Professional Decision Making in Social Work

Abstract

Many social workers face daily pressure to make sound decisions in very difficult circumstances, occasionally having to manage impossible expectations. Politicians and the media may spotlight care decisions where a tragedy or complaint occurs. In this complex arena of conflicting demands and considerations – from the public, the client, the family, the organisation – the professional needs a robust and yet flexible framework to inform practice decisions. This book is written to help social work practitioners and students make professional decisions with clients; from exercising statutory powers and duties to protect children from abuse, to making decisions about risk.Contents: • Introduction • Roles, concepts and frameworks for decision making • Crises, emotions and supporting client decision making • Consent, human rights and reasonable decisions in law • Collaborative and contested decisions • Professional judgement, bias and using knowledge • Safeguarding judgements and predicting harm • Taking risks: values, gains and hazards • Assessment tools and decision support systems • Dynamic decision making and care decision pathways • Managing decisions: support, blame and learning • Conclusion