Communication Skills

Communication is at the heart of social work

A social worker must be able to communicate effectively in different ways, with different people and groups. This section offers a collection of resources to support this essential skill.

Coping with communication barriers

Communicating is not always easy. You can prepare for difficulties and develop methods to overcome barriers to communication by exploring these resources.

Coping with communication barriers

Effective professional communication

What's the difference between 'good' and 'bad' communication? What skills do you need to communicate effectively and professionally? How can you establish a good working relationship through effective communication? Explore these questions and more in this section.

Effective professional communication

Forms of communication

Consider the effects of using different forms of communication, for example choosing a telephone call over sending an email. What difference could it make? Learn more about choosing the most appropriate method of communication and get useful tips on using different forms effectively.

Forms of communication

Person-centred listening

Building a good relationship with a service user can be dependent on good listening skills and giving consideration to their specific communication needs - it's important to focus on them and give them the attention they deserve. You can learn more about effective person-centred listening in this section.

Person-centred listening

Gathering and sharing information

Gathering information effectively is an essential skill for many reasons, including accuracy, time management and confidence. Improve your interviewing techniques and consider different ways of sharing information with the resources in this section.

Gathering and sharing information