhanced.

Study Limitations

There were a number of limitations to the evaluation of the PSS. A relatively small number of coachees responded to the survey and interview calls, so the findings cannot be generalized to the populations of coachees in NI or in other parts of the United Kingdom where the service has been delivered. It may also be the case that, because participants were self-selecting, there was potential for levels of bias which may explain the very positive views expressed about the service. Despite these limitations, the evaluation provides valuable insights into the experiences of those who engaged with the service. The generally positive feedback suggests that the service had a meaningful impact on participants. Future evaluations could mitigate these limitations if barriers to participation in the service were reduced, which would ensure a more representative sample of coachees. Targeted engagement strategies could help increase response rates and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the service's impact.

Conclusions

For those respondents who, through the coaching process, found new ways of dealing with the impediments to practice (personal, professional, and organizational) it was apparent that new, or reimagined previous skills and approaches, were discovered or rediscovered. However, the general, often problematic structural and organizational contexts that create problems and stressors for practitioners remain in place. A question therefore remains how future, more sustained approaches to coaching and other forms of support can enable social workers, and the wider profession to challenge these difficult contexts.

To maximize the benefits of coaching, it is crucial that the necessary structures, resources, and commitments are in place to ensure its long-term effectiveness. Coaching should not be an isolated intervention but rather part of a broader strategy to support and empower social workers. This requires active promotion and endorsement from those in management positions, who play a key role in fostering a culture that values professional development and well-being. Leadership must not only encourage participation but also work toward integrating coaching within a wider framework of organizational support, addressing the root causes of workplace stressors and barriers to retention. Without this commitment from leadership, the potential of coaching to drive meaningful and sustainable change will be limited.

Finally, given the unusual context of social work in NI, identified above, consideration should be given to future studies of coaching that might be able to uncover how the legacy of political conflict affects social work practice and systems of support which, hitherto have been judged to be ineffective (Campbell et al., 2021). This would require a sensitive, ethically robust process of recruitment and the containment of safe space for the delivery of coaching services.

Footnotes

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the BASW advisory group for their constructive support and advice throughout the period of the evaluation.

ORCID iD

Jim Campbell

Ethical Considerations

The evaluation was approved by the first author's university research ethics committee (HS-E-44-34).

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW). For the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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