This contribution aims to share the main findings of a pilot study on aspects of social work that integrate innovative practices with a place-based approach in welfare policies. The study analysed the outcomes of two seminars (conducted during the COVID-19 health emergency) and in-depth interviews with representatives of the regional social workers' councils in four Italian regions (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy, and Campania). Starting from the identification of a typology of social work profiles, situated between the perspective of local welfare and social innovation, the author reflects on the relevance of the theoretical framework of policy practice in social work. It entails investing in planning capacity, contextual analysis, and evaluation conceived as a critical and reflexive practice that supports and informs social work policy practice.