Ethical Issues in Social Work

It has always been recognised that the practice of social work raises ethical questions and dilemmas. Recently, however, traditional ways of addressing ethical issues in social work have come to seem inadequate, as a result of developments both in philosophy and in social work theory and practice. This collection of thought-provoking essays explores the ethics of social work practice on the light of these changes.
Ethical Issues in Social Work provides up to date critical analyses of the ethical implications of new legislation in community care and criminal justice, and of trends in social work thought and policy, such as managerialism, user empowerment, feminism and anti-oppressive practice.
This study provides important and stimulating reading for social work students and their teachers, and for all practitioners and managers who are concerned about the ethical dimensions of their work.

Richard Hugman is Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Lancaster University and was previously a social work practitioner.
David Smith, a former probation officer, is Professor of Social Work at Lancaster University. They are joint editors of The British Journal of Social Work.