Motivational interviewing for a family support team: evaluation of a skills development package: summary report for Central Bedfordshire Children’s Services

This report outlines the findings of an evaluation of training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) in the Biggleswade Family Support Team in Central Bedfordshire. The evaluation was a pilot study to explore MI as potential model for Central Bedfordshire Children’s Services more generally. All workers in the Family Support Team (FST) undertook an intensive skills development package in MI.
Research Questions
• Did the MI skills development package (MI-SDP) make a difference to workers’ skills in simulated practice?
• What were the challenges and opportunities of using MI within the Family Support Team? What would be lessons for its use as part of a model for Central Bedfordshire more generally?
Methods
Data was gathered from three sources; simulated client interviews (which were used to test workers’ MI skills before and after the skills development package), worker questionnaires and group consultations.
Findings
Workers’ simulated interviews were rated and assigned an ‘MI Spirit Score’ before and after the MI-SDP. Box 1 outlines brief descriptors for each score.