The deaths and abuse of young people and children by their parents/carers when they are already known to social services and the police have highlighted the problems that practitioners experience in trying to discharge their duties and take account of the rights and best interest of those concerned. Social workers across the UK have a range of powers that they can utilise in their day-to-to-day practice. However they are often reluctant to make use of the full extent of them. There is a sense that practitioners view their role primarily as supporting children and young people to stay within their familial environment and community. Social workers appear, from the outside at least, to place a higher premium on keeping families together, at all cost, than on taking children and young people into care at the first opportunity. Is it possible to positively embrace the powers vested in the profession and still maintain all the attributes about working in partnership and building a positive relationship with children/young people and their families?
This publication aims to explore the extent to which social workers' powers are an important element of their practice, and that the use of such powers should not be viewed as being counter to the general approach that has been nurtured and developed by the profession from its inception. More generally it attempts to encourage trust in the profession and to enable practitioners to regain their confidence about their role, duties and responsibilities. It unashamedly tackles the issues inherent in the 'rule of optimism' and challenges the assumptions that social work could be practised without exerting control; that the use of power is discriminatory; and that bureaucratisation would minimise risk and provide a more transparent and accountable safeguarding regime for children/young people and their families.
Social Control and the Use of Power in Social Work with Children and Families: * Examines the extent of social work powers in working with children and families * Explores the changing role of social workers, and child care social work in particular * Discusses the crisis of confidence about the role, duties and responsibilities of working within the children and families sector * Examines the increasing policy shift towards social control * Explores the tensions and contradictions inherent in the helping process * Considers the role of social workers in the school environment, where exercising power and control is readily accepted by parents, but how that is done which is crucial * Considers whether social workers are not only aware of their powers but also know how they utilise it when working with 'at risk' cases * Discusses how the rule of optimism could be redefined and still safeguard vulnerable children and young people * Examines the ethics of exercising power in practice * Looks at critical reflection and power in social work.
