Professionals in Bureaucracies: Solicitors in Private Practice and Local Government

Murray, Topsy; Dingwall, Robert; Eekelaar, John

doi:10.1007/978-1-349-16979-5_10

Cited by 5 publications

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“…Previous studies of the working relationships between social workers and lawyers in England have highlighted the extent and impact of role confusion and role conflict -uncertainty about 'who should do what', disagreements about whose expertise should be decisive on what issues (Hilgendorf, 1981;Hunt et al, 1999;Macleod, 1993;Murray et al, 1983;Phillips, 1979). Tensions between the two groups have also been noted in other jurisdictions (e.g.…”

Section: The Research Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare, Law and Managerialism

Dickens

2008

Journal of Social Work

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• Summary: This article examines the relationships between welfare, law and managerialism as key discourses in social work with children and families. It draws on empirical research into the relationships between local authority social workers, social services managers and lawyers in child care work in England. • Findings: Tensions between social workers and lawyers have, in the past, been seen as symptoms of a wider clash between welfare and law as paradigmatic approaches to the regulation of social life and professional activity. Likewise, the rise of managers and managerialism has widely been portrayed as being in conflict with welfare values. The relationship between law and managerialism, meanwhile, has often been treated as unproblematic — simply two sides of the same coin, the increasing regulation of social work. This study reveals a more complex picture of on-going and unstable overlaps and tensions between the three professional groups and discourses. • Applications : The study points to a more fluid understanding of the relationships between welfare, law and managerialism in social work, one that recognizes the dynamic nature of the inter-discursive and inter-professional relationships. The character of contemporary child care social work is constructed and constrained through these multi-layered interactions.

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Section: The Research Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare, Law and Managerialism

Dickens

2008

Journal of Social Work

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“…Moving on to the more specific area of local authority child care and protection work, there is a dearth of research about the working relationship between local authority social workers and lawyers. The major study in England was undertaken by Hilgendorf (1981) as long ago as 1978–1980; other older studies that focus on the relationship are Murray et al . (1983), Bell & Daly (1992) and Macleod (1993).…”

Section: Social Workers and Lawyers: The Underlying Debatementioning

confidence: 99%

Care, control and change in child care proceedings: dilemmas for social workers, managers and lawyers

Dickens

2006

Child & Family Social Work

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This paper draws on findings from an interview‐based study of the ways that local authority social workers, social services managers and lawyers work together in child care cases in England. The study shows how stressful social workers can find care proceedings, and how much they look to the lawyers for support. It also shows how the lawyers’ involvement can bring new stresses and dilemmas. The managers are especially likely to resent ‘over‐involvement’ (as they see it) from lawyers, but lawyers are quick to defend their role and responsibilities. The paper shows how the complex, multifaceted dimensions of care, control and change interweave with professional differences in care proceedings: care for children, parents and social workers; struggles for control against the court, the other parties and sometimes the other professionals on one's own side; and responsiveness to change set against wariness about ‘lawyers’ deals’ and undue risk to children. The paper concludes that the valuing of difference, rather than its avoidance or suppression, is at the heart of effective inter‐professional work. It calls for greater recognition of this in current initiatives to promote interdisciplinary working in children's services in England.

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Reflections on Gender, Knowledge and Values in Social Work

Scourfield

2002

British Journal of Social Work

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Professionals in Bureaucracies: Solicitors in Private Practice and Local Government

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Welfare, Law and Managerialism

Welfare, Law and Managerialism

Care, control and change in child care proceedings: dilemmas for social workers, managers and lawyers

Reflections on Gender, Knowledge and Values in Social Work

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